Loving Arms Childbirth Services

Our class with Janaki was amazing– everything I could have wanted (and many things I didn’t know I wanted) in a childbirth class. I work in the medical field and signed up thinking the experience would be very beneficial for my husband to «get him up to speed» and was shocked at how much I learned just in the first class alone. The 8 weeks was the perfect amount of time to go into the details of labor and delivery, a variety of labor coping techniques, information about the immediate postpartum period with baby, and the best one time class on breastfeeding you could get.
Our class became the highlight of my week, even if I had a long stressful day at work and was feeling every extra pound of discomfort from being in my third trimester, I really looked forward to seeing our classmates and addressing the week’s topic.
Our birth itself went beautifully and we felt prepared– even for it NOT to go beautifully, but honestly I think the real benefit of the course was mentally preparing us for the biggest transition in our lives– becoming a parent.

I worked with Janaki after the birth of my first child when I was having a lot of stress over various breastfeeding problems, in particular a bad latch and worries over my production. She was so immensely helpful – reassuring & knowledgeable, but didn’t minimize my concerns. Janaki was way more helpful than the lactation nurses at Kaiser (they were fine, just didn’t seem very concerned about my pain so long as baby was getting enough). Loving Arms has weekly drop-​in hours for existing lactation clients where you can weigh your baby and nurse with other moms – that was really great to have that support as well. Janaki was also really nice about chatting with me on the phone many months later when I was having issues with pumping at work. I’ve interacted a bit with the other lactation consultants at Loving Arms and they all seem great. You really need this kind of expertise when you’re a new mom.

We took the 8 week childbirth class and had a great time. We were super prepared for our son’s birth and we met some other new parents that we liked alot. Highly recommended!

As first time expecting parents, the loving arms class was incredibly helpful. I’m someone who had a stack of books on pregnancy/​childbirthing gathering dusup much to my wife’s chagrin, this eight week course was a great forcing function that helped me build the foundational knowledge required to work with my wife in partnership when making decisions about birth plan, pain medication, etc so that when the time came, I was able to be the supportive partner I wanted to be for my wife.
Even for those of you who diligently read all the books out there about childbirth, I think you’ll get a lot out of this class. Janaki has a tremendous wealth of knowledge, and this class attracts thoughtful, inquisitive parents-​to-​be who asked great questions that we benefitted from hearing the answer to.
And last but not least we came away from the class with a bunch of new friends who all are having kids at around the same time. We’re looking forward to many playdates and get togethers in the years to come!

The 8-​week class was such a good idea… as a new parent, there is so much new information to absorb, it really helps to have a good long while to let it all soak in.
What I really appreciated about these classes was the mix of heart and science – there was a lot of fantastic information and it was clearly a data-​driven class, but grounded by the staff’s years of practical experience in childbirth.
If the prospect of taking an eight-​week class sounds like a drag, it’s not. It was actually quite a gift to have a few hours a week where we slowed down to really pay attention to the whole about-​to-​have-​a-​baby thing.

Our midwife recommended that we take a class at Loving Arms to not only become more knowledgeable about the whole birthing process but to also get to know more soon-​to-​be parents in our area.
I was a bit hesitant because 8 weeks seemed like such a long commitment and I also really didn’t want a hippy-​dippy class. Much to my delight though, Janaki was super down-​to-​earth and made both my husband and I feel so much more comfortable and knowledgeable about the birthing and post-​partum experiences. She was very patient with all of our questions and unbiased in her advice and information. So, while she’ll have an opinion, she’s good about presenting both sides of an argument.
Some of the most valuable topics we covered:
+ Labor and delivery 101 (different stages, etc.)
+ Coping with pain during labor (methods and techniques)
+ Breastfeeding 101
+ What to expect post-​partum
We also really valued the community of other couples in the class. Each week we would share stories and tips with one another and it felt great to be around such a good group of people going through the same experience as us. Everyone was so supportive and we really look forward to keeping in touch with them all.
Take the class. You won’t regret it.

How can an experience as common as childbirth remain so mysterious?
Loving Arms manages to honor what’s mystical and thoroughly debunk the rest — keeping the tone light, fun, and incredibly informative.
Janaki was our instructor, and she exudes an energy of, «It’ll be hard work, kid, but it’s going to be okay.» I’d either want Janaki delivering my baby or piloting my plane (and I don’t mean that metaphorically). Non-​alarmist and thoroughly down-​to-​earth, she’s the perfect answer to the mean-​girls tone of ‘What to Expect…’ or, occasionally, your own mother.
The class hits a sweet balance between «All hospitals are evil!» and «All home births are dangerous!» in that it encourages laboring with minimal intervention but isn’t afraid of science. You walk away feeling thoroughly educated in your options — and when you’re facing a process you can’t control, education is your best tool.
The biggest surprise for me was how much I appreciated the community of the class — the regular ritual of spending a few hours with these strangers became one of the highlights of my week, and I can’t wait to hear the stories that will come out of their experiences.

