Amazing class... Lisa is the best! I felt incredibly informed about all stages of labor and potential interventions, as well as more calm about going into it for the first time. TOTALLY RECOMMEND!! read more

Lisa's class was amazing! We took a 6 hour class with her and left feeling like we could do this! My husband and I are expecting our first child and after her class I wasn't so nervous or scared about giving birth and my husband felt like he knew what he needed to do to support me. She provides you with so much useful information and techniques to use to help you through not only the process of labor and child birth but also what to do with a new baby after bringing it home. I would recommend Birthing Basics to anyone have their first child or even additional children. read more

This class is a definite must if you're expecting! Lisa is a great instructor! She explains things in a very clear and understandable way that is still somehow entertaining. My husband and I went into the class knowing very little about the birthing process and by the time we left we felt as prepared as we could be with our first baby. What I most liked about this class is that it covered not only labor and birth (including comfort measures and pain management options) but also a crash course in childcare. read more

My husband and I learned so much in this class from Lisa. She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced, as well as warm and caring, and I now feel much calmer and more informed as my due date approaches. She incorporated a lot of material about how support people (my husband) can help through the nesting/labor/birth/post-partum process, which was really helpful! I am SO glad we took this class. Thank you, Lisa! read more

I cannot say enough good things about Lisa's birthing class!! I originally signed up for the class because my husband and I had scheduling conflicts with the ones offered through the hospital, but I could not be happier it worked out that way. Not only is Lisa warm and inviting, but she is a brilliant educator that makes overwhelming content, such as childbirth, seem easily understandable and less scary. Being a healthcare provider myself, I wasn't sure how much I would get out of a birthing class, but I was truly surprised! She makes the content easy to understand and creates an environment where you are not afraid to ask questions. It was also nice to learn in a smaller, more intimate setting, rather than a large class. The class is a whole day long, but it seemed to fly by! My husband and I especially love the hands-on relaxation techniques she taught! Lisa is such a wonderful instructor and a wealth of up-to-date knowledge! My husband and I both feel so much more relaxed about the upcoming birth of our first child thanks to her! I highly highly recommend signing up for her class! Thanks Lisa-Marie! read more

Great course by a knowledgable and energetic advocate for women's health. The class can be improved by increasing the opportunities for interaction with Lisa and each other - we felt like audience members more than participants. Our goal was to reduce our apprehensions about the birthing process, and Lisa was able to dispel many of our fears. read more

Lisa is great and her class is very practical and informative, particularly if you are delivering at GW, where she is a labor and delivery nurse. read more

She did an amazing job with the class. The class was all encompassing and went over so many things in one class. I couldn't have selected a better class or instructor. I feel so much more prepared for labor. I would highly recommend this class! read more

Lisa was such a great teacher. She definitely has lots of experience and taught us such good techniques to deal with child birth and ways to alleviate some of the discomfort. I love her materials and the fact that she taught you what actually happens to your body in the birthing process. This helped my husband and I drastically with our second child. The first one I had an emergency cesarean so my body was not even in full gear. I really wish I would've met her earlier so that I could've switched to the practice she works with so that I can get her as my nurse. Just a wonderful class because she is a really good teacher and explain things in a manner that you can digest, as well as give you practical techniques on how to be comfortable.highly recommend! read more

My husband and I took the Birthing Basics Childbirth class this past weekend and are very glad we did! While we've done a lot of reading up in preparation, it was really useful to be able to ask specific questions and gain hands-on experience for both comfort measures during labor and infant care. Lisa Marie keeps things light throughout by sharing stories from her 31+ years experience in nursing. Added bonus - if you're planning to deliver at GW, she trains the labor and delivery nurses there and can provide lots of specific details on what to expect of your experience there. Would highly recommend this class to anyone, but particularly for first time parents! read more

