Growing Happy Families since 1997

Loving Arms Childbirth Services

Education. Community. Connection.

Welcome!

We’re so glad you’re here!

Loving Arms is an education and support space for folks during the childbearing year of life. Founded in 1997, we have prepared thousands of East Bay families for the joyful transition to a happy parenthood.

Every one of our experienced educators is passionate about equipping you with the tools you need to have an empowered birth experience and steady start with your new baby.

  • Prenatal support: Whether you are planning to deliver at the hospital, a birth center, or at home, our classes focus on building confidence in the birthing person’s innate abilities and giving partners the skills they need to play an active role.

  • Postpartum support: Birth is just the beginning! We’re here to help you confidently settle in to life with your amazing newborn, navigate becoming a parent, and adjust to life as a family.

  • Community is at the heart of everything we do: Birth and parenthood are made easier and more joyful when done with trusted, encouraging support. We serve all families, all experiences, and are committed to creating a safe, compassionate space where everyone is welcome and valued.

We look forward to helping your family grow!

“Loving Arms classes are the best all-encompassing birth prep in the east bay. After a series with them, you will feel empowered and ready to make informed decisions regarding your birth.”
— Rachel

Kind Words from Our Families

  • This was by far the best decision we made while pregnant to prepare for birth and early post partum. I don't even know where to begin! The instructors, Molly and Anna, were both knowledgeable, friendly , and great resources both during the classes and even now, 2 months PP. The content of the course is fantastic - my partner and I were receiving a lot of birth prep resources from various places - our doula, the birth center, Instagram (lol) - and absolutely nothing compared to the information and discussions in our Loving Arms group. Because of this class we were prepared to now only know what to expect with tips and tricks for myself and my partner through labor, but we also were able to prepare for what if birth didn't go as planned - and it didn't - and how to advocate for ourselves and our daughter. Last thing I'll say is the community is great - we were able to go through this transformational experience with 8 other families who we just had a reunion with last month! It's a big commitment, but it's totally worth it. I highly recommend signing up.

    Alice C.

  • We received invaluable knowledge as first time parents preparing for our labor and delivery, as well as were granted the opportunity to build connections with other couples also going through this life changing experience together

    Patrick G.

  • We love Loving Arms. We took the longer birthing classes for our first and the refresher course for our second. Great decision all around and I highly recommend them for prep.

    Diana E.

  • We signed up for the Loving Arms birth class at the suggestion of our doula. It was such an amazing class that prepared us wonderfully for birth! Taught by fantastic teachers, Janaki and Molly. They both have a wealth of knowledge that makes you feel so reassured and confident going into the birth process. AND we got to meet 7 other families that we are still in contact with. I highly recommend taking this birth class, it was truly invaluable.

    Elise F.

  • We enrolled in a childbirth preparation class for the birth of our first son two years ago, and Molly was a wonderful teacher. She extremely knowledgeable, personable, and open to questions and discussion. While more intensive than a one- or two-day course at a hospital, it was so wonderful to have a time every week when I could focus only on my pregnancy and upcoming labor, and get on the same page as my partner in terms of our preferences and questions. Another Yelp reviewer said it perfectly: "Loving Arms manages to honor what's mystical and thoroughly debunk the rest - keeping the tone light, fun, and incredibly informative." We also loved meeting other first-time parents in our class, and we still get together almost monthly as a group!

    Josie D.

  • I highly recommend these classes for new parents. The classes did so much to relieve my anxiety around birth and labor. Nothing can fully prepare you for the experience, but my husband and I both went into the delivery room armed with everything we needed to know.

    Emily P.

  • Our childbirth education class at Loving Arms was the absolute best thing we did to help us prepare for the birth of our son. The class helped us feel extremely well-informed about every stage of labor and delivery as well as what to expect from breastfeeding and the first weeks of life with a newborn. Molly and Janaki co-taught our class, which was fantastic because it allowed us to get the wisdom and expertise of both of these amazing educators. The class was so informative without being dogmatic in any way--it really felt like the message was that there were lots of ways to have a joyful birth, which I so appreciated. When the time came and I went into labor, my husband and I found the we used SO many of the tools that we learned in our Loving Arms class and I really credit that knowledge for helping me to have an extremely smooth birth. The other factor that made the class so wonderful is the community we now have with the seven other families. We have a chat with the moms going that has been such a great place to get advice and support as I navigate the newborn period and we all can't wait for our reunion. If you are expecting a baby, I cannot stress enough how valuable this class will be for you!

    Tali B.

  • Our class with Janaki was amazing- everything I could have wanted (and many things I didn't know I wanted) in a childbirth class. I work in the medical field and signed up thinking the experience would be very beneficial for my husband to "get him up to speed" and was shocked at how much I learned just in the first class alone. The 8 weeks was the perfect amount of time to go into the details of labor and delivery, a variety of labor coping techniques, information about the immediate postpartum period with baby, and the best one time class on breastfeeding you could get. Our class became the highlight of my week, even if I had a long stressful day at work and was feeling every extra pound of discomfort from being in my third trimester, I really looked forward to seeing our classmates and addressing the week's topic. Our birth itself went beautifully and we felt prepared- even for it NOT to go beautifully, but honestly I think the real benefit of the course was mentally preparing us for the biggest transition in our lives- becoming a parent.

    Melissa J.

  • I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Loving Arms Childbirth Services' birthing class! Jessica Cristen was our instructor, and she was excellent! She's a certified midwife and lactation support specialist, with years of experience. Taking this class was the best decision I made for preparing for the birth of our baby girl. (even with the countless books I read and classes taken from Kaiser) My birth did NOT go at all as expected, but thanks to these classes I was super well prepared about all the possibilities that could occur during labor & delivery and helped my partner and I be on the same page (and have my partner know how he could best support me). Thus when things started to go different than what we prepared for in our birthing plan, we were really able to navigate the various options skillfully and have educated conversations with our care team. This made me feel way more secure when my health was declining during delivery. Even though I didn't have the birth I pictured for myself, I felt I had a wonderful birth story thanks to the classes from Loving Arms and our care support team. The class is very comfortable, super educational, and a good place to meet other couples about to have babies too. The instructors here really care about helping new families, and have years of experience and maturity. Again, best decision to take this class here @ Loving Arms. So glad I chose them!

    Lani P.

About Us

Since 1997, Loving Arms has helped over 3,000 East Bay families navigate the tender and joyful transition to parenthood.

  • We believe in you, your baby, and your family

  • We aim to provide practical skills and foster kind, safe communities

  • We offer evidence-based information and compassionate care

Learn more about our approach and meet our awesome team of educators!

Classes & Offerings

  • Childbirth Prep

    Our classic, in person, 6 week series covers everything you need to know about labor and birth

    More info

  • All About Lactation

    Get prepared for a smooth start to breast/chest feeding

    More Info

  • Baby Care

    Tips, info, and hands-on practice that will help you enjoy the first few weeks with your amazing newborn

    More Info

  • Comfort Measures

    Learn comfort techniques, labor positions, and practical skills for navigating your birth

    More Info

  • Childbirth Prep: One Day Intensive

    A focused class that covers the highlights of labor and birth preparation

    More Info

  • First Aid & CPR

    Emergency preparedness for parents of infants and children from ages birth to twelve years

    More Info

  • New Parent Support Groups

    For moms, dads, and LGBTQI+ folx

    More Info

  • Infant Massage

    Learn how to use touch to bond with your baby, promote muscle and nervous system development, and ease tummy discomfort

    Register

Contact

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