Loving Arms became our family and community during our amazing course with Paula Santi. It was enormously empowering, educational, supportive, fun, and a super hot date with my spouse every Saturday morning. We miss our course mates and regular meetings and are so looking forward to our cohort reunion once we’ve all made it through the birthing process.
Briefly I want to emphasize the diversity of birthing plans and choices in our group (hospital births with and without interventions to natural birth center births etc — a wide range of feelings on circumcision etc) Everyone’s choices were respected with no single ideology prevailing — aside from that of unconditionally supporting parents to be. I also loved the wide variety of families, traditions, and cultural backgrounds brought to the course, and would say that loving arms fully supports (and this was very important to us) queer and inter-​cultural partnerships.

This class has been extremely wonderful, informative, supportive and rewarding for my husband and I. It came recommended to me by a friend and coworker and I have already referred expectant friends to it, even before our 8 weeks is out.
On top of everything we have learned from the wise women who teach the class (we have Janaki and Sara), it has just become one of the best parts of our week. I feel like the way our society is set up, it doesn’t value or embrace the time you need to take to be with your baby and be a family when your child is very young and that is reinforced for both my partner and I every day at work.
But Loving Arms always gives us that important reminder, and we always come away feeling more peaceful than when we went in.
Thank you for the important work that you do.

We had such a great experience at Loving Arms with Paula Santi. She answered all my questions (i ask A LOT of questions:)with smile and patience. She made me feel relaxed and confident as a expecting mom! Paula told us to be open minded about our birthing wishes and we will do great. The support offered by Paula and our fellow birth classmates was amazing. I would recommend Paula to anyone who is having a baby and need to be prepared! I just LOVE Love that woman!

The setting and the classroom structure are very welcoming and warm. My partner and I loved the program and the support we received from the other parents in the class during the course and beyond. Our class still has monthly meet ups! It was a special journey to be on, all as first time parents.
My areas for suggested growth are–
I wish that some of the classes had more activities or games to keep it a bit more lively. Specifically, I was hoping for more hands on practice with newborn care (ie practice swaddling, diaper changing, bathing tips, sleeping options, etc.) both for myself and my partner who had much less prior baby experience than me.
The breast feeding class was informative but I think that it would have been nice to go further in depth. I would have liked to see how a pump works and to talk more what to expect, practice feeding holds, etc. The main message I remember hearing was that it will just happen naturally, but breast feeding was a more stressful than anticipated part for me postpartum.
That being said, I would highly recommend this class!
Yes it’s well worth your time and money,

Hands down, 5 stars!
I was in Kenneth K.‘s class (review below), and if it wasn’t considered terrible Unilocal manners, I’d just say DITTO KEN’S REVIEW, because everything he said was spot on.
But here’s what I can add…
My husband and I were planning a home birth, and sometimes some of the classes can be geared more toward those planning a hospital birth. If you’re planning to have a home birth, don’t let this deter you from taking the class, because what’s that saying? You plan and God laughs? Yes. After 9 hours of labor at home, I had to transfer to the hospital, because my daughter had her own agenda about coming out. The thing is, we were fully prepared for the hospital birth. We understood our options, and the possible outcomes, because of our class. We asked questions about those things that were important to us, because of our class. We weren’t afraid, because of our class.
As Ken mentioned, our class had 8 couples, and the connection we had with them came mostly after the class ended and we began having our babies. One of the mamas started a Google group for us, so that we could send emails easily, ask questions, make offers of getting together, etc. Nearly all of my friends have taken this class with the same result — gaining new friends and a support network.
Are there a few videos shown during the class that maybe you’d like to un-​see? Sure. Do you have a few reservations about taking a 2.5 hour class to learn how to have your baby? Maybe. Are you thinking about spending your money elsewhere? Possibly.
Don’t. Take the Loving Arms Childbirth class. You’ll be happy you did.