The glowing reviews are deserved. Lisa-Marie is one of the most competent medical professionals we have encountered, an excellent teacher, and really helped to demystify the whole process of labor, childbirth, and infant care for first-time parents. My wife and I attended both the regular class and the comfort measures class, and both were excellent. With her nursing experience and evidence-based approach, Lisa-Marie's course is informative, efficient, and quickly cuts through much of the often contradictory, not to mention doctrinaire, information that one comes across when attempting to research on one's own. If you need to attend just one birthing class, this is it. read more

This is the best birthing class you can take. Don't be intimidated by the long hours- Lisa's class is so engaging that six hours truly flies by! With her extensive experience as a nurse she has such great personal experiences that she can share and really gives a lot of real life examples which helped us to truly appreciate each situation that could arise. She also injects a lot of humor into the class which creates a great atmosphere overall. She's up to date on current research and discoveries out in the L&D world so she is full of knowledge and able to answer many of your questions. I do think if you were to take one class this one is it. I am not having my baby at GW hospital but will be having it at FAIRFAX Inova and from this class I feel I have the right questions and requests to take to my doctor for the labor. Highly highly recommend this class and the husband wholeheartedly agrees! read more

This class was very beneficial, and I would definitely recommend it to first time parents-to-be. My husband and I were worried about the length of the class (6 hours), but the information provided was helpful and the way Lisa taught it (funny stories/examples, group "exercises") was great. It also helped that it was in her house with couches and foot rests! My only suggestions are to add more time options (mostly only held 1-7 on Sundays), and either cut back some so it actually lasts 6 hours (ours went 6.5 hours), or let people know ahead of time. read more

Lisa is awesome! I recommend her class so much; during this pandemic, we had the class over Zoom. She covered different scenarios re: covid test results, spontaneous vs induced labor, etc. She touched base with my doula (Casey Runck -- a total superstar) and got lots of information about my concerns and the birth of my first child, and was able to tailor the class to my specific situation and needs. It was so helpful! I wish I'd taken the class with her with my first child; she covered so much material in 2 hours and made it really resonate. I'd taken a 4+ hour childbirth class elsewhere for my first baby, and it wasn't nearly as helpful. Lisa explains the 'typical' medical approaches really well, but what I wasn't expecting was the additional more 'holistic' recommendations that cover acupuncture/pressure points. I was really impressed! Also, I love how passionate she is - she gets so excited when recommending positions that have helped the mommas, e.g. flying cowgirl. read more

We are very glad that we took this class rather than the typical hospital-based class. It was more comfortable (takes place in the basement of her home, on comfy couches, with snacks halfway through), entertaining (Lisa is a naturally entertaining personality and an engaging teacher), and practical (as a L&D nurse, she knows what she is talking about and speaks from both research and her own experience. I definitely felt like I was hearing "the real deal" as opposed to some pre-scripted standard. Will be recommending to my friends! read more

Lisa was wonderful. We did both the Birthing Basics and Comforts class. My husband was hesitant at first on taking a class that was all day but when he walked out of the Birthing Basics class he felt that it was time and money well spent and I couldn't agree more. The comforts class also helped us feel more prepared for the big day. Lisa not only is full of knowledge, she makes it enjoyable and entertaining with all her anecdotal stories plus she has a great workbook for you to walk out with and refer to later which we have referenced several times since the class. If you are like me and want to do everything possible to be prepared for your big day or if you plan on only doing one thing to prep, definitely take this class b/c it will give you a good understanding of what to expect, how to plan, and what to prepare for. It filled in the blanks that many of the books and articles I have read but didn't cover or gave more clarity to what I was reading. read more

My husband and I both attended the Birthing Basics class as we did not want to have classes spread out over 4-6 weeks like at most hospitals. We both cringed at the thought of sitting still for 6-hours, but I have to admit, this class was perfect. The instructor, Lisa, was engaging, funny, knowledgeable, and incredibly energetic. She is just the person you WANT to take a 6-hr long class from and not only that, she is the one from which you want to learn about birthing. Our class had a total of 10 participants couples which is just the right size, parking was easy, snacks were provided, and class was very enjoyable. Thanks to Lisa for sharing your knowledge and your home with us. Great job! read more

