Helping students learn information they will use in pregnancy, birth, and after their baby is born is often a “calling” for the educator.  And educators can use many ways to get those lessons across. If you have been teaching for any length of time, you may have used a variety of teaching methods and materials. In this blog we will look at how presenting video clips can be effective to your learners.  

When I first started teaching, many moons ago, I was using full-length videos, 25-30 minutes.  I would see eyes glazing over and it was hard for students to retain enough to have a conversation on all the topics after a long video. A lot has changed since then and the more I learn, the better I teach. Here are some reasons using clips are effective:

  • Attention spans are getting shorter and offering a 5-to-10-minute clip or shorter keeps the learner’s attention 
  • It allows for more interaction—easier for parents to remember what questions they have when covering a single topic (One study suggests having a discussion that is the length of the clip) 1      
  • You can teach more easily about hard-to-explain concepts. For instance,  
    • What the mother looks and sounds like during a contraction 
    • What a good vs ineffective latch looks like  

Best Practices for Presenting Clips 

When using clips, I try to sketch out my full class and line up the clips in a specific order ahead of time to make it more seamless. Taking time ahead of the class will avoid clunky starts and stops. Being able to put clips in a saved file is helpful. 

  • Get familiar with the clip ahead of time 
  • Introduce the clip by giving highlights of what’s coming up 
  • Play the clip, paying attention to any reactions of the students if you can 
  • Ask follow-up questions  
    • What surprised you?  
    • What ideas from the clip will you use or not use and why 
      • Include both partners in this discussion 

 The end of the blog shares media formats where you can access and play short clips. 

Very Interactive Class 

If you are teaching a very interactive class, starting out a topic with a video clip based on the subject you are discussing can help focus the conversation and activity. For instance, using a video clip from Understanding Breastfeeding about positions can be followed by an activity where you demonstrate positions with your newborn model. Students give a “thumbs up or thumbs down” as to whether you are using proper technique.  Then, in a small group they can try with their own newborn model. Give the moms a card showing how to incorrectly position the doll, and then their partner or support person can describe how to “fix” the position. This can show that they really understand what you taught. Or, in a childbirth class you can show a clip of comfort measures before you split the class up into “comfort stations” where they have a poster on the wall for a different idea to help mom’s comfort. Concluding with a birth story clip is a great way to bring all your concepts together! 

Using Clips for Niche Classes 

If you teach a refresher class, you know you won’t want to cover all the materials you would in a full class for first-time parents. These parents already have experience. I try to gain information about what specific needs they have and then choose clips from Understanding Birth (or other titles) to use with them depending on the need.  

I rarely have enough students for a full class of parents expecting multiples, but if a couple pregnant with twins or more is taking my regular childbirth class, I can also have a short bonus private class with them where I’ll share some of the clips from the Understanding Multiples video. This allows them to see parents in their same situation.  I also like to have the multiples web app card to give them as a resource for after the class, so they can watch clips on their own.  If you offer a fatherhood class, clips from Understanding Fatherhood can really help you break the ice if people are shy or quiet. 

Blended Learning 

Presenting short video clips can be helpful in blended learning settings. If you’re using InJoy’s eClasses for students to learn on their own outside of the classroom and then bringing them to the classroom (or virtual classroom) for some additional hand-on learning, having a clips for often-asked questions or to highlight important concepts from the eClass allows you to bring the idea up on the screen in just a few minutes.

Private Students

Do you ever work with parents privately?  Maybe they are on bed rest, or your class schedule doesn’t meet their needs.  I don’t do this very often, maybe once or twice a year, but I do love teaching directly to the needs of a particular family.  I send an email ahead of time so they can let me know what particular things they are interested in learning.  It includes an open write-in area and a checklist, because sometimes families are not sure what they want to learn. Then, I choose clips that match their goals, and we can cover just what they want in a minimum amount of time. For instance, a couple of weeks ago I worked with a family who hopes to have a VBAC.  We did a virtual class since they were in California, and I am in Colorado.  It was great showing select affirming videos for them that we used to talk about what their birth could look like. Since they hadn’t been in labor for the last child and their oldest child is a teen, they loved seeing the reality of a vaginal birth (again).  We talked about all the things like movement and comfort measures to help them along.  Then, we also talked through creating a birth plan that included all their desires, even if they need to have another cesarean birth after watching the cesarean birth clip.   

Where to Find Clips From InJoy:

Are you using clips in your classes? What ideas do you have to add?  Send them to me at [email protected] and I will update this blog and give you credit.  

About the Author

Debbie Young – MSL, ICCE, LCCE, CLC, ICBD

Customer Relations Manager

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1 Hotelling, B, (2021) J Perinat Educ. 2012 Summer;21(3):189–192.