Birth Classes in Perth with Lamaze Instructor Lesley Pascuzzi

Meeting Lesley from Coorie-In last month, I quickly learnt how passionate she is about active birth education for parents and how motivated she is to help all parents have access to comprehensive birth education during pregnancy. Lesley currently runs individual Lamaze birth classes to Perth parents-to-be in the comfort of their own homes. She also offers perinatal wellness coaching to help parents achieve wellness during the pre and post-natal periods. And, Lesley also keeps busy coordinating and teaching the birth classes at Perth’s St John of God Hospital in Midland. Read on for some more details…

Lamaze Birth Classes

So, what exactly is Lamaze and how can it help you? Well, Lamaze is originally from the USA, where it’s considered the gold standard of childbirth education. Lamaze is based on six healthy birth practices to help parents and their care team achieve a natural, safe and healthy birth. Lamaze Australia education has been adapted to make it more relatable to Australian parents.

For Lesley, the goal of Lamaze is “knowledgeable parents, informed choices”. She finds that many hospital-based birth classes are centred around the specific hospital’s procedures and policies. Lamaze education, however, is something that can be used for any birthing parent anywhere in the world. The education teaches parents about the normal progress of labour and how that may feel, how to find their own comfort in labour and strategies for dealing with discomfort and pain in labour-without necessarily taking it away. Understanding your rights are and what questions to ask your caregivers is also an important part of these Perth birth classes.

Lesley currently offers 1-on-1 classes to expecting parents all over Perth. She is often willing to travel further if her schedule permits. Lesley highly recommends that your partner/support person also attends. This helps you to both be on the same page with the kind of support you’ll need for labour. Lesley explained that how your partner supports you in labour helps to influence the hormones your body produces. These hormones are so important to help you relax and let your labour progress smoothly.

Lesley advises having the education early on in the third trimester from 28 weeks onwards. She recommends booking in at least two weeks in advance and does try to be flexible with booking times. In home Lamaze birth education usually happens in four 3 hour sessions, although other options are available. These classes do focus on active birth, but there is also information about interventions including induction, instrumental/vacuum birth and caesarean-sections. The classes include education about breastfeeding and caring for your newborn, also.

If you’re interested in a Lamaze birth class and would like to know more, Lesley would love to chat to you. You can find more details about Lesley and Lamaze on her website. She also recommends checking out “Labor with Confidence”– a free birth education resource provided by Lamaze International for an introduction to the Lamaze method.

Perinatal Wellness Coaching

With an extensive background in mental health, including a postgraduate diploma on perinatal mental health, Lesley is excited to also offer perinatal wellness coaching. This is a service for parents who are expecting a baby or who have recently had one who may need some assistance to find and maintain “wellness”- however that may look for them.

Lesley explains that this isn’t counselling, but focuses more on education. It’s about helping parents identify issues that have arisen or may arise in their specific circumstances and working out strategies to help handle them. She describes this as helping her clients work out what they perceive wellness to be and how they can maintain it. Perinatal Wellness Coaching is available as a one-off session or can be purchased in a block of five sessions. If you’d like more details about this service, you can contact Lesley via email or phone (0409 913 545).

You can also follow Lesley on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest on Coorie-In.

Interested in other active birth workshops in Perth? You can read about Birth to Baby classes here.

Sorted out your birth classes already and thinking about maternity photography? Why not check out my client closet for some inspiration?