When three different couples tell you about this "AMAZING birthing class that you HAVE to sign up for," you take their advice and register! My husband and I left Lisa's class feeling more knowledgeable and prepared for labor, delivery, and taking care of our little guy. Not only that, but we had fun learning! The class flew by as Lisa both instructed and entertained us. We also signed up for the high risk portion due to my medical history. Lisa spent time one on one with us, educating us on potential scenarios for our birthing process, answering questions, and equipping us with questions to ask the doctors. I cannot recommend this class enough!! read more

We are expecting our first baby and knew we should take some sort of class but with so many different options in the area, it was hard to figure out which one. So we kind of put that decision to the side and figured I would research it as we got a little closer to our April due date. As usual, I went on yelp to look up options and found Lisa's birthing basics listed. I was amazed at how many 5 star reviews she had so I quickly went on her website and tried to book a spot for her 6 hour birthing class but everything was full. I reached out to see if there was a waiting list and they suggested I try taking the shorter class called comfort measures so that we at least get some information. What I really liked about Lisa was that she is a current GW nurse and instructor to other nurses there and that is where we will be delivering and let me say, the comfort measures class was fantastic. It really made me wish I had discovered her earlier in my pregnancy so we could take the full class but I'm thankful that we at least had a few hours with her. Lisa is passionate about her work, knowledgeable, energetic and a wonderful resource. Don't hesitate in taking her class, we really enjoyed it and learned so many great techniques for when our big day comes. I only wish I hadn't procrastinated and had researched options earlier so I could have enrolled in her 6 hour class. Thank you Lisa for your sharing your knowledge and I hope to be lucky to see you when we go to GW! read more

I took this class with my husband in January 2018, at week 34, and loved it! Lisa is very energetic and knowledgeable and gives you a fantastic overview of everything you need to know, and asked the class if there are areas we'd like to focus on. She covered each one of these areas. She's clearly very experienced. She makes the class very fun and entertaining. A common question is related to what support partners can do b/c often times they feel helpless, and she taught them ways to alleviate their partner's pain through massages and discussed ways to offer encouraging words. Although this seems obvious, it was really helpful and all the support partners seemed to enjoy it. The videos are very informative as well - my husband definitely feels prepared after taking Lisa's class. I really enjoyed learning about the anatomy in laymen's terms. Also, the class atmosphere is very comfortable (in her home basement) with couches and pillows and she provides healthy snacks at the break. Thank you, Lisa! read more

Huge shout out to Lisa--her class was fantastic! I echo all the other great reviews. I think the best thing about it, besides her great wealth of knowledge and positive attitude, is the fact that the class is truly geared toward both the wife and husband. She made both of us feel well informed and prepared when it comes to what will happen during childbirth. Of course, you can't predict anything that will happen when you get to the hospital, but she provided us with an excellent foundation for what to expect, which gave us both a sense of ease. Lisa also avoids preaching a certain approach to childbirth--whether you are considering a natural childbirth, or drug assisted, she walks you through everything. I really liked that since it seems like there are quite a few people out there that want to tell you there is one way to approach childbirth, when clearly that is not the case. Anyway, take this class and you won't be disappointed!! read more

We took Lisa's class about 1 month ago and absolutely loved it. She is a very dynamic and informative speaker. She adds a good bit of humor to her class which kept our interest the entire 6 hours. She also made sure to incorporate the support partners in the lecture, offering them ways to help relieve labor pain and provide encouragement. I went to the class with many questions about what to expect with my first labor and delivery and left feeling confident about my options and when I'd need to go to the hospital. Lisa's extensive experience clearly has made her the perfect birthing class instructor. Her home set-up was very comfortable for the class. I was nervous about sitting in 1 place for 6 hours at 36 weeks pregnant, however, this was no problem at Lisa's place because she has very comfortable couches with ample pillows and close proximity to the bathroom. She also had us stand up periodically to practice various massage techniques and positional changes to help with pain relief during labor. I highly recommend this class to anyone who is pregnant and his/her partner! read more

We were looking for a birth class that would be comprehensive but that we could take over one day/weekend, and Lisa's class was great! I feel much more prepared and less anxious about birth knowing what to expect. She was able to fit a lot into one afternoon, and I thought it was really helpful that we spent some time on infant care as well and not just labor and delivery. Most childbirth classes I looked at didn't have this. The small group was the perfect size, and it was helpful to hear other parents' questions too. We had multiple opportunities to get up and move and practice techniques so the class remained engaging the whole time. read more

Lisa was great! Very knowledgeable. We felt a lot more prepared for out big day after we left, and she answered all of our questions.

