Childbirth Education
GROW’s relaxed, unbiased classes provide evidence-based birth and postpartum education while prioritizing small group conversations, plenty of community building, and empowerment.
Our Services
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Birth Class
Our Childbirth Classes have all of the components of a traditional birth class with an added focus on comfort measures for labor and partner support. Our classes are unbiased and educate toward all types of birth choices.
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Newborn Care
Bringing your new baby home is exciting and can also be overwhelming! We strongly recommend a newborn care class to learn baby basics, what to expect in the first few weeks, baby soothing tips, diapering & postpartum strategies.
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Hospital Tour
All birth classes include a free optional tour of the University of Vermont Medical Center Labor & Delivery and Postpartum units led by a GROW childbirth educator so you can feel more prepared for the big day.
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Comfort Measures
Learn essential techniques to navigate labor with confidence including positions, breathing exercises to manage contractions, and massage and relaxation techniques to alleviate discomfort and enhance connection.
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Sibling Preparation
Having a new baby is an exciting and emotional change for the big sibling. GROW’s Sibling Prep class for ages 2-5 is a fun and sweet way to prepare big brother or sister for what to expect when their sibling arrives.
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Dogs and Storks®
The Dogs & Storks® program is perfect for expecting families with dogs as they prepare for life with baby. We offer positive, practical, and fun solutions that will help you include your dog once baby arrives.
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Breast and Chest Feeding
Feeding your baby is a natural process, but it is not instinctive. Like any new skill, it takes knowledge, practice and support to be successful.
Birth Classes
Birth Classes
Our Childbirth classes have all of the components of a traditional birth class with an added focus on comfort measures for labor, partner support, and meeting community. Our classes are relaxed, unbiased and educate toward all types of birth choices.
What to Expect:
Lining baby up for a straightforward birth (optimal fetal positioning)
Anatomy and physiology of birth
Stages and phases of labor, including pushing
Connection to breath in all stages of labor, massage, relaxation
Techniques and tools for support person throughout labor and birth
Birth options including unmedicated, medicated, and cesarean birth
Common interventions and how to navigate them with knowledge
Postpartum care
Optional free tour of UVMMC Labor & Delivery/Postpartum units. Use code BIRTHCLASS when registering for your tour. See tour dates and register here.
Birth classes typically fill 2-3 months before the start date, so please register early and plan on taking the class around 30 weeks pregnant.
Birth Class Dates
To register, scroll forward on the Punchpass calendar to the month you are looking for, and click the first night of the series. See dates below.
In-Person Weekends
Friday 5:30pm-8:30pm | Saturday 9:30am-4pm
$265 | Includes birth person & partner
April 19 & 20
May 10 & 11
June 14 & 15
June 28 & 29
July 19 & 20
August 9 & 10
August 23 & 24
September 13 & 14
In-Person Weeknights
Wednesday 3-Week Series | 5:30pm-8:30pm
$265 | Includes birth person & partner
Apr 17, 24, May 1
May 8, 15, 22
May 29, June 5, 12
June 19, 26, July 3
July 10, 17, 24
July 21, August 7, 14
August 22 (a Thurs), 28, September 4
September 11, 18, 25
Online Birth Class Express
2-Part Class | 5:30pm-8:30pm
$229 | Includes birth person & partner
April 29 & May 2
May 10 & 11
July 22 & 25
September 23 & 26
GROW is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
People of any race, ethnicity, relationship status, sexual orientation, or gender identity are welcome, and we work to reflect that pillar in the language we use and the classes we teach. We are always looking for feedback about how we could do this better.
As a part of our ongoing anti-racist efforts, we offer a 30% discount for black, indigenous or people of color. We recognize that the United States is built on centuries of racial injustice and that systemic racism still rages around us. If you would like to accept this discount, please add the code “BIPOC” at checkout.
Newborn Care
Newborn Care
Bringing your new baby home is exciting and can also be overwhelming! We strongly recommend a newborn care class to learn baby basics, what to expect in the first few weeks, baby soothing tips, diapering & postpartum strategies. This class is for those with little to no experience with babies from birth-6 weeks old.
We’ll cover:
Newborn traits and behaviors
Feeding and sleep (and how to come up with a plan that works for you.)
Baby basics – diapering, bathing, nail care, safety
Crying and comforting
What to expect in the first few weeks
Newborn health
Basic baby wearing with a Moby Wrap.
Classes are held in our GROW Wellness Center, 37 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction.
