Mama Bird Birth Services

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Mama Bird Birth Services

Childbirth classes and doula services - Preparing and supporting families in the greater Philadelphia area for a confident, healthy and satisfying birth

Lamaze® Healthy Birth classes promote a natural, healthy and safe approach to childbirth based on the best and most current medical evidence available. The Lamaze approach is built on the belief that birth is a normal life event, that women have the innate ability to give birth and that the experience of birth profoundly affects women and their families. With such an overwhelming amount of information available to pregnant women today, Lamaze® Healthy Birth classes help to simplify birth, empower you be an informed decision-maker, and provide you with practical hands-on comfort techniques that will allow you and your partner approach birth with confidence. This class is taught by Elizabeth Varaso. Elizabeth is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, a DONA Certified Birth Doula, a member of the Philly Doula Co-op and the proud mother of three ornery children ages 5 and under. After earning her MS Ed in Psychological Services from The University of Pennsylvania, she has spent the past 14 years living among and serving at-risk children and families in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. She discovered her calling as a birth professional after being profoundly impacted by the birth of her own children. In particular, the experience of adding a doula to her team of caregivers gave her a vision for how satisfying a well-supported birth could be. She uses her knowledge and skills as a doula and childbirth educator to serve women from a variety of backgrounds, and seeks to honor the sacredness of each birth by respecting the needs, goals and values of each individual mother.

01/22/2026

I’m operating under the assumption that the meteorologist are not being big liars in this instance (although we know they have a track record of lying to us about snow in the past) SO, this Sunday’s class will be meeting a day earlier on Saturday, January 24 from 9 AM to noon at Minnow Lane in Fishtown. There are still seats left in this class so maybe you could not attend the original date but can make it out to join us this Saturday! Join us to learn about the most essential information and tips to help you feel confident and supported in the first six weeks after your baby is born. $125 investment, registration link in bio!

11/07/2025

Welcoming your new baby means that you are endeavoring three important and demanding jobs - care of your postpartum body & mind, learning how to breastfeed confidently and practical care of your newborn baby. This class will help you and your partner know what to expect and how to create the best possible support to thrive in all of these roles. Postpartum wellness topics include what to expect during your early hours and days at the hospital, how to care for your healing postpartum body and optimizing emotional support and healthy expectations for the postpartum period. You’ll learn the basics of breastfeeding such as getting a good latch, how often to feed your baby and how to know that your baby is getting enough milk, how to handle common challenges and practical solutions for breastfeeding. We’ll also discuss pumping, baby’s first bottle, safe storage of milk and returning to work. You’ll become familiar with typical newborn appearance and behavior, cover the basics of diapering, dressing and bathing your baby as well as supporting healthy sleep for your baby and yourself. Attendance of your partner/support person is strongly encouraged.

This in-person class meets at Minnow Lane in Fishtown.

Investment for this class is $125

01/17/2025

This class covers all that you need to know from the very first signs of labor until the birth of your baby. You’ll know how to recognize the stages & phases of labor as well as what to do during each. You’ll understand routine and special-case medical interventions, your rights as an informed decision-maker and how to communicate your preferences to your care team. You’ll be equipped with all of the most helpful comfort tools for labor including relaxation techniques, movement, hands-on support from partners and practical tips so brilliant you’ll feel like a pro going into birth.

Confident & Prepared birth is offered as a one day class for 6 hours on a weekend afternoon from 12-6pm. Six full hours together gives enough time for ample breaks and a pace that will leave you energized rather than overwhelmed.

This class meets at Fishtown Montessori at 1212 Marlborough St in Fishtown. This gorgeous, immaculate, peaceful space will give us ample room to space out and feel confident about safety and comfort. Attendance of your partner/support person is strongly encouraged and is included in the class fee.

Investment for this class is $250.
Registration link in bio!

04/15/2024

There's still space in this class meeting on Sunday 4/28 from noon-6pm at Fishtown Montessori!

This class covers all that you need to know from the very first signs of labor until the birth of your baby. You'll know how to recognize the stages & phases of labor as well as what to do during each. You'll understand routine and special-case medical interventions, your rights as an informed decision-maker and how to communicate your preferences to your care team. You'll be equipped with all of the most helpful comfort tools for labor including relaxation techniques, movement, hands-on support from partners and practical tips so brilliant you'll feel like a pro going into birth.

