July 2015 Moms

when to schedule hospital tour / prenatal classes ?

I searched and see that no one has brought this up yet. Now that some of us are entering the second trimester, I'm wondering when is the time to schedule prenatal classes and hospital tours?

My OB only delivers at one hospital, so I don't have to go through the hassle of touring at more than one. I'm just wondering, for experienced moms, when did you take your tour and/or classes? did you have to call early to schedule? I know every place might be different, just wondering what the general consensus seems to be. 

Thanks ladies, and happy new year! 
~Jenny~


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Re: when to schedule hospital tour / prenatal classes ?

  • I did r class in 3rd Tri. I scheduled it earlier because they book up quickly.
  • Not sure but my doctor highly recommended that if I was planning on breast feeding to take a class on it. Doctor said women have a higher success rate after those classes.
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  • My midwives told me that waiting until 3rd trimester is normal. I know I probably won't have time until May anyway
  • Our MW let me know the dates the class was offered. Ours was an 8-12 class with a tour of the birthing center. I only did that with my first. I can't remember when it was though.
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  • The paperwork my OB gave me regarding scheduling a tour says in the 7th month or later. I guess that's what they like to recommend. There are not a lot of options for classes in my area and I'm already CPR certified. I'll probably have to find something in a bigger nearby city.
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  • We did our classes/tour when I was 7 months. It was a really good experience.
  • Thanks ladies,
    I actually looked up my hospital website right after I posted this. They have multiple class options. Some full day, some 2 half days and some 3, 3hr sessions spread over 3 weeks. They suggest to have your last class end 4-6 weeks before your due date. so according to their schedule of classes I have a couple of options that are doable for us. 
    And @Irs220 I looked up the breastfeeding prep class at our hospital and it's only $20! definitely gonna check that out thanks!
    ~Jenny~


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  • I second the breastfeeding class. It helped a ton and the LC that taught it was able to meet with me after DD was born for additional piece of mind. I didn't do childbirth classes with DD (I'm more of a less info is more type on things that terrify me...I was also a scheduled c section in the end because DD never turned, so I can't say if I would have regretted not going). I think hospital tour was around 7/8 months.
  • My paperwork says around the 30week mark. They have a full weekend prenatal class that includes the tour and meeting an anesthesiologist so our plan is to do that. $200 though!!
  • Beginning of third trimester I believe is when I did those and they had a way to enroll on their website to make it easy so maybe check there first.
  • We did our hospital tour way early last time; I think January or February and i wasn't due til May. It just worked for us so we did it. Definitely take the tour, even if it's the only hospital option you have. They give you a lot of info, like where to park and the quickest way to get to L&D, what doors to use at what time of day, security info for you and baby, how meals work, etc. We never took any classes though. We got lazy on scheduling, and then ran out of time. I ended up with a c/s though so they would have been pointless.
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  • I took a few classes at the hospital in early 3rd tri. They offer them once or twice a quarter, so I'd contact the hospital and just see when they offer them. The tour was part of one of the birthing classes I took. I don't think anyone would side eye you for doing it before third tri though.
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  • I toured the hospital early on (I chose a dr based off which hospital I wanted to deliver at).
    As for classes, take them early in your third tri... if you wait to long you will be uncomfroable in their chairs etc, but too early and you may forget the info.
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  • This is baby #3 and I've never been offered a hospital tour. With my 2nd I didn't even know where L&D was when my water broke. I was offered a "tour" at this hospital but their "tour" is an online walk through. Good thing I've been there for a friends birth.
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  • Just scheduled our classes today! Hospital tour in feb, breast feeding class in march, delivery class in April, and caring for baby class in May. Lol they're nice and spread out because of how the classes offered fit in with my work schedule, but I'm super excited. My hospital recommends most classes in the second trimester when you can tolerate being there for hours at a time.
  • We couldn't afford classes with my first so we didn't take them. The hospital tour was free and we didn't go on that until I was 37 weeks (hello procrastinator)!!!
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  • I just put my registration form and check in the mail.

    For those concerned about the cost of the classes check with your insurance companies. Some cover the classes, some reimburse you for them. Others like mine don't cover jack, but they were inexpensive enough and they offer payment plans. We are taking 5, and the total was $130 because they offer a discount for delivery at the hospital
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  • My hospital is offering a class for moms of multiples, but they don't offer it very often. They offer it this month and not again until the Tuesday after easter, but that week doesn't work for me, so I am taking that class this month because I really want to take it. In March they are having a class for kiddos to get them ready for a new wbaby and it includes a tour of the hospital, so my DD and I are doing that together in march.

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  • I'd start looking now even if you don't schedule it until the last trimester. Ours is the first Monday of the month and some months are skipped so really there's only a few more. And yeah they book up quick!
  • My hospital had as do a new parent class about car seats, Breast feeding/formula, cribs, safety and daycare and gave us a tour they had us do it any time during the second tri
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  • Are these classes required? Is it bad that I have no desire to take these classes? This is my first child, and strangly I'm and not worried in the slightest. I'm good with just winging it.
  • lilweenie said:

    Are these classes required? Is it bad that I have no desire to take these classes? This is my first child, and strangly I'm and not worried in the slightest. I'm good with just winging it.

    They are not required. This is baby #3 and I've never taken a single class and don't care to.
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  • lilweenie said:

    Are these classes required? Is it bad that I have no desire to take these classes? This is my first child, and strangly I'm and not worried in the slightest. I'm good with just winging it.

    I don't think the tour is a huge deal but I recommend some sort of birthing class, they go Over a lot of different scenarios. I also highly recommend infant cpr that the hospital usually offers.
  • We aren't doing the classes. I did a 6 week class (2 hours, once a week) with DD and don't think we need to do all that again. We did just schedule our tour and we scheduled it for either mid February or mid March (we had to pick two possible dates). With crazy work schedules and expecting twins, we didn't want to wait too long. We also just scheduled DD for the Little Helpers class at our hospital - it is for siblings-to-be age 3-7 and talks about baby basics, how they can help mommy and daddy and gives them a tour of the Family Birth Center so they are familiar with the set up when the time comes. DD will do that in March or April.
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