Pushing Class | An Advanced Next Step From Our Physiologic Birth Class
Step into the next level of physiologic birth support with the Pushing Class, a dynamic, evidence-based class designed specifically for labor & delivery nurses but also for doulas, CNMs, OB providers, clinical educators, preceptors, and nurse leaders. This powerful, next-step class to the foundational Physiologic Birth Class dives deep into one of the most crucial, and often misunderstood, parts of birth: the second stage.
Over 6,000 birth professionals have already transformed their practice through taking our Physiologic Birth Class. This intensive 4.5-hour live, online Pushing Class gives you the confidence, knowledge, and advocacy tools you need to support optimal pushing techniques and impact the culture on your unit and your patient’s birth experience.
In this advanced training, you’ll learn exactly what the evidence says about pushing: open vs. closed-glottis, timing, techniques, and how AWHONN and ACOG recommendations can (and should) guide our practice. We’ll break down the physiology of pushing and optimal maternal positioning, with special attention to upright and functional positions for both unmedicated and epiduralized patients.
The class ends with an interactive discussion and breakout session to help you reflect, collaborate, and return to your unit ready to lead the charge in elevating birth outcomes.
What Makes The Pushing Class Essential:
- End the Guesswork: Master evidence-based techniques backed by current research and professional guidelines
- Confident Advocacy: Gain powerful scripts and strategies to advocate for best practices, even when facing pushback
- Injury Prevention: Protect your patient from future morbidity, perineal trauma & LENI
- Culture Change: Walk away with tools to facilitate meaningful conversations that transform unit practices
- Immediate Impact: Use what you learn in your very next shift
This is your next step in Changing the Game in Obstetrics.
Included with Your Class
- Class length: 4.5-hour live online class with interactive discussions/breakout, demonstrations, collaboration and practical application exercises.
- Class Recording: Receive class recording via email for 4 weeks if you can’t make it live or want to rewatch it.
- Provided 5 contact hours (CEs) of continuing education
*We strongly recommend that you have already taken our core class: Physiologic Birth prior to taking this class. While it is not a requirement, you will learn the most if you do! If you have not taken the class, you can take it the day before, and REGISTER HERE.
Topics Covered:
- Physiology of Second Stage Labor – hormonal influences, fetal positioning, maternal effort mechanics
- Open-Glottis vs. Closed-Glottis Pushing – evidence, outcomes, and when to use each technique
- Spontaneous vs. Directed Pushing – research findings and patient-centered approaches
- AWHONN and ACOG Current Guidelines – latest recommendations and evidence-based standards
- Timing Strategies – delayed pushing, patient-led pushing, and urge-to-push protocols
- Positioning – evidence for functional positions and gravity-assisted birth
- Advocacy Scripts and Language – ready-to-use communication tools for bedside advocacy
- Multidisciplinary Collaboration – strategies for nurse-to-nurse and nurse-to-provider conversations
- Patient Education Techniques – teaching pushing effectively to birthing families
- Risk Reduction Strategies – preventing complications while honoring physiologic birth
- Unit Culture Change Methods – practical approaches to shifting practice patterns
Objectives
By the end of this class, participants will be able to:
- Summarize current evidence and professional guidelines (AWHONN, ACOG) on pushing techniques and timing in the second stage of labor.
- Compare and contrast pushing techniques including but not limited to open-glottis and closed-glottis pushing, including physiological mechanisms and outcomes for both maternal and fetal wellbeing.
- Evaluate and apply upright and alternative pushing positions for both medicated and unmedicated patients to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes while preventing injury.
- Implement patient-centered advocacy strategies using evidence-based scripts and communication tools to support physiologic second-stage practices, even in resistant environments.
- Lead collaborative conversations with colleagues and providers to promote meaningful, evidence-aligned practice change on their unit through effective communication & leading change skills.
Bundle Birth, A Nursing Corporation, is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 17368 to provide 5 contact hours upon completion of this class.