Childbirth Class

You will receive an INJOY Understanding Childbirth booklet at your childbirth class (or mailed to your home address if you have signed up for a virtual childbirth class).  Please look at the back cover or inside the front cover (depending on edition) access the free App that accompanies the booklet.  You’ll find a lot of short videos that accompany the various topics in the booklet, pdfs of checklists and other helpful information, baby trackers, relaxation exercises, contraction counters, etc.  Please take advantage of this great resource that is free with your class! 

Pregnancy 

• Nutrition (MyPlate.gov)
• Food Safety during pregnancy
• Exercises to prepare for childbirth
  
  • Kegels
  • Spinning Babies Daily Exercises
• Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
• For a daily exercise routine that will help get baby in a good position for labor & help prepare your body for labor, go to SpinningBabies.com and check out their “Daily Essentials” video.
• Pre-registration
• Pre-labor checklist
• Preterm Labor
• Pregnancy & Vaccinations (CDC)
  
  • Vaccine Safety for Moms-to-be
  • Pregnancy & Whooping Cough
  • Flu & Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy & Covid

Just for Dads

• Support for dads: Chicago Dads Group
  • Naperville Dad Network
• Boot Camp for New Dads online class
• The Top Ten Surprises of Fatherhood (Parents)
• How Dads Can Help with Breastfeeding (Dad's Adventure article)
• DadsAdventure articles

Bedrest resources

• Sidelines website
• Living Through Hospital Bedrest - Sidelines article
• The Science of Relaxation - Sidelines article
  
  Edward Hospital has a facebook support group "NICU & Antepartum"

Labor & Birth

• INJOY website for Understanding Birth app (accompanies your childbirth book)
• What to Expect—Edward Family Birth Center
• What to Expect – Elmhurst Family Birth Center
• Nitrous Oxide use in labor (available at Elmhurst Hospital by physician order only) 
• Walk, Move, and Change Positions during Labor (Lamaze video) (Lamaze video)
• “What is a Doula” (find a doula at www.doulamatch.net)
• Relaxation & Breathing - More emphasis is placed on relaxation now, rather than breathing methods for labor comfort.  Learning to relax will help you not only during labor but during any stressful time of life.
• 40 Reasons to go the Full 40
• C-Section procedure

Your Newborn

• “Safe Sleep for your Baby” (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Antibiotic Ointment for newborns to prevent conjunctivitis
• Car seat instructional videos
• Car seat safety seat checkup
• Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) screening test
• Hearing screening test
• Infant Photos at Edward - Bella Baby Photography
• Infant Photos at Elmhurst - Mom 365 newborn photography
• Jaundice
• Metabolic Screening (PKU) test
• Newborn Hepatitis B vaccine
• Vitamin K injection at birth to prevent Vitamin K deficiency bleeding in newborns

Postpartum

• Keep Your Baby With You After Birth (Lamaze video)
• The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
• Post-Birth Warning Signs and Urgent Maternal Warning Signs

Support

• EEH Classes. Tours and Support for New Parents
• LaLeche League for breastfeeding support
• Local Multiples Groups (DuPage Doubles)
• Local Multiples Groups
• Search for various types of support groups from Postpartum Support International (over 50 free online support groups including: Black Moms Connect, Dads Support, NICU Postpartum Parents, Perinatal Support for Latinx Moms, Queer & Trans Parent Support, Single Parent, Support for Parents of High Needs Babies, etc.) 

Missed Classes?  

If you miss a class due to illness or unavoidable situations, please contact Marcia Huizinga Marcia.Huizinga@EEHealth.org to see if we can get you into a make-up class.

Marcia Huizinga
Supervisor of Perinatal Education
Edward & Elmhurst Hospitals
Marcia.Huizinga@EEHealth.org
630-527-7525

_{[Updated May 2025]}