Childbirth Ed | Smile Doula | Akron, OH

Childbirth Education

Are you first time parents or in need of a refresher before you have your baby? Are you feeling a little uneasy and want to remove fear and gain more confidence? Are you looking for an out-of-hospital class dives deeper than bare minimum and will help you understand the mind/body connection of the labor process? Are you looking for ways to decrease discomfort with tried and true coping skills?

If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, look no further! I have just the class for you!

Labor & Birth, Unlocked: An interactive, comprehensive approach to confident birth

Out-of-Hospital Childbirth Ed Course created by Kara (Smile Doula) taught by Kara and Lisa (Peace, Love, Lisa)

Group classes - 1 day a week for 4 weeks - 11 hours total

Cost: $175-$250 (pay what you can)

Non-Refundable $25 fee* due at registration to reserve your spot -

an email will be sent after registration - check Junk folder.

*Transferable to another class if needed. Will refund if birth of baby happens before classes start. Virtual option must be paid in full before material is sent.

November 2025: SOLD OUT - See Virtual Option

January 2026 - SOLD OUT - See Virtual Option

February 2026 - Tuesdays - (3, 10, 17 & 24) - 6-8:45p - Taught by Lisa

March 2026 - Fridays - (6, 13, 20 & 27) - 6-8:45p - Taught by Kara

April 2026 - Tuesdays - (7, 14, 21 & 28) - 6-8:45p - Taught by Lisa

I also have a Virtual/Video Option if you cannot attend class in person

Where: Bodywork Chiropractic & Wellness in Richfield, OH

Group size of 3-8 couples that allows great conversation and support
Laid back and fun atmosphere
Class taught by a Certified Childbirth Educator & Certified Doula, mom to 4 with over 17 years of childbirth professional experience.
Course book with helpful handouts & goodie bag
Gain confidence and stomp on fears related to childbirth
Learn the physiological birth and how our bodies and hormones work together
Broad look at childbirth: suits all types of births - unmedicated, medicated, induction, cesarean
Mind/Body Connection
Hands on activity
Up-to-date evidence based information
Understanding stressors, fears and hormones and how they can help or hinder labor
Comfort Measures/Coping Skills - practical and useful info
Interventions - their benefits and risks
Immediate postpartum overview and understanding your newborn
Basic Breastfeeding
Q&A- ask all the questions about birth - this is highly encouraged
Building your birth preferences and so much more

Virtual/Video Option:

Perfect for those who cannot attend an in person class or who missed out on a sold-out class
Pre-recorded class videos with the same information as in-person class
Can be taken any time - one week access to each class - more time can be given if requested
Call or video chat to discuss any questions after each class (up to 4 calls) - questions are highly encouraged! We will also talk through your birth preferences and fears.
4 classes broken down into 7 videos for easier digestion
Materials mailed to your home

