Access-Centered Childbirth Education for Disabled and Neurodivergent Folks
6 hour series
This 6-hour series provides a trauma-informed, access-centered approach to childbirth education designed specifically for disabled and neurodivergent people. Participants will learn to navigate pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum care while centering their bodily autonomy, sensory needs, and communication preferences. The series emphasizes practical strategies, individualized supports, and community-based resources to help participants advocate for themselves in medical and non-medical birth settings. Participants will leave with concrete tools to plan for labor and postpartum care, navigate healthcare systems, and engage in empowered, informed decision-making.
By the end of the series, participants will be able to:
Identify and communicate their access needs in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care.
Develop a personalized, realistic, and access-centered birth plan.
Implement strategies for sensory regulation, pain management, and bodily autonomy during labor.
Navigate healthcare and community support systems with confidence and self-advocacy.
Session 1: Foundations of Access-Centered Birth
Introduces the principles of access-centered and trauma-informed care, exploring how disability and neurodivergence intersect with pregnancy and birth. Participants identify personal needs, access priorities, and support networks.
Session 2: Bodily Autonomy and Communication in Pregnancy and Birth
Covers strategies for advocating for bodily autonomy, navigating consent, and communicating effectively with providers. Focus on sensory differences, communication preferences, and self-advocacy tools.
Session 3: Labor Preparation and Pain Management
Explores accessible approaches to labor, including adaptive positioning, movement strategies, non-medical and medical pain management options, and sensory regulation techniques.
Session 4: Navigating Medical Systems and Birth Spaces
Provides guidance on preparing for hospital, birth center, and home births, including creating birth plans, understanding rights, and negotiating accommodations for disability and neurodivergence.
Session 5: Postpartum Access and Support
Focuses on accessible postpartum care, including self-care, mental health support, lactation, mobility and energy considerations, and building sustainable support systems.
Session 6: Practical Planning and Community Resources
Wraps up with hands-on planning, creating individualized birth and postpartum support plans, connecting participants with peer networks, local resources, and ongoing advocacy opportunities.