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 Help
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.
Birth Professionals
Childbirth Education Classes
Birth Professionals
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.
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), 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.
Childbirth Education
Learn from the comfort of your own home
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:
- 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 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
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 $70-$125 (up to 2 hrs)
IN PERSON ASSISTANCE TEMPORARILY ON HOLD DUE TO COVID
Trainings for Birth Professionals
ICEA Approved Workshops
We offer workshops approved by ICEA for certification purposes (please check the ICEA website for full details on what needs to be done to complete certification - this workshop is only one step in the process).
- Childbirth Educator
- Birth Doula
- Postpartum Doula
Fee for one on one (2 full day) workshops $700
Early Lactation for Birth Professionals: this workshop is for birth professionals who want to learn more about breastfeeding and how they can assist their clients.
- Learn how breastfeeding works.
- Benefits of breastfeeding
- How to help a client establish a milk supply.
- Situations that can inhibit a milk supply
- Breastfeeding positions
- Effecting and ineffective latches
- How to handle the unexpected (newborn concerns that can affect breastfeeding, as well as concerns with the mother)
- How to support the adoptive parent with breastfeeding
- Pumping and supporting the working parent
Fee for one on one 2 full day workshop: $400
Business for Birth Professionals: this workshop was created for individuals who are either just starting out in the business, or who want to take their business to the next level. Learn about:
- Important deciding factors in starting your own business (explore benefits and drawbacks)
- Creating a business name, logo, and branding
- Explore your business needs and those of your community
- Marketing (including websites, social media, and more)
- How to create collaborations with others
- Budgets
- Business plans
Fee for one on one full day workshop: $200
Curriculum Design: this workshop is for individuals who are just starting out and are in the process of creating their curriculum.
- Learn how to create an interesting, comprehensive childbirth education series
Fee for one on one 2-3 hr workshop: $50
Safety and Self Care for Birth Professionals: this 2 hr workshop is for birth professionals who are working in strangers homes and who want to become more aware of their safety and how to care for themselves.
- Explore ways of keeping yourself safe as you work in a stranger’s home.
- Explore ways of taking care of yourself to decrease the changes of fatigue and burnout (Did you know most birth professionals only last 2 yrs in the business? Learn how to increase your odds of doing this work long term.)
Fee for one on one 2 hr workshop: $50