My wife and I took the loving arms child birth class. At first, I was a bit skeptical. I mean, how much can I possibly learn about something that has been going on for ages?
Boy was I wrong. It isn’t so much the information you learn (which is very helpful) it’s the support group you gain during and after the class. We took the class that was instructed by Carol and assisted by lactation consultant Paula and doula Celia. To say they know what they are doing is an understatement. Knowledge is one thing, application is what matters! They have a certain way about how they operate… you know, just that right amount of TLC.
Ok, now the really good stuff. Yes, you learn a lot of great, helpful information about pregnancy, birth, and breast feeding. BUT, for me, the real value came in the support group we gained in the 7 other couples. We finished the class late October and the ladies are meeting up almost every week and the guys are meeting up (when we can) as well. We have an e-​mail group where questions are asked and helpful answers are given and if there isn’t a perfect answer, at least there is understanding in whatever the situation is, good or bad. In addition to the support from the other class members, Carol, Paula, and Celia have been tremendous sources of help and guidance. There is a weekly weigh in on Wednesdays where everyone from the class can show up and weigh their baby. This usually (at least from my few experiences) turns into a Q and A. And if they have time, they are more than willing to help!
Anyways, I can go on about the Loving Arms program but to quickly sum it up:
Take the class and you will have
1. A good knowledge base about what to expect and a concept of how to respond/​react to certain situations
2. A support group of fellow new parents who are there to help, support, and care!
3. Assistance, when possible from any of the staff during Wednesday weigh ins.
I highly recommend this course!

We took Janaki’s childbirth class on my midwife’s recommendation and we LOVED it. It was the single best thing we did in the entire pregnancy to make us both feel prepared and confident for labor, delivery, and the weeks following the birth. We also considered Birthways and the Bradley Method but I’m so glad we went with Loving Arms. The class is the perfect size (8 couples) and long enough (8 weeks) that you get to know each other and cover an enormous amount of material. Janaki was knowledgeable, thorough, fun, and not at all judgmental, so it’s a great class if you’re set on your birth vision or still considering your options. I strongly recommend it for anyone having a baby!

After I gave birth in March 2012, I had issues with breastfeeding and our baby was loosing weight. Fortunately, my pediatrician suggested me right away to get helped by a lactation consultant and referred me to Janaki Costello and «Loving Arms». Janaki was so nice, helpful, patient and knowledgeable… she supported me and encouraged me all along. It was a long journey to have my milk supply back to normal but it was so worth it. After a couple of weeks, our little one was a healthy, well-​nourished breastfed baby that loved to breastfeed at least as much as I love having her breastfeeding. She is now 14 months old now and we are still happily breastfeeding…
Loving Arm is an Amazing team passionate about lactation. The Wednesday weight check is a great time not only to check your baby’s weight but also share feelings and ideas with other moms while breastfeeding. I am particularly grateful to Janaki who saved my breastfeeding experience, turning it from miserable to enjoyable!!!
I highly recommend them and my advice to new moms who have trouble breastfeeding: DON’T WAIT, go and see a lactation consultant, the sooner the better!
–Wendy

I don’t often write too many reviews here on Unilocal; I either have to feel severely mistreated by someplace or I had to have an overwhelming great experience to prompt me to write a review. With that said, and the 5-​star rating above, you can see that I absolutely had a wonderful experience here at loving arms.
Loving arms was suggested to me by a co-​worker and at first I was hesitant in taking the class because Kaiser offers many free classes. What sold me on the class is that my co-​worker relayed a story to me of how one lady in her class had a breech baby and right before the classes’ eyes the instructor was able to get the baby to turn using pressure points. I figured if by some chance I had a breech birth, naturally turning the baby would be priceless, even if the chances of myself having a breech birth would be slim. With that story, I was sold and signed up for the class.
The class consisted of 8 couples with relatively close due dates. Class met once a week for 2.5 hours. I have a pretty demanding job and often times don’t leave work until 8pm so this class was quite the commitment for myself and my husband. However, it was completely worth it. Each week we would go over different topics that we would deal with when it came time to give birth. What I liked most was how comprehensive the class was. It went over procedures for those of us that chose the clinical hospital route and those that chose to go the route of natural birth centers. We covered everything from birth plans, pain management, pain medications, breastfeeding, different stages of labor, etc. The intimate atmosphere of this class highlighted the important points much better than any of the classes Kaiser offered (and my husband and I took all the classes Kaiser offered).
Molly, who taught our class was the perfect mix of patience and wisdom. She is highly knowledgeable and answered all the questions we had. The best part of class for me actually wasn’t how informative the course was, but rather the excitement as everyone gave birth. As luck would have it, my baby ended up being transverse breech and coming three and a half weeks early. with that, we actually missed the last 2 classes. I was unprepared and pleasantly surprised, by how wonderfully supportive and loving everyone was. We received several emails asking if we were alright since we missed class and since both the baby, myself, and my husband did so well after my C-​section we were able to bring our baby in for the beginning of the last class. I must say, I don’t think I’ve felt so much love, and had so many well wishes in my entire life. I am continually amazed at how supportive and loving all my classmates are, and I find myself constantly checking my email for updates from my classmates to see who welcomed their baby next. The camaraderie with my fellow classmates completely enhanced my birth experience and that alone made the class worthwhile.
I highly highly suggest this class to everyone. Getting the email and pictures of new babies every couple of weeks is priceless and it wasn’t something I thought I would look forward to, but really it’s made my birth experience better and more memorable than I could have ever hoped for. I even lamented to my husband that it’s a shame we can’t do this for our second child because we so enjoyed it this time around. Loving arms is worth every penny and then some, if you’re on the fence whether or not to take this class, you should do it because you really won’t regret it. I am positive that everyone will take something amazing away from this class.