Testimonials

Angela Neugebauer
"This is an excellent Labor and Delivery Prep course! Kara shares years of knowledge and experience in engaging ways. The course covers everything from exercises to get baby in the best birthing position, position choices and coping skills for labor and delivery, a biological overview of what happens during pregnancy and all stages of labor, intervention techniques, birthing options, and how to advocate for yourself/your partner during pregnancy and labor and delivery. I feel much more informed, confident and empowered about my upcoming birth having completed this course!"
Ashley Beard
"My husband and I cannot say enough about the amazing content learned in this childbirth education class. It is empowering, it is straight forward, and easy to understand. There are so many stigmas surrounding the labor and delivery process and this class truly empowers you to advocate for yourself and your partner. As a first time mom, it makes me feel more confident to know what is happening to my body. This class prepares you with discussions and activities regarding prenatal care, all stages of labor, interventions, and various coping techniques from prenatal through delivery and post partum. There are hands-on components and Kara is an outstanding teacher with so many stories and years of delivery experience that she happily shares and brings to the table. Even my husband feels more confident in how to help me through this process. If there is any one thing I would recommend to expecting mothers it would be to take this class!"
Alina Mille, DPT
"I would highly recommend taking this class. The class touched on a little bit of everything from all aspects of labor to afterwards and I feel so much more prepared and calm for my own birth. I feel empowered over my health and my journey as a pregnant woman. My husband also feels confident to help us navigate situations as the pregnancy continues. I would recommend the class to anyone who is expecting!"
Ellen Wintrow
"Kara’s class has made me feel so much more prepared, knowledgeable, and confident as I get ready for my first childbirth experience. I feel very equipped with comfort measures that can be used no matter my birth experience, along with information on multiple scenarios and decisions I may find myself in. I highly recommend her courses to anyone looking to learn more about what to expect during labor!"
Meredith DePasquale
"My husband and I took this class while pregnant with our first child. We enjoyed it so much! We feel much more prepared than before and learned a ton. The time flew by but it was packed with knowledge. We highly recommend this class!!"
Sarah Jamison
"We were SO lucky to have Kara as our doula for the birth of our first child! The amount of information out there about birth is overwhelming. Kara’s childbirth education course gave us the most important information and tools we needed heading into birth. The material and tools she provided us with increased our confidence that we were doing the best we could to prepare for the birth of our son. She has years of experience, is extremely knowledgeable and always took the time to thoroughly answer any questions we had as well as followed up to see if we had any additional questions. Kara is also always growing her own tool box and so in working with her we knew we were getting the most up to date information on all things related to childbirth. We highly recommend working with her!"
Bethany Leslie
"When my husband and I found out we were expecting our firstborn, we were inundated with all of the options and thoughts on childbirth, preparation, education, and more. Since we were planning to have Kara serve as our doula at our son’s birth, and in lieu of a hospital-facilitated course, we were thrilled that Kara also offered childbirth education. I’m the kind of person who likes to prepare as well as possible, and knowing what could happen in every scenario, as well as what our options were in advance was so important - Kara helped put my mind at ease by guiding us through the process. She is one of the most compassionate, gentle, encouraging, strong women I have ever met, and having her on our “team” was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. So thankful for the opportunity to learn from her and simply to know her. 5/5 (and then some) recommend Kara to anyone seeking childbirth education!"
Brittany Cominsky
"I have so many good things to say about Kara and her services that I don’t even know where to start. I learned so many things that I didn’t know before and was able to eliminate so many fears that I have always had. The most important things that I learned from the childbirth education courses were all of the physical changes that were about to happen during labor. It helped so much to know exactly what stages of labor that my body would go through and what I could expect before I actually had to go through it. She taught me different labor positions and breathing techniques that I would not have known to do without her. She gave me so much confidence in myself and the natural birth process as I mentally prepared for labor and birth!"
Jackie Sookraj
"Kara’s childbirth education class exceeded our expectations as soon to be first time parents. The fears we each had about childbirth and postpartum were comforted with the education on how the body works and how your support person can assist and comfort. The tools Kara taught us made us feel more confident and empowered to exercise our rights / informed consent."

Kourtney Folger
"Kara exceeded any expectations that my husband and I had going into the childbirth education class. Our doula highly recommended Kara's class so we decided to sign up. We feel much more informed and prepared after the class. Kara did a great job of breaking things down for us to understand, and she also makes the class very interactive. She is a wealth of knowledge and it is clear that she loves what she does. Kara even stayed after class one day to answer a few personal questions we had. We would highly recommend her class to any expecting parents!"
Leann Thibo
"Kara was a wealth of knowledge due to her experience as a mother and a Doula. She made herself available for any questions and made the class fun and interactive. Our child was born premature so we were only able to attend two out of the four classes, but felt prepared for labor, even though it was a scary situation. Kara runs her class on evidence-based literature and adds personal anecdotes and is happy to help you research a question even if she’s not certain of the answer. I’m glad my Doula recommended Kara’s class to my husband and I!"
Alyssa D'Amico
"This class really helped us to know the different options available to expectant families and to advocate for ourselves. I do think we would have been clueless going into the hospital without this class. It was a non-judgmental space where we felt comfortable to ask any question and discuss a variety of pregnancy and birth questions. Its also a great space to connect with other expectant families!"
Alissa Shipley, CD
"Kara's approach to childbirth education goes beyond the basics; she provides a comprehensive understanding of childbirth, diving into the physical and emotional aspects, creating a mind body connection that prepares you for birth. She emphasizes various birthing techniques, comfort measures, and informed decision making. Her class empowers and inspires confidence in the birthing process. "
Kelsey Misbrener
"Kara's childbirth ed classes were packed with information to help us feel empowered and informed going into labor & delivery. Highly recommend for anyone who wants a thorough grasp of what to expect from the end of pregnancy through to postpartum."
Makenna Summer
"I would definitely recommend this childbirth class to other mamas. Kara is so full of knowledge and experience and I felt like I learned so much and had all my questions answered fully and to a point that made me feel comfortable. We had the chance to address our fears about birth which I found extremely helpful considering that my birth didn't end up going as I had planned. She is a kind person and instructor and a great guide through what is to come during labor and delivery and how to handle things."

Contact Kara

Services:

Birth Doula

Postpartum Doula

Doula Mentorship