Prepare for Labor + Early Postpartum: A 60 Minute Workshop for Pregnant Moms
You have your hospital checklist.
You’ve probably thought about your birth preferences. Maybe you’ve taken a childbirth class, listened to the podcasts, saved a few birth positions on Instagram, and tried to mentally prepare yourself for labor.
But there’s another piece of birth preparation that we don’t talk about nearly enough:
Preparing your body for what it is actually going to do.
Birth is physical.
Your pelvis moves. Your pelvic floor muscles respond to your baby. Your breathing changes the way your baby can position and get down. And the movements you use throughout labor can completely change what movement is available to you and your baby.
And then, somehow, after doing all of that… you’re expected to know how to take care of your recovering body and a brand-new baby.
That’s exactly why we created our Prepare for Labor + Early Postpartum Workshop.
What if you went into labor knowing what to actually DO?
This 60-minute workshop is being hosted by the Pelvic Therapists at Refine Physical Therapy featuring Labor & Delivery Nurse, Shauna Goulet,RNC.
We’re bringing together two perspectives that pregnant women deserve to have before they walk into the hospital: what we know about the movement and mechanics of the pregnant body, and what actually happens during labor, delivery, and those first couple days postpartum.
Because preparing for birth isn’t just about knowing your medication preferences, tit’s about having the skills and tools to be able to get through.
What the workshop will entail:
Learn and practice various birth positions
First, I’ll start of by saying there is no magic birth position. However, what we do know is that there are more favorable positions to be in depending on what stage of labor you are in.
We’ll teach and practice three positions you can use during early, middle, and later labor, including insight on how those positions affect your pelvis and baby.
You’ll also learn how you can still move if you decide to have an epidural.
Instead of simply showing you pictures of birth positions, we want you to actually get into them and feel them in your own body. With our hands on guidance you’ll leave feeling confident in yourself and your ability to give birth!
This is also where you may notice something important.
Maybe one position feels incredibly natural.
Maybe another feels surprisingly difficult.
Maybe you suddenly realize one hip doesn’t move like the other.
Those little discoveries before labor can give us valuable information about what your body may need to prepare.
2.Learn How Your Pelvic Floor Actually Moves During Birth
A lot of women hear “pelvic floor” during pregnancy and immediately think: Kegels.
But birth actually requires the OPPOSITE of contracting these muslces.
Specifically for birth your pelvic floor needs to lengthen, coordinate with your breathing, manage pressure, and respond to the movement happening throughout your pelvis.
During the workshop, Dr. Mary Kate will introduce you to pelvic breathing and help you actually feel the difference between different breathing strategies.
This is one of our favorite pregnancy ah-ha moments:
Your pelvic floor isn't just something you strengthen after having a baby. It is actively participating in birth.
And you can learn how to work with it before labor begins.
And Then There’s the Part Nobody Prepares You For: Going Home
Everyone talks about getting the baby out.
Far fewer people talk honestly about what happens when you’re sore, bleeding, exhausted, feeding a newborn, trying to get out of bed, and suddenly realizing that you also need care.
Shauna will walk you through practical considerations for that first week postpartum, including things like your first shower, getting through those first nights with your baby, and early feeding and latching tips.
These aren’t glamorous moments.
But knowing what to expect — and having a few strategies ready — can make those first days feel much less overwhelming.
You Don't Need to Know Exactly How Your Birth Will Go
You can't control every part of labor.
And that's not what we're trying to teach you.
We want you to understand your body well enough that you have options when things change.
A different position.
A different way to breathe.
A better understanding of what your pelvis is doing.
A way to recognize when something feels unusually difficult for your body.
And an idea of what you're going to need when you get home.
That kind of confidence doesn't come from memorizing the perfect birth plan.
It comes from understanding the body you're bringing into the room.
Join Us for the Prepare for Labor + Early Postpartum Workshop
During this 60-minute workshop, you'll learn:
Three practical birth positions for different stages of labor
How movement and positioning can influence what happens through your pelvis during birth
Considerations for movement both with and without an epidural
How to use pelvic breathing during birth
What your pelvic floor is actually doing during labor
Practical strategies for your first days postpartum
Early newborn feeding and latching tips
How to recognize whether your body may benefit from more individualized preparation before birth
You'll also leave with resources you can actually use, including our hospital checklist, birth preparation handout, and pelvic breathing guide.
And most importantly, you'll leave knowing more about your body than you did when you walked in.
Is Your Body Ready for Birth?
At the end of the workshop, you'll also have the opportunity to complete a prenatal screen designed to identify areas where individualized pelvic floor physical therapy may help you prepare for labor.
Because sometimes you don't know what your body needs until someone shows you what to look for.
September 26th, 2026 @ 10:00 AM
17 Liberty Drive Hermon, ME
60-minute workshop
SIGN UP HERE:
