In 2026, the Lamaze Six Healthy Birth Practices continue to be strongly supported by international research and clinical guidance. Many recommendations now considered standard were introduced years ago, yet they are not always consistently reflected across curricula or teaching materials.

This reflection offers a moment to pause and take stock. It brings together key evidence-aligned updates that reinforce the Six Healthy Birth Practices and support educators in keeping curricula current, credible, and responsive to the realities families face today.

Our goal is to ensure Lamaze Childbirth Education continues to reflect the clarity, confidence, and depth that current evidence offers.

Birth Practice 1 — Let Labor Begin on Its Own

International research and clinical guidance increasingly recognize that labor often unfolds more slowly than previously taught. Active labor is now widely understood to begin closer to 6 cm dilation rather than 4 cm. This reframing helps normalize longer early labor and reduces unnecessary concern when progress does not follow outdated timelines.

Guidance from multiple countries emphasizes patience with early labor when there are no clinical concerns and encourages thoughtful timing of admission based on the full clinical picture.

Teaching Reflection
This evidence supports deepening conversations about patience in early labor and helping families understand that longer early labor is a normal and healthy variation. Reinforcing how time and patience support physiologic birth strengthens alignment with this Birth Practice.

Sources

• World Health Organization – Intrapartum Care for a Positive Childbirth Experience
  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-RHR-18.12
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – Intrapartum Care Guidelines
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg190
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) – First and Second Stage Labor Management
  https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/clinical-practice-guideline/articles/2024/01/first-and-second-stage-labor-management

Birth Practice 2 — Walk, Move Around, and Change Positions Throughout Labor

Freedom of movement during labor remains one of the most consistently supported practices in maternity care. Research continues to associate movement with improved comfort, coping, and overall satisfaction with the birth experience.

More recent evidence has helped clarify why movement is so supportive. As labor unfolds, movement allows the pelvis, soft tissues, and fetus to respond dynamically to contractions. Changing positions can support fetal rotation and descent, reduce discomfort from sustained pressure, and help regulate sensation and fatigue.

The emphasis remains on movement itself: changing positions, adjusting posture, and avoiding prolonged immobility. For individuals using epidural analgesia, supported position changes continue to offer benefits related to comfort and pressure relief, guided by safety and individual needs.

Teaching reflection
This evidence reinforces movement as a foundational labor support practice. Teaching can focus on responsiveness to sensation, fatigue, and comfort; normalizing frequent position changes; and affirming that movement supports physiologic labor.

Sources

• World Health Organization – Intrapartum Care for a Positive Childbirth Experience
  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-RHR-18.12
• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews – Maternal position and mobility in labor
  https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003934.pub4/full
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists – First and Second Stage Labor Management
  https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/clinical-practice-guideline/articles/2024/01/first-and-second-stage-labor-management

Birth Practice 3 — Bring a Loved One, Friend, or Doula for Continuous Support

Few practices in maternity care have as strong and consistent an evidence base as continuous labor support. Across diverse settings, continuous support is associated with improved birth outcomes and more positive birth experiences.

This practice remains central to Lamaze philosophy. Support may come from partners, chosen family, doulas, or a combination that reflects each family’s needs and circumstances.

Teaching reflection
Teaching can reinforce the value of continuous presence and help families think intentionally about who will provide support, how roles may shift during labor, and what support looks like for them.

Sources

• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews – Continuous support for women during childbirth
  https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6/full
• World Health Organization – Intrapartum Care for a Positive Childbirth Experience
  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-RHR-18.12

Birth Practice 4 — Avoid Unnecessary Interventions

The Healthy Birth Practice, Avoid Unnecessary Interventions, reflects evidence showing that interventions are most beneficial when used thoughtfully and for clear clinical reasons. Guidance across maternity care systems supports distinguishing between interventions that are medically indicated and those that may be applied routinely without clear benefit.

Current evidence continues to clarify how this plays out in practice:

• Induction of labor: Recommendations vary internationally and depend on individual clinical factors such as maternal age, pregnancy type, blood pressure, diabetes status, fetal growth, and overall pregnancy health.
• Second-stage pushing: For many first-time birthing parents using epidural analgesia, routine delayed pushing does not improve vaginal birth rates and is associated with increased risks, including infection and postpartum hemorrhage. Timing is best guided by maternal and fetal status.

Across care settings, guidance emphasizes shared decision-making, clear communication of benefits and trade-offs, and flexibility in clinical management.

