Improving maternal and perinatal outcomes
Mothering the Mother offers a comprehensive childbirth education program. Families can attend a few classes to supplement their other educaation, or take a full series.
Mothering the Mother offers several different options for getting breastfeeding help. If you are struggling, or just have questions we are here to help.
If you are looking for a doula referral please use our contact us link below and include the following information: when you are due, where you are birthing, and any other important information. We will get back to you.
MTM Training and Mentoring offers workshops and mentoring to those looking to work as a birth or postpartum doula, childbirth educator, or who want to take a business, curriculum design, or safety and self care workshop.
Michelle started her journey in the birth world in 2003. She is a certified birth doula, childbirth educator, postpartum doula, breastfeeding counselor, hypnotherapist, and is licensed in the state of Wisconsin as a massage therapist, and teacher. Michelle is also the founder of Mothering the Mother (a non-profit organization in Milwaukee), and the owner of MTM Training and Mentoring where she offers workshops for birth doulas, childbirth educators, postpartum doulas, early lactation, curriculum design, safety and self care for birth professionals, business for birth professionals, and more.
To learn more about Michelle click the link below to be taken to her other website.
Mothering the Mother is currently offering our classes virtually due to COVID,. Our classes are very unique because unlike other programs where you have to take the entire series with our classes you can pick and choose the classes that fit exactly what you are looking for. The benefit to this is you can learn what you want to, or you can add some of these classes onto what you might have already learned to complete your educational experience.
At Mothering the Mother we believe in giving back to our community so we offer our classes on a pay what you can afford basis. We ask our clients to look at their personal budget, determine how much the class is worth to them, and then simply sign up and pay what you can afford.....no questions asked.
VIRTUAL ONE ON ONE CLASS FEES: Pay what you can afford $20-$60 per class
IN PERSON ONE ON ONE CLASS FEES: Pay what you can afford $40-$60 per class (masks are required)
Nutrition, Warning Signs, Signs of Labor, Exercise
In this class we will help you understand proper pregnancy nutrition, help you to understand warning signs and signs of labor. We also include some simple exercises to help your body prepare for the big day. Please be prepared to do some simple stretching exercises. We recommend to take this class in your second trimester and then register for the other classes in your third trimester
Stages of Labor
Learn the ins and outs of the various stages of labor. In this class you will learn what the stages are and what to expect during each stage both physically and emotionally.
Labor Support Techniques for the Pregnant Person and Partner
This class is essential as you and your partner prepare for the big day. This class teaches both the expectant parent and the partners techniques for comfort, helping to progress labor, and so much more. This class will go over topics such as:
Medications and medical Interventions
In this class you will learn about the various types of pain medications that might be available to you, as well as learning the risks and benefits of each one. We will also discuss many of the main medical interventions that you may be presented with in labor and explore the risks and benefits of those. When class is over you will be prepared to make educated decisions on what is in the best interest of you and your baby.
Postpartum and New Baby
Unsure of what to expect after the baby comes? Learn all about what your mind and body will be going through physically and emotionally after the birth. We discuss how life will change after baby, help you make a plan for the easiest transition possible, and teach you about your newborn: normal newborn appearance, procedures potentially performed, sleeping and feeding patterns, safe sleep, comforting baby, and more.
Breastfeeding and Feeding Your Baby
This class helps to prepare you for your breastfeeding journey., and what to expect in those early hours, days and weeks. While breastfeeding is the main topic of this course we do talk a little bit about bottle feeding as well (for those parents who need to return to work or be separated from their baby for one reason or another. Specific topics included are:
Free Drop In Assistance: We offer free drop in assistance Wednesday mornings from 9-11 am. We attempt to serve one family at a time, but if several families show up we may work with more than one mother-baby dyad at a time. For this reason we may ask partners and/or support persons to wait in the waiting area for the comfort of the other mothers. Visits typically last 1-2 hrs.
Temporarily on hold due to COVID
Free email support: Click the button below to contact us for free email support.
Fee: FREE
Phone Consults: We offer phone consults to answer your questions. $20 (up to 1 hr)
Virtual Consults: We offer virtual lactation visits, so you can get the help you need in the comfort of your own home. In order to utilize the virtual visit you must have access to a device with a camera and microphone, and have a second person in attendance to assist.
Sliding scale $30-$50 (up to 2 hrs)
In Person Consults: We offer in office and in your home assistance on a sliding scale - you choose what you can afford to pay (travel distance for home visits limited to 30 minutes from our office).
