Birthing Classes?

nomar610

Hello did anyone attend a birthing class? If so, did you find it to be helpful for someone who's having a natural birth,  or did someone find a class for natural birthing? 

 I live in the NY Metro area if anyone can recommend something please let me know thank you!!!! 

aylafsu88

We took the Bradley classes.  I wanted my H to be my main coach and support during L&D.  I liked that the classes focused on teaching him how to be a great coach, educating him on childbirth, the emotional signposts to look for, and positions/pressure points that can be used to help me with the discomfort.
We learned a lot from the class and thought it was worth it.  It really paid off in my L&D and I had a wonderful birth.  Since I knew what to expect and how labor progressed I was calm and collected in the first stage.  I was prepared for contractions and we had lots of ways to deal with them. My H was an amazing support person and he remembered a lot of stuff we had learned in class.  I did not handle second stage labor (pushing) very well.  I freaked out and screamed. My LO had a nuchal hand and I don't think there was any way I could prepare for that. Overall I attribute my Bradley classes and my doula for having such a wonderful birth.

nomar610

I've been reading about the Bradley classes and it's a 12 week program? I don't know if i have 12 weeks the holidays are coming up and i'm sure it's going to affect the class schedules.  Did you take a 12wk class? It sounds like it’s really helpful and I would want my husband to be there and know what to do.  

TillyAdams

I'm in Chicago, but I assume it's somewhat similar in other metro areas - 

Most Bradley classes are 12 weeks, but I've seen some condensed into 10 weeks (they will do longer sessions to do that). You should look into them; most instructors are also busy around the holidays, so it's likely that they have a session running now that will end in early December and then won't start their next sessions until January. Also, there are instructors that might be flexible with you splitting between sessions. For example, if a session that starts in January runs past your due date, you might sit in on the last 2 classes of a current session and then begin the rest in January. It all depends!

ETA: Typo

aylafsu88

nonna4 said:

I've been reading about the Bradley classes and it's a 12 week program? I don't know if i have 12 weeks the holidays are coming up and i'm sure it's going to affect the class schedules.  Did you take a 12wk class? It sounds like it’s really helpful and I would want my husband to be there and know what to do.  

I did.  The instructor who teaches the class in my area does offer condensed versions (6 weeks and 2 or 3 weeks) for couples you cannot do the full time.  You could always ask the instructor in your area if that is a possibility.  Our instructor was also flexible around holidays so yours may be to.

shiway

If you are planning a natural birth. I highly recommend a natural birth friendly birth class: like Bradley of Lamaze (not a hospital sponsored birth class). Some instructors even had specific natural birth classes. I also highly recommend a doula! Those 2 things will make a HUGE difference.

shiway

Oh and not all bradly method classes are the full 12 weeks. My instructor had a 5 week version

HannahsHope

I took them w/ my first. They were not natural birth oriented. If I had to do it again, I would have taken a class for those that are natural birth minded.

lalaith50

If you are short on time, then I think you might want to consider a doula instead of the time/money from a class. I found a fantastic doula (she has done almost 700 births!) and in interviewing her, it sounds like a lot of the stuff she will be helping with is similar to what you might learn in a birthing class, like ideas for different positions, and even positions pre-labor to help the baby be in the optimal position (not breech or sunny side up), and most importantly she can give you encouragement that you can do it when you are almost at your breaking point.

Chichigo

My Bradley instructor is also a doula and lactation consultant. We aren't hiring her as a doula, but we can text and/or call her with questions or concerns for support during labor/postpartum.