Services offered
Childbirth Education Classes
Childbirth Education Classes
Childbirth Education Classes
Mothering the Mother offers a comprehensive childbirth education program. Families can attend a few classes to supplement their other or previous education, or take a full series. Virtual and in person options available.
Breastfeeding Assistance
Childbirth Education Classes
Childbirth Education Classes
Mothering the Mother offers several different options for getting breastfeeding help. If you are struggling, or just have questions we are here to help. We offer email and phone support, virtual visits, in office visits, and home visits.
Doula Referrals
Childbirth Education Classes
Birth Planning Session
Send us a message through our contact form with the following information and we will help you connect with community doulas: due date, where birthing, any important information that might help (please include all requested info)
Birth Planning Session
Birth Planning Session
Birth Planning Session
We are here to help you create an effective birth plan. In our 1-2 hour session we will discuss provider and birth location compatibility, educate you on your birth options, and help you to create a birth plan that you can share with your provider. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, and receive evidence based information.
Professional Workshops
Birth Planning Session
Professional Workshops
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.
You will be re-directed to our other website.
Meet Michelle
Founder - Michelle Hardy
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), the owner of Milwaukee Doulas, 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.
Childbirth Education
Learn in our office or from the comfort of your own home
Mothering the Mother‘s 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 $30-$60 per class
IN PERSON ONE ON ONE CLASS FEES: Pay what you can afford $40-$60 per class
For your safety: We are currently following the CDC guidelines concerning mask wearing.....for families who are vaccinated they can opt to not wear a mask (our educator is fully vaccinated), or they can continue to wear a mask if that makes them comfortable.
When scheduling your classes you must schedule each class individually by following the link above.
All fees are non-refundable. Our classes and appointments are private, one on one so it is essential that clients make their scheduled class/appointment and are on time. In the event, a change needs to be made we ask that clients call, email, or text at least 4 hrs prior to their scheduled time. If contacting us at least 4 hrs prior to the appointment time we will offer you at least three days/times for the make up class. If we cannot accommodate the reschedule we do not offer refunds because the original time was scheduled just for you, and we often cannot schedule someone else in your place at the last minute. In the event of a no-show, no call, or if you are more than 15 minutes late there will be a $20 re-scheduling fee assessed or all monies paid will be forfeited.
Class length 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hrs per session.
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:
- Aromatherapy for labor and birth
- Acupressure points
- Breathing techniques
- Massage techniques and the various types of massage oils that are available (we will discuss the properties of different oils and compare their uses)
- Labor support positions for comfort as well as progressing labor
- Using a birth and peanut ball
- Rebozos
- Pushing positions
- How to cope with long labors
- and so much more
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:
- Anatomy of the breasts and how they make milk
- Benefits of breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding techniques (latch and positioning)
- Pumping and storing milk
- What to do when things aren't going as planned
- Introducing solid foods
Breastfeeding Assistance
Free Breastfeeding Support
Breastfeeding Consult Options
Breastfeeding Consult Options
Free Drop In Assistance: We offer free drop in assistance the first Saturday of each month 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 support for low income families: if you are low income and cannot afford to pay for services on a sliding scale click the link below to schedule an appointment with a volunteer.
Free email support: Visit the contact us section below for free email support.
Breastfeeding Consult Options
Breastfeeding Consult Options
Breastfeeding Consult Options
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 $90-$125 (up to 2 hrs)