DREAMBIRTH® FOR PREGNANT WOMEN
(8 weekly online classes of 90 minutes each, in 2 Modules of 4 classes each).
There is no greater tool for both pregnancy and childbirth than DreamBirth® Imagery.
Imagery is the language of the body, of experiencing. It is the first language the body understands. As Catherine Shainberg, the creator of DreamBirth® explains: “The body doesn’t understand words as well as it does pictures. You can’t tell your heart to beat less quickly, but by imagery you can learn to quiet heart beats, to lower high blood pressure, to stop premature contractions”, to get the baby in the right position, to open easily, to diffuse and lessen pain—the list is endless.
With DreamBirth® you can:
Learn to see, connect and communicate with your baby throughout your Pregnancy
Create an easeful and beneficial birth environment for you and your baby
Promote optimal fetal positioning
Diminish fears
Help reduce pain during labor
Accelerate the post-partum healing process
Minimize side effects of medication
Create deeper intimacy between you and your partner
In these two Modules, you will experience and learn the exercises that have transformed many births.
We will do the exercises together. They last from one to three minutes, are very easy to learn, and are relaxing and fun to do.
MODULE 1: Pregnancy and Communicating with Baby
In this Module you will learn how to communicate with your baby and give the focused attention your baby needs to flourish and develop. Birth is a natural process, your body already knows how to birth, but fears, anxieties, lack of belief in the body’s abilities, and incorrect ideas about birth and your abilities get in the way. So, as well as giving your body, your baby and yourself the correct ‘pictures’ of a good birth, you will also learn how to address and change all that gets in the way.
Class 1: Communicating with baby, body wisdom, first and second trimester issues
You will learn how to communicate with the baby, your body and your inner wisdom. You will learn exercises that help your body to enter that unique state of relaxation and safety needed for birth, as the more open and relaxed your body is during labor, the less pain it will experience and the easier labor will progress. We will do exercises to address particular issues that come up in the first two trimesters: nausea, fatigue, emotional swings, body image, sibling rivalry, choices, premature contractions and mothering issues. What DreamBirth® exercises we do depends on needs of Class.
Class 2 and Class 3: Relaxation and safety, clearing worries and incorrect ideas, creating optimism.
We continue to address the state of relaxation and safety needed during the birth process, but now we go deeper. We will look at how our thoughts, beliefs and fears can impact our state of relaxation. The exercises chosen in these Classes will help you create a safe space and a feeling of support, no matter the external circumstances. We will practice exercises which serve to clear or diffuse worries, anxieties and fears, and exercises that will clear incorrect ideas and belief systems passed on to us from our ancestry or previous experience. You will learn ways to create protection and optimism for you and your baby. We will also take a look at how your relationships might be affecting you, with partners, parents, children, doctors. You will experience the use of imagery to improve communication if needed, to deepen relationships and in some cases to transform them.
Class 4: Flexibility of body and mind
In this Class you will learn to develop flexibility of body and mind, as that is what birth and mothering require. DreamBirth® exercises allow us to direct the cells of our body, nature itself, into its most optimal, easeful functioning. You will learn the importance of alignment for comfort and for an easier birth. We will do exercises that expand and lengthen. and learn to turn a breech or misaligned baby. Light, air and water images expand; you will experience the connection between jaw and pelvis, mouth and cervix.
MODULE 2: Preparing for Labor and After
In this Module, you will learn coping strategies for every stage of labor. We will address practical matters such as common hospital routines and show you ways to transform potentially distracting or problematic situations that may be encountered in a hospital setting. We will address as well any remaining emotions that may get in the way; fear, guilt, anger, lack of self-worth. In the final classes we address post- partum concerns including milk production, sleep exhaustion and feelings of overwhelm. And finally, you will learn exercises to repair the body postpartum and to connect with baby long distance.
Class 1: Coping strategies for every stage of labor
In this Class, you will learn coping strategies for every stage of labor. You will learn exercises that make your body flexible, pliant and supple. You will learn ways to encourage dilation, and how to help your baby to descend and move easefully into the birth canal. We will do exercises to diminish or eliminate tearing during the pushing stage.
Class 2: Transforming the birth place, common hospital routines
In this Class, we will address practical matters such as common hospital routines and show you ways to transform potentially distracting or problematic situations that may be encountered in a hospital setting. You will learn the major exercise to prepare for the oncoming birth whether it is completely natural, medicated or caesarian; whether it is a home birth, a birthing center birth, or a hospital birth. If partners attend additional exercises for them will be given. (Partners and doulas are encouraged to attend this Class.)
Class 3: Emotions that get in the way, immediate Post-partum issues
In this Class, you will learn exercises for immediately after the birth: to connect with the baby, to clear the body and the baby if any medications were taken, to heal any tears and incisions. We will address as well any remaining emotions that may get in the way; fear, guilt, anger, lack of self-worth.
Class 4: Encouraging milk supply, calming overwhelm, sleep exhaustion, body repair
In this Class, you will learn exercises to encourage milk supply, to calm overwhelm, for sleep exhaustion, and exercises for quietening oneself. And finally, you will learn exercises to repair the body postpartum and to connect with your baby long distance, when needed.
Classes will be taught by Claudia Raiken, who worked with Catherine on the development of the DreamBirth® method, with seven other doulas, nurses, psychologists and birth professionals. Claudia is a Childbirth Educator (ICEA), a Doula (ALACE) , an Alexander Technique Teacher and a Biodynamic CranioSacral Practitioner. She holds a Masters from NYU in Kinesiology and Dance, and is certified by The School of Images® as a DreamBirth® practitioner.
She has assisted in over 270 births and continues to be awed at the power of DreamBirth®:
"I can unequivocally assert that there is no greater tool for both pregnancy and childbirth than DreamBirth®.
It is also an incredible tool for conception: 95% of the women I worked with have conceived. Many of these women came to me in desperation, still unable to conceive after having multiple IVF’s. DreamBirth® is a beautiful adjunct to any other modality that is being used for conception; it will enhance the effects of acupuncture, herbs, and IVF."