The in-person One Day Class as well as the in-person workshop will be held at Fishtown Montessori at 1212 Marlborough St in Fishtown. This gorgeous, immaculate, peaceful space will give us ample room to space out and feel confident about safety and comfort. Six full hours together gives enough time for ample breaks and a pace that will leave you energized rather than overwhelmed. Attendance of your partner/support person is strongly encouraged and is included in the class fee.

Investment for this class is $250.

04/12/2024

New class just added to the schedule!

Register now to claim your spot in my 3 Week Confident & Prepared Birth Class, where we blend the convenience of virtual learning with the invaluable experience of in-person connection! Over three engaging weeks on Zoom followed by one enriching session in person, you will be equipped with the knowledge and confidence you need for your birthing journey.

During our 3 virtual sessions, we’ll dive deep into topics such as the physiology of normal birth, the stages & phases of labor, understanding interventions, navigating the hospital environment, shared decision making and creating a plan for managing pain and utilizing partner support during labor. Led by seasoned educator and birth doula Elizabeth Varaso, these interactive Zoom sessions provide a supportive space for questions, discussions, and personalized guidance.

Then, in our culminating in-person session, we’ll come together to practice comfort measures, breathing & vocalizing techniques, and labor positions. You’ll have the opportunity to connect face-to-face with fellow expectant parents and receive hands-on support and practice.

This hybrid Birth Class offers the best of both worlds, combining the flexibility of online learning with the intimacy of in-person instruction. Join us as we prepare you to embrace childbirth with confidence and hopeful expectation!”

Meeting Wednesdays 5/22, 5/29 & 6/5 from 6:30-8:30pm on Zoom and Saturday 6/8 from 2-4pm at Fishtown Montessori. Registration link in bio!

03/13/2024

While we are still another week away from the official start of Spring, I’m feeling in the Spring spirit already! Flowers, leaves on the trees, short sleeve days - ahhh. But also - baseball, lacrosse and Spring Break - OH MY!

I know that I’m living in a totally different season of life than many of you — you with car seats and tiny little shoes, me playing mom-taxi to teens and cleaning up the dirt that their cleats drag into the house. With an especially busy Spring season you may find that my limited offerings of group classes in the next couple of months don’t quite meet your scheduling needs. But I’ve got you covered!

All of the same content from my award-winning group classes is available in a recorded format, and provides access to all of the handouts and extra resources that the group class students receive. Included with this class, you are also invited to participate in a monthly “Mama Bird Chat” Zoom session to connect with other expectant parents and have your own unique questions and needs addressed.

To help us all out and to celebrate the arrival of Spring I’m discounting the price of the full bundle of classes for March & April. Use promo code SPRING100 and pay the adjusted price of $100 instead of the regular $145. Registration link in bio!

03/08/2024

🍀Lucky me!! 🍀 I’ll be spending the morning of St Patrick’s Day with expectant parents, sharing with them “all of the most important things that you need to know for the first 6 weeks after your baby is born.”

And lucky YOU, there are still a couple of spaces left in this class.

Welcoming your new baby means that you are endeavoring three important and demanding jobs - care of your postpartum body & mind, learning how to breastfeed confidently and practical care of your newborn baby. This class will help you and your partner know what to expect and how to create the best possible support to thrive in all of these roles. Postpartum wellness topics include what to expect during your early hours and days at the hospital, how to care for your healing postpartum body and optimizing emotional support and healthy expectations for the postpartum period. You’ll learn the basics of breastfeeding such as getting a good latch, how often to feed your baby and how to know that your baby is getting enough milk, how to handle common challenges and practical solutions for breastfeeding. We’ll also discuss pumping, baby’s first bottle, safe storage of milk and returning to work. You’ll become familiar with typical newborn appearance and behavior, cover the basics of diapering, dressing and bathing your baby as well as supporting healthy sleep for your baby and yourself. Attendance of your partner/support person is strongly encouraged.

This in-person class meets at Minnow Lane in Fishtown. Ideal for those between 30-37 weeks of pregnancy.

Investment for this class is $125, registration link in bio!

11/20/2023

Registration link in bio!