Teaching reflection
This evidence supports focusing on how decisions are made, as well as which options may be offered. Teaching can help families understand why recommendations may differ, normalize appropriate use of interventions, and build confidence in shared decision-making. 

Sources

• World Health Organization – Intrapartum Care for a Positive Childbirth Experience
  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-RHR-18.12
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – Intrapartum Care Guidelines
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg190

Birth Practice 5 — Avoid Giving Birth on the Back and Follow the Body’s Urges to Push

Upright and lateral positions continue to be supported for comfort and pelvic mechanics. Guidance increasingly reflects the value of physiologic pushing, particularly when epidural anesthesia is not in use, while recognizing that clinical context and individual needs shape how pushing unfolds.

Teaching reflection
Encouraging body awareness, flexibility, and responsiveness remains well aligned with evidence and supports this Birth Practice across a wide range of birth settings.

Sources

• World Health Organization
  WHO Recommendations: Intrapartum Care for a Positive Childbirth Experience
  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-RHR-18.12
• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
  Maternal position during the second stage of labor for women without epidural anesthesia
  https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002006.pub4/full
• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
  https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD009124.pub2/full

Birth Practice 6  —  Keep Parent and Baby Together: It’s Best for Both

This practice is increasingly supported by evidence that extends well beyond the immediate hours after birth. Current guidance emphasizes postpartum care as a continuum, with planned follow-up and support in the days and weeks following discharge.

Evidence highlights that early postpartum contact and continued assessment support feeding, bonding, emotional well-being, and early identification of concerns for both parent and baby. Skin-to-skin contact, rooming-in, and responsive feeding practices are most effective when supported after discharge through lactation care, newborn follow-up, and attention to parental mental health.

Teaching reflection
This evidence supports weaving postpartum care directly into teaching about Birth Practice 6. Helping families anticipate continued support, understand the connections between feeding, bonding, and mental health, and recognize postpartum care as part of caring for both parent and baby strengthens confidence and continuity.

Sources

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – Postnatal Care Guidelines
  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng194
• World Health Organization
  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MCA-17.06

Final thoughts

The Lamaze Six Healthy Birth Practices continue to endure because the evidence continues to support them, often with greater clarity and nuance than when they were first articulated. Keeping curricula reflects respect for families, confidence in science, and trust in educators’ ability to translate evidence into learning that truly matters.

When teaching is grounded in both long-standing principles and updated guidance, families receive education that feels steady, credible, and relevant to their real lives. In 2026, Lamaze childbirth education remains powerful because it grows alongside the evidence, stays rooted in physiologic birth, and continues to center informed, supported families at every step.

Pregnancy nutrition is particularly vital as pregnancy is one of the most nutritionally demanding periods of a woman's life.

Your health and the development of your baby may be significantly impacted by everything you eat during this time. When you’re pregnant, the food you eat feeds both you and your growing baby. Eating nutritious food isn’t just good for you and your baby, but it can also ease some of the discomforts you can encounter during pregnancy. So, it’s essential to keep a close eye on your daily food intake and ensure that it meets all the necessary aspects of health and nutrition.

With this Complete Guide, you’ll find simple and easy-to-understand information about pregnancy nutrition. You’ll learn which nutrients matter most, how much you need, and ways to get them through food. Whether you just found out that you’re pregnant or you’re already in your third trimester, you’ll discover new approaches that will benefit you and your baby.

Remember, good pregnancy nutrition is a gift you give to yourself and your baby.

Get ready for birth with confidence — Join a Lamaze online class today!  Empower yourself with evidence-based knowledge and support every step of the way.

Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators have been clear about one of the things they need most: ready-to-use, Lamaze-branded materials to help promote their classes and credentials online. We heard you, and we’re thrilled to share a new resource designed especially for you, the Lamaze LCCE Social Media Toolkit.

This toolkit was created with one goal in mind: to make it easier for you to connect with parents, fill your classes, and show the world the power of Lamaze.

Why This Matters

Today’s parents turn to social media first for answers, ideas, and connection. When Lamaze shows up consistently online, through our educators’ voices and classes, more families discover evidence-based childbirth education. That increased visibility means more filled classes for you and stronger recognition of your Lamaze certification.

The truth is, every post helps. Whether it’s a myth-busting tip, a gentle reminder to register for an upcoming class, or a warm message about what makes Lamaze unique, your voice makes a difference. When parents see Lamaze educators regularly sharing clear, confident messages, it builds trust and sparks curiosity.

