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                      I love helping families grow!

Schedule your Childbirth and Breastfeeding Class

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Local classes are held in Ruston, La at 102 East Louisiana Ave.  Each class comes with an interactive SeeWhatYouRead booklet that gives you 6 months worth of additional information, videos, worksheets & more.  The 4 week Understanding Birth class is held on Tuesdays from 6-8pm. This class also includes Mother and New Baby Care.  The one time Better Breastfeeding class is held on Thursdays from 6-8pm.  Additional Skype and phone support with Brandi Doucet is included. You can schedule and reserve your spot with a deposit or full payment.  Gift Vouchers are available for families to include on their registry.  It’s recommended that you start classes at the end of your 2nd trimester or beginning of your 3rd trimester to allow enough time for completion.

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Online Understanding Birth eClass

Families who are not able to attend a class in person or who live outside of my area now have the option of an interactive, online Understanding Birth eClass.

This course offers a unique online learning experience that provides comprehensive information you can trust as you prepare for your upcoming birth.

In this class, you’ll learn all about the birth process and medical procedures through instructive video clips, animations, and interactive games. You’ll also get a sense of what labor’s really like as you watch several complete birth stories, and you’ll even have an opportunity to create your own birth plan!

Additional support sessions with Brandi Doucet via Skype or phone are also available. You will be able to review, ask questions, get clarification….whatever you need.  You will also receive a copy of the Mother and New Baby Care & Better Breastfeeding booklets by mail.

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 Understanding Birth

Understanding Birth provides essential research-based information to help new parents be better prepared for their own birth experience. Parents will learn about the stages of labor through innovative 3D animation, how the birth process unfolds using real birth stories, helpful partner support tips, what to expect from common medical procedures, and much more.

Content Includes:

  • Pregnancy – fetal development, anatomy, discomforts, nutrition, warning signs, preterm labor, hazards, emotions, strength and stretching exercises, and more.
  • Labor – pain theories, 4 P’s of labor, prelabor signs, onset of labor, stages of labor, importance of skin-to-skin contact, and more.
  • Birth Stories – how the stages of labor unfold in real life, natural coping techniques, medicated pain relief, partner support.
  • Comfort Techniques – labor support, breathing, relaxation, massage, visualization, focal points, hydrotherapy, labor & pushing positions, back labor, partner advice, and more.
  • Medical Procedures – birth plans, decision-making, induction, fetal monitoring, IVs, pain medication, augmentation, second-stage interventions, nonmedical alternatives, and more.
  • Cesarean Birth – reasons for a cesarean, risks, anesthesia, 3D animation of surgery, recovery, reducing the risk for cesarean birth, breastfeeding, family-centered birth tips.
  • Newborns – newborn hospital procedures, skin-to-skin contact, first feeding, newborn appearance, senses, behaviors, SIDS, abusive head trauma (shaken baby syndrome).
  • Postpartum – involution, lochia, perineum care, rooming-in, baby blues, postpartum depression, healthy habits, breastfeeding, hunger signs, feeding frequency, effective latch, getting support, and more.

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Mother and New Baby Care

When it’s time to bring home baby, new parents have lots of questions.  Mother and New Baby Care See What You Read® Parent Guide reassures parents by explaining, and showing, what to expect in those first few weeks.

This booklet’s companion website (SeeWhatYouRead.com) features 36 video clips and helpful handouts and charts. Totally adaptable and works with various hospital discharge procedures.

More than a booklet!

