Real-world feeding support for real-world parents.
Breast/chestfeeding can be beautiful, frustrating, emotional, exhausting, connective, confusing, comforting, painful, healing, and deeply ordinary all at once.
Despite what social media might suggest, most people aren’t magically born knowing how to do it. Ditto for babies.
Breastfeeding 101 is a practical, relationship-centered class designed to help you and your partner understand what’s normal, what’s not, and how to navigate feeding your baby with more confidence and less panic-Googling at 3am.
We’ll cover the mechanics of feeding, yes. And we’ll also talk about the emotional side of it, the learning curve, the myths, the pressure, and the reality of feeding a tiny human around the clock.
✨ Positioning + latch:
Learn how to get comfortable, support your baby’s latch, and troubleshoot common issues before they become overwhelming.
✨ How to know baby is getting enough:
Diapers, swallowing, feeding patterns, weight gain, cluster feeding, and what’s actually normal for newborns.
✨ Normal newborn feeding behaviour:
Spoiler alert: breast/chestfed babies often do not eat every three hours on the dot. We’ll talk about frequency, proximity, contact, and why newborns are designed to want you close.
✨ Partner support + feeding as a team effort:
Breast/chestfeeding may happen primarily between the nursing parent and baby, but nobody is meant to do postpartum alone. We’ll talk about how partners can help support feeding, reduce overwhelm, build confidence, and care for your growing family during those early days and beyond.
✨ Feeding as relationship, not just nutrition:
Breast/chestfeeding is about food. It’s also about regulation, comfort, connection, and communication. Let’s talk about it.
✨ When (and where) to get extra support:
How to recognize when something needs additional assessment and where to turn for help.
You're pregnant and planning to breastfeed or chestfeed.
You want realistic, evidence-informed information without fear tactics or shame.
You’re overwhelmed by conflicting advice online.
You want to understand normal newborn feeding behaviour before baby arrives.
You’d like practical tools instead of rigid rules.
You want support that respects your autonomy, your goals, and your family.
We’re not interested in handing you a list of “shoulds”.
We’re here to help you understand why babies feed the way they do, how breast/chestfeeding actually works in real life, and how to troubleshoot challenges without spiraling into self-blame.
We know feeding journeys don’t always go according to plan. Some people nurse exclusively. Some pump. Some combo feed. Some pivot entirely. None of those choices determine your worth as a parent.
Our goal is to help you feel informed, supported, and more prepared for whatever your feeding journey looks like.
Rachel Parris (she/her) and Jesse Bauman (she/her) are birthworkers with deep roots in Calgary’s birth community and a shared commitment to providing grounded, inclusive, and evidence-informed care.
We believe education should leave you feeling calmer, more capable, and more connected to yourself.
(And yes, there will be at least one inappropriate joke along the way 😉)
Rachel is an educator, experienced doula, and student midwife who brings warmth, clarity, and a deep respect for your autonomy to everything she does. Her approach is steady and thoughtful, and she’s especially skilled at helping families navigate birth decisions with confidence and calm. Read more about Rachel here.
Jesse is a longtime doula and talented birth photographer who blends practical know-how with a huge heart. She’s known for her gentle presence, honest communication, powerful advocacy, and ability to create space for whatever a birthing person is holding. Read more about Jesse here.
Together, they’ve supported hundreds of families through birth and postpartum and they bring that experience and insight into every class they teach.
“I can’t begin to express how thankful I am for what you have taught me...I wouldn’t have been able to handle it the way I did if it wasn’t for the knowledge you gave me.”
— Matthew
“Rachel puts a focus on science-based evidence, mental health, relationship support and postpartum care which aligned with our values and helped me feel confident advocating for myself.”
— Julia“Everything from the first bath for our son to breastfeeding support, swaddling, baby wearing, and baby massage was helpful and made our parenting journey easier.”
— Anastasia
Breast/chestfeeding is NOT a test you pass or fail - it’s a relationship built one feed a time.
WHEN: Saturday, June 20, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
WHERE: Aurora Midwifery (#203 6622 20A St SE)
FEE: $25 + GST (includes pregnant person/mother + partner/father/designated support person)
