Blog & Updates on Vancouver Prenatal Classes

Giving Birth in Vancouver BC
Birth, pregnancy, vancouver bc, midwives, informed choice, prenatal Stephanie Ondrack Birth, pregnancy, vancouver bc, midwives, informed choice, prenatal Stephanie Ondrack

Giving Birth in Vancouver BC

While birth itself could be described as universal, standard practices around birth are very local. What we can expect varies significantly from place to place. Which means that much  of the information we get on the internet, or in books, might not reflect common practices in regionally. This can cause confusion around what to expect in our own area. So let’s focus on this location: Vancouver BC and the surrounding lower mainland.

Read More
The So-Called Due Date
Birth, prenatal, informed choice, due date, myths, What's normal Stephanie Ondrack Birth, prenatal, informed choice, due date, myths, What's normal Stephanie Ondrack

The So-Called Due Date

If there is one date that your baby is unlikely to arrive, it is on your so-called due date. Approximately 96% of people do not give birth on that date. Odds are, neither will you.

So when do people typically give birth? Where does the putative “due date” come from, and why do we even call it that?

Read More
Massage for Labour: Some Rules of Thumb (& Fingers)
Birth, labour support, pregnancy, massage, comfort measures, coping, coping techniques Stephanie Ondrack Birth, labour support, pregnancy, massage, comfort measures, coping, coping techniques Stephanie Ondrack

Massage for Labour: Some Rules of Thumb (& Fingers)

Massage is an excellent tool for coping with labour. It is a classic, well known comfort measure. It works in several ways.

But whatever you do, there is one thing you might want to avoid: creepy fingers.

For many people, creepy fingers during labour can turn massage into a thoroughly unpleasant experience.

Read More
The Waters
Pregnancy, Birth, Babies, Placenta, myths, prenatal health, amniotic sac, amniotic fluid Stephanie Ondrack Pregnancy, Birth, Babies, Placenta, myths, prenatal health, amniotic sac, amniotic fluid Stephanie Ondrack

The Waters

A common image in futuristic movies is someone floating in a tank of water in order to heal from injuries, illness, or cryogenic stasis. This idea of submersion in an enclosed aquatic tub that is restorative and salubrious is extremely evocative of the womb. Our babies float in exactly such a substance in our bodies, fully submerged, growing and gestating, until they are ready to emerge. This is amniotic fluid, “the waters” that surround and support our baby.

Read More
Location, Location, Location: Choosing Baby’s Place of Birth
Birth, Birth Stories, labour, Pregnancy, oxytocin, informed choice, birth culture Guest Birth, Birth Stories, labour, Pregnancy, oxytocin, informed choice, birth culture Guest

Location, Location, Location: Choosing Baby’s Place of Birth

“Have you considered having a home birth?” My midwife had asked me in one of our first appointments. I promptly responded no, but the question spurred a few thoughts: “I’m a nurse. How could I even consider that?” “That can’t be safe.”

Read More