Third Coast Birth & Baby
Trusted guidance. Evidence based support. Authentic community.
Third Coast’s Guide to Childbirth
2024 Upcoming classes at Birth Center of Chicago:
June 3rd - June 24th: 6:30 p.m. (mini series)
July 29th - September 2nd 6:30 p.m.
September 16th - October 21st: 6:30 p.m.
November 4th - December 9th: 6:30 p.m.
2024 Upcoming classes at Five Point Holistic:
May 29th - July 3rd: 6 p.m. SOLD OUT
July 31st - September 4th 6:30 p.m.
September 25th - October 30th, 6:30 p.m.
November 6th - December 11th, 6:30 p.m.
Strengthen your birth support team with our guide to childbirth!
Together with your birthing partner or support person of choice, learn about the process leading up to and throughout labor and birth, as well as what to expect in the early days with a new baby. Get to know other expectant parents; use this class as a starting point for you to build community as you begin this journey into parenthood.
Topics that we will cover in this childbirth class include:
What to expect in each phase of labor
The role of support partners and care providers during each phase of labor
In-depth discussion and hands-on practice of comfort measures
both natural and medical options
In-depth discussion of medical interventions
Informed consent and what that looks like in labor and birth
What to expect in the first moments and days after your baby is born
Feeding baby
Caring for yourself and your baby in the first few weeks of parenthood
The Story of Third Coast
By Margarita
Third Coast was born in 2015, when Shawna and I had a wild idea and ran with it. Holding our first few classes and groups in my basement in McKinley Park, and at Purple Monkey Playroom in Bucktown, we learned the ins and outs of starting a small business, all while wrangling 2 toddlers each. By the fall of 2019, Third Coast was a cozy light-filled storefront on Fullerton and over 15 wonderful birth and postpartum doulas, plus a robust schedule of community offerings including drop in playgroups, weekly multi-lingual storytime, family yoga, toddler art classes, a community resource guide, and of course the consistently sold-out Guide to Childbirth: the “childbirth class with the best props in Chicago”.
We renewed our 3 year lease, full of joy, hope, and excitement, in February of 2020.
We survived, but will never be the same. We found ways to support families through wave after wave of the pandemic, and ultimately, after pivoting and shifting too many times to count, we told ourselves we needed to do what we have encouraged hundreds of clients to do over the years:
gather and consider our options
re-connect with our intuition, be still, and listen
check in with our people
ask for help
and most importantly: rest
In early 2023, we closed our doors at 2624 W Fullerton and parted ways with all of our birth and postpartum doulas. It was a bittersweet decision, but the right thing for us.
Shawna and I have spent the last year focusing on being present with our families. I moved back to my home state of Michigan, where I have spent the last year building Michigan’s first Federally Qualified Health Center based community-based doula program. Shawna continues to teach the Logan Square famous Third Coast’s Guide to Childbirth, along with Lauren Franzen, IBCLC - who has been with us from our humble beginnings in 2015 and Helen Long - who is a former Third Coast client.
Our commitment to authenticity and evidence based support has never wavered. Community is still at the root of everything we do.
We are an inclusive, non-judgmental, and evidence-based pregnancy, birth, and baby support team, ready to help you cut through the noise of so many opinions and offer true support during one of life’s greatest transitions.
While everyone else is asking to hold the baby, it’s our job to also hold you.
More about our instructors.
Shawna
Lauren
Helen
-
Shawna (she/her) has been supporting families in the transition into parenthood since 2014. She works directly with families and providers to further our mission of fostering community around new parents and those that support them.
She manages our education program, and teaches group and private childbirth education.
A former birth doula, Shawna brings years of hands-on experience and big picture understanding to her role as an educator.
Shawna’s emphasis on comprehensive education and embodiment empowers clients to feel confident and calm. Clients often describe Shawna’s presence as soothing, reassuring, and peaceful. Outside of birth work Shawna enjoys reading, cooking, bird watching, and spending time outdoors with her family.
-
What tip would you give expectant and new families heading into the holidays?
Take it slow and be intentional about what traditions are important to you as a family. It's easy to get sucked into the rush of the season. Try to choose things that will bring joy and not invite stress.
What is your favorite way to relax or have fun?
I love spending time with my family and friends, reading, cooking, and crafting. Our family likes to spend time outside so in the winter we are often ice skating or taking hikes. I love to bake when the weather turns cold and read or watch movies with my kids.
What is your favorite book that you've read recently?
The best book I read last month was Excellent Women by Barbara Pym, a British writer from the '50s. It was a fun, dry, witty read about how excellent women are always keeping everyone else together with a good cup of tea and a hefty dose of compassion, while sometimes neglecting to care for themselves.
-
What tip would you give expectant and new families heading into the holidays?
Don't overbook yourselves. This is a great time to rest, connect with your loved ones, and take it easy. If there are things that you usually do in the holiday season that feel like too much this year, it's ok to put them on hiatus.
What is your favorite way to relax or have fun?
For fun, I love taking my daughters ice skating or sledding. To relax, I love to watch movies and knit. I still knit baby blankets even though my daughters are no longer babies - I just like to knit them because they're easy patterns and so cozy!
What is your favorite book that you've read recently? (Doesn't have to be related to birth or lactation)
The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz. It's a great adventure story for kids 9-12ish with a really beautiful message about getting along with people who are different from you.