Why Choose Calmbirth
How Calmbirth® is different to other prenatal classes
Calmbirth® leaders in childbirth education, training, research and changing our birth culture
Over the years we have seen many similar childbirth education programs emerge. We should be flattered! However, at Calmbirth® we are the pioneers of quality childbirth education and improving birth outcomes and changing birth culture in Australia. Calmbirth® knows and understands birth better than anyone else because our Calmbirth Educators have been on the birth room floors attending babies’ everyday, and approximately we have 1000 years of combined experience working with families in birth and childbirth education. As ALL our registered Calmbirth educators are midwives, doulas or trained birth professionals.
Calmbirth® has stood the test of time since its inception in 2004, and continues to be leaders in childbirth education, training, research and changing birth culture in Australia and birthing conscious parents. The Calmbirth® program is TRUSTED by both our pregnant couples and by midwives, GPs , obstetricians and other allied health, and that’s why Calmbirth is highly recommended by our peers.
It is also one of the first childbirth education programs to be evidence based, clinically and scientifically proven to:
• reduce the rates of medical intervention
• reduce the use of pain relief and epidurals during childbirth
• reduce the impact of perinatal anxiety and postnatal depression in women after childbirth, and
• enrich their birth experience as positive, irrespective of how they birth.
Calmbirth is also the first to be offered as an antenatal program in major maternity hospitals in NSW.
Clinical Midwifery Consultant Health Education at the Royal Hospital for women, Dr Jane Svensson believes: “Calmbirth is a program that explores the mind-body connection. How the hormones of pregnancy and then labour and birth interact in a synergy that makes the female body infinitesimally able to nurture new life and give birth to a child at whatever stage that it is. Calmbirth’s growth and popularity lies in the fact that today’s women and couples want to take control of their body and learn how best they can nurture their unborn child, not only in labour, but also in the prenatal weeks. They don’t want to be the passive recipient of their care, they want to be active participants – Calmbirth promotes and fosters this.”
The Calmbirth Conversations Podcast
Listen to Karen McClay host our podcast which aims to help you make informed decisions for your pregnancy, birth and parenting.
Calmbirth® understands birth
Evidence-based, clinically and scientifically proven
45,000 couples have attended a Calmbirth program since its inception in 2004
The Calmbirth® program is founded on research from neuroscience, midwifery, obstetrics and epigenetics; and uses the extensive understanding of the relaxation response and its influence on birth. Approximately 45,000 couples have attended a Calmbirth course since its inception in 2004.
Releasing fear of childbirth
Calmbirth® is a stand-alone program that understands the mind-body connection in childbirth and how a woman’s emotional state influences the birth both mentally and physically. There is no haphazard placement of birth strategies that ‘just seem to work’.
The most holistic and thorough prenatal program
As a result, Calmbirth® has been recognised by the birthing institutions as one of the most holistic, thorough, unbiased and collaboratively designed course that
addresses all the needs of birthing couples on an emotional and physical level. The Calmbirth® organisation has been the first to create and consolidate strong partnerships with private and public maternity hospitals in Australia in successfully incorporating the Calmbirth® program into their antenatal structure.
Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and Chairman of the Gidget Foundation Australia, Dr Vijay Roach is pleased to be associated with Calmbirth and says, “Educating women and their partners in pregnancy, birth and early parenting, independent of an individual’s birth or parenting choices, is a positive step towards improving emotional wellbeing during pregnancy and early parenting”.
Research studies about Calmbirth®
Read the latest research and statistics on the influence of the Calmbirth® program on birth and labour outcomes, and how it is improving and changing birth culture in maternity care in Australia.
Leaders in childbirth education research
The program continues to be updated in collaboration with experts, including a range of birthing, education, parenting and mind-body specialists. This ensures that the Calmbirth® program continues to meet the needs of birthing couples at both an emotional and physical level, while helping to improve the maternity care and birthing outcomes in Australia.
Our founder and educators are:
- Guided by ever increasing research and knowledge on the mind- body connection, neuroscience, midwifery, obstetrics, and epigenetics;
- Keeping abreast of new and emerging trends in maternity care within Australia and the world by attending: conferences, workshops and seminars.
