Childbirth has plenty of unknowns, but by preparing for delivery, you can make a birth plan that’s best for you and gain the tools you need to find comfort throughout labor. The goal is to provide parents with all options and scenarios so they can feel confident making informed decisions throughout the experience. Take a look below at these birthing classes—offered in and around Fort Worth—that incorporate childbirth methodologies, including Lamaze. (Live closer to Dallas? Find classes here.)
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Birth & Wellness Center of Arlington
This facility offers expectant parents a holistic approach to childbirth education, providing information and support for hospital, home, and birth center deliveries. Birth & Wellness Center of Arlington has an exceptional staff of birth boot camp childbirth educators, as well as doulas, certified nurse midwives, lactation specialists and even chiropractors.
While they offer an array of childbirth courses, their Labor and Birth 101 and Birth Boot Camp classes focus on educating parents on the female anatomy, the signs and stages of labor, and relaxation techniques, like movement, breathing techniques, meditation, and vocalization. Their Labor and Birth 101 class is a three-day course with sessions lasting two hours. They cover topics for both home or hospital births. Classes run each month and cost $200.
Their Birth Boot Camp course is a more comprehensive class, lasting six weeks, and it focuses on preparing families for an out-of-hospital birth. This class is two hours per session and meets on Sunday afternoons. This option costs $375.
And they also offer a Reboot Refresher course for the moms who have gone through childbirth before, but are looking to brush up on their breathing and positioning techniques. This class is available once a month on Sundays, lasts four hours, and costs $125.
Like many of the other classes on this list, class sizes are small, ranging from one to six couples per session. And attendees have the chance to learn even more by checking out one of the many resources from their library. You can sign up for classes on their website.
Location: Birth & Wellness Center of Arlington, 1001 W. Randol Mill Road, Arlington, Texas
Hours: Class days and times vary by course and instructor
Contact: 817/962-0004
Website: birthandwellnesscenter.com
Birth Fort Worth
Barb Davis, founder and practice manager of Birth Fort Worth, has been guiding expectant parents through the amazing experience of childbirth for over a decade. Not only is she passionate about Lamaze teachings, but she is a certified birth and postpartum doula and certified childbirth educator.
Her class, Your Best Birth Class, is an award-winning course that prepares you for the labor and delivery process. This one-day class is designed for moms looking for a natural, unmedicated birth. Teachings include an overview of induction options and labor tools, a breakdown of the stages of labor, and instruction on the best comfort measures for moms like the breathing techniques you learn in a traditional Lamaze class.
You will also get a 45-minute birth planning session and tips on how to advocate for your wants and needs during delivery. Total class time is 6 hours. This in-person course occurs on Saturdays at either Midwife+Co or Adriatica Women’s Health. The cost is $250, and class sizes are kept small, at three to five couples per class. Medicaid pricing is also available.
And for those planning on a hospital birth, her 2-hour hospital birth prep class details birth basics, when to go to the hospital, medicated, and unmedicated comfort options, self-advocacy tools, and a cesarean birth overview. This option costs $45 and is a live, virtual class. Sign up for either educational experience on her website. Classes are available monthly, making it easy to attend at your convenience.
Location: Midwife+Co., 1401 Henderson Street, Fort Worth, Texas & Adriatica Women’s Health, 6609 Virginia Parkway McKinney, Texas
Hours: Saturdays 10am–4:30pm
Contact: 682/777-3932 (text Barb)
Website: birthfortworth.com
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Metroplex Birth
Nita Gunn, owner of Metroplex Birth, is a certified childbirth educator, doula, nurse, and mother of five, making her a prime resource for parents-to-be in the DFW region. Her 7-week Birth Boot Camp course will give you a comprehensive look at labor positions, comfort measures, and partner involvement for both medicated and unmedicated births, as well as baby care and breastfeeding.
You can choose to attend in-person classes or to sign up for her hybrid class option, which provides couples with both virtual and hands-on instruction. She also offers refresher courses for veteran parents who’ve had a bit of time pass between babies. Unlike many other childbirth programs, Gunn begins each session with a private Zoom meeting to get to know each couple and their specific birth plans.
Another bonus to taking classes with Metroplex Birth is the connections you can make with other parents who are in the same situation. After classes end and your baby is born, Gunn offers a reunion for new parents to reconnect and share their birth stories.
In-person classes are available once per season with space for nine couples in each class. Each session runs for approximately 2.5 hours on weekend afternoons and evenings. Both the in-person and hybrid boot camps are $400, and the refresher course costs $150. Registration is available online.
