Preparing for birth classes offered at SMH

NORWAY — The Family Birthplace at Stephens Memorial Hospital will be holding its next Preparing for Birth class Friday night and Saturday morning, February 18 and 19 – Friday from 6-8:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in Harper Conference Room – on right down the stairs in Ripley Medical Building. Gail Martel, RN, will be facilitating the course.

Expectant parents will have fun learning about the labor and delivery experience. They will explore how to relax and allow themselves to flow with their labor through breathing and relaxation techniques. Coaches will learn how they can assist the pregnant woman through the process of labor and share in the joy of the baby’s birth. Information on making a birth plan, comfort measures, stages of labor, and cesarean delivery are all explored. A question and answer session is always part of the class.

Pre-registration with payment or Mainecare information is required. The fee for this class is $50 if delivering at SMH or $60 if delivering elsewhere and is covered by insurance and Mainecare.

To register for class please call 743-5933 x380 or register on-line and send in your payment. For further information and future class offerings check out www.wmhcc.org. Click on women and then on preparing for birth.

Stephens Memorial Hospital is a member of MaineHealth. Visit Western Maine Health on the Internet at www.wmhcc.org.