My name is Angela Garvin. My husband Brad and I live in northeast Louisville. I am a full-time mom to two adorable boys, Liam (6), a first grader at St. Francis School, and Beckett (3), a preschooler at St. Francis Preschool.  As first-time parents, Brad and I took childbirth classes because we wanted information on all of our options for birth and we wanted to know how I could stay healthy and low risk during the pregnancy. Experiencing the joy of natural childbirth twice—at home and in the hospital—Brad and I have welcomed our sons into the world with the support of an obstetrician, a midwife, our childbirth educator and, of course, doulas! 

Inspired by my experience with my own doulas , I trained with Doulas of North America (DONA) and since 2006 have had the honor of assisting over 80 families with the births of their children. Like each child, every birth is unique and presents its own joys and challenges. 

My love of childbirth education extends beyond labor and birth: I enjoy learning as well as teaching. Spending time in the classroom—earning my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Louisville, then as an elementary school teacher with Jefferson County Public Schools—taught me that everyone learns differently. To this end, I make it a priority to explore a wide variety of activities in class. I believe that even teachers never stop learning, and I have participated in workshops and conferences with a focus on VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), optimal fetal positioning, child passenger safety and breastfeeding education since entering the birth education field in 2006.

Birth Your Way, which I created with a colleague in 2009, came out of this passion. This unique eight-week class has two teachers and an original curriculum inspired by and developed around the Lamaze philosophy. This philosophy emphasizes the importance of woman-centered decisions such as allowing labor to start on its own (barring any extenuating circumstances), choices regarding intervention and of course continual support for the mother throughout the entire labor and delivery process. No matter what kind of birth you are planning, you will receive the information you need to make informed, empowered choices.

In addition to Birth Your Way classes, I offer an afternoon workshop, Comfort Measures for Labor . Comfort Measures for Labor serves as a supplement to any childbirth course, including those administered by your hospital or OB's office. For first-time parents, Comfort Measures for Labor will provide an opportunity to practice the skills learned in childbirth classes. For experienced parents, Comfort Measures for Labor is a refresher course to help them remember all of the skills and knowledge from past births. Please see the Classes  page for more information on this option.

Beyond helping you welcome your baby into the world, I can also help you get your little one home safely! I am a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician with SafeKids, and my Carseat Safety 101 class can help you decide how to choose a carseat and ensure that your child’s seat is installed safely.

There are a lot of options for your birth experience—and sometimes it all can be a bit overwhelming. Whatever you choose, I will help you make it the birth you want, on your terms. It is an honor each time I am asked to attend a birth and I appreciate every opportunity to help a family to grow while I grow as a teacher. I look forward to getting to know you—and meeting your baby!