Lisa was great, and we learned so much from her class. We highly recommend this for all expectant parents.

We had a wonderful experience with Lisa. We took her Comfort Measures class and learned some great massage and acupressure information along with tips and tricks for breathing and setting the tone in the birth room. I feel much more confident about our ability to work together as a team to help me get through labor and delivery. Lisa is extremely knowledgeable as well as funny, patient and kind while she's teaching. The class was great and I recommend it to anyone who wants more information on the labor and delivery and ways to deal with pain while in labor. Wholeheartedly recommend! read more

My husband and I took the childbirth class last weekend and it was great! It was a long class but Lisa kept it interesting and engaging. Highly recommend! read more

This was a great class -- we didn't want to do one that lasted multiple weeks, and this was perfect. Lisa-Marie packed so much information into 6 hours, from non-medicated ways to deal with labor discomfort to medication options to how to give a baby a sponge bath! Lisa-Marie is knowledgeable and kind, and she has a good sense of humor, too. My husband and I now feel well-prepared for labor and birth -- we just hope Lisa-Marie will be one of the nurses on call when we're at the hospital! read more

This was very comprehensive course with an extremely experienced and knowledgeable instructor (who also has a great sense of humor). My partner and I had been starting to get a little anxious about what's to come but we came out of that class feeling informed and prepared - from understanding the stages of labor to coping techniques to interventions to bathing, changing and swaddling! Highly recommend Lisa's class. read more

Had a great time! Lisa is full of energy and tons of information. I recommend all men take the birthing class with their signification other. I definitely feel more prepared for what to expect during labor and am a lot less nervous. Couldn't recommend it enough! read more

Excellent! I highly recommend Birthing Basics for all new parents. Lisa-Marie is warm and accommodating. She is up-to-date on the latest childbirth techniques and research. A+ read more

Lisa is a bundle of wisdom, knowledge, and energy. She kept us engaged and focused for more than eight hours, almost non-stop. Because of weather there was only us and another couple at the class, but that did not matter to Lisa. She gave us her undivided attention and good humor. If there was anything to complain about it was simply that she gave us so much to process that our heads were spinning as we headed out in the cold evening to drive home. A truly great and important experience for any couple expecting a baby. We could not recommend her more highly! read more

I can't speak highly enough of Lisa-Marie's class. It was exactly what we needed as our final preparation step before our first baby comes. We are delivering at GW and I was apprehensive about how the experience would be. Since Lisa is a nurse there she was able to give us so much information and we feel totally confident now in what the experience will be. No matter where you are delivering though, she will tell you what you need to know. She has worked all over the area and has so much experience to share. I am hoping to have a natural childbirth and we feel like we have the tools we need to give ourselves and our baby the best chance at this, thanks to Lisa. And if that is not the way things play out, she answered so many questions about alternative methods and possible outcomes. Bottom line, we feel prepared and confident thanks to Lisa-Marie. And she made a 6 hour sunday class entertaining - not easy to do! read more

Lisa's class was absolutely perfect in terms of content, style, length and comfort! I would highly recommend her class to anyone regardless of the type of birthing experience you are looking for. I looked at a number of different classes and considered some of the multi-day options with other organizations but could not understand why I would need to take a class that spanned multiple weeks for something that is supposed to be a natural bodily occurrence. That is when I asked the midwives at GW for advice and I am so glad that one of them recommended Lisa Marie's class. I am also signed up for the comfort measures class and I am really looking forward to seeing Lisa again. I also absolutely love the way Lisa introduces humor into her presentation. read more

