questions regarding classes 2TM or FTM come in!

amanda2424

I just signed up for a breast feeding class which I feel I definitely need to take, this class is at the hospital that I am delivering at. I also signed up for a general prenatal class, but it is offsite because the one at my hospital was 150.00 and this one is free hosted by a pediatric office.

Question one regarding BF class: Did you bring your DH and if you did was it really neccessary or should I just let him off the hook for this one? I don't mind going alone, but the lady said husbands do attend.

Question two regarding hospital tours:  Do you really think I need to do this or should I just check things out on my own while at my BF class?

Question three regarding "Preparing for childbirth" class:  Did you take one, and if so is it really neccessary? 

In regarding to "preparing for childbirth" class the reason I ask is because I feel like I don't really want to get into all the dirty details because I feel like I already know what to expect just from being a women and I don't want to scare myself and get all worried about something that has to happen. I really trust my doctor and nurses and know that they will be there for me helping me make the best decisions at the time.  My DH was also an EMT firefighter and has been a few situations in which he had to assist in a delivery, so I just feel very comfrotable with my support system which makes me want to skip that, but I want to make sure I do not end up regretting that decision.

Final question: Am I crazy with my thought process for the birth class or should I just take the damn class?

TIA

Manx4

I didn't take a BF'ing class but taking DH will be helpful, he'll have a general idea of the process & the support you'll want/need in regards to it. 

Take a hospital tour for sure, if the class doesn't include it, call today and ask your hospital when the next tour is because I found that to be one of the most interesting aspects of the class. 

I took "preparing for childbirth" class & found I knew 99% of what they went over already.  I had read/heard about it and felt I could have been up there giving the class.  What was helpful was learning the hospital's procedures in each scenario.  Otherwise...snooze fest.  

starrysmile18

1. There is a L.C. at the hospital that will help me with this after the birth, so I didn't go to a class.

2.I got a tour of this as part of my "6 wk birthing class."

3. Yes, from 7-9p Monday nights for 6 weeks. I've got 4 done, and 2 left. It's very helpful. They give you all the tools you need to make a choice about what type of birth you want and any/all medical interventions that may need to take place. They also give us many "show n tells" about the tools used and prep us by watching videos of differnent techniques. They teach us about when to come in, what is the process of check in and the breakdown for while you're at the hospital for your LO's birth.

FWIW, I thought that a class would be silly since I've been reading so many different books, but classes are helpful especially for DH who isn't reading as much as I am. AND you get to connect with others and talk to them about thier thoughts. I had to pay $110 for our class, some hospitals offer them free if thats where you'll be delivering. But honestly, I look forward to going each week. It's a good review and also I can ask the NP questions without getting a biased response.

gingerfamily

I didn't take a bf'ing class.  I figured not knowing what obstacles I'd be facing with that, it would be kind of pointless. 

It depends where your class is.  Most maternity wards, you cant just stroll around and check out though.  IMHO, as long as you know where to go when you get to the hospital that is the most important thing. 

I found this helpful.  They most likely go over some stuff that you didn't know.  Just b/c you are a woman doesn't mean you know everything about childbirth.  Having a supportive partner helps though. 

 

mrs.kapow

I found the BFing class and MH's presence at the class to be the most beneficial thing I did for my postpartum experience. He was much calmer about it in the hospital and was able to remind me of things we had learned when I got worked up or upset and something not being quite right. 

Also, I clicked better with the LC who taught that class than the one that showed up in the hospital. It was nice to have two options to call if I needed their help.

The childbirth class was worth it for the couple hours we were there. I wouldn't do a longer class or multiple days/nights, though. What worked for me was knowing other pain management options besides the epi and all the side effects of all of them. I think the class is what pushed me to go without the epi because I learned of some of the BP issues, which I already deal with.  

PrncesWife

I did not bring my DH to my breastfeeding class.  I was the only one there alone, but it didn't bother me.  I took really good notes but really I don't think he needs to be there.

I think the hospital tour is a good idea.  I am glad I'll be getting a refresher tour with DD's sibling class this time.  It's just nice to know what to expect when you show up at the hospital.

Both DH and I found the childbirth class to be useless, so no help to you there.

ETA: It's possible we found the class useless because I already knew I was getting an epi ASAP.

brideandbreve

My DH and I talked about what classes we wanted to take, and we decided on two:

- Childbirth Basics, which is a 2-night class and includes a tour of our hospital's L&D unit. Although DH and I both feel like we aren't total n00bs at this whole "how are babies born" thing (we don't have kids yet, but we've done a little reading/research and whatnot), we did think that it would help us both feel a little more confident for the moment when it's time and we're on our way there. The class will also cover what will happen if I get a c-section, which DH was really interested in since that scenario worries him.

- Infant CPR, another 2-night class. This is one that you probably don't need, but both DH and I would feel better knowing that we took it. For the peace of mind we'll have, the $40 out of pocket for us to attend as a couple is not bad.

I also decided against taking a BFing class, mainly because I've heard from women I know who have taken it that it's strongly backed by our local chapter of La Leche League, and it can be a little.. biased. I hope to BF, but I figure I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I'll utilize the lactation consultants in L&D, and if need be, there's a class that our hospital offers for BFing moms of newborns to help with support, technique, etc., so I can do that if I feel that I need it.

