Childbirth Education Classes.

Birth is inherently somewhat unpredictable, and while you can’t dictate exactly how it will go, you can be better prepared to navigate the experience as it unfolds.

In partnership with Birthsmarter, The Way Station teaches unbiased, inclusive and accessible childbirth education classes. Regardless of your plans for your birth location, interventions, and pain management preferences, our classes cover all of your options in birth so you leave feeling prepared for however your birth unfolds. Classes are offered in-person and virtually in three formats: a 2-day weekend intensive, a 1-day express class or a customized private session.

🍼 Being Unbiased means that we know there is no hierarchy of birth outcomes or parenting choices. That means we do not promote unmedicated births over medicated births or sleep-training over bed-sharing. At Birthsmarter, we believe that families should have the highest quality of education and support to meet them where they are. This means we do not give blanket advice or tell people what to do. We do not make assumptions or lecture on best practices. We share evidence-based resources, community anecdotes, and personal experience while recognizing that one size will never fit all! We want to make sure people feel seen, heard, and supported - NEVER pressured or shamed.

🌈 Being Inclusive means welcoming all individuals and family structures while recognizing that Black, brown, Queer, fat, disabled, and financially limited individuals and families 1. exist and 2. might have unique needs. As one example of our inclusivity efforts, we default to neutral terms such as “pregnant people” or “partners” instead of leaning on gendered terms like “mama.” We recognize racism and implicit bias in the birth community and work to unpack our own biases and limitations as leaders in the field.

💛 Being Accessible means meeting people where they are! We offer an alternative pricing policy to make sure every family can access Birthsmarter regardless of their economic status; provide closed captioning in virtual classes; offer classes in multiple formats; and have designed a curriculum with an eye for different learning styles.

Class Schedule
Private Class Inquiry

Your Questions, Answered

  • We recommend taking a birth class anywhere between 24-36 weeks pregnant.

  • If you don't see a class date that works for your schedule, check out our virtual & on-demand options, or request a private class.

  • If you have a partner or other birth support person, they should absolutely attend class with you.

    Our class fee covers both of you, and our classes are very partner focused. One of our core topics is the 5 Partner Responsibilities, so your partner will walk away from class with clear, tangible things they can support you with during labor. We also teach you and your partner how to navigate the unknowns of birth, communicate effectively with your care team, and manage their own stress and anxiety during the birth experience.

  • The format of class you take really depends on what works best for your schedule and preferences.

    The 3-Class Series is offered on Zoom and occasionally in-person. This series begins with Intro to Labor and Delivery, an interactive lecture-based course that offers a comprehensive outline of labor physiology, partner support, and medical interventions. It’s followed by deep dives in Comfort + Coping and Push Prep which are experiential hands-on sessions.

    The Weekend Intensive is offered in-person and meets on a Saturday + Sunday afternoon. The weekend covers the same material (Intro to Labor and Delivery, Comfort + Coping, and Push Prep) presented organically through a combination of lecture, discussion, and experiential activities.

    The One-Day Condensed is a condensed version of our weekend course. We cover the same material at a faster clip and balance lecture-based learning and hands-on-practice. For folks taking the condensed Childbirth Education Course, we’ll supplement your learning with access to video lessons for any topics we’ve not covered in-depth.

  • At Birthsmarter, we pride ourselves in being the most unbiased, inclusive, and accessible pregnancy and parenting community in the United States. Birthsmarter educators pull from our years of experience, knowledge in the field of birth and postpartum, and expert teaching skills to give you a class that truly prepares you for birth and parenting.

  • We offer these three classes a la carte for folks who are only interested in one or two subjects. For example, we've had clients take a traditional birth class elsewhere and feel disappointed that there was no hands-on practice or acknowledgement of the pelvic floor and want to supplement their education with Push Prep.

    Others may be looking for a refresher course for baby #2 or #3 and want to hop into Intro to Labor & Delivery or Comfort & Coping alone. For folks having their first baby, we highly recommend registering for a full series. The three sections feed into each other and are equally important for building your confidence.