Dear Childbirth class participants, we are currently holding in-person childbirth classes. My name is Kerrie Myre. I am the instructor and your point of contact for the class. The classes are held in the Todd Jones Conference room on the first floor of the hospital. This is located directly under Labor and Delivery at Baptist Health Richmond in Richmond, KY. The front doors of the hospital are now opened, and it is straight down the hall past the vending machines on your right. We will break for lunch at around 1:30 for an hour. A copy of this letter will be sent by email after you are registered.

Please let me know one way or another if you are for sure attending. Text Kerrie Myre, RNC-OB, CLC, childbirth class instructor, at 859.779.5896. I do work nightshift, so I will get back to you as soon as I wake up if I am sleeping. Feel free to text me at any time. You will not wake me up! There will be a reminder email sent 48 hours prior to class for all of those signed up. I set up the classroom based on the number of participants attending each class.

It is recommended to take the class between 24 and 38 weeks of pregnancy. If you have a selected labor support person, he or she should accompany you to the class. Please include him or her when you sign up for the class. If they cannot attend, you will still benefit greatly from the class and are encouraged to still come.

The birth of your child will be a life changing event that you will remember for the rest of your life. Attending a childbirth class allows you to be an active participant in the birthing process by helping you understand the labor and delivery process and the options available to you. The confidence and knowledge you gain in the class will help you approach childbirth more relaxed and prepared. Studies have shown that attending a childbirth class decreases the amount of medicine given before birth, the number of inductions, and reduces the risk of a Cesarean birth.

This Class Includes:

• How your body changes during pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum.
• Relaxation exercises to decrease pain and anxiety during labor and delivery, including natural childbirth techniques and tips for back labor.
• Pushing techniques to help with the birth.
• Common medications and anesthesia such as epidural used during labor and delivery.
• Common hospital procedures and options.
• Variations of labor and delivery, such as Cesarean birth and induction of labor.
• Role of the support person, including activities to help with physical and emotional support.
• The postpartum period and what happens after delivery.
• Newborn characteristics and care such as swaddling, diaper changes, and calming your baby.
• Breastfeeding information, instructions, and tips. This is the last part of the class and usually starts around 4pm. You may opt to skip this section, or you can attend just this section of the class. Great for parents of their 2nd or 3rd child wanting to breastfeed for the first time and not wanting to attend the whole class.

You will also get a book on the laboring process that includes QR codes for multiple videos and several other flyers about newborns and breastfeeding when you attend.

Some comments from previous classes include:

"Kerrie was awesome! Answered every question & made class fun & interactive. :-)"

"Very knowledgeable. very comforting to know options of pain, where to go when we do go into labor. would recommend this class to others. Thank you."

"A good refresher course for us. Even as experienced parents there was several things, we learned we didn't know before. I even feel better about trying to have a natural birth instead of just going in asking for an epidural."

"We absolutely loved this class! Kerri(e) was awesome. Highly recommended!!! I did not realize how much they would talk about Postpartum/breastfeeding, and I really valued that. We loved the 'practice' with swaddling & diapering. My husband really appreciated the honesty & information directed towards him & the partner in general."

"Class was great! Got so much more out of it than expected. Especially compared to multiple online classes we have taken. Loved the props & being able to see, feel certain subjects. Thanks!"

Thank you,

Kerrie Myre