Loving Arms was recommended by a couple of my wife’s co-​workers. We have Kaiser so we already had a ton of classes available, so I was skeptical about the value that we’d get from Loving Arms. We enrolled into Molly’s class and from my first impressions, the other parents seemed somewhat… I don’t know… wishy-​washy? Liberal pansy? I don’t know what you’d call it, but I rolled my eyes. However, by the end of the class, I completely adored this group of expecting parents who had goals that were completely similar to our own. I never thought I needed or even wanted support from anyone other than my current set of family and friends, but I found myself thinking about these people all the time and even shared in their excitement and joy when it came their turn to have their births.
Don’t get me wrong… the Kaiser classes are pretty good too in terms of getting useful, good data. But, it’s a completely different experience as it’s a very sterile classroom feel and you end up having to listen to questions from say, 20 year old new mothers who are telling the instructor that they heard that you can drink as much wine as you want during pregnancy so long as you don’t drink any other types of alcohol.
When it came time for our daughter to be born, my wife found that she did not have any of the milk production problems that have plagued her friends and acquaintances. Is this because of the ideas and instruction that Loving Arms pressed on us? I don’t know for certain, but I sure think so.
I admit, it may not be for everyone but it was definitely right for us. I would say that if you…
— Want to commit to breastfeeding
— Have goals of having a natural birth
— Want to limit/​control anesthetics during labor
— Want to meet other parents who share at least some of these goals
.then this might be the best $ 350 you’re going to spend during your pregnancy. Love you, Molly and the team!

My wife and I found the Loving Arms childbirth class to be a lifesaver. Before we enrolled, we felt like the most clueless parents-​to-​be in the world. By the time we «graduated» with an actual baby, Molly had gently familiarized us with all the steps involved in childbirth and its many options, making us feel like we understood the process and were able to participate and make well-​informed choices. A lot happens fast in childbirth! I can’t imagine a better instructor and guide than Molly Brannigan. An unexpected benefit of the class was, as Oliver H.‘s review put it, «we made many new friends who just so happen to have babies of the same age as ours :)»

It’s hard not to write a review that doesn’t sound like Janaki paid me to do it! Her birth class was AMAZING! I would recommend it to anyone, no matter what their philosophies on child birth and rearing are!
I went into the birth class with some intense fears revolving around child birth and had the attitude that it would all be better if I could just schedule a C-​section and be done with it.
By the end of the class, I had the confidence to go for a natural child birth, and then did just that.
My husband and I learned so much, not only about bringing a baby into this world, but about ourselves and each other.
And it was wonderful to meet all the amazing, strong moms and dads in the class.
Anyway, I gush because I love. This class rocked, and I really could not have had the wonderful, positive, beautiful birth that we had without Janaki.

I learned about Loving Arms after meeting with a potential doula for the birth of my first child.
When I called to sign up for the 8-​week birthing class, it was wait listed. I was devastated. However, a few spots opened up last minute and I was able to snag a spot in this class. I was excited!
8 weeks of birthing classes may seem like a lot, but the experience was so rewarding. I learned a lot about childbirth, myself and my husband. It was truly a wonderful experience.
The best part was meeting with the same couples week after week. At the end of the birthing class the instructors had us bring a hand towel. None of us were sure what it was for, but it was one of the best treats ever… you’ll just have to sign up and find out what the towel is used for!
Taking these classes empowered me to have the confidence in myself and my body to give birth to my child.
I later went on to take an infant sleep class, an infant care class and when I ran into breastfeeding problems (after seeing a myriad of lactation consultants) I went to the best (Janaki) for guidance and closure.
I highly recommend Loving Arms.