Welcoming your new baby means that you are endeavoring three important and demanding jobs - care of your postpartum body & mind, learning how to breastfeed confidently and practical care of your newborn baby. This class will help you and your partner know what to expect and how to create the best possible support to thrive in all of these roles. Postpartum wellness topics include what to expect during your early hours and days at the hospital, how to care for your healing postpartum body and optimizing emotional support and healthy expectations for the postpartum period. You'll learn the basics of breastfeeding such as getting a good latch, how often to feed your baby and how to know that your baby is getting enough milk, how to handle common challenges and practical solutions for breastfeeding. We'll also discuss pumping, baby's first bottle, safe storage of milk and returning to work. You'll become familiar with typical newborn appearance and behavior, cover the basics of diapering, dressing and bathing your baby as well as supporting healthy sleep for your baby and yourself. Attendance of your partner/support person is strongly encouraged.

This in-person class meets at Minnow Lane in Fishtown.

Investment for this class is $125

08/09/2023

There’s still space in this 3 week virtual birth class that includes an in-person workshop where we can practice comfort techniques for labor that you can’t quite practice on the screen.

Three weeks of learning without commuting, and then one lovely afternoon together in person at — delightful!!

Use promo code CP3AUG for $25 off the full price of this class

07/24/2023

I’m still buzzing a little from the joy of spending yesterday with a group of expectant parents in my Confident &
Prepared Birth class and already looking forward to classes that are coming up in August!

8/6 Postpartum, Breastfeeding & Newborn care at is full but I will give a $10 discount on the price of the online class with promo code PNBAUGUST for anyone who can’t wait for the fall in person dates.

There’s still space in my Positively Pregnant class meeting at on Sat 8/19.

And the Summer’s end offers one more chance to join in on my 3 week virtual Confident & Prepared Birth class that includes an in-person workshop at

Links for registration in bio!

06/02/2023

My series of classes serves as your trusted guide from your 1st trimester all the way through your 4th trimester. From your earliest questions about healthy pregnancy, continuing on as you prepare for labor and birth all the way through postpartum wellness, breastfeeding and basic newborn care, each class in this series is designed to give you exactly the information and tools you need, just as you need them. Take all 3 classes, or choose just the ones that fit your needs and schedule.

Registration link in bio!

05/31/2023

Registration link in comments!

Fresh on the heels of the excitement of your positive pregnancy test, you find out that there is an overwhelming amount of information out there for
pregnant people, much of it telling you what you can't eat, can't do, and what you should be worried and afraid about. This class is designed to be taken before 20 weeks of pregnancy when you have the opportunity to set a positive course of hopeful expectations for a healthy pregnancy and a birth that you can look forward to. Learn to distinguish between the real dos and don'ts of pregnancy, set a foundation of appreciating pregnancy and birth as normal life events, surround yourself with positive stories about birth, sharpen your decision making skills and intuition and discover the exercises and practices that you most need to be doing to prepare for birth, but that no one is probably telling you about. This class meets for 2 hours on a weekend morning. Plan to attend with a partner/support person or on your own, whichever you prefer. (Class fee includes pregnant person + their support person.)

Investment for this class is $50

This in-person class meets at Kith + Kin in Brewerytown. You'll love learning in this lovely, calming space and envisioning the days when you can bring your own baby to play there!

Address

Philadelphia, PA

Website

http://www.mamabirdbirth.com/

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about elizabeth

Elizabeth Varaso is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, a DONA Certified Birth Doula and the mother of four very ornery children ages ten and under. She originally came to Philadelphia 18 years ago to complete her MSEd in Psychological Services from the University of Pennsylvania and to serve at-risk children and families in the Kensington community. Elizabeth discovered an unexpected calling as a birth professional after being profoundly impacted by the birth of her own children. In particular, the experience of adding a doula to her team of caregivers gave her a vision of how satisfying a well-supported birth could be.

As a doula, Elizabeth has served over 70 birthing mothers which has given her experience and insight of the inner-workings of most of the city's major hospitals. Three of her own children were born at The Birth Center in Bryn Mawr and her fourth at Pennsylvania Hospital so she has a special fondness for helping families prepare to welcome their babies there. Elizabeth teaches birth classes at a handful of sites around Philadelphia including the Prepared Childbirth Plus Class (Previously "Mindful Birth") at Pennsylvania Hospital, the Comprehensive Childbirth Class at Mama's Wellness Joint as well as offering her own online, and hybrid online-in person birth classes designed for especially busy expectant parents. It's her desire to provide empowering, evidence-based childbirth education and strong, gentle & loving doula support to other mothers and their partners with the hope that they will not just cope, but thrive through their childbirth experience. Elizabeth is pleased to serve women from a variety of backgrounds and seeks to honor the sacredness of each birth by respecting the needs, goals and values of each individual mother & partner.