What’s Inside

The toolkit includes customizable Canva templates for infographics, class promotions, banners, and educator profiles — everything you need to make your posts shine. You’ll also find:

• Sample captions and post ideas you can copy, paste, and personalize
• Posting tips to keep your content engaging and consistent
• A suggested posting calendar to help you plan ahead
• Easy resizing tools so your graphics look perfect on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Stories

Every element is designed to be simple, flexible, and uniquely you. Add your photo, class details, and contact information, then share with confidence.

Imagine the Possibilities

Imagine sharing a myth-busting post on Monday (“You don’t have to stay in bed during labor, movement helps!”) and a class promotion by Friday, all predesigned, branded, and ready to go. In just a few clicks, you can post something that looks professional, reflects your certification, and reaches the parents who need you most.

Want to highlight your upcoming series? Use one of the bright promotional templates. Want to engage parents between classes? Try a “Did you know?” graphic with a quick comfort measure tip. And when you post about your next session, you can easily add your logo or the Lamaze seal to help families recognize your professionalism and credibility.

These small, consistent touches make a big impact. They keep your name, and Lamaze, front and center in the spaces where parents are already looking for help and community.

How to Access the Toolkit

You can open, customize, and download the templates directly through Canva, no design experience required. Once you’ve updated your graphics, post them to your favorite social platforms and invite parents to learn more or register for your next class.

Together, We Grow the Lamaze Movement

Every time an educator posts, shares, or promotes their class, it strengthens the Lamaze brand and helps more families find trusted, evidence-based childbirth education. This toolkit is one way we’re investing in your success and helping Lamaze educators worldwide grow their reach.

Explore the toolkit and start sharing today, and don’t forget to tag @LamazeInternational in your posts so we can celebrate and amplify your work. Your stories and creativity are what bring Lamaze to life for families everywhere. Let’s fill every feed with confidence, connection, and the spirit of Lamaze.

Access the Lamaze LCCE Social Media Toolkit through your member portal today!

Why Staying Current Matters

For childbirth educators, keeping up with these changes is both professional growth and a meaningful way to serve families. Current, evidence-based content builds trust, reduces anxiety, and makes classes more effective and empowering.

The Challenge of Keeping Pace

Tradition is strong in childbirth education, but medical science and family needs change quickly. Many educators make small, thoughtful updates, such as revising a handout or adding a new comfort measure. While these changes are valuable, reviewing the curriculum as a whole from time to time ensures that families receive information that is both consistent and fully up to date.

A full curriculum review is time intensive, but tools such as curated handouts, professional webinars, updated textbooks, and organizational resources can help you keep your content accurate and effective.

Demographic and Social Shifts Shaping Education

Declining Birth Rates and Changing Families
Fewer people are having children, and many who do have limited experience with babies. Classes often serve as both educational spaces and sources of community. More parents are giving birth over age 35, with higher risks of hypertension or gestational diabetes. Family structures are also more varied, including unmarried partners, polyamorous families, and multi caregiver households.

Increasing Diversity and Inclusion Needs
Parents represent a wider range of racial, cultural, and gender identities. Disparities in outcomes for families of color persist, making culturally sensitive teaching essential. LGBTQIA+ visibility is expanding, particularly among younger generations, making inclusive language such as “birthing parent,” “chest feeding,” and “human milk” important for ensuring families feel seen and respected.

Rural Obstetric Deserts and Policy Shifts
More than one third of U.S. counties lack local birthing facilities, leaving many families without accessible care. Online education and tele-support are critical lifelines in these regions. Changing Medicaid coverage and state level reproductive policies also affect how families plan their care and where educators must focus attention.

Teaching Families to Navigate Information

Parents are inundated with information, much of it contradictory or commercially influenced. Educators play a key role in teaching families how to assess sources.

Encourage them to ask:
- Who is providing this information, and what are their qualifications?
- Is there a financial or ideological agenda?
- Does the content use fear based language or lack citations?

By building critical thinking, families gain confidence not only in pregnancy and birth but also in early parenting decisions.

Shifting the Emphasis: Risks to Protective Factors

Traditional education often emphasizes risks, which can heighten anxiety. A protective factor approach shifts the focus to what families can do to improve outcomes, such as balanced nutrition, safe physical activity, consistent prenatal care, and strong social supports.

This resilience- based model strengthens self-efficacy, helping families feel capable and prepared while still acknowledging individual risks. It mirrors public health trends showing positive, strength-based education is more effective than fear-based messaging.