Lisa was so energetic and fun and somehow was able to keep a 6-hour long class (covering topics I had already researched) interesting. She changes things up a lot so you're not doing 1 thing for too long. I did both the Group Class and the Comfort Measures class. Highly recommend her if you are looking into birthing classes. read more

I'm so glad that I found this class for my husband and I to attend. Lisa is so friendly, knowledgeable, and makes learning about childbirth (and bringing baby home) really fun and less stressful. The materials we were given were super helpful and informative. I'm so glad that we did this class instead of the one through our hospital since it felt more personal and the group was small (only us and 3 other couples the day we went). I would (and have) recommended this class to others who are expecting and will continue to do so. read more

Lisa's course was fun and engaging. We learned a lot and we were grateful that she presented everything in a very non-biased way. There was no pressure to "go absolutely natural" at home with a midwife, or to get an epidural. She went over all the options for birthing and pain control in a very relaxed environment, and it was nice to visualize what each choice could be like. Her class content sparked some good conversation between my husband and I. We were able to discuss and decide about how we would handle various situations, before I was in pain in the hospital and felt pressure to act quickly. We are very grateful for Lisa and her expertise! We would highly recommend this course. read more

The information was helpful, and we appreciated the use of wooden/plastic models to show the actual positioning of baby in the womb/cervix. The last couple of hours included some superfluous information and some videos that were not only poor quality but were uncomfortable to watch. Also, we were very disturbed that Lisa was so ambivalent about circumcision (male), a horribly primitive and now discarded practice except in the most backward parts of Africa. We believe she should have provided up-to-date and scientific information, that circumcision is painful, and there are risks to the surgery, that all circumcisions result in the loss of the foreskin and its functions, and leave a scar on the penis. And that most medical information in the past 20 years shows that circumcision does NOT prevent urinary tract infections or other diseases--unlike the misinformation provided by Lisa. Also, we would have liked more information on the BENEFITS of bed sharing with baby, which we did with our first child, and are doing with our 2nd now. (Only obese and sedated parents should not share the bed with baby.) Nonetheless, we felt the class was friendly and relaxed. read more

My husband and I didn't know where to start with birthing classes - some of our questions included do we go through the hospital or take a private/group class? However, after reading reviews for Lisa's Comfort Measures Class, we signed up, despite our slight resistance to take a 6-hour class. On a Sunday, we drove out to Lisa's house for the class, which is held in a basement living room - very clean and spacious with comfy leather couches and ottomans to top it off. You feel like you are in the comfort of your own home - extremely cozy and comfy for us pregnant ladies and husbands too! Lisa's personality is infectious, and her teaching style deserves 10 stars. She is professional, poised, hilarious and extremely informative! My husband and I were able to pay attention the entire time without looking at the clock. She provides insightful anecdotes, backed with her own experience as a nurse at GW hospital. Her information is factual without biases towards any particular methods. At times, she has everyone participate in actual exercises, such as massaging techniques, birthing ball techniques, bathing & clothing baby techniques, etc. Lisa also provides useful tools, such as a back massaging tool and warm compresses that you can purchase after the class - which we did! This class is SO worth it; i cannot recommend it and Lisa enough. There were several times during the class when my husband looked over at me and said, "This class is so worth it," in which I fully agreed. On the way home, we talked about how much we learned and how thankful we were that this was the class we chose! If I could recommend anything I have done to prepare for my first baby, it would be Lisa's class!! It is a must as a first-time mom or for a mom who didn't prepare the first time around :) She is awesome!! read more

Just took a class with Birthing Basics and Lisa this past weekend. It is a great course. Lisa covers so much, and has a wealth of experience that is so helpful. She is able to answer any question and she's very accessible and relatable in her teaching style. The approximately 6 hour course covers everything from pregnancy to newborn care during the first few weeks. I feel a lot more confident about the labor and delivery process after this class. It's also one of the more affordable courses of this high quality that I found while doing research to select a course. read more