In office sliding scale $50 -$70 (up to 2 hrs)
In home sliding scale $70-$125 (up to 2 hrs)
IN PERSON ASSISTANCE TEMPORARILY ON HOLD DUE TO COVID
We offer professional workshops approved by the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) for individuals who want to certify as:
Fee for one on one workshop: $700
In addition to the above workshops we also offer:
If you are interested in scheduling a one on one workshop use the contact us form to start the process of scheduling your workshop.
Please contact us directly with any questions, comments, or scheduling inquiries you may have.
1586 South 81st Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53214, United States
Call or text: (262) 617-7461 (office) If calling please leave a message as we are only in the office limited hours or 414-378-9524 (Michelle’s personal cell phone)
By appointment
Mothering the Mother was started in 2010 because of a passion Michelle Hardy had for helping teen and low income families. She believed that income (or lack there of) shouldn’t be a determining factor in whether a family has access to high quality birth services and support.
Since the beginnings of Mothering the Mother in 2010 the organization has worked with over 500 families, and hopes to continue providing classes, and lactation services to families in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Ozaukee counties for many years to come.
To improve maternal and perinatal outcomes for families in Milwaukee and surrounding counties.
Access to high quality education, and services for all regardless of income.
MS.Ed, BS.Ed , LMT, ICCE, ICBD, ICPD, ICPFE, IAT(CE-BD-PD), MCH, LC, CPMT, CHT, CEIM, SBD (see below for explanation of initials)
Michelle is the founder, owner, and director of Mothering the Mother, Inc, a non-profit organization which helps all families but has a special focus on helping teen and low income families.
Michelle’s history, and how she began in the field.
Michelle's interest in working in the birth field began in 2001 (when pregnant with her 7th child)....at that time her doctor suggested that she and her husband hire a doula for their upcoming birth. Her doctor felt that hiring a doula would help them achieve the birth that they were looking for and also to help calm her husband's nerves so that he could be more involved in the birth (unfortunately Michelle birthed her daughter before she was able to find a doula).
After that birthing experience the seed was planted. Michelle spent the next two years thinking about the importance of doulas and how much she had wanted to be one. Finally in 2003 while she was working on her masters degree and running a full time in home licensed daycare she decided to take the plunge and work towards becoming a certified birth doula and starting a birth business.
In 2003 she became a doula and in 2004 she graduated with her masters degree. When Michelle began birth work she worked mainly with teen and low income families (serving families in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Ozaukee counties) - after a few years of doing that she moved onto the more traditional family, but her passion for teens and low income families never left. In the years that followed Michelle added to her skill set by becoming a childbirth educator, postpartum doula, hypnotherapist, and licensed massage therapist.
In 2009 Michelle decided to follow her passion even further and she founded Mothering the Mother Incorporated - a nonprofit organization that serves all women (catering especially to the underserved population). This organization brought together many birth professionals from around the area to help serve a larger population.
In addition to doing birth work Michelle spent many years training and mentoring new birth professionals locally. In 2014 she took her workshops and mentoring on the road and traveled the United States.
In 2015 she joined the ICEA Board of Directors, and held positions as the treasurer, director of public policy and communications, and director of the doula programs. Michelle also served as the chair for the postpartum doula program (updating the program and later writing a new program called Postpartum Doula: care through the first 1,000 days), and is currently the chair of the Mentorship Program..
In 2016 she started her path to becoming a La Leche League Leader and went on to become a certified breastfeeding counselor and educator, and led a breastfeeding group in West Allis until 2020.
Michelle believes in always continuing her education and advancing her knowledge, so she regularly attends trainings and workshops to advance her skills. To learn more about all of her trainings, certification and education please see below.
Michelle loves every aspect of her life and is always very grateful when someone invites her to join them on their journey through pregnancy, birth and parenting.
Education:
Professional Massage Therapy Program (Lakeside School of Massage Therapy) / September 2006
Masters of Science in Education (Walden University) / April 2004
Bachelors of Science in Education (Alverno College) / December 1999
Certifications & Licenses:
*Certifications that Michelle chose not to renew, but held at one time.
Professional Trainings:
MS.Ed - Masters of Science in Education
BS.Ed Bachelors of Science in Education
LMT - Licensed Massage Therapist
ICCE - ICEA Certified Childbirth Educator
ICBD - ICEA Certified Birth Doula
ICPD - ICEA Certified Postpartum Doula
ICPFE - ICEA Perinatal Fitness Educaator
IAT(CE-BD-PD) - ICEA Approved Trainer for Childbirth Education, Birth Doula and Postpartum Doula
MCH - Maternal Child Health Specialist
LC - Certified Lactation Counselor
CPMT - Certified Prenatal Massage Therapist
CHT - Certified Hypnotherapist
CEIM - Certified Educator of Infant Massage
SBD - Stillbirthday Certified Doula
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