Soulful Birth
HOLISTIC BIRTH & POSTPARTUM PREPARATION
At the end of 2022 Carla ran an in-person Soulful Birth pregnancy circle. It was bliss! She LOVED getting to connect with beautiful pregnant women who wanted to ‘do the work’ (exploring their beliefs, conditioning, self-doubts, needs and desires, and learning all about birthing physiology and how best to support it). All of the feedback received from that Pregnancy Circle gave the course a 10/10 (see what participants had to say at the bottom of this page).
In 2023 she turned this into an online programme. Live Zoom lessons, led by Carla, take place on Wednesdays at 6.30pm NZT (though if it doesn’t suit your calendar or time zone, no stress, you can watch the recordings). The programme is based around the same topics of learning/discussion that took place last year…
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Underlying assumptions & conditioned beliefs about birth, mothering, our bodies, our instincts & our intuition
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Birth physiology & how to support it
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How fear, poor support, the system & various interventions impact birth physiology
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Fear release & radical self-responsibility - Our rights (& how to navigate power dynamics in the birth space)
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Reframing pain in birth & tools for pain management
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Birth as a rite of passage & a celebration
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Preparing for a positive postpartum
Included in the course content are 6 guided meditations (each around 20 minutes long and relevant to the weekly theme) and weekly journal prompts to help you unpack any 'stuff' that could be hindering your path to a positive and empowering birth experience.
Carla will also aim to have a guest speaker attend one of the lives each round, offering wisdom from other birth workers out there whose philosophy aligns with hers.
The online Soulful Birth course will be an ongoing rotation of 8 weeks of themed Zoom sessions, four times each year (commencing February, May, July & October). Any sessions that can't be attended live are able to be watched later, as they'll all be recorded (aside from a personal 'Q & A and Discussion' session on week 8). And those who register for the course can stay as long as they like (you're not limited to just one round of the ‘8 weeks’ of lessons).
The investment is $189 NZD (with the option of a $24/week plan over 8 weeks)
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This course would also be brilliant for birth partners, childbirth educators, or anyone who is interested in learning more about birth and reducing the amount of needless trauma that many new families are facing. It is an excellent course for those planning their first birth, as well as for those who have birthed before but want a more positive and empowering experience this time around.
2024 Soulful Birth Dates
A new round of the 8 week programme will take place...
February 7th - March 27th
May 1st - June 19th
July 24th - September 11th
October 16th - December 4th
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Feedback from the Soulful Birth tribe...
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"Attending the Soulful Birth circle was pivotal in me doing the work to achieve my beautiful home birth after two previous cesareans. I was learning information, for the very first time, on the physiology of birth! The circle helped me to gain a better understanding of birth, strengthen my connection with baby and my body and more importantly supported me to build trust that my body was designed to birth. Beautifully facilitated by Carla Sargent, who delivered so much educational information packed with a burning passion for birth."
Tania Jones
"The Soulful Birth Circle was a safe space to ask questions and share any and all fears, it was all received with reverence and openness by Carla. Carla has a wealth of knowledge and experience and shares her confidence in the capabilities of every woman to birth her baby. Carla held space for dance and meditation to help us connect with our bodies and time into our intuition. I left the whole experience feeling informed and confident in what my body was able to do. Thank you Carla, it was a magical journey."
Nicole Cowley
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"I gained so much trust in the process. I loved to have a space that was just for me to connect with my pregnancy, and other mothers to be. I also gained a lot of helpful information about how pregnancy and birth work, and I loved hearing real stories of births in the circle and from Carla's book. It was the perfect mix between the science and the spiritual sides of birth. I felt so empowered and excited to give birth after the circles"
Ines Silveyra
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"I think every mum (new or not) needs this information in their ears. It is so surprising to me how much information is lacking in standard antenatal classes/ within the system and Carla's course opens up some evidence based dialogue, to really change your line of thinking. Carla has years of experience behind her and a safe, supportive, balanced way of delivering all of the content (with a woman centric approach - there are no agendas!) I really enjoyed the weekly meditations, that helped me ground into my intuitive knowing and truth. I have sat with fears, journeyed deep into my subconscious and have left the course feeling more empowered to enter this epic rite of passage as a first time mum."
Tessa
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"The Soulful Birth course is the antenatal education that you actually need! 7 weeks of support & guidance along with on-going access to revisit the material if you wish. The weekly journal prompts & guided meditations are a great resource to support you along your pregnancy journey. Carla is a wealth of knowledge in all things birth. She provides a supportive & empowering space for women & their support people to gain evidence based information and make informed choices for their birth."
Donna
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