Key Updates in Pregnancy Care

Pelvic Floor Health
Pelvic floor care includes both strengthening and relaxation. Awareness, breath, and tension release alongside Kegels can improve comfort in labor and recovery.

Nutrition and Choline
Alongside folate, iron, iodine, and DHA, choline has emerged as essential for fetal brain development. ACOG recommends 450 mg per day during pregnancy, though many prenatal supplements lack it.

Weight and Gestational Health
Gestational weight gain targets are now individualized. For people with obesity, the Institute of Medicine range is typically 11 to 20 pounds, with shared decision making to balance maternal and fetal health. Screening for gestational diabetes is recommended for all between 24 and 28 weeks, with earlier testing for those at risk. Low dose aspirin, 81 mg daily, is recommended for individuals at high risk of preeclampsia, starting ideally before 16 weeks.

Labor and Birth Practices

Admission Guidelines
Policies increasingly aim to delay hospital admission until active labor when safe. ACOG defines active labor as beginning at 6 cm dilation. Educators can help parents understand labor patterns and when to call their clinician.

Comfort and Positioning
Mobility and a variety of labor positions, including upright and side lying, are encouraged to support comfort and physiologic birth. Peanut balls and similar tools may also facilitate progress, but the emphasis is on movement and individualized choice.

Pushing and Third Stage
Routine delayed pushing with epidurals is no longer recommended, as evidence shows limited benefit and possible risks. Coached pushing at full dilation is supported for many nulliparas with epidurals. In the third stage, prophylactic oxytocin and uterine tone assessment are standard. Routine sustained uterine massage is not recommended when Pitocin is given.

Continuous emotional and physical support during labor, whether from a partner, friend, or doula, is consistently linked with better outcomes. This reinforces the Lamaze practice of encouraging families to bring a supportive companion into the birth space. Lamaze also encourages upright positions and working with the body’s natural urges whenever possible, even when epidurals are used.

Labor Practices: Past vs. Current This aligns with the Lamaze practice of letting labor begin on its own and avoiding unnecessary interventions. This reflects the Lamaze practice of moving and changing positions in labor, supporting both comfort and progress.

Induction of Labor

Induction rates are increasing. For some conditions, timing depends on age and health status. Many with well controlled diabetes deliver at 39 weeks. People aged 40 or older may be offered delivery at 39 weeks. For twin gestations, timing is based on chorionicity and clinical factors, often between 37 and 38 weeks.

Educators can prepare families to ask about cervical readiness, expected length of induction, and the support needed for longer processes.

Newborn Care and Feeding

Immediate Care
Delaying the first bath at least 24 hours protects the skin barrier and helps with temperature regulation. Pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart disease is now standard.

Feeding Practices
Inclusive language such as “chest feeding” and “human milk” is recommended. Breastfeeding education emphasizes laid back positioning and self-attachment. For bottle feeding, paced feeding supports healthy feeding behaviors.

Lactation Science
Blocked ducts are now reframed as inflammatory processes. Best practice is gentle care, cold compresses, NSAIDs when appropriate, and avoiding deep massage. 

In the past, nipple pain during breastfeeding was often assumed to be caused by yeast, and antifungal medication was prescribed as a first response. Current evidence shows that many cases of nipple pain resolve on their own or are related to other causes such as positioning, latch, or inflammation rather than fungal infection.

Observation and gentle supportive care are now recommended before turning to antifungals. This approach reduces unnecessary medication, avoids potential side effects, and helps families focus on practical strategies such as improving latch, ensuring frequent effective feeds, and using comfort measures.

Postpartum Care and Mental Health

ACOG now recommends contact with a provider within 3 weeks postpartum and a comprehensive visit no later than 12 weeks. Those with hypertensive disorders or gestational diabetes may need earlier or more frequent visits.

Educators can normalize the wide range of postpartum experiences, including physical recovery, changes in intimacy, and mental health challenges. Encouraging open communication and self-compassion helps families build resilience. Awareness of resources gives families confidence to navigate this complex period.

Practical Teaching Tips

- Provide handouts highlighting what is new compared to what is well established.
- Use activities to compare induction methods or labor positions.
- Show diverse video demonstrations of labor and infant care.
- Offer hybrid or online formats for underserved families.
- Stay current through webinars, journals, and organizational updates.

Conclusion

Excellence in childbirth education comes from keeping curricula current and evidence based while staying rooted in what matters most to families. Childbirth education must continue to evolve with new research, shifting demographics, and the realities of diverse families. By embedding critical thinking, highlighting protective factors, and presenting inclusive, evidence-based updates, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators can ensure their teaching remains both relevant and impactful.

