Class Schedule

2012 Schedule

Winter 2012 - Sundays

CLASS CLOSED - FULL

Sunday Evening class - 5:30pm-8:30pm
Swedish Covenant Hospital
Anderson Pavilion 2751 West Winona in The Auditorium | map it
January 8, 2012 - March 4, 2012

Class Date Topics
1 Jan 8 Introduction to the Bradley Method, exercises for pregnancy and birth, discussion of pain in labor, and choices in care.
2 Jan 15 Nutrition, anatomy and benefits of breastfeeding.
3* Jan 22 First stage labor.
4 Jan 29 Second stage labor, third stage labor.
5 Feb 5 comfort measure, labor rehearsal, interventions in childbirth part I.
6 Feb 12 Interventions in childbirth part II, how to avoid interventions and naturally start or speed up labor, variations and complications in labor.
7 Feb 19 Breastfeeding class, meet with lactation consultant, advanced second stage techniques.
8 Feb 26 Labor rehearsal and advanced first stage techniques, c-section.
9 Mar 4 Postpartum period, newborn producers and care.
* Class 3 is very important, please do not miss it.

Winter 2012 #2 - Tuesdays

Class Closed - FULL

Tuesday Evening class - 6:30pm-9:30pm
Sweet Pea’s Studio
3717  N. Ravenswood, Suite 213, Chicago IL

February 7, 2012 - April 3, 2012

Class Date Topics
1 Feb 7 Introduction to the Bradley Method, exercises for pregnancy and birth, discussion of pain in labor, and choices in care.
2 Feb 14 Nutrition, anatomy and benefits of breastfeeding.
3* Feb 21 First stage labor.
4 Feb 28 Second stage labor, third stage labor.
5 Mar 6 comfort measure, labor rehearsal, interventions in childbirth part I.
6 Mar 13 Interventions in childbirth part II, how to avoid interventions and naturally start or speed up labor, variations and complications in labor.
7 Mar 20 Breastfeeding class, meet with lactation consultant, advanced second stage techniques.
8 Mar 27 Labor rehearsal and advanced first stage techniques, c-section.
9 Apr 3 Postpartum period, newborn producers and care.
* Class 3 is very important, please do not miss it.

Spring 2012 - Sundays

CLASS OPEN - 2 spaces left

Sunday evening class 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Swedish Covenant Hospital
Anderson Pavillion 2751 West Winona in the Auditorium | map it
March 11, 2011 - May 13, 2012

Class Date Topics
1 Mar 11 Introduction to the Bradley Method, exercises for pregnancy and birth, discussion of pain in labor, and choices in care.
2 Mar 18 Nutrition, anatomy and benefits of breastfeeding.
3* Mar 25 First stage labor.
4 Apr 1 Second stage labor, third stage labor.
Apr 8 NO CLASS
5 Apr 15 Comfort measures, labor rehearsal, interventions in childbirth part I.
6 Apr 22 Interventions in childbirth part II, how to avoid interventions and naturally start or speed up labor, variations and complications in labor.
7 Apr 29 Labor rehearsal and advanced first stage techniques, c-section.
8 May 6 Breastfeeding class, meet with lactation consultant, advanced second stage techniques.
9 May 11** Postpartum period, newborn producers and care.
* Class 3 is very important, please do not miss it.  ** This is a Friday Evening Class 6:30pm-9:30pm

Spring 2012 #2 - Pending



Swedish Covenant Hospital
Anderson Pavilion 2751 West Winona in Conference Rooms 5 & 6 | map it

Class Date Topics
1 Introduction to the Bradley Method, exercises for pregnancy and birth, discussion of pain in labor, and choices in care.
2 Nutrition, anatomy and benefits of breastfeeding.
3* First stage labor.
4 Second stage labor, third stage labor.
5 Comfort measures, labor rehearsal, interventions in childbirth part I.
6 Interventions in childbirth part II, how to avoid interventions and naturally start or speed up labor, variations and complications in labor.
7 Labor rehearsal and advanced first stage techniques, c-section.
8 Breastfeeding class, meet with lactation consultant, advanced second stage techniques.
9 Postpartum period, newborn producers and care.
* Class 3 is very important, please do not miss it.

Summer 2012 - Sundays

CLASS OPEN - 8 spaces left

Sunday evening class 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Swedish Covenant Hospital
Anderson Pavillion 2751 West Winona in The Auditorium  | map it
June 3, 2012 - July 29, 2012

Class Date Topics
1 Jun 3 Introduction to the Bradley Method, exercises for pregnancy and birth, discussion of pain in labor, and choices in care.
2 Jun 10 Nutrition, anatomy and benefits of breastfeeding.
3* Jun 17 First stage labor.
4 Jun 24 Second stage labor, third stage labor.
5 Jul 1 Comfort measures, labor rehearsal, interventions in childbirth part I.
6 Jul 8 Interventions in childbirth part II, how to avoid interventions and naturally start or speed up labor, variations and complications in labor.
7 Jul 15 Labor rehearsal and advanced first stage techniques, c-section.
8 Jul 22 Breastfeeding class, meet with lactation consultant, advanced second stage techniques.
9 Jul 29 Postpartum period, newborn producers and care.
* Class 3 is very important, please do not miss it.

