One of the best ways of understanding if my class will fit for you is to hear feedback from other families who have gone through it. I have references of women who have taken my class who are willing to share – please email me for more information! For now, enjoy these anonymous quotes from folks who have taken the class.
Pain Coping
“I started out the class wanting to learn how to better relax myself. Using the ice was such a good way to practice. Rather than pretending you were “in pain” or uncomfortable, I really had something concrete to practice against. I think the breath awareness impacted me the most as I find myself using it on a fairly regular basis in every day life.”
“It was nice to have experiential teaching on pain coping strategies. This was an important part of the class.”
“I had a better idea of what to expect after taking Kristina’s class, and more tools at my disposal to help me cope with the pain and intensity of labor.”
“The coping techniques and ice practice really helped build the confidence I needed, as well as a physical understanding that the pain of a contraction will *not* last forever, no matter how much it feels that way. With the ice technique I found myself saying, “There is less than a minute left, less than sixty seconds, that’s nothing. It takes longer to walk to the bathroom. It takes longer to pop microwave popcorn. It takes longer to steep a cup of tea. It takes longer to …” And then it would be over. That distracting inner examination of the time that was left in a given contraction was helpful for the first part of my labor, and after that point, it was a mantra — just a few more seconds, I can get through this, just a few more seconds, and then it’ll be over. And then it was, and I could breathe. Until the contractions started coming on top of each other, and by that point, there was nothing I could do but hold on and try not to pass out, knowing that the birth itself was nearly over, and in that sense the mantra helped a little too. This was all in my head. Outwardly I was pushing all of my pain out through my throat, making obnoxious noises and it was nice to know from class that that was okay, and even normal / helpful / good.”
“I valued the ice the most because it made me realize I was in fact learning to cope!! It is always good to have concrete evidence!”
“I appreciate the honesty about what the pain experience has potential to be. That way we are not surprised.”
“I used many of these techniques during my labor. I was induced using pitocin, and therefore had a very intense labor, right from the first moment, with very few breaks. Had my labor been more gradual to start off with, I think I would have put some of these other techniques into practice as well, but as it turned out I was unable to utilize them. The ones I did use, however, were extremely helpful.”
“When one thing didn’t work I had many other things to try.”
Building Confidence
“These classes meant so much to me personally. What meant the most was seeing myself come from a place where I was very, very scared of birth, to then having that fear replaced with confidence in myself and finally being able to view birth as the beautiful, amazing and miraculous thing that it really is. That fear has disappeared and I am actually looking forward to and excited for the birth of this baby. That just means the world to me.”
“I was definitely afraid of the pain, and my ability to get through it. However, after taking Kristina’s class, and putting some of her methods into use during labor, I realize that I can indeed cope with a tremendous amount of pain, and come out the other side a stronger person for it. Thanks, Kristina!”
“The video showing various women giving birth had the biggest influence on me. It was wonderful to see so many women coping with their labor and making it through the entire process. That was inspiring and gave me confidence….if they could do it so can I.”
“I was pretty sure before hand that I would be able to handle it, but there was some doubt. During and after the class I felt more assured and now, I feel like superwoman! As though I can handle anything.”
“I don’t think anything could have totally prepared me since this was my first experience with labor it was like looking into a dark precipice, but I definitely had an increased confidence.”
“I learned alot, even though I’ve been around birth, had a natural birth, and have observed many interventions. This class was extremely valuable to me and my husband!!”
“Thank you! I’m still scared of the unknowns about giving birth — but I feel a lot more prepared and have even started to look forward to it.”
“I like best that the class had an empowering tone to it. It showed me that I can do it and gave me many new ideas to talk about. It’s better informed me to have an engaged conversation with my OB provider.”
Emotional Learning
“I really liked talking about the emotional roots to our thoughts and fears. The digging deep stuff, because I feel that that will help me in birth more than any external thing.”
