Pregnancy can be a time of excitement and a time of uncertainty. You may have many questions, as well as anxiety, over what to expect with a growing family.  We offer a variety of classes to help prepare you for childbirth and help you feel more comfortable taking care of yourself and your new infant.  Our desire is for you to have a pleasant and memorable experience with us.  Our classes are meant for you and a significant other, whether that is your husband, boyfriend, life partner, mother, or best friend.  Please do not hesitate to call our education line at 936-266-4019 and leave a message.  A nurse will return your call within 48 hours.  If answers are needed more urgently, you may contact the Labor and Delivery unit at 936-266-3000.

Preparing for Childbirth Weekly Series
This series of classes will help you prepare for your labor and delivery here at St Luke's The Woodlands Hospital.  You will have the opportunity to meet other expectant parents and learn about the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy, labor and birth. You will learn about comfort measures, relaxation and breathing techniques and anesthesia options to manage the discomforts of labor. Information on Cesarean birth and hospital procedures will be presented also. You will enjoy a tour of the Family Birthing Center during this series. You will need to bring a couple of soft pillows with you to the class.
Cost:  $95.00 per couple. When you register, only ONE person’s information is needed.
When to attend:  recommended about 14 weeks before your due date.
Length of class:  2 or 2 1/2 hours once a week for five weeks.

Chantale Schrader has worked with the Family Birthing Center for 8 years now, with 6 years of experience teaching the Childbirth classes.  She spent 10 years in the Air Force in the medical field and has worked in many different areas of nursing, but Labor and Delivery was her passion.  She has a B.S. degree in Education and teaches Special Education full-time at a Klein ISD elementary school and our evening childbirth classes.  She enjoys helping expectant parents be as comfortable about the labor process as possible, and to have fun!  She enjoys spending time with her family and three children, coaching softball, and spending time outdoors.

Preparing for Childbirth Class Crash Course
We recommend the four week Preparing for Childbirth courses to all expectant parents. However, if you are unable to attend those series of classes, choosing this shorter course is an option. The same information is presented in less time and at a faster pace. You will meet other expectant parents and learn about the physical and emotional changes of pregnancy, labor and birth. You will learn about comfort measures, anesthesia options, and breathing techniques. A tour of the Family Birthing Center is included.  Please bring a couple of soft pillows with you to class.
Cost: $95.00 per couple.  When you register, only ONE person’s information is needed.
When to Attend: About 6-8 weeks before your due date.
Length of class: One 8 hour session.

Breast Feeding Class
Breastfeed with confidence after taking this class!  You will learn how breastmilk is produced, how to encourage your baby to nurse, how to latch your baby correctly, what to expect the first few days of life, and how to manage common challenges nursing moms and babies face.  We encourage partners and/or family members to attend with the expectant mom. 
Cost:  $30.00 per couple.  When you register, only ONE person’s information is needed.
Length of class: 3 hours

Before becoming a lactation consultant in 2010, Ali Flores RN, IBCLC was a mother/baby nurse for 3 years. She started teaching the breastfeeding class in June 2010 because being able to provide new and experienced mothers with the support and education they need in order to reach their breastfeeding goals is her passion. "I find that mothers who take the prenatal breastfeeding class are more prepared and equipped to breastfeed when their babies are born". When she's not helping mothers breastfeed, she enjoys spending time with her family, nurturing her toddler and newest addition, and serving through various ministries in her church.

Family Birthing Center Tour
One of our Family Birthing Center staff will lead you on an informal tour of the Family Birthing Center at St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital. You will be oriented to the unit and the birthing suite. Children 12 and over are welcome on the tour. Tours start promptly on time, outside the Family Birthing Center entrance on the second floor.
Cost: Free
When to Attend: Any Sunday at 3 p.m. before your due date, except for holidays.  No need to register.

Infant Care Class
This class is intended to introduce prospective parents to newborn characteristics, fundamentals of infant care, such as bathing, diapering, clothing, as well as child safety and medical concerns. 
We look forward to meeting you and assisting you with preparing for your new baby. 
Cost: $30.00 per couple
Length of class: 3 hours
Take this course and our Infant CPR review course and get a $5.00 discount.

Infant CPR Review
This class is designed to give new and expectant parents an overview of infant CPR without the necessity of attending a full day course.  You will learn how to recognize an emergency with your child and respond appropriately and confidently.  This class is a must for everyone in the family. Grandparents are welcome too!
Cost: $25.00 per couple
This class is not a certification class, but the same information is shared...No testing, just practice! 

Heather Walker, RNC, BFE has been a maternity nurse since 1996 and started teaching classes in 2005.  She began teaching the childbirth classes in 2010.  She currently works with teenage mothers at a local high school in addition to being a mother baby nurse here at St. Luke’s.  She is also a certified CPR instructor.  “I love teaching expectant parents and preparing them for this new adventure they are beginning.  When you take my classes you will find that I keep things light and interesting (hopefully) while giving you information that is easily applied in everyday life during your pregnancy, delivery and your time with your newborn”.

Sibling Class
This class is designed for children ages 2-6 years of age who will become big brothers or big sisters.  This class also includes a simplified tour of a room you may stay in and the Labor and Delivery area.  Siblings will practice holding, diapering and swaddling a doll with the weight and characteristics of a baby. We will discuss why babies cry, why mommy has to attend to a baby so much in the first few weeks at home, and what to expect when baby arrives.
Cost: $10.00 each for up to 2 siblings (any additional siblings are free), along with parents.

 

Jeanette McMullen, BSN, RNC specialized in all aspects of Women’s Services upon graduation from the University of Texas at Austin 17 years ago in 1994.  She loves teaching the Big Brother/Big Sister classes because she enjoys interacting with children and seeing the raw innocence in their excitement of having a new baby brother or sister.  She is married and has a five year old son and a two year old daughter, which she enjoys spending her days off with.