Evidence Based Birth 6-Week Class

Text graphic with the words "Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class" in large blue font, with a pink underline.

  • Regardless of where you are planning to give birth, the EBB® Childbirth Class will prepare you with information about the physical changes, emotional needs, and hands-on tools you can use to help cope and travel through your birth.

  • The name says it all, with comprehensive infomation about the studies and statistics that have been used to create recommendations, and current practices in the birth world. This course share information so you can feel prepared to make the best choices for you!

  • With a flipped classroom format, information is presented through reading, videos, and discussions. Community is brought back to the center of the class as time together is spent connecting with the other families in your cohort through discussion and personal experience.

Register for Class

This course is 6 weeks long, in a flipped classroom environment. Families will be connected to a learning portal with videos, and weekly discussions will offer community and mentorship.

Virtual class: This class is fully online and is capped at six couples. Registration is for two people.

Upcoming Class Dates:

  • Monday Evenings, January 12-February 16, 7-9pm EST/ 6-8 CST

  • Thursday Evenings, February 5-March 12, 7-9pm EST/ 6-8 CST

  • Monday Evenings, April 13-May 18, 7-9pm EST/ 6-8 CST

WHO WOULD ENJOY THIS CLASS:

This class is excellent for folks who are curious about current evidence-based health care options and how they manifest (or don’t) in their chosen birth environment. This class will also equip families with knowledge about the stages and phases of labor and birth, along with how they can influence their birth outcomes through engaged decision-making during pregnancy and labor.

Folks who learn through watching videos would thrive in this class, as instruction is offered in recorded videos. In contrast, the weekly class sessions are reserved for individual questions and collective understanding through your small-group discussions. The class also offers statistics and insights from an experienced doula and EBB Instructor.

WHAT MAKES THIS CLASS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CHILDBIRTH CLASSES:

This 6-week class is an engaging, friendly, and evidence-based series that is partner-focused, connective with other pregnant families, and hosted in a flipped-classroom setting. You will be given readings and video content developed by Evidence Based Birth® to dive deep into between sessions and then participate in group exploration and mentorship with an experienced doula/EBB Instructor® each week.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR THIS CLASS:

You will need an internet connection and a camera to participate in the online learning and group classes. You will be sent a workbook to use from week to week.

Once Registration and payment is complete, you will be sent an introduction email from your instructor that will give instruction on how to access the Class learning portal with videos. Your workbook will be sent to the mailing address listed on the class registration page.

If your doula or midwife gave you a discount code, you can enter it on the payment page.

About Class

Register for Class

About Your Instructor

A woman sitting on a windowsill near a large window, looking out with a thoughtful expression.

Ariel Swift is a Chicago-based birth doula and childbirth educator with over 14 years of professional experience supporting birthing people and their families. Her connection to birth work began long before certification—on July 13, 1998, when she witnessed her first birth at age 15. That moment shaped a lifelong commitment to compassionate, informed, and family-centered care.

Since then, Ariel has earned multiple doula and childbirth education certifications, helped open Chicago’s first freestanding birth center, and worked to advance Illinois legislation supporting equitable access to maternity care. She has also developed leadership teams nationwide to expand access to midwifery care and strengthen community-based birth support systems.

At the heart of Ariel’s work is a deep belief that well-supported births create ripple effects of healing that extend far beyond the birth room. She is known for offering grounded, practical, and creative support by meeting families where they are and helping them feel confident, informed, and respected throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Originally from Washington State, Ariel has called Illinois home since 2005. She brings a common-sense, hands-on approach to both her professional and personal life, valuing clear communication, healthy boundaries, and calm, intentional spaces.

Ariel is the parent of two midwife-attended births, is partnered with a supportive spouse, and shares her home with a small herd of cats. She is honored to support Chicago-area families through pregnancy, birth, and early parenting with care that is rooted in experience, advocacy, and heart.

What Other Doulas Say

  • Ariel is a doula's doula. She offered the support we all need to feel successful in this work, which involves so much giving of ourselves. With patience and without judgement, Ariel is present for whatever questions come up. She helps pull out the wisdom you already have inside of yourself, cheerleading you on every step of the way. I wish for all doulas to have a mentor like Ariel.

    Sarah P., doula

  • I felt incredibly seen and heard. Ariel is a curious and effective facilitator. She is responsive and attentive to the needs in the space.

    Nyehla I., community doula

  • Ariel, I cannot thank you enough! I talk about what I learned all the time to anyone who will listen.

    Melissa H., doula and childbirth educator

  • The Doula Guide Post is a time of collective idea generation, support, encouragement, and guidance from incredible peers and the brilliant Ariel, who provided so much insight from her years of experience. The Guide Post was and is a launching point for me to take the steps I needed to do doula work well in my community. It helped me understand my values, 'why's', and goals. I felt seen, heard, pushed, and challenged in this group, which brought about real growth. I know that I have not only left this experience with new knowledge but with long-term relationships that will be vital to my growth as a doula.

    Ama M., doula and photographer

  • Ariel's expertise is VAST and I'm blown away by how generous she was in sharing her knowledge. She did such a great job encouraging us to consider our own values for our doula practices, while emulating how to bring a collaborative, compassionate and nonjudgmental practice to our clients. Her grasp on birth equity and what antiracism looks like was really helpful to see, and gave me a lot to think about how I can raise my own bar for how I approach this within my work.

    Michelle E., doula

  • A real must for building community with new doulas and learning from a pro!

    Darnicia H., doula