The true goal is to provide the latest science backed information and to walk alongside families in ways that leave them feeling capable, supported, and confident as they step into birth and parenting.

Update your curriculum with the latest evidence-based information right HERE.

References

ACOG. (2024). First and Second Stage Labor Management Clinical Practice Guideline. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/clinical-practice-guideline/articles/2024/01/first-and-second-stage-labor-management

ACOG. (2023). Nutrition During Pregnancy. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/nutrition-during-pregnancy

ACOG. (2020). Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Practice Bulletin. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2020/02/gestational-diabetes-mellitus

ACOG. (2018). Optimizing Postpartum Care. Committee Opinion. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2018/05/optimizing-postpartum-care

ACOG. (2018). Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy. Committee Opinion. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2020/04/physical-activity-and-exercise-during-pregnancy-and-the-postpartum-period

ABM Protocol #36. (2022). The Mastitis Spectrum. Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. https://www.bfmed.org/protocols

AAP. (2024). Delaying Newborn Bathing. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/bathing-skin-care/Pages/Delay-Newborns-First-Bath.aspx

AAP/CDC. (2018). Critical Congenital Heart Disease Screening Using Pulse Oximetry. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/cchd-facts.html

March of Dimes. (2023). Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S. https://www.marchofdimes.org/research/maternity-care-deserts-report.aspx

Discover the six simple steps to a safe and healthy birth. Enroll in Lamaze’s Safe and Healthy Birth online class and take charge of your birth experience.

Every Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator has a story—one that begins with curiosity and a desire to make a difference for expecting families. Your journey might begin the first time you support a friend during pregnancy, or perhaps your own birth experience opened your eyes to the importance of quality childbirth education. Whatever brought you here, the journey to becoming an educator is one filled with learning, growth and purpose.

Whether you are just beginning to explore the idea or are ready to jump in, here is a clear roadmap to guide your journey from student to Lamaze educator.

Step 1: Enroll in Training

The first step is a leap of commitment. You are choosing to invest in your skills so you can guide others through pregnancy and birth. Enrolling in a Lamaze Childbirth Educator Seminar is like opening the first chapter of a new book. You will dive into evidence-based strategies, discover the Lamaze Six Healthy Birth Practices and learn the art of guiding parents through one of life’s biggest transitions.

Step 2: Prep for and Pass the Exam

After training, your focus shifts to earning your Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) credential by completing the application and taking the LCCE exam. This is where your knowledge, teaching skills and passion all come together. The Lamaze Educator Learning Guide is an invaluable resource to help you study, review key concepts and feel ready for exam day. Some trainers also offer study groups, which provide a supportive environment to discuss material, ask questions, and prepare alongside fellow aspiring educators. Passing the exam is both a milestone and a celebration—it marks your official entry into the Lamaze educator community.

Step 3: Build Your Curriculum

With your certification in hand, you can begin creating engaging, effective classes. The Navigating Pregnancy & Birth: Your Lamaze Curriculum gives you a strong framework to ensure your teaching is clear, evidence-based, and parent-focused. This is the stage where your personality and teaching style shine through, making your classes both educational and memorable.

From role-playing breathing techniques to guiding discussions about birth preferences, you start to see your lessons come alive.

While using the Lamaze Curriculum is recommended, some educators choose to build their own curriculum. This approach allows for complete creative freedom but requires a tremendous investment of time, resources, and skill to ensure it meets evidence-based standards and effectively engages parents.

Step 4: Market Your First Class

Now it is time to spread the word. Marketing your first class can feel like a big leap, but you are not alone. The Lamaze Connecting the Dots blog offers tips, inspiration and strategies to help you reach expectant parents, build connections in your community and get those first students enrolled. You’ll also find support, tips and encouragement in the Lamaze Childbirth Professionals Facebook group. 

Step 5: Teach Your First Class

At last, the moment arrives, and you are standing in front of your first group of parents-to-be. You might feel a few nerves, but you are ready. With the Lamaze PowerPoint, you have a professional, evidence-based tool to guide your teaching and engage your students. And providing clients with the Lamaze Parent Guidebook, you’ll feel confident that parents have a take-home reference to build on their learning.

Seeing parents’ eyes light up when they understand a concept for the first time is unforgettable. As they ask questions, share stories and begin to feel more confident, you realize that you are not just teaching; you are making a lasting impact on families in your community.