Summer 2012- Pending

Swedish Covenant Hospital
Anderson Pavillion 2751 West Winona in Conference rooms 5 & 6 | map it

Class Date Topics
1 Introduction to the Bradley Method, exercises for pregnancy and birth, discussion of pain in labor, and choices in care.
2 Nutrition, anatomy and benefits of breastfeeding.
3* First stage labor.
4 Second stage labor, third stage labor.
5 Comfort measures, labor rehearsal, interventions in childbirth part I.
6 Interventions in childbirth part II, how to avoid interventions and naturally start or speed up labor, variations and complications in labor.
7 Labor rehearsal and advanced first stage techniques, c-section.
8 Breastfeeding class, meet with lactation consultant, advanced second stage techniques.
9 Postpartum period, newborn producers and care.
* Class 3 is very important, please do not miss it.

Fall 2012 - Sundays

CLASS OPEN - 8 spaces left

Sunday Evening class 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Swedish Covenant Hospital
Anderson Pavillion 2751 West Winona in The Auditorium | map it
September 9, 2012 - November 4, 2012

Class Date Topics
1 Sep 9 Introduction to the Bradley Method, exercises for pregnancy and birth, discussion of pain in labor, and choices in care.
2 Sep 16 Nutrition, anatomy and benefits of breastfeeding.
3* Sep 23 First stage labor.
4 Sep 30 Second stage labor, third stage labor.
5 Oct 7 Comfort measures, labor rehearsal, interventions in childbirth part I.
6 Oct 14 Interventions in childbirth part II, how to avoid interventions and naturally start or speed up labor, variations and complications in labor.
7 Oct 21 Labor rehearsal and advanced first stage techniques, c-section.
8 Oct 28 Breastfeeding class, meet with lactation consultant, advanced second stage techniques.
9 Nov 4 Postpartum period, newborn producers and care.
* Class 3 is very important, please do not miss it.

Fall 2012 #2 - Pending


Swedish Covenant Hospital
Anderson Pavillion 2751 West Winona in Conference rooms 5 & 6 | map it

Class Date Topics
1 Introduction to the Bradley Method, exercises for pregnancy and birth, discussion of pain in labor, and choices in care.
2 Nutrition, anatomy and benefits of breastfeeding.
3* First stage labor.
NO CLASS
4 Second stage labor, third stage labor.
5 Comfort measures, labor rehearsal, interventions in childbirth part I.
6 Interventions in childbirth part II, how to avoid interventions and naturally start or speed up labor, variations and complications in labor.
7 Labor rehearsal and advanced first stage techniques, c-section.
8 Breastfeeding class, meet with lactation consultant, advanced second stage techniques.
9 Postpartum period, newborn producers and care.
* Class 3 is very important, please do not miss it.

  • About Denyse

    My name is Denyse Ffrench and I have been an AAHCC afiliated Bradley Method instructor since 2000. I have 4 children and have had very different birth experiences with all of them. My son Sebastian was born in 2000, and was a natural water birth. My daughter Violet(2002)was a natural vaginal birth, and her twin sister, Fiona, was an emergency c-section. My last daughter, Gemma(2006) was a beautiful, natural VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section). I feel like my collective birth experience has enhanced my teaching greatly. I have had personal experience with a pitocin induced labor, labor that begins naturally, water birth, normal vaginal birth, episiotomy, birth without an episiotomy, singleton pregnancy and birth, twin pregnancy and birth, c-section, VBAC, etc. The common factor is the use of the Bradley Method in all my labors.

    In addition to teaching The Bradley Method, I work as a birth doula and lead a support group for women who are nursing twins. It is very important for me to stay tuned in to the birth community in the Chicago area so that I can better serve my students and provide resources for them. My goal is to provide continuity in care, from birth education, to labor support and postpartum support. This is one reason why my work as a birth doula with my Bradley students is so rewarding.


  • My Philosophy

    My goal as a Bradley teacher is to educate couples about childbirth and let them know that they have choice and options. I would like my students to plan for the birth they want. What many people want for their labor often falls outside of what is typical protocol in many hospitals, so it is important to know about what happens at births, and what options you have.

    Many people who attend my class would like to labor without medications, but are not exactly sure they want, or can have an unmedicated birth. You are about to have an experience that will be completely new to you and it is normal to feel unsure of how you will handle it. My goal is to give you tools and information that can help you to labor without interventions, to know the reasons why interventions are sometimes necessary, to prepare not only physically, but mentally and emotionally, and to honor the experience as a family event.

  •