Mondays 5:30pm-8:30pm
$90 | Includes birth person & partner
March 25
April 15
May 6
May 20
June 10
July 15
July 29
August 19
September 9
September 30
Comfort Measures
Comfort Measures
Our Comfort Measures for Birth Workshop will teach you essential techniques to navigate labor with confidence. Discover optimal birthing positions tailored to individual comfort, practice breathing exercises to promote relaxation and manage pain, and learn massage and relaxation techniques to alleviate discomfort and enhance connection
Thursdays 6:00pm-8:00pm
$95 | Includes birth person and partner
May 16
August 8
Hospital Tour
Hospital Tour
Our UVMMC hospital tours are led by our compassionate, evidence-based GROW childbirth educators and will help peel away some of the mystery of birth and postpartum by offering a clearer picture of what to expect.
We’ll cover:
Parking and finding your way through the hospital.
Plenty of time in a labor and delivery room. We’ll talk about how you can make the room work for YOUR labor with various creative bed positions, yoga balls, comfort measure suggestions and use of tub/shower. You’ll see the medical equipment there such as the IV pole and baby monitors, and you’ll have plenty of time to ask questions and take some deep breaths envisioning your baby entering the world in a way that’s just right for you. *Access to a room in labor & delivery is dependent on availability based on how many people are in labor
Information about UVMMC’s NICU (neonatal intensive care unit.)
A visit to the Postpartum Unit. Here we’ll cover what to expect during your stay, immediate postpartum wellness, and how to get as much rest as possible while getting to know your baby and recovering from your birth. *Dependent on available space in the unit
Tours are included in the cost of a GROW birth class (in person or online) with discount code BIRTHCLASS, but be sure to register early as space is on a first-come-first served basis and you are not automatically signed up for a tour by registering for a birth class.
Thursdays 6:00pm-7:30pm
March 28
April 11
May 16
June 6
July 25
August 8
September 26
Saturdays 9:30am-11am
March 9
April 27
May 25
June 29
July 6
August 17
Sundays 4:00pm-5:30pm
March 24
April 14
May 5
June 9
July 14
August 11
September 8
Our tours are perfect for families having another baby who want a refresher or those who recently moved to the area. $95/birthing person and partner.
Sibling Preparation
Sibling Prep
Having a new baby is an exciting and emotional change for the big sibling. GROW’s Sibling Prep class for ages 2-5 is a fun and sweet way to prepare big brother or sister for what to expect when their sibling arrives.
We’ll cover:
How to take care of a baby by diapering, dressing and swaddling baby dolls (we will provide dolls and all materials needed, or feel free to bring your own newborn size supplies if that’s fun for the sibling.)
Being gentle with the baby and practice with supervised gentle holding.
Discussions around all the things that a new baby can and cannot do, how they eat, where they will sleep, and how they as big siblings can help along the way.
Craft project to create a gift for the baby. During this time, we’ll discuss as adults how to help ease the transition for their older child, what to expect in terms of behavior, and how to prepare.
Families are encouraged to ask questions and use this class to have and open conversation regarding the logistics of becoming a sibling, feelings, as well as changes in the family dynamic.
Class is held at our GROW Wellness Center, 37 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction.
Sundays 9:15am-10:15am
$70 | Includes two adults & one child
March 17
May 19
July 28
September 29
Dogs and Storks
Dogs & Storks®
The Dogs & Storks® program is perfect for expecting families with dogs as they prepare for life with baby. We offer positive, practical, and fun solutions that will help you include your dog once baby arrives.
We’ll cover:
Tips to begin preparing with your family dog for life with baby
Must-know information for expecting parents with dogs
Practical solutions, you can have fun while your dog learns!
Education on dog body language that will enhance your bond and success
Thorough preparation, because proactive preparation is the best plan
Ongoing support through your baby’s first years
Classes are held in our GROW Wellness Center, 37 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction.
We strongly encourage expecting families to take this one-time class earlier in pregnancy rather than later.
Sundays 4:00pm-6:00pm
$75 | 2 members of same family, no dogs
April 7
June 2
Dogs & Storks® is taught by Lucy Weaver. Lucy is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and licensed Family Paws Eductor and offers private support and training for families. Contact Lucy here.
Please note, this workshop is intended to educate families with general information rather than address specific behavioral issues or concerns.
Breast & Chest Feeding
Breast and Chest Feeding
Breastfeeding classes offered by Sally MacFayden of the Fourth Trimester include:
How breastfeeding works
How to establish a good milk supply
How to get your baby to latch
How to know if your baby is getting enough milk
Positions for feeding baby
When and where to get help should you need it
