It's called the nightmare for a reason, but it doesn't have to freeze you.
Most of us were taught shoulder dystocia the way we were taught everything else in an emergency: watch it, hope your body remembers, and then do it. Then the head is born, the baby turtles, and the room goes quiet.
This lab is built around one word: MOVE.
Say it in your head, move through the whole process, and don't stop. You'll practice it live, together, on the model you have at home, with Augustine calling the birth and coaching you through it.
Augustine has taught shoulder dystocia skills in person for over a decade, now she’s bringing that hands-on teaching online.
Meet your Mentor
Augustine Colebrook
Retired CPM, MA-MCHS
Augustine Colebrook is a midwife, mentor, and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience supporting midwives and birth professionals worldwide. Her career has been dedicated to improving maternity care through education, advocacy, and system change, while also mentoring the next generation to build sustainable and fulfilling practices.
Having witnessed firsthand the dysfunction, scarcity, and isolation that often burden the profession, Augustine has made it her mission to replace them with connection, wisdom, and practical tools for success. She draws on her extensive expertise in leadership, business, and midwifery to guide students and graduates toward confident, empowered, and lasting careers.
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FAQs
Who is this for?
- Midwifery students
- New graduates
- Practicing midwives who want to sharpen and refresh
- Birth professionals who attend births in community settings
What will you need to bring?
- Your own practice model at home. Can be doll and hard pelvis model, or a full soft pelvis if you have it - can also be a partner’s hands as the pelvis. (Write to admin@midwiferywisdom.com for a pair price, if you want to attend with your collegue together on the same zoom)
- Camera on, so Augustine can see your hands during the freeze and show moments
- A space where you can move
Do I need prior experience with shoulder dystocia?
No. This lab is open to all experience levels. Come with your questions, your fears, and the moments that have felt unclear or overwhelming. The live format is designed to meet you where you are.
How does this class work online?
This is a live, interactive 90-minute lab held via Zoom. You'll watch Augustine demonstrate, practice alongside her with your own model, and ask questions throughout. It's not a passive webinar, so come ready to move.
Is this a CEU course?
This lab is not a CEU course, it is a lab for somatic learning.
WHAT WE'RE DOING TOGETHER:
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Grounding first. We name the fear this topic carries and practice grounding and breathing you can use in an emergency, because fast is slow and slow is fast.
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The MOVE framework, taught live. Augustine demonstrates it on her own model while you watch.
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Hands-on drills. Everyone moves at once on your own model while Augustine narrates the birth.
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Freeze and show. On her cue, everyone holds position and shows their model to camera, and Augustine scans the gallery and calls out what she sees.
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Pairs practice. One of you performs a maneuver, the other names it, then you swap in our break-out rooms.
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Choose-your-own-path birth. Augustine tells the birth in chapters with the clock running. At each fork, a participant chooses the path and the whole room follows it to the next decision point.
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Question jar. Drop your questions in the chat all session, and Augustine answers them live at the end.
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Grounding close. One more minute of breath before we finish.
What you'll leave with...
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A framework you can hold in your head under pressure
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Hands that have already practiced the sequence, not just read it
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A breath and grounding practice you can reach for before you're in an emergency
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Answers to your own questions, in the room, from someone who has taught this for a decade