“I most valued having a completely open discussion forum, with like-minded people who were looking to have a natural birth experience like we were. I also appreciated the non-judgmental approach of the class, which included information and discussion about all foreseeable birth situations and how to reframe them in a positive fashion so that we wouldn’t end up with a negative birth experience, even if nothing went according to plan.”
The Classroom/The Instructor
“I really appreciated the small class size, the personal, intimate environment of the class and the thought provoking questions and open discussions we were able to have. It was so much more personal and meaningful than the birth class I attended for my first pregnancy.”
“I like the in home/in office setting instead of a hospital or conference room feel.”
“I really enjoyed the atmosphere – I didn’t feel insecure or judged about asking questions.”
“Kristina was a wonderful “mentor”. I appreciated her skill for presenting information in a very unbiased, neutral way. She was very professional, caring and intuitive.”
“It was nice to have an alternative to the hospital classes. Kristina clearly cares about women and partners as they prepare for birth. She shows her commitment in each and every class.”
“The open forum. The ability to speak freely and comfortably about anything.”
“Kristina truly helped inspire us – even when we were in the hospital, and class was long over, Kristina sent inspirational text messages that helped me cope with a difficult induction during my labor.”
“The instructor did a good job making the room a safe space and inviting discussion from all.”
“Kristina did a nice job opening up discussion about the birth experience. The activities we did were good entry points for reflection and understanding. Kristina clearly had a firm understanding of many aspects of birth, and did a great job sharing this information with the group.”
Birth Art
“I went into the class feeling ambivalent about the whole idea of birth art – i am not an artist, nor do I have any artistic talent, but I was curious as to how it would be used. During the class, Kristina framed each artistic project in such a way that my partner and I were able to really put thought and emotion into them, and they ended up being one of our favorite parts of the class.”
” I also enjoyed the art….looking inside to find the strength within yourself.”
“I initially thought the birth art was hokey. In retrospect, it still seems kind of hokey. But during the act of creating that birth art, I totally got it and it was calming (if I could keep myself from overthinking it, which was difficult). I think I appreciated the partners’ birth art more than the moms’, simply because guys (they were all guys) tend to be more tight-lipped about how they feel, but also tend to think in very visual/spatial terms, so letting them draw what they felt and then use that to explain it was, for me, a valuable communication exercise. Sort of an off-label use. 
”
“At times the art was difficult… but in the end very rewarding.”
Unexpected Outcomes
“I felt like I knew what options were available as well as possible consequences and I feel more able to deal with the decisions I made during my labor.”
“I really like Birthing From Within philosophy and the instructor’s input to be open-minded about the possibilities that birth can bring.”
“[I] didn’t experience labor pains with this birth. But, [I] did have post-op pain. However, even without the experience of labor with this birth, I feel that the skills learned in this classs can be very valuable throughout life in general. I found the info very interesting and helpful!”
“Induction was unexpected and unwished-for, but I was able to deal with it better due to Kristina’s class. I was still quite upset about it at first, but after thinking about it for awhile was able to put it into perspective, have an effective discussion with my doctors and nurses, and move on.”
“The cesarean role-playing [was uncomfortable for me] during class. My blood pressure was up and I was pretty freaked out. But when the day came and I was being told it was all but a certainty, having it a little demystified in my head was useful. It helped me set aside (some of) the irrational fear response enough to have a calm conversation with my doctor. Because I was rational, I was able to make a deal that eventually spared me the c-section I was so afraid of. That surprised me.”
Relationship Building
“I learned more in the first five minutes in your class than I did at any other birth class we’ve taken. What we got out of your class was worth much more than what we paid for it.” (from a father expecting his second child)
“I think most of all our overwhelmingly positive birth experience set the stage for a positive relationship postpartum. We are enjoying each other and the baby, and we still talk about how amazing and wonderful the birth of our baby was. My doctor also told me that, although I had a long labor, it was one of the most untraumatic labors he’s seen – I was able to push effectively, our baby came out easily once my cervix was dilated, and I hardly bled at all. His head was not even misshapen, and he cooed rather than cried when he came out. I have no doubt that much of this came from being prepared and coping with my labor in a positive way.”
