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!

Join us for an in-depth discussion of what to expect when the time comes to give birth to your baby!

Part 1 is in-person at MidCoast Hospital. During this 3 hour session, you will learn about the three phases of labor, how to cope, and how to be a supportive partner. We will discuss many coping strategies, as well as practice laboring positions and hands-on support techniques. This session also includes a tour of the maternity unit and birthing rooms. Session 1 is from 9:30am-1:00pm.

Part 2 is held the next day via zoom. During this 2.5 hour session, you will learn about the various pain medication options that are available, what is involved in inductions and c-sections, what to expect with your newborn and your hospital stay, as well as how to be more prepared for the postpartum period. For 2024 classes session 2 will be from 3:00-5:30pm. For 2025 classes session 2 will be 9:00-11:30am.

Partners/support people are encouraged to attend but do not need to register online. We recommend taking this course between 30-35 weeks if possible. Our hope is that you will leave this educational weekend feeling like you have the knowledge you need to make informed decisions, and the confidence to navigate the transition from pregnancy to parenthood. We look forward to working with you!

You will receive an email from the instructor 1 week prior to the scheduled class with the zoom link for part 2. 

Perinatal Outreach Presents:

Advanced Fetal Monitoring

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 Upon completion of this program participant will be able to:

1. State the terms and definitions of fetal heart rate patterns as per the National Institutes of Health Consensus Group document.
2. Correlate critical fetal heart rate patterna with related maternal fetal physiology.
3. Recognize category 2 and 3 tracings, as well as recurrent vs intermittent decelerations.
4. Discuss management of category 2 fetal heart rate tracings.
5. List appropriate interventions based on the interpretation of the fetal heart rate pattern.

Being prepared for childbirth can ease your mind and make your birth experience what you hope it will be. This class will give you the information, resources and skills to prepare you for the birth of your baby.

This class will cover:

• Preparation during last month of pregnancy
• Early labor at home
• What to expect coming to the hospital from admission to discharge
• Stages of labor
• Pain management options
• Optional tour of the Birthing Suite

Expecting mother/couple should be in their last trimester. Class fee is per couple. When checking out, please don't add your support person as an additional attendee, only enter their name when asked.

NOTE: THIS IS AN IN PERSON CLASS IN BIDDEFORD

Please join our postpartum support group to find the village you deserve! You will get to meet other new moms and find out that many of the struggles you may be experiencing are common and you are not alone. You will also get good ideas for coping. We vent, we celebrate, we cry, we encourage, we drink coffee and eat snacks! You can weigh your baby here and ask any questions at all to another mother or a nurse. 

The group meets every Wednesday morning at 10:30am at MidCoast Hospital in Conference Room 1, right next to the cafeteria. If that room is not available, our back up location is the waiting room outside the Maternity unit. The group is led by our breast/bottle feeding specialists. Mothers will children 0-7 months are welcome. 

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.

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.

It's never too late to take an Infant CPR class! This class is for parents, grandparents, childcare providers and anyone who takes care of your baby.

This is a non-certificate course through American Heart Association, Friends & Family program. Learn basic infant CPR & choking rescue for your little one.

The text Family & Friends CPR will be provided. SMHC certificates of completion are available upon request.

Make sure to register EACH PERSON attending the class so we can have a correct head count.

NOTE: THIS IS AN IN PERSON CLASS IN BIDDEFORD

Join us for an infant CPR course to gain knowledge in how to perform CPR and choking rescue of an infant up to 1 year of age.  This course will be provided by in-person instructor, video and hands-on practice.  

THIS CLASS IS LOCATED IN NORWAY, MAINE - IN PERSON

Class is scheduled for an estimated 1 hour.   Any caregiver is welcome to join, parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, etc.

Contact the Perinatal Outreach Education Coordinator with any questions: 207-393-3462