Inviting guest subject matter experts into your childbirth classes is a winning proposition for everyone involved - the childbirth educator, the families in their classes and the specialists who share their expertise. Having guests join you for specific sections helps liven up classes and makes them more interesting for attendees. If you are a childbirth educator, consider where you can enhance the information your families receive by inviting guest speakers to your classes and help families make connections with people who can be a resource for them during pregnancy and also after the birth.

Physical therapists

These experts in the pelvic floor can address many concerns that expectant and postpartum parents have, including pelvic exercises to do during pregnancy, how to release pelvic floor muscles and minimize tearing during second stage, and how to restore the pelvic floor to a healthy and strong state after a vaginal birth. Consider inviting them for the beginning of a class or series when you talk about anatomy, or in the section where you talk about pushing.

Lactation Consultants

Feeding a newborn human milk is an area where many new parents have concerns and want extra support. Lactation consultants are feeding specialists who can share information about preparing for lactation prenatally, getting feeding off to a good start and how to address common concerns. They can also provide resources about pumps, antenatal colostrum expression and who might benefit from establishing care with a consultant prior to birth.

Pediatricians/Family Practice Physicians

These experts in newborn health are valuable team members who help parents gain confidence about normal newborn behavior and characteristics, clarify reasons to call the care provider and answer questions about typical procedures and protocols that may be suggested for their baby.

Perinatal Counselors/Therapists/Social Workers

The emotional transitions to parenthood are challenging on a good day. Potential mood disorders can be exacerbated by risk factors from childhood, systemic racism, sleep deprivation, birth and newborn outcomes, existing social support networks and more. A specialist who works with parents struggling to navigate mental health situations in the perinatal period can offer suggestions for building a safety net, identify local resources for struggling parents and even reassure people that emotional highs and lows are often part of the package for sleep-deprived parents of a newborn.

Doulas

Birth and postpartum doulas are both a valuable part of the perinatal care team. Many families may be unsure how doulas can help during a labor and birth or once they bring a newborn home.  Providing a forum to ask questions during a childbirth class can help families to understand if they would benefit from such services, and understanding how to find qualified individuals in their communities should they wish to have doula support. As an added bonus, birth doulas may be a helpful addition to your comfort and coping section of class as an extra pair of hands to help you teach families non-physiological coping skills and useful labor positions.

Anesthesiologists

Epidurals and other pain medication options are an area where childbirth educators often receive lots of questions from curious parents. Pregnant people want to know what pharmaceutical pain relief might be available to them and very much appreciate the opportunity to hear from the care providers and ask about the specific choices available in each facility and at different points in labor.

Conclusion

The subject matter experts listed above are just a few of many specialized people who would be excellent guest speakers in a childbirth class. There is an additional level of coordination on the part of the educator to identify willing guests and coordinate schedules, but the efforts are well appreciated by class participants. Virtual childbirth classes are a bit easier to coordinate and easier for the guest, but regardless, perinatal educators may want to consider the many advantages of bringing in guest speakers who can connect with families and help them to feel prepared and confident.

Are you an educator who currently invites guest speakers into your childbirth classes?  Who is a consistent favorite for your families? Do you have any tips for logistics and guidelines that you can share with educators looking into doing this for the first time? Share in the comments below.

Published: November 09, 2022

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