Birthing Classes

greneyeself

I am 25 weeks along and my husband and I are debating whether or not to take birthing classes. This is our first baby and we are want to be as prepared as we can be. However, from what I have read so far it seems like a waste of money and time. Any Suggestions or thoughts? Any recommendations of birthing books we can take a look at? Thanks in advance

mandyhall2882

My MIL is paying for our birthing classes. I think it's about $50 for 4 classes. Which doesn't seem too bad. I think it will be a fun experience and I'll get to meet new friends that are moms-to-be. I would say if you can afford it and have the time, do it. I'm going to be a first time parent too and also want to be as prepared as I can be.

laurasuzanne2006

Really I think it depends what kind of birth you want.  I'm doing classes as we are planning a natural home birth.  Honestly if i was planning an induction and epi in a hospital I don't know if I would bother.  I also wanted to take classes as DH will have a big part in the birth and he really doesn't know too much about birth and I want him to be comfortable with everything that will be going on. 

I'm not saying women who aren't planning a natural birth wouldn't find a use for classes, I just think it's even more important with the type of birth we need to prepare for.

ashleytyler7

as pp states, i was told to take the class because i want natural birth. i have heard they are fairly pointless if you are managing pain medically. 

hales.21

I plan to have a natural birth, and I feel it best if I take birthing classes... hubby too, so he is prepared.  And mine are free, thanks to the military.. so why not.

jaredandjenny

Our hospital offers free classes.  We will be attending those.  I don't think anything I can learn about pregnancy/giving birth/taking care of myself and baby after birth will be a waste of time or money.  I am excited for the classes.

desmerelda317

jaredandjenny:

Our hospital offers free classes.  We will be attending those.  I don't think anything I can learn about pregnancy/giving birth/taking care of myself and baby after birth will be a waste of time or money.  I am excited for the classes.

I definitely agree with the bolded statement.  I look at childbirth a lot like I look at breast feeding - sure, it's natural and women do it every day all over the world, but that doesn't mean I know jack squat about how to go about doing it lol.  I also had a med-free birth with DS and took Bradley classes in order to prepare for that.  A lot of women will tell moms who want a natural birth that they shouldn't set their hopes too high because they just never know what could happen or how their body will act in labor.  But it goes both ways.  Even if you plan on an epidural, you just never know how things will turn out.  What if you're that mom whose labor goes so quickly that you don't have time for the drugs?  Or even if you are able to get an epidural, you may find yourself waiting a while for the anesthesiologist to arrive.  So I think it behooves every woman to have some knowledge about how to cope with labor pain and work with her body and the contractions in the best way possible.  A quality birth class will also give you some information on all of your options as well as some info on how inductions and/or c sections work and why they might be necessary,   Knowledge is power.  And money spent on it is never wasted in my opinion.

memali26

ashleytyler7:

as pp states, i was told to take the class because i want natural birth. i have heard they are fairly pointless if you are managing pain medically. 

I completely disagree with them being pointless if you plan to use pain meds. We took a generic birthing class offered by my hospital - it was maybe $30 per couple, and 2-3 hours one night a week for 4 weeks. We covered everything from the process of labor to pain management techniques to comfort measures to what the nurses are doing to your baby right after birth, in addition to a really great overview of the hospital's policies.

This class was SO beneficial for my DH, especially. He had no idea what to expect during labor/delivery, and taking a class really helped him feel prepared to help me. I ended up getting an epidural, but only after laboring for 32 hours without it (and with pitocin contractions and back labor, both of which are awful). During those 32 hours I used several of the pain management an comfort techniques I learned in class. Plus, having learned the "medical jargon" that goes with L&D will help you understand and communicate better with your dr. and nursing staff.

NebMom

take a class. do a LOT of online research to find one that suits you and will prepare you. a lot of times, the hospital classes aren't ideal for some couples, but its better to be prepared and know what you are going to deal with, b/c then it doesn't seem quite as scary, when you go into labor. definitely, take a class

julygal

I took a class through the hospital we delivered at.  It gave us a lot more insight to our hospital and its policies than the tour did.  It was very beneficial to DH.  I found it delivered information I had read in a different format, which is always a great way to learn and better understand material.  We took a weekend course which was 9 am - 3 pm on Sat and 8-noon on Sunday. While it wasn't a fun way to spend the weekend, the information was valuable.  FWIW I had an epi, and the course covered natural relief and pain meds.  I found the info on natural relief great while I was laboring at home and before I took anything at the hospital.  The info on pain meds very beneficial and helped influence my choice of when and what types of meds to take. 

greneyeself

That?s Kind of the financial situation I am encountering as well, hence the post.   The classes at the hospital (just one day course) are anywhere from 175-300 dollars (thats a changer or a dresser for the baby's room). I purchased a book that by one of the instructors who is an obstetric nurse. Now reading all the response I think the 175 might have to be spent.

 

You would figure that if our predecessors did this whole thing without classes and anesthetics then obviously giving birth is not rocket science that requires seminars and workbooks, but I am not sure what to do still? hmmm

desmerelda317

greneyeself:

That?s Kind of the financial situation I am encountering as well, hence the post.   The classes at the hospital (just one day course) are anywhere from 175-300 dollars (thats a changer or a dresser for the baby's room). I purchased a book that by one of the instructors who is an obstetric nurse. Now reading all the response I think the 175 might have to be spent.

 

You would figure that if our predecessors did this whole thing without classes and anesthetics then obviously giving birth is not rocket science that requires seminars and workbooks, but I am not sure what to do still? hmmm

Your point is a valid one, but remember that there's a difference between the birth culture of today and yesteryear.  There's a difference between knowing all your options and their various risks/benefits nowadays and having to birth without anesthesia or other interventions because they simply weren't an option in the past.  And don't assume that because some of today's interventions didn't exist in the past, that women didn't learn from other women how birth worked.  Sure classes weren't an organized thing and you didn't have to pay for them, but I'm sure there was still some form of education being passed from woman to woman, mother to daughter, and generation to generation.