“My husband and mother, who were present at our son’s birth were prepared for what I would be going through and my wishes, now that we experienced the journey together we are happier.”
“These classes seemed to help my partner have a clearer understanding of his role in labor. It also prompted him to read more information about labor and birth. He seems more prepared to play an active role in the process.”
“I think that it helped define his role and made him feel a lot more involved.”
“I think primarily it encouraged us to start really communicating about the upcoming birth experience.”
“It helped to build my trust in him.”
“I think they have helped us become closer. Knowing that he understands me and supports me is HUGE!”
“I feel like [the classes] helped him to have an open mind about me wanting to have a natural childbirth.”
“[Through this class,] WE have a together experience to draw on that has positive memories.” (a father, after an unexpected, life-saving cesarean in which he was unable to attend the birth of his child)
“Knowing that the sense of total disorientation, the changes in relationships, anxiety, hormonal fluctuations, cluelessness and emotional reactions are completely normal helped us to get a little perspective in those moments when we were sure that we had made a huge mistake trying to pretend that we were competent enough to be anyone’s parents. We were able to look at each other and say, “Oh right, Kristina talked about this, so it must be normal. Let’s hope it passes soon.” Almost always, it did.”
“I think this class helped my husband to realize that other husbands are worried about some of the same things as he is and that we as women need support in different ways. To see that all the other women were picky about what worked and what didn’t, made me feel more normal and it was nice to have him there to pick up on that similarity.”
Postpartum Information
“The latching techniques [were very helpful]! And learning that the hormones were going to make me do/feel/say crazy things and that it was natural. When I did flip, I didn’t get too upset at myself because I knew there would be sunshine behind the dark clouds.”
“The postpartum things, emotional/mental/mood, and the breastfeeding things are of greatest value to me. I feel as though regardless of discussions and preparations made prior to labor, my labor went its own direction (the path it was SUPPOSED to take) but the postpartum and after the birth coping techniques are ultra-important to me.”
“Knowing that the emotional rollercoaster was the biological effect of my body re-engaging in making the hormones I need to keep me balanced, and that I just needed to hold it together for a little while really helped. If I had felt like *that* was motherhood, that would have been a pretty deep source of despair for me.”
What do you Wish you Knew Beforehand?
“That the birth goes by amazingly quickly. That I find myself looking back on it and getting teary because it is over and gone.”
“I wish I had really comprehended what the impact on my time would be. I wish we had gone to the beach a few times before the baby was born. I wish we had held hands and gone to the movies and visited friends and lingered over meals and eaten at crazy-expensive restaurants more often. It feels like we’ll never get to do those things again, even though I know we will.”
“I wish I had known how profound an impact a labor nurse could have on my birth. I fought so hard for things I thought would make a huge difference in my birth experience, and in the end, a couple rounds of Nurse Roulette made far more difference than most of my “birth plan” choices. I did not come prepared to fight the system or the charge nurse for someone who was truly supportive of my choices, rather than just someone who was (obviously) grudgingly going along with choices she clearly felt were wrong, wrong, wrong. The disapproval of a birth professional during my labor shook my confidence more than I had expected, and that lasted well beyond the birth itself.”
“That Pitocin can actually be a very useful tool, and doesn’t have to be over-used to be effective. [Kristina's note: this was a necessary induction for medical reasons (very low amniotic fluid).] I heard horror stories from other mothers about pitocin labor, and was very afraid of it. But, my doctor/nurses used it only in very minor doses to get my labor started, then took me off it – it was very intense, but I realize now that it was necessary and ultimately helped me have a natural birth that perhaps otherwise would have turned into a cesarian. Kristina touched on these things during class, but due to what I’d heard from others i was still afraid of Pitocin and wish I had listened to her more and to others less.”