Frequently Asked Questions

  • This course is inclusive and open to everyone! We welcome families of all forms. While many first-time parents will find this course enormously helpful, second-time parents might be looking for something a little different from their last experience and are more than welcome to join.

    We take a trauma-informed approach to teaching mindfulness and are happy to meet with you individually before, during, or after the course to address any individual concerns you may have.

  • People will typically start this class in their third trimester, starting around 28 weeks gestation. This maximizes the chance you’ll be able to attend all the sessions before your baby arrives.

    However, you’re welcome to register whenever you feel is best for you and your family. The mindfulness practices shared are helpful through all stages of pregnancy!

  • Nope! We welcome everyone, from the skeptic to the lifelong meditator.

    If you are one of those folks with an established practice, we’ll ask you to deepen your Beginner’s Mind and come with curiosity and willingness to try something new, rather than constantly comparing it to your experience with your more established practice.

    Many people find this a rich learning experience in letting go, trust, and acceptance.

  • While you’re welcome to do other childbirth classes in conjunction with MBCP, it isn’t necessary. This is a comprehensive course that will cover all the basics included in traditional classes, including physiology of labor and birth, pain coping techniques, common complications and interventions, postpartum support, and newborn feeding and care.

    The one exception to the above is if you are interested in learning more in-depth content on infant CPR/first-aid or sleep training, or if you have specific lactation concerns. We can point you in the right direction if this is the case for you.

  • MBCP is unique in its structure in that it focuses on developing mindfulness practices as a foundational tool for navigating pregnancy, birth, and parenting.

    Rather than relying on one philosophy or approach (Lamaze, Hypnobirthing, Bradley, Birthing from Within, etc), MBCP focuses more on mind-body relationship and how to cultivate inner awareness of the present moment.

    The course pairs well with any of the above mentioned techniques, but can also be used on its own. The skills you’ll learn in MBCP will support you long after the day your baby is born...they will also carry you through parenting as well.

    While not as well-known as some other methods, MBCP has been around for 25 years and there is a substantial and growing body of evidence that it is an effective curriculum that prepares parents well for the challenges of birth and beyond.

    You can read more about the research here. Those who are familiar with the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) will notice similarities—the MBCP curriculum is based on the MBSR structure, which has over 40 years worth of evidence showing improvements in chronic illness, mental health, and general stress.

  • The class series will meet for nine-sessions, about 2.5 hours each. There is also a day-long retreat between weeks 6 and 7, offering an opportunity for community building and more in-depth practice.

    All participants are encouraged and supported in committing to 30-45 minutes of daily mindfulness practice at least 6 days a week. We find this level of commitment leads to a more meaningful experience and stronger ability to drawn on these practices in times of need.

    While it’s great to talk about mindfulness or read about it, you can only truly learn it through direct, embodied experience. There are no short cuts here—you just have to show up to do the work.

  • We recognize that MBCP is a significantly bigger time committment than most childbirth and parenting classes available. That being said, what we offer is much more in-depth than the nuts and bolts of preparing for labor.

    The skills developed in this series will lay the foundation for a lifetime of intentional parenting. Participants all say that the more they made time for regular practice, the more they experienced the benefits of mindfulness.

  • Not at all. While we would argue that mindfulness skills are key for unmedicated birth, our course is designed to be adaptable to any birth plan. In fact, it may be most supportive for those who do experience unexpected interventions, as the skills learned will help you “ride the waves” of your labor.

    We spend a lot of time talking about “birth plans” and how to cultivate flexibility with the concept of planning. Birth and parenting both are about the most unpredictable experiences imaginable, so we help you develop the skills and resilience to flow with whatever ends up happening during your birth.

  • While many people find it helpful to take this course with a partner or support person, it’s not required. If your partner isn’t interested or able to come, consider asking a close friend, family member, doula, or other trusted person who can witness and support you on this journey.

    We welcome all family constellations in this class and recognize the vital importance of community support on the parenting journey.

  • We recognize that life is busy and it can be challenging to juggle the many priorities of our lives.

    That being said, you’ll get the most out of the series if you only miss 1 or 2 sessions. For some people, this could be the day-long retreat, although we don’t recommend it—everyone who has experienced the retreat reports that it was the highlight of their MBCP experience.

    If you find that you’re going to be missing 2 or more sessions, you may find more value in the course by registering at another time, or arranging a private class series with Lena. Contact us if this is the case for you.

  • Full refunds are offered up to 1 week prior to the start date of the course. If you are needing to cancel with less than one week’s notice, we will refund 100% of the registration if we are able to find someone to fill your spot. If we are not able to fill your spot, we will refund 50% of your fee if you paid at the Partner Level, and 75% if you paid at the Friend or Support Level.

    If there are other extenuating circumstances, we will review on a case by case basis.

  • Right now we are not requiring proof of vaccination or masking for in-person offerings, although we do recommend vaccination if you are eligible.

    If you are sick with any COVID-like symptoms, we request you stay home and take care of yourself. This will also protect your fellow cohort-mates, many of whom will have compromised immunity due to pregnancy.

    As a cohort, if there are folks with specific requests around masking, we’ll do our best to accomodate, as we recognize that various community members will have different needs and comfort level with risk during pregnancy.

    It’s my hope that we can bring empathy, compassion, and understanding to any public health conversations we may have.

    If it becomes apparent that in-person offerings are no longer safe, I will make plans to pivot to online offerings.