Childbirth classes

jackieanddan1989

Hey ladies,

I know this is super early but I'm going to start trying to plan which childbirth classes to take now, because we have to look in what's covered by insurance and all of our financial options. Everything that invovles money spending I'm looking far ahead because we are penny pinching like crazy in preparation for this kid!!

I didn't see any threads like this on our board when I searched, but if I missed one, feel free to redirect me. 

So I know there are a lot of difference techniques out there, like Lamaze and Hypobirthing, as well as the basic, more barebones childbirth class offered by a lot of hospitals. My mom recommends Lamaze, while my sister in law said she felt like the basic one was sufficient.

So just wondering, what birth classes have you ladies taken in the past? Did you feel like it was worth it, that it helped? Are there any types of classes you recommend above the others?

xuxachi

I just took the one at the hospital and I thought it was fine. Some of them can book up early so good that you are thinking ahead!

miahbelle

I know there was a post on this but I can't find it either. Hmmmm....
Anyway, DH and I were required by our birth center to take a childbirth class because we were first timers. I couldn't find a childbirth class that my DH could attend with me because of his odd work hours, so we did a DVD class instead. I didn't get much out of it, but DH did and I ended up being glad we "took" it.
This time around I want to do Hypnobirthing. We have a limited budget, so I'm getting the hypnobabies set for Christmas and gonna watch that one with DH.

Eta: we did Lamaze the first time. It was very informative and it isn't the same as it used to be (weird breathing techniques and all).

miahbelle

steph0611 said:

Yeah I did respond to a post but that's weird it can't be found!

Anyway, we took a childbirth class (6 weeks I believe) and a breastfeeding class (1 3 hr night). I found both really helpful, especially for dh. Even though I've been around babies and kids forever, it's different when you're in charge is the decision making.

I forgot, I also took a breastfeeding class. That one was not mandatory, but they really wanted me to take one since I had never breast fed before. I honestly grew up in a family where every woman nursed (even the married in ones) so most of it wasn't new to me, but it was informative in that it covered new studies that have been done, plus the other people in the class were great! My DH did not get to attend that one, but my mother went with me (she was my main b/f support anyway).

MitoRachel

There was a really good thread about this quite a while ago, but I couldn't find it searching. Let me go through what I did and thought about.

1. 1day hospital childbirth class with DH. This was very basic. If you don't know where your cervix is, or what a c-section is, it would be helpful. Didn't really give me any tools for getting through labor.

2. Documentary, The Business of Being Born. Is on Youtube. Good, but biased. They make it sound like hospitals are out to get you, and I have had two lovely hospital births where the nurses were amazing. 

3. Books on the Bradley Method (that I got from the library). Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way. Hilarious old pictures, but very helpful. There are exercises you are supposed to do with your partner, but even just doing them on my own was helpful. I also read the book that Dr. Bradley wrote. It wasn't really worth the time.

4. The Big Book of Birth (also from library). This is a great book. After reading it I felt like I finally understood all the different options available to me, and had a whole toolbox of ideas to draw from to get through labor. Some of the things she says about pregnancy have really stuck with me too.

FitMom3510

I signed up for a Bradley Method class that starts in November and is 12 weeks long. 

jackieanddan1989

Thanks so much for the input ladies! I am seeing a few new things I haven't heard of that I will have to look up, such as the Bradley Method. By natural childbirth do they mean, no epidural? Cause I have every intention of having one lol.

 My only concern with the long classes is cost, but we will have to look into the options.

MitoRachel

They do mean no epidural, but you can ignore that part. Even if you get an epidural you will have some natural laboring to do before you get to the hospital, and if you can hold out until you are something like 4-6cm your risk of c-section with an epidural goes down quite a bit. I tend to get a LOT of false labor at the end of pregnancy, so for me natural childbirth techniques are invaluable seeing as I can't get an epidural for the last 2 months of pregnancy!

Ginja85

Most birthing classes will work with first time parents on a sliding scale, I know the 3 hospitals near me do for all their classes and a few classes are free like breastfeeding & daddy bootcamp.

knjzacher

I was going to attend the one offered at the hospital we are delivering at for my first, but I was put in strict bedrest so I was able to take a free class online through the province of Ontario. It was really thorough. I feel like a basic class would be sufficient but then again I was not into hypnobirth and I was NOT going to do it natural. If that's a route you're into I know there is lots of literature to facilitate natural birth.
This time around I am going to do the online class again I think.

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rosemama116

I think it depends on what kind of birth you're aiming for.  If you're not planning a med-free birth, then I don't think the childbirth classes are as important.  The labor and delivery nurses will tell you what to do.

If you have an FSA, look into whether or not you can use those funds to pay for your classes, as I know I was able to.

As for the classes I took and really enjoyed - Infant CPR (a must, in my opinion) and a class called Breastfeeding and Back to Work.  It was basically a pumping class, with basics on how the pump worked, storage guidelines, etc.  

A note about Infant CPR - they told us to make sure we brought our certificates with us to the hospital when dd was born, because many times if your babe ends up in the NICU, they will not let you take them home unless you can show that you have completed that class.

bowman958

We did a class through our hospital and found it very informative and helpful. It did have labor techniques and encouraged women to labor at home as long as possible and to wait on the epi until at least 5cm. It was very cost effective as well, I think it may have been $100.

k8knits

I had my 13 week appt today and was surprised when the NP said I should definitely sign up for the class at the hospital ASAP! So DH and I will be doing a course in February that meets on Mondays for 2 hours, four classes.

Ncountrygal

Bradley classes are really really good. I've posted a bunch on them before so just search old threads for that and pp's other good tips.

cwiceangel

Hey I'm the one who posted the birthing classes. You have to look up "Lamaze and other birth classes". I'm mobile and don't know if there's a way to post a link or not. But I'm going to follow this thread as well. It's totally overwhelming. My hospital offers a bunch and of course each costs at least $20-$40 except the hospital tour and daddy boot camp. Those are free.
Edit: posted before I was done.

When I posted on my local board (which might as well not even exist. Don't know about your boards but central Florida is dead.) one lady suggested the hospital tour and the breastfeeding course.