- Learning from the experiences of the Calmbirth participants as they continually monitor, evaluate and enhance the Calmbirth® program on an ongoing basis.
Director of Calmbirth®, Karen McClay says:
“As caregivers, it is vital for us to understand this concept and powerful interaction of the mind and body, so that we can facilitate better and more positive birth outcomes, not just physically but also emotionally for the families we care for.”
“We’ve said it before and we will say it again – if you, your partner or surrogate are pregnant, we highly recommend you do a Calmbirth course. Our Calmbirth Educator, Maja and Calmbirth changed our perceptive and understanding of labour and birth, helping us to feel confident and prepared to support Fiona in the best way possible through the labour and birth of Ari.“
Josh & Jack
Taught by trained birth professionals
Calmbirth® educators are practising midwives, doulas or trained birth professionals
Accredited and trained birth professionals
Calmbirth® is the ONLY childbirth education program that requires ALL its educators to be practising midwives or trained birth professionals. Unlike other childbirth programs, Calmbirth® prides itself on its professionalism and quality of Calmbirth® educators through their ongoing requirement for professional development. Calmbirth has close to 100 Registered Calmbirth Educators in Australia and New Zealand.
The most recommended and TRUSTED prenatal program by obstetricians, midwives and GPs
Calmbirth® is also the most highly recommended and TRUSTED childbirth education program by obstetricians, midwives and GPs in Australia, which is why it has been able to develop strong partnerships with leading maternity hospitals in Australia, which are now offering the Calmbirth® program as part of their hospital antenatal structure.
Calmbirth is the program that most doctors and midwives choose as their antenatal program when having their own children.
Calmbirth in Hospitals
The Calmbirth® program is now available at the Royal Hospital for Women (RHW) in Randwick, the Sydney Adventist Hospital (SAN) in Wahroonga, North Shore Private Hospital in North Sydney, the Sutherland Hospital, Sutherland, the Mater Hospital in North Sydney, the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, the Northern Beaches Hospital, Frenchs Forest, Nepean Hospital, Nepean and the Auckland District Hospital in Auckland , New Zealand as well as expanding into other hospitals around the country.
Independently accredited
The Calmbirth® program is accredited by the Australian College of Midwives. The Calmbirth Educator Training Program is also an Australian College of Midwives CPD recognised activity, and has been allocated 104 CPD hours.
“Calmbirth really helped me as a father. What my role is. You can use the breathing techniques in everyday life. The Calmbirth course really helped me. I can’t express the gratitude that I have. I totally recommend the course for fathers.”
Nao
Evidence based, unbiased, collaborative & holistic
Creating a positive birth experience
…no matter how your birth unfolds
The major difference between Calmbirth® and other child birthing programs or prenatal courses is the unbiased, researched, holistic and collaborative foundation of the program’s design. This design is the reason for its unparalleled success for birthing women and for releasing the fear of childbirth.
For those women who are uncertain whether birthing courses are necessary or worth the investment, or concerned they may feel pushed into a particular way of giving birth, Peter Jackson, Calmbirth’s® Founder explains:
“Calmbirth® does not advocate for one way to give birth; it’s about helping couples create a positive birth experience, no matter how that birth unfolds. The program is designed to teach mothers to use their inner resources to work with birth and to help them understand the process of birth so they can help the baby into the world, instead of resisting the labour journey.”
Director Karen McClay adds:
“Calmbirth® restores hope and offers new choices in childbirth education. Women want to be active participants and reclaim their bodies. They want to empower themselves with knowledge and skills. Calmbirth® encourages and cultivates this in our program.”
Personal Experiences
Erynne & Sam
Mel & Stefan
Lloyd & Ellie
Emma & Nick
Accredited Calmbirth Educators
The Calmbirth® organisation has built its reputation over the years by the credibility of its Calmbirth Educators which are ALL trained birth professionals. Calmbirth has been the first to create and consolidate strong partnerships with private and public maternity hospitals in Australia, in successfully incorporating the Calmbirth® program into their antenatal structure.
Calmbirth® has close to 100 registered Calmbirth® educators throughout Australia, New Zealand and France.
100
Registered Educators
45K
Couples