Location: Metroplex Birth at the office of Prime Chiropractic, 210 Park Blvd., Suite 107, Grapevine, Texas
Hours: Sundays at 3pm and 6pm
Contact: 682/514-9150
Website: metroplexbirth.com
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Beloved Beginnings Birth Services
For the parents looking for a more intimate and personalized childbirth education course, Beloved Beginnings Birth Services may be the place for you! Brittney Esparza, certified childbirth educator, certified birth doula, and mother of three, has been helping moms welcome their babies into the world for over 14 years. In her Childbirth 101 class, parents will learn everything from the signs and stages of labor and common complications and interventions to medical and natural pain relief options, including a variety of relaxation and breathing techniques.
Prior to parents committing to the class, Brittney takes the time to speak with moms and dads-to-be to answer questions and allow them to decide if her classes are a good fit for their family. She aims to provide parents with a comprehensive look at all types of birth scenarios and give moms the necessary tools they will need to find comfort and confidence in a home birth, a hospital birth, or delivery at a birthing center.
With this class, couples will meet for six in-person sessions on Sunday nights and then one private session after moms have reached their 37th week of pregnancy. During this final session, you’ll review the hands-on portion of labor that is taught in class and create a personalized birth plan. Each class is two to 2.5 hours long and there are a maximum of six couples in each group class, giving you plenty of opportunities to ask questions and engage in hands-on learning moments.
Lastly, for experienced parents who are looking for a different birthing experience or have had some time in between births, Brittney also offers a refresher course. Pricing starts at $150 for all classes and you can find out about availability and sign up on her website.
Location: The Chiropractic Wellness Café, 783 FM 1187 E, Crowley, Texas
Hours: Sunday afternoons and evenings
Contact: 805/717-3684
Website: belovedbeginnings.com
Medical City Healthcare
Another extremely affordable option for childbirth classes are the many courses available at the Medical City campuses across the metroplex. They offer Prepared Childbirth, Understanding Birth, and C-Section Preparation & Recovery, which detail the various stages of labor, comfort techniques like breathing patterns, positioning, massage, focus and distraction, and pain management options, as well as a breakdown of childbirth medical procedures like induction and cesarean section.
They also offer newborn care, breastfeeding support, and even dad and grandparent courses to make sure parents and their support systems are ready for this new adventure. And if you’re giving birth at one of their campuses, there’s the option to tour the facility prior to giving birth. Moms-to-be can take advantage of their prenatal yoga classes as well.
Their childbirth education courses are available in-person and virtually, or for those with less flexible schedules, you can choose pre-recorded class options. Best of all, pricing typically doesn’t go above $35 per class. Some classes are even free! Depending on the courses you choose, you can expect anywhere from one to eight hours of instruction and class sizes vary based on the course and campus. Visit their website to find out availability in your area and to sign up.
Location: Six Medical City locations: Alliance (Fort Worth), as well as in Dallas, Frisco, Lewisville, McKinney, and Plano
Hours: Class hours vary depending on the specific class and campus
Contact: medicalcityhealthcare.com/contact-us
Website: medicalcityhealthcare.com
Texas Health Hospitals
For parents searching for affordable Lamaze and childbirth classes, Texas Health offers an array of options at their many campuses across the DFW area. These include Prepared Childbirth, Natural Childbirth, and Coping Skills for Labor, with variations for parents planning on a cesarean birth and for those expecting multiples.
In all of these courses, parents-to-be will learn about the many aspects of the labor process as well as non-medicated pain and relaxation techniques like breathing exercises, yoga movements, and positioning. Both virtual and in-person learning options are available and you do not need to be delivering at the facility to attend. Time frames for each class vary from 3 to 8 hours, and there is space for 12 to 14 couples in each class.
Class instructors are registered nurses with maternal child experience and/or certified Lamaze educators. Prices range between $15 and $25. Registration can be completed on their website or by contacting the program coordinator.
Location: Five Texas Health locations: Arlington and Bedford, as well as Dallas, Frisco, and Plano, with virtual options available
Hours: Class hours vary depending on the specific class and campus, but most are held on weekday evenings and weekend mornings
Contact: 877/THR-WELL and for specific questions, clients can reach out to Childbirth Education Coordinator Jill Johnson, RN, MSN, and IBCLC at stephaniejohnson2@texashealth.org
Website: Sign up for individual classes at texashealth.org
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Top image courtesy of Birth & Wellness Center of Arlington