Becoming a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator is more than a career move—it is a calling. Each step on the roadmap brings you closer to fulfilling your dream of empowering families with knowledge, confidence, and support during one of the most meaningful times in their lives. And that is a journey worth taking.

When I reflect on my 50-year journey as a Lamaze educator, I’m reminded of the power that knowledge brings—especially during one of life’s most transformative moments: childbirth.

My passion for childbirth education began with my own first birth experience. Even though we took Lamaze classes, there was little support from physicians and hospital staff for “natural” birth. My labor was induced, and I was given scopolamine—causing my spouse to be sent to the waiting room. I have no memory of labor, birth, or even meeting my son for the first time after his cesarean delivery. That experience left me feeling disconnected, disempowered, and uninformed. It ignited a lifelong commitment to ensure others would never walk into birth feeling powerless or alone.

Seven years later, I gave birth to my second child—a beautiful, unmedicated VBAC. That birth experience was everything my first was not: empowering, clear, and unforgettable. I felt supported, informed, and truly present as I welcomed my baby into the world. It reaffirmed what I knew in my heart: that every birthing person deserves access to information, options, and respectful care. That experience further fueled my passion for helping families understand their choices and recognize the power they hold in shaping their own birth stories.

Two years after my first birth, I became certified as a Lamaze educator while still in nursing school in 1976 and began teaching soon after—first in a co-op and private practice, then at the first freestanding birthing center in San Antonio. Eventually, I had the opportunity to design and lead a comprehensive perinatal education program for a major hospital system. Grounded in Lamaze principles, it offered more than just classes. We held women’s health events, lunchtime learning sessions, and developed a robust inpatient and outpatient lactation support program staffed by International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs). These were fun times of change as we advocated for family centered maternity care in a conservative maternity culture as childbirth educators and inspired parents to demand positive changes. 

After retiring from nursing, I continued using my experience by opening a maternity boutique in Wilmington, NC, called The Woman’s Place. There, I offer Lamaze and Spinning Babies classes, breastfeeding and newborn care instruction, lactation services, and a carefully curated selection of birth and breastfeeding-related items—along with cute maternity and children’s clothing.

To new Lamaze educators: think outside the box. You may find yourself teaching in hospitals, homes, boutiques, online platforms, or community centers—each space offers a chance to meet people where they are. Birth in our society is constantly shifting, with medical, cultural, and political forces influencing how people experience it. Ride those ups and downs, stay grounded in evidence, and above all, continue advocating for birthing families. Your voice matters—use it to help others find theirs. 

Throughout my career, my goal has remained the same: to encourage expectant parents to learn about pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding so they can engage in informed, shared decision-making with their care providers. Lamaze isn’t about promoting a single “right” way to give birth—it’s about equipping families with evidence-based information and confidence.

Birth matters. Education matters. When parents feel informed and supported, their experience—whatever path it takes—can be one of strength and joy. After five decades in this work, I am still honored every time a parent tells me, “I didn’t know I had a voice—until your class helped me find it.

From our blog to our classes, with the Six Healthy Birth Practices as our foundation, Lamaze strives to prepare parents to make informed decisions. We believe that an informed pregnancy is an empowered pregnancy. That commitment shows up not only in what we teach, but in how we teach it.

That’s why we’re so excited to share the brand-new Plumtree Baby Lamaze teaching materials. These thoughtfully designed resources are game changers for both new and seasoned Educators. Whether you’re launching your first series or looking to refresh your longtime approach, these tools help you bring evidence-based, respectful, and transformative education into every classroom.

A Closer Look at the New Tools

1. Navigating Pregnancy Birth – Your Lamaze Curriculum

This downloadable curriculum is a flexible, complete roadmap. It includes a full 8-hour lesson plan, more than 30 handouts, as well as interactive activities and discussion prompts that directly align with Lamaze Essential Content. The comprehensive structure allows you to tailor your teaching approach while staying grounded in best practice.

Why it makes a difference:
* If you're just starting out, this gives you confidence and structure right out of the gate.
* If you've been teaching for years, it cuts your prep time dramatically and ensures your material reflects current Lamaze standards.

2. Navigating Pregnancy & Birth PowerPoint

With 157 clean, visually engaging slides, this presentation covers all the essentials—pregnancy, labor, interventions, postpartum, newborn care, and breastfeeding. The content is designed for in person or virtual classes and can be rearranged to meet your specific teaching goals.

Why it helps you teach better:
* Thoughtful graphics and concise content help parents stay engaged and retain more.
* Prompts built into the slides encourage real conversation, not just lecture.