  • Free access to a commercial-free companion website
  • Dozens of video clips, printable charts, checklists, and more
  • Clear, informative, easy to read
  • NEW features, such as weekly mother and new baby care emails
  • All content is peer-reviewed annually for accuracy
  • Use in class, bedside, or at home

Chapters Include:

  • Mother Care & Warning Signs – lochia, afterpains, perineal healing tips, constipation, hemorrhoids, getting rest, cesarean recovery, signs of infection.
  • Baby Blues & Postpartum Mood Disorders – tips for simplifying life during the first few weeks, signs of PPD, partner’s emotions, getting support.
  • Breastfeeding Basics – skin-to-skin contact, hunger signs, feeding guidelines, positioning and latch, engorgement, signs of mastitis, sore nipples, avoiding artificial nipples, signs of poor feeding.
  • Formula Feeding – formula preparation, feeding guidelines, feeding position, propped bottle warning.
  • Baby Care & Warning Signs – umbilical cord and circumcision care, diapering, stools, jaundice, dehydration, signs of illness, bathing tips, playing with baby.
  • Crying & Safety – responding to cries, abusive head trauma (shaken baby syndrome), SIDS, car seats, other safety tips.

36 video clips and 13 Printable Handouts at SeeWhatYouRead.com — Compatible with Smart Phones and Tablets!

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Better Breastfeeding

Getting breastfeeding off to a good start is crucial to long-term success.  Many new moms give up before they have the opportunity to establish a good milk supply.  Some are given outdated and incorrect information regarding breastfeeding and are not supported throughout the process.  The first few weeks and months can be the hardest but the end result is well worth the effort.  This class will empower mothers to know what is “normal” and dispel many of the myths surrounding breastfeeding.

Content Includes:

  • How Breastfeeding Works – breast anatomy, milk supply, AAP recommendations, ILCA guidelines, health benefits for mom and baby.
  • Latching On and Positioning – skin-to-skin contact, rooming-in, lactation consultants, 3D animation of asymmetrical latch, breastfeeding holds.
  • When to Feed Your Baby – hunger and satiation cues, feeding guidelines and patterns, how to feed a sleepy baby.
  • How Much is Enough? – growth spurts, counting diapers, proper weight gain, keeping a feeding log.
  • Breast Care – nipple care, hand expression and pumping milk, breast massage, warning signs.
  • Breastfeeding Lifestyle – getting support, feeding in public, rest, nutrition, returning to work.

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Brandi Doucet

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I am a DONA trained Birth Doula living in Northeast Louisiana (Ruston). I'm located at 102 East Louisiana Ave Ruston, La. I have a degree in Community Health and a Masters in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Northern Colorado with a focus in Reproductive Health.

My goal is to improve the state of maternity care and breastfeeding success in my little corner of the world and to help pregnant women & their families have a positive birth and postpartum experience.

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Understanding Birth eClass

A Birth Doula

*Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life.

*Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor.

*Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth.

*Stays with the woman throughout the labor.

*Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decisions.

*Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers.

*Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience.
Allows the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level.

*Research evidence shows that the quality services of a postpartum doula can ease the transition that comes with the addition of a baby to a family, improve parental satisfaction and reduce the risk of mood disorders.

A Postpartum Doula

*Offers education, companionship and non-judgmental support during the postpartum fourth trimester.

*Assists with newborn care, family adjustment, meal preparation and light household tidying.

*Offers evidence-based information on infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, infant soothing and coping skills for new parents and makes appropriate referrals when necessary.

Trained by DONA

ICAN Chapter Leader



My other businesses

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My Philosophy

I believe that next to being born, giving birth is the most important event in a woman’s life. Nothing compares to the day that you bring a new life into the world… NOTHING! I strongly believe that the experience of giving birth should not be feared but embraced and enjoyed. Through education, understanding, and support a woman should be able to give birth the way she & her family feels is best for them.

This should be one of the HAPPIEST day of their lives.

I believe that a woman should be able to make informed decisions regarding how and when she wants to give birth. Drug-free natural births to medical inductions with an epidural… ALL birthing women deserve to be educated, respected and supported. There is no “one-size-fits-all” in pregnancy, childbirth or parenting.

There is no right or wrong way… only YOUR way.

My job is to help you find your way… to educate you on your birth choices & rights as well as help you plan for the most life changing event you and your family will ever experience. I cannot promise a perfect birth. Sometimes things do not go as planned. However, through education and support I can help you come away with a positive birth experience that you and your family will remember forever.

The More You Know


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