Childbirth Essentials
Nashville’s #1 Choice for Childbirth Education
NOVA education equips parents with evidenced-based, comprehensive information to become active participants in their birth and postpartum journey.
Pursue your empowered, confident birth experience.
CHILDBIRTH ESSENTIALS
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2025
5-Class Series: Mondays, 6-8:30 pm
June 2-30 (For Due Dates in Summer 2025)
Sept. 15-Oct. 13 (For Due Dates in Fall/Winter 2025)
Crash Course: Saturdays, 9am-1pm
July 12th & 19th
Dec. 6th & 13th
Our 5-class series over 5 weeks provides you and your birth partner with invaluable information and practical exercises essential for preparing you for your hospital or birth center experience. Why 5 classes? Studies show that: “attending 3 or more childbirth education sessions was associated with decreased risk of planned cesarean and increased shared decision-making.” (1) This class will give you the best opportunity to achieve the birth you want!
Group: $350 | Private: $550 at NOVA, $750 in home
Can’t commit to a whole series? Register for our 2-class, Crash Course.
Group Crash Course: $400 | Private Crash Course: $550 at NOVA, $750 in home
HOMEBIRTH ESSENTIALS
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2024
Crash Course: Saturdays, Dec. 7th & 14th, 2-6 pm (For Due Dates in '24 Winter - '25 Spring)
2025
5-Class Series: Tuesdays, 6-8:30 pm
Jan. 28-Feb.25th (For Due Dates in '24 Winter - '25 Spring)
April 1-29 (For Due Dates in Summer 2025)
June 3-July 1 (For Due Dates in Summer 2025)
Sept 16- Oct 14 (For Due Dates in Fall/Winter 2025)
Crash Course: Saturdays, 2-6 pm
July 12th & 19th (For Due Dates in Summer 2025)
December 6th & 13th (For Due Dates Winter 2025)
Refresher Class: Saturdays, 9a-12pm
March 8th (For Due Dates Spring 2025)
November 8th (For Due Dates in Fall/Winter 2025)
This 5-class series over 5 weeks Course fuses the fundamental aspects of labor & birth from our Childbirth Essentials Course with specific information for families giving birth at home. Why 5 classes? Studies show that: “attending 3 or more childbirth education sessions was associated with decreased risk of planned cesarean and increased shared decision-making.” (1)
Group: $350 | Private: $550 at NOVA, $750 in home
Can’t commit to a whole series? Register for our 2-class Crash Course.
Group: $400 | Private: $550 at NOVA, $750 in home
Given birth at home before & just need a refresher? We offer the 3-hour curated Homebirth Refresher Course for you!
Group: $150 at NOVA
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VBAC ESSENTIALS
The road to a birth after a cesarean can be challenging. We are here to provide you with the latest, evidence-based information about approaching Vaginal Birth After Cesarean, a listening ear to assist you in optimizing your next birth experience, as well as relaxation and coping tips for labor.
This 6-hour series is offered in two 3-hour sessions.
Group or Private: $250 at NOVA
Weekend Workshops
You Got This: Building Confidence for Birth
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How do you approach something so unpredictable, with confidence? In this 3-hour workshop, we dive into the brilliant orchestration of birth anatomy and hormones, the unique stages and signposts of the labor process, and practice a variety of coping/relaxation techniques to prepare you to rock your birth, however it unfolds.
$250 at NOVA
First Things First: Birth Planning Workshop
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In this 3-hour workshop we guide you in how to make the biggest impact on your birth experience. Your birth team! You’ll learn how to choose the care provider and team that’s right for you, understanding the key elements to a positive birth environment, and get an overview of what to expect in labor. Come ready to discover and explore your labor and birth goals.
$250 at NOVA
Thriving: Fourth Trimester Essentials
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This 3-hour workshop is all about essential care for baby AND mom. Expect to learn about newborn procedures, diapering, sleep tips, postpartum recovery and breastfeeding beginnings!
$250 at NOVA
Meet Your Instructors
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Megan Ssekabira
Certified Childbirth Educator & Doula
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Katie Dunning
Certified Childbirth Educator & Doula
FAQ
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Birth as a Normal Process, Mind-Body Connection, Anatomy & Physiology, How Fear Affects Labor, Anxiety Triggers, The Power of Hormones, Breathing for Birth, Relaxation Techniques, Choosing Your Birth Team, Optimal Fetal Positioning, Birth Preparation Exercises, Choosing Birth Preferences, Interventions: Benefits & Risks, Mechanisms and Positions for Birth, Informed Choice in Birth, Homebirth Considerations, Comfort Measures, The Golden Hour(s), Newborn Procedures, Birth Recovery, Breastfeeding Foundations, The Fourth Trimester + so much more!
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Why 5 classes? Studies show that: “attending 3 or more childbirth education sessions was associated with decreased risk of planned cesarean and increased shared decision-making.” (1)
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We provide light snacks, coffee, tea and water.
For our 5-class series or Crash Courses, we provide a 70-page interactive workbook, with additional access to digital resources.
For other classes, we provide you with applicable worksheets and handouts!
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Yes, please! Your spouse or partner should absolutely attend class with you.
Note: If you have a friend or family member attending in lieu of your partner or spouse, we encourage you to take a curated private class!
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Changes to Class Schedule:
We have you in mind any time we consider making a change to the class schedule. The reality is, in-person classes are taught by human beings. On occasion, we’ll need to reschedule a class due to instructor sickness or unforeseen circumstances. In the case that we can’t reschedule a cancelled class, we are proud to provide you with our presentation and web-hosted NOVA Birth Essentials class. We ask for your grace and understanding when these things happen, cause that’s real life. The secret is, we love spending this time with you in-person, but also respecting your schedule. We are also really proud of our films!
Make Up Policies
When you can’t make a class you intended to and have paid for, we will provide you with access to the applicable presentation and web-hosted NOVA Birth Essentials class.
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All course fees must be paid in full by the date of the first class of the series. A deposit of $125 is required to secure your spot in any course. The remainder of the payment (the total cost of the course minus the $125 deposit) can be made by cash, check, or credit on the first day of the class, or mailed to NOVA's office at 5045 Old Hickory Blvd, Suite 203, Hermitage, TN 37076.
(1) J Perinat Neonatal Nurse. 2021 July-Sep; 35(3): 228-236.
Don’t live near Nashville? No problem—we’ll come to you! Our online, comprehensive Childbirth Education Course Series is taught by midwives, experienced childbirth educators, and lactation consultants.
Release TBA.