INmommy871278

I had the same thoughts, but DH was the youngest in his family and helped raise his nephew but more played with him than cared for him.  We decided to take the newborn care class as well as the preparation for childbirth class for his sake he also asked me to find us an infant CPR class because he was nervous about what to do if the baby started choking or stopped breathing. 

I am taking the BF class and have let DH off the hook for that one, when I called to schedule it the lady told me that some husbands come to form a support system, DH has been for bf ever since we found out I was prego so really don't think he needs to join me for that class.

As for the hospital tour, dh doesn't feel the need to go on one, but I get anxious going places for the first time so I signed up for one and will probably end up going by myself on that more so I am not anxious about going into a new place when the time comes.

bosha711

Yes, I brought MH to the BFing class. I highly recommend it. There's a lot that YH can do to support you while BFing, so I would include him.

Our tour was included in a class we took. If it's not included, I wouldn't assume you could just go & check out L&D while you're there. Maybe just try to schedule it ahead of time for the same day as your class, or at least call to find out what you need to do.

Yes, we took the Childbirth Prep class & found it helpful. We learned about the pelvic stations, difference between being dilated & effaced, breathing techniques for pain management, and of course baby care stuff, like how many wet diapers they should have, how much milk they take in at each feeding during the first days of life, what normal poops should look like, etc, etc.

 I don't agree with your rationale as to why you might not need the class.

 

terri_doula2010

BF Class: I didn't bring DH and it was fine. I'm sure it would have been fine either way, but that class does pertain more to me than him and it coincided with his parents visiting, so him entertaining them made more sense.

Hospital Tour: I find the tours very useful. You see a lot more than you would just be being there for BF class and can ask questions. If you are with a group it is even better because you can hear other people's questions that may not have occured to you to ask.

Childbirth Prep class: My natural childbirth class I took with DS was really useful to DH and myself, even though I had a c-section in the end. While there were a few aspects that were somber and one or two things made DH worry more, overall I think it *helped* a lot more than hindered, and I was quite prepared before going to it.

Final Question: All classes aren't great, you won't know til you take it, and you'd be far from the first person to not take a class and yet still manage to give birth. I suppose the question is would you rather regret taking it or not taking it?

hmp1

Did you bring your DH and if you did was it really neccessary or should I just let him off the hook for this one? He went and I think everyone in my class was a couple. It was useful for DH to learn the struggles and everything that goes into it.

hospital tours:  Do you really think I need to do this or should I just check things out on my own while at my BF class? Take the scheduled tour.

 "Preparing for childbirth" class:  Did you take one, and if so is it really neccessary?  Yes and we both enjoyed it. While I knew my doctor and his staff well, I was mainly with the hospital staff on the day of delivery. My instructor for the class was my head nurse which was great since we already had a bond. I was glad to get to ask questions about their specific policies and procedures since it differs everywhere. We had an anesthesiologist come talk to us about all the different pain meds options. We had a full tour including the surgery rooms and talked to the head nurse in the nursery. They had us fill out a simple birth plan and all our paperwork so we didn't have to worry about that when we were admitted. Plus, I made some great new friends expecting babies at the same time as me.

amandad715

Question one regarding BF class: Yes, everyone brought their husbands and it was great to have him learn along with me. He was an awesome support postpartum and he remembered things afterwards I didn't since actually doing it was so new and it was overwhelming trying to "get it right".

Question two regarding hospital tours:  our hospital classes were in a completely different area of the hospital, there wasn't time to "check it out". Plus security is tight and you have to know someone to get to different parts of the wing. Take the tour, it was helpful to know where you start(L&D), the where you would go IF you had a CS, which ended up happening with us, where you'd recover from the surgery, where the baby would go to get tests, how to get in and out of Mother/Baby, etc. LOTS of valuable info! 

Question three regarding "Preparing for childbirth" class:  Yes, we took an all-day one on a Saturday through the hospital. It was very informative and I felt the more we both knew the better.

Final question: Just take it. You won't want/have to do it again after having one baby, but there's no harm in learning all you can from hospital staff and professionals. Plus, you can ask questions. As a teacher, I am a big nerd and wanted to learn as much as possible about my body and what happens naturally, what medications are available, what could happen in an emergency situation, etc.

watercolor5

I'm a FTM, but I'd say, yes, take the childbirth class!  I've taken 3 of 4 classes, each 2 hours long.  I also felt pretty well informed without the class about what the risks were and what my options were and what was going to happen anatomically.  My brother is an OB and I was an EMT in college. 

I don't think the class causes any stress at all, just helps you to think through ways to manage pain and discomforts of labor before you're actually feeling them.  Especially for DH, it gave him tools he can use to help me manage pain, and me things I can do to help cope so neither of us feels helpless or out of control when the pain hits.

It's helpful to practice techniques like stretches, breathing, pelvic tilts, lunges, massage, and meditation ahead of time, both to help your body prepare for what's to come, and so it's more second nature when you are trying to do some of these things while in labor or in pain.

I took the class through my hospital, which was a nice bonus because they talked about how things are done specifically at that facility.  I'll also be taking the hospital tour and the breastfeeding class, and dragging DH along to all of it.  A lot of  women have told me that it helped them that their husbands had attended the breastfeeding class too because when they were frustrated and exhausted and having trouble, their husbands remained calm and remembered a lot more from the class than they did.

amanda2424

Thanks for all your informed responses. I did go ahead and sign up for the hospital tour along with the prenatal infant care and breast feeding class. I am still on the fence about the childbirth class, so we shall see Thanks again, your input really helped.