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New Parents Circle
with Ellen Kunkle, MMC Childbirth Education
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Come together to share the story of your parenting journey and receive support and inspiration from other new parents.
Discussion topics include sleep, feeding, nurturing yourself, and relationship changes. This group is flexible to address your own needs and concerns. This group is facilitated by a childbirth educator who is also a trained doula and breastfeeding counselor.
This group meets in person (with a hybrid Zoom option, too) at the MaineHealth Medical Building, 5 Bucknam Rd, Falmouth. (Ground floor, lots of parking!)
This group meets every Thursday morning from 10am - 12pm. Please register here. When you register you will receive the zoom link to log in.
The group is free but registration is required. Join anytime throughout the year. New members are always welcome!
Breastfeeding Support Group (2025)
with Brooke Cottman, MMC Childbirth Education
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This free peer support group is a great opportunity to meet other new breastfeeding parents in your community, share experiences, and receive postpartum and newborn care information and support. A lactation consultant facilitates the group and can answer your questions.
Please register here to receive log-in or call-in information for this weekly group which meets on Tuesdays 9:30am - 11:30am.
This group meets in person (with a hybrid Zoom option, too) at the MaineHealth Medical Building, 5 Bucknam Rd, Falmouth. (Ground floor, lots of parking!)
FREE but registration is required to receive Zoom info. Join anytime throughout the year. New members are always welcome!
Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster
with Heidi Mrazik, Mid Coast Center for Community Health and Wellness
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Developed by Peggy Huddleston, MTS, the Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster program follows five steps to help patients prepare for surgery using mind-body techniques:
- Feel calmer before surgery
- Use less pain medication
- Recover faster
WORKSHOPS ARE OFFERED IN INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP SETTINGS. TO SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP CALL (207) 373-6585.
Workshops participants are require to purchase the book, Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster ($14.95) and its companion Relaxation/Healing CD or MP3 download ($19.95). The book, eBook & Relaxation CD can be ordered at www.HealFaster.com .
A donation of $35 pays for your workshop. A larger donation keeps the program going and provides support for those who are unable to afford it. If you are unable to make a donation, the workshop is free.
WORKSHOP PRESENTER: Heidi Mrazik, is a Holistic Certified Registered Nurse with a background primarily in Emergency Medicine. She prepares individuals 1:1 and in group workshops for surgery using techniques from Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster: A Guide of Mind-Body Techniques. Meetings can be in person, by telephone or in virtual classes.
AUTHOR: Peggy Huddleston, MTS, is the author of Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster: A Guide of Mind Body Techniques. She trains health care professionals to teach her workshop for people facing surgery. She is a principal investigator of the research project, Patient-Centered Techniques to Enhance Surgical Outcomes, at the New England Baptist Hospital, a Tufts and Harvard Medical School teaching hospital in Boston. www.healfaster.com
TO SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP CALL MID COAST COMMUNITY HEALTH & SERVICES AT (207) 373-6585.
Running Start Medical Gym at Parkview <click here>
with Running Start Exercise Physiologists, Mid Coast Center for Community Health and Wellness
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Supervised medical exercise consisting of an initial fitness assessment and progressive resistance training, flexibility exercises, and a cardiovascular program.
A clinical exercise physiologist facilitates this program.
* Please DO NOT register prior to completing your Intake and being assigned a class time.
* Medical Release from a physician and Waiver of Liability are required prior to participation. Once your Medical Release has been received, an exercise physiologist will contact you to schedule an Intake Appointment.
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Running Start Track at Bowdoin <click here>
with Running Start Exercise Physiologists, Mid Coast Center for Community Health and Wellness
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Running Start is a co-ed exercise program for all age groups that incorporates the proper technique of warm-up, stretching, calisthenics, and aerobic exercise tailored to your personal needs. The classes allow everyone to increase or maintain their fitness level in their own way. A clinical exercise physiologist facilitates this program.
Medical Release from a physician and Waiver of Liability are required prior to participation.
Regular physical activity improves your cardiovascular system, muscle tone, and flexibility, as well as reduces the risk of heart disease, the number one killer of adults in the United States. If you increase your physical activity level, you will improve your quality of life. You'll look better, feel better, and have more energy to enjoy your leisure time.
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Running Start Swim at Bowdoin <click here>
with Running Start Exercise Physiologists, Mid Coast Center for Community Health and Wellness
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Running Start Swim is a co-ed exercise program for all age groups with shallow-end aerobics and lane swimming. A clinical exercise physiologist facilitates this program.
Medical Release from a physician and Waiver of Liability are required prior to participation.
Regular physical activity improves your cardiovascular system, muscle tone, and flexibility, as well as reduces the risk of heart disease, the number one killer of adults in the United States. If you increase your physical activity level, you will improve your quality of life. You'll look better, feel better, and have more energy to enjoy your leisure time.
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Childbirth Education One-Day Express In Person (2025)
with Certified Educator, MMC Childbirth Education
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The registration fee includes costs for the registrant and one support person. To avoid duplicate charges, please register only ONE participant per class. A receipt will be provided for insurance reimbursement purposes. Reimbursement is subject to individual insurance plans, refer to your plan for additional information.
If you cannot afford the registration fee due to financial hardship, please contact childbirth education at childbirtheducation@mainehealth.org .
Rescheduling or canceling your class registration can be done by contacting childbirtheducation@mainehealth.org. Refunds for class cancelations include a 10% processing fee. No refunds will be given after class begins.
We are offering this class in person. Classes are held at the Dana Center Maine Medical Center, 22 Bramhall Street, Portland. You will receive directions to parking and the classroom once you have registered.
The One-Day Express Course covers all of the same information as the Childbirth Education weekly evening series in one full day.
Recommended for all first-time pregnant people and their birth partners, this class is designed to provide you and your labor partner with the information, skills, and resources to prepare you for the birth of your baby.
- Introduction to Labor & Delivery You can expect to learn the stages and phases of labor, what to expect physically and emotionally, the importance of labor support, and more. You will also see birth videos.
- Practical Skills and Comfort Measures You will learn comfort measures such as relaxation, breathing, and positions that you can use both at home and while at the hospital. Even mothers planning to use medication for pain relief will utilize skills to manage labor prior to and in conjunction with the use of medication.
- Medications and Interventions Be an active participant in the decisions that affect you and your baby. Learn about induction of labor, unplanned cesareans, vacuum, fetal monitoring and more. Whether you are planning on using pain medications, or just want to understand the available options, you will take home the information you need to make informed decisions about pain relief.
We recommend attending this class between the 28th and 32nd week of pregnancy.
Infant Care Basics
with Erin Kirkpatrick, Mid Coast Maternity
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In this 3 hour virtual course, we talk about how to care for your newborn when you bring them home, what to expect during the first few months, and how to be well prepared. Topics include:
- Sleep habits
- Laying a strong sleep foundation
- Bottle and formula feeding (separate breastfeeding class)
- Diapering & Digestion
- Soothing techniques
- Safety Guidelines
- Common ailments
- Postpartum Coping and Preparation
We recommend taking this between 30-35 weeks if possible. Only one parent needs to register, but all can attend. Please join us to build your confidence in caring for your newborn!
You will receive an email from the instructor with a zoom link 1 week prior to the scheduled class. Please check your spam/junk folder for emails from erin@lighthouselactationmaine.com.
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