3. Navigating Pregnancy & Birth Parent Guidebook

This full-color, inclusive, and easy-to-follow guide is the perfect take-home companion for parents. It mirrors the class content and reinforces the Six Healthy Birth Practices in a way that feels approachable and practical.

Why parents love it:
* It’s readable, relevant, and respectful of diverse families and experiences.
* It keeps the learning going long after your class ends.

4. Lamaze Starter Package

Want it all? The Starter Package combines the curriculum, slide deck, and a parent guide at a lower bundle price. One order sets you up with everything you need to deliver a complete, polished class.

Why It Matters

Lamaze has always stood for more than just childbirth classes. Our three pillars: evidence-based, respectful, and transformative, define everything we do. These new materials reflect that heart and purpose. They allow educators to focus less on logistics and more on connection. Less time formatting means more time empowering parents.

Ready to Refresh Your Toolkit?

Whether you’re building your class from the ground up or just need a few new pieces, these resources were created to support you. The best educators never stop learning and with these tools, you can keep evolving while staying true to what makes Lamaze so trusted.

Explore the new materials at plumtreebaby.com or on the Lamaze Teaching Resources page.

We can’t wait to see how you make them your own.

Let’s keep teaching in a way that informs, respects, and transforms.

To anyone walking this path, I want you to know that you’re not alone. The journey to parenthood isn’t always smooth, and it doesn’t have to look perfect. Take it one step at a time, and know that it’s OK to grieve while holding onto hope. You are stronger than you realize, and even in the darkest moments, there’s light ahead.

Your story isn’t over yet. Keep fighting, keep hoping, and remember that you’re not alone in this.

Rachell Dumas, RN, is a nurse entrepreneur, maternal health advocate, pregnancy survivor, and founder of “A Light After Nine”, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting families through pregnancy loss, infertility, and maternal trauma. After enduring nine pregnancy losses, Rachell turned her pain into purpose by advocating for equitable, compassionate maternal healthcare.

The elusive infant sleep. It’s normal for new parents to feel anxious about their baby’s safety while sleeping; parents have been so bombarded with safe sleep campaigns and what not to do that it can feel so scary putting the baby down for a nap. And if their babies are anything like mine and refuse to follow any of those great safety guidelines anyways, parents might be feeling at their wits’ end.

Often in childbirth classes, we cover the safe sleep guidelines of being alone in a crib on their back in a smoke-free environment. It can be helpful to introduce the safe sleep guidelines as the gold standard for infant sleep while acknowledging that the majority of newborns do not want to be alone on their back in a crib. In reality, these are learned skills that take some time for babies to get right.

Image sourced from Win Network Detroit.

So, what are some ways to promote safe sleep in our childbirth classes while also acknowledging the difficulties of realistically implementing the guidelines?

Here are four simple ways to boost your safe sleep content in ways that will actually help:

1. Teach strategies for encouraging newborns to actually sleep alone on their backs.

Learning to sleep alone on their back is a learned skill for babies. Educators can help parents feel more prepared by covering specific skills and techniques to teach newborns how to sleep independently on their back. These can include tricks like using a heating pad to warm up the crib or bassinet before placing the baby in it or placing an article of clothing that smells like baby’s parent flat in the bassinet (or, even better, having a parent sleep with the crib sheet to get their smell on it before placing it on the crib). Educators can also suggest ideas for naptime or bedtime routines that get babies cued into when it is time to sleep, like taking a bath or reading a book; going into a quiet, dark space; putting on white noise or making the shushing sound while bouncing them; drinking some milk; or offering a pacifier before going down to sleep. Whatever the process includes, the consistent routine can help train babies to sleep. Some parents find that using a stroller, rocker, sling, or tying the baby to a caregiver’s back to rock the baby to sleep before transferring them into the crib can also help.

2. Normalize that there are many different safe sleep locations.

While being in a crib or bassinet is the ideal, not everyone has the means or desire to use these sleep locations. Research shows that more than 60% of new parents share a bed with their infant at least once during their infancy. Given this statistic, educators should include strategies to reduce harm to babies while co-sleeping, such as the Safe Sleep 7.

Image sourced from Birth Partner.

