Scheduled c/s and childbirth classes

llizzyb · December 2011

I am a first time mom and will be having a scheduled c/s. I signed us up for a breast feeding class today and started to wonder if we should also go ahead and do a childbirth class, even though we're having a surgical delivery. There seemed to be other relevant topics covered at childbirth class that might benefit us despite the fact that I won't be having a vaginal birth (pain management, postpartum care, etc.) Any thoughts from you all? Do you think the majority of the class would be so geared towards the actual labor and delivery that it wouldn't be worth attending?

magdalina.h · December 2011

I took a newborn care class this time. I already knew how to recover from a c/s, but not how to take care of a baby. I didn't learn anything beneficial. It was all how they were going to take care of me in the hospital.

lisac1017 · December 2011

While I'll probably wish I'd done a BF class, I did go to a childbirth class and yes, most of it is geared towards laboring, how to stay calm during labor, the partners role to keep you calm, and how to know when to go to L&D. At the time, I assumed I'd be delivering vaginally but still had a hard time relating because I was high risk with PTL so half of what they said didn't apply to me anyway. As it turns out, I have a c-sect scheduled for Jan 4th so unless the baby flips, the class will have really not helped me much at all. There were other women there though who were having c-sections, and there is still a lot of just pregnancy info that is addressed. But, I wouldn't have had my husband and myself spend 8 hours there again if I'd known I was having a c-sect. HTH.

pitterpatter129 · December 2011

I had a "natural" birth/labor for the 26 hours before an emergency csection, and I did not find the class all that helpful for either birthing experience.

FemShep · December 2011

I had a scheduled c section with DD (medical reasons), and will have a RCS with this baby. Our hospital has a number of relevant classes we've signed up for-they have a class specifically for planned c sections, a general tour of the labor and delivery ward, and a class for siblings (based on age group). With DD, at a smaller hospital, I took the "usual" labor and delivery class. It was helpful only in that it got me more familiar with the hospital policies and procedures. I also took a breastfeeding/infant care class, which was helpful since I was totally clueless about babies. Hope that helps!

girllennon · December 2011

I took an 8 hour birthing class when I was 28 weeks PG. Even my DH didn't think we needed to go, but I had found that the information I learned about c-sections was quite useful even though the majority of the class was vaginal births. Birthing my son was the first time I was ever hospitalized and the first time I had surgery, so at least going into this, I knew what was involved.

We both learned, too, about newborns (which neither of us knew) was how small their tummies really are, so that explained a lot why LOs need to feed as often as they do.

Stephanie2167 · December 2011

I'd do the breastfeeding class but everything else for me was not useful. Just a waste of money.

daenikoffre · December 2011

I had an unplanned c/s and we had taken a childbirth class prior. I found it very helpful. Our class went over the process and stages of delivery [vaginal and surgical], and healing, and they went over the drugs and side effects of each. They also taught us about what to expect hormonally during and afterwards.

I did not take a newborn care class, but we did take a BFing class and that was great, too.

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Scheduled c/s and childbirth classes

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