Birth Classes in Quad Cities, Iowa

We are pleased to introduce Quad City, Iowa childbirth educator, Jessica Holst to you today. A mom of six (yes, six!), who also works as a birth doula, baby wearing expert, and of course, homeschooling mom. She is incredible. We are so excited to have her on the Birth Boot Camp team. Check her out! And if you need a birth class in the Quad City area of Iowa, call her!

First, could you introduce yourself? Tell us a little bit about your own birth experiences and  how they influenced your desire to teach birth classes.

I am the mother of six rambunctious blessings. Before they began coming into my life I was Spanish  and ESL teacher. Now I teach them at home, and tutor some other students as well for Classical  Conversations. We live in a geriatric farmhouse on my husband’s family farm in rural Iowa.

Jessica, with her beautiful family!

I started out my birth experiences by having a Cesarean, then a vaginal birth with an epidural. I then  had an accidental unattended home birth, followed by two more home births with severe postpartum hemorrhage, one of which involved a hospital transfer. My last birth 4 months ago was an  absolutely perfect water birth. I guess the sixth time’s a charm!

What first got you interested in the realm of birth?

I’ve always been interested in it. I remember as an elementary student being fascinated with the  photos from my own birth and wanting to hear my mom’s birth stories over and over again. I even  had seriously considered the semester before student teaching, so very late in the game, changing  my college major to nursing so I could be an OB nurse. I started pursuing my interest in earnest  when my sister had her first baby, and the next year when I was expecting our first.

What are your particular passions concerning birth?

I want women to recognize their power and strength, to know what an astounding gift it is to be able  to bring the light of life into this world. I want to help them however I can to achieve the birth they  desire.

Jessica is also a birth doula, in addition to teaching birth classes in Iowa.

There are lots of different birth educator training programs out there. Why did you choose  Birth Boot Camp?

I had been a doula for a year when we found out we were expecting again.  Because of the way we attachment parent, I knew I would need to take about a year off from  attending births. I still wanted to be able to help women and knew I loved teaching, so childbirth  education was a perfect fit for me. I researched all of the prenatal instructor programs I had ever  heard about and none of them seemed to be exactly what I wanted to put my name behind. I was  looking for a program that  contained current content, had solid material for my students to take  home, and total support  to help me grow as an instructor. I heard the name Birth Boot Camp in one  of my online doula groups and knew as soon as I started reading about it that it was perfect match.

Childbirth education and doula work go hand in hand for Jessica.

I’m the first instructor in Iowa, and was delighted to find I would not be on my own. Birth Boot Camp  supports us completely through the training process as well as into growing our business. As an  instructor, we are in regular contact with the board of directors and all the other instructors. Everyone  collaborates and is supportive to help us all grow our classes to help as many people as possible.  I was impressed by the materials instructors receive as well as what we give our students. Our  manuals are edited yearly to ensure the information I share is up to date.

Tell us a little about your Birth Boot Camp training experience. Where did you train? What did  you like about it?

I drove to Dallas-Fort Worth with my husband and seven week old baby for the  long days of training. Everyone was completely supportive of my nursing her and caring for her  whenever and however she needed me. This just typifies the caliber of business women, family  women, who are behind this organization. They don’t just claim to support breastfeeding, they show  it with their actions. The training itself was thoroughly exhaustive. They gave us as much information  as they could to help us begin hold a successful class series, and be a good teacher.

Jessica, with her littlest baby during Birth Boot Camp instructor training.

Before we even got to training though, we had to read an extensive amount of books on every  pregnancy, birth, and early parenting topic possible. I liked that the reading list and videos, book  summaries and thorough study guide had to be completed before the training. This way we were  prepared for the exam, even with newborn baby brain , and once I passed the test, there was  nothing left to do. I was certified!

How is teaching your own birth classes in Quad Cities, Iowa, going for you? What do you enjoy most about it?

I love  teaching, sharing a passion with interested people. I like the discussions the class materials provide  and the camaraderie we are developing in class.

In what ways did the Birth Boot Camp teacher training help prepare you for teaching actual  classes?

I feel completely supported; everything I need is in our handbook or on the special website  for instructors. Of course I spend time preparing for each class, but the schedule and class focus are  so well laid out for me, the preparation takes very little time.

Tell us a little about your students. How do you believe childbirth education is having a  positive impact on them?

I am seeing my students feel more and more comfortable with the idea  of birth itself and with them actually doing this big thing! We are in the middle of my first class series,  so no one has had their babies yet, but I know they have their goals more solidified in their minds  because of the knowledge they have gained. One dad told me, “I was excited to take this class, but  now that we’ve begun, I realize I am even more than excited; I’m grateful for this opportunity.”

To close, tell us how you see natural childbirth education having a positive impact? Why  does this work matter to you?

Birth work matters to me, because birth matters. Babies having a gentle start to life and women  realizing they are stronger than they know have the potential to truly change our society for the  better. I want families to have the best start possible, to have the gentle, natural birth they want.  When all birthing women are treated respectfully and babies are welcomed peacefully into the world,  our culture will be improved. Arming couples with all the knowledge they need to be the owners of  their birth space is a wonderful start to that societal change. I am passionate about birth work  because I am helping to change the world.

Where can we find you?

I teach birth classes in the Quad City area of Iowa. You can find me online at:

Website: www.farmfreshbirth.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FarmFreshBirth

Instagram: farmfreshmama75

Email: jessicadh@yahoo.com

I teach and serve doula clients in the Quad Cities area, including Davenport, Bettendorf, and Clinton,  Iowa and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline, Illinois and surrounding communities.

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