Additionally, parents who do not have the resources to access a new crib or a room large enough to fit a crib often feel guilty that their child is at risk for unsafe sleep. However, parents can use something as simple as an empty wardrobe drawer placed on the ground with a single towel laid down in the bottom as a safe sleep location. Or if the parent(s) has a tiny apartment and the baby’s crib doesn’t fit in the parents’ room, it’s OK for the baby’s crib to be right outside the room within hearing distance. Even having the baby fall asleep on their parent or caregiver is OK as long as the parent, or another adult nearby, is awake to prevent the baby from rolling off. Many parents safely monitor their baby’s sleep by placing them in a wearable carrier, sling, or cloth around the parent’s back and allowing baby to sleep while the parent walks around and works. Normalizing different safe sleep locations can help reduce new parent guilt and fear while their baby is sleeping.

3. Discuss the actual risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

It is easy for new parents to feel alarmed when they hear their educators and healthcare providers say their baby is at an “increased risk” for SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome, or when the baby dies unexpectedly while sleeping) if the parents don’t follow the safe sleep guidelines. However, parents take risks every day with their babies. Just driving the baby in a car to the doctor’s office puts them at risk, so it’s important to help parents consider the “actual” risk of SIDS and how much risk they are OK with.

Studies (see here and here as well as Emily Oster’s book “Cribsheet”) have found that SIDS risk during bed sharing is actually much lower for babies who are considered “low risk” (not born prematurely and have an average birth weight) to parents who don’t smoke cigarettes or drink more than two servings of alcohol per day. And this risk is significantly lower than the risk of being killed in a car accident or drowning. The risk for SIDS increases when the baby is considered “high risk” (born prematurely and/or have low birth weight) and when the parents smoke cigarettes and/or drink more than two servings of alcohol per day. Helping parents understand the actual risk of SIDS, and factors that can increase or decrease that risk, can help parents make informed decisions about safe sleep options for their baby and reduce guilt and fear.

Image sourced from NPR.

4. Affirm parents in their choices.

New parents are often overwhelmed by the newness of caring for a newborn, sleep deprivation, and the sheer number of decisions they have to make. It is so easy for new parents to feel guilty, anxious, or downright panicky that they aren’t doing something right, especially when it comes to safe sleep. Educators have an important role of reminding parents of their inner strengths, compassion, and ability to best care for their child(ren). By normalizing the variety of safe sleep options and meeting parents where they are, educators can help lessen parent anxiety and promote safe sleep that actually works for parents.

Leslie Massicotte, M.Ed., LCCE, is a childbirth and women's health educator in North Carolina. She's been working with young people and families for over 10 years, ensuring that everyone has access to evidence-based, inclusive, and comprehensive information about their health and their bodies.

Lamaze International is thankful for the global community of childbirth educators whose expertise leads to safe, healthy births. On this #GivingTuesday, we ask you to make a contribution to help Lamaze continue its mission of offering education, scholarships, programs, and resources for Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators and the families they serve.

Your contributions make an impact. Here, Lamaze International Executive Director Silvia Quevedo, CAE, shares how donations to Lamaze contribute to meaningful outcomes for evidence-based childbirth education and advocacy. Read more, and donate today.

How does donor support impact Lamaze International’s mission of promoting healthy pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting?

Silvia Quevedo, CAE (SQ): Donor support is so important for many organizations like Lamaze. It allows the organization to engage individuals in its mission as well as supporting expansion of programming and access.

Share some examples of how past donations have contributed to meaningful outcomes or programs within Lamaze. How will continued support help expand these initiatives?

SQ: Past donations provided scholarships for childbirth educators to attend continuing education events to stay up to date on childbirth education best practices.

Donations support training and mentoring for aspiring childbirth educators from underrepresented communities through the Expand Equity Scholarship Program.

Tell us more about the Expand Equity Scholarships, the travel scholarships for continuing education, and expanding access to become a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator in underserved communities. How do these initiatives support safe and healthy birth around the world?

SQ: The Lamaze Board of Directors recognizes the need to diversify its membership and expand access to evidence-based education and advocacy to communities that need it most: BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and rural communities. The Expand Equity Program is supported in part by generous donations and grant funding from the Prolacta Bioscience Foundation. To date, 10 individuals have completed the training and are serving their communities to ensure safe pregnancy, birth, and early parenting.

There are many organizations and causes to support, especially at this time of year. In your opinion, what is the most compelling reason to support the Lamaze mission this Giving Tuesday?

SQ: Lamaze International’s mission is to protect the future. Donations support the organization’s ability to expand maternal infant health and well-being through evidence-based childbirth education and advocacy. Advocating for the Lamaze Six Healthy Birth Practices ensures everyone has the best start in life.