My Mom is freaking out about me taking childbirth classes

JNoelleE · February 2012

I'm sure they are helpful, but are they really so necessary? I'm planning on doing things naturally and have a few books that teach techniques, and the hospital I am going to doesnt offer natural birth classes like some of the other sutter hospitals do in my area, and I dont know if I would want to take childbirth classes at a different hospital than I will be delivering at. I am for sure taking a breastfeeding class though... When I said this to her she looked like she was about to poop her pants. Necessary?

KateHagan · February 2012

DH and I are taking a birthing from within childbirth class - it is a 5 week course that came to $175. Our instructor is also a doula which has been amazing to have her perspective! We will be having a natural childbirth at a birth center so we felt like it would give us a lot more information and tools that would help us out since I'm a FTM. I'm a reading/researching machine but feel like the classes really help DH and I as a team. Its been really sweet seeing him ask questions and do the exercies with me. What a guy!

I do know a lot of FTM's that opt out of the classes and have amazing birth experiences- personal preference! Smile

WildcatPrincess · February 2012

Plenty of people say they're not necessary. Going natural I definitely wanted to take a class, personal preference. It was not at the hospital I delivered at and that didn't bother me at all. Actually, it was at a local doctor's office, we just took the free tour of L&D separate. Our hospital does them twice a month.

mommyaudra · February 2012

I am very glad that we took the classes, all the tips my instructor taught me and my husband were very helpful when it came time to start labor. I also believe that it helped DH help me and be prepared, he would say the same. I know alot of people will say it all goes out the door come labor but it really did help.

returnhomegnome · February 2012

Hospital "childbirth" classes are often very introductory level and are more to inform you of hospital procedures and things from their perspective so you won't be surprised by stuff.

Childbirth classes offered independent of hospitals are often more in depth and focused on the actual birthing process, and things you can do to help yourself have as successful and stress free a time as possible.

I found the Bradley Method book to be super interesting and talks a lot about how our bodies work and how we can work with them and have a positive experience (but be warned, it is VERY graphic! lots of photos... and stuff! haha)

I'm also a fan of hypno-birthing theory, but only because i've used hypno-methods for pain management with success with migraines. It's something I know works for me.

I must say though: with both Bradley and Hypno methods, there are things to practice in advance, and the more you practice the better off you are.

PrincessFiona9 · February 2012

I didn't take the class because I had no one to go with. I read some books etc, talked to friends and family, and basically went into it with an open mind. I already knew I wanted an epidural. I was induced, and I never want to go through that again. Definitely hoping for a natural labor next time.

88eve88 · February 2012

KateHagan:
DH and I are taking a birthing from within childbirth class - it is a 5 week course that came to $175. Our instructor is also a doula which has been amazing to have her perspective! We will be having a natural childbirth at a birth center so we felt like it would give us a lot more information and tools that would help us out since I'm a FTM. I'm a reading/researching machine but feel like the classes really help DH and I as a team. Its been really sweet seeing him ask questions and do the exercies with me. What a guy!

I do know a lot of FTM's that opt out of the classes and have amazing birth experiences- personal preference!

This is practically me! Ours was a 5-6 week course that cost $175, but we took the full day weekend option instead. And our instructor was also a doula too, so she was pretty pro "natural birth", but still talked about the other options available. I also do a lot of research for myself, but the classes gave my husband a reality check and now I giggle every time he asks me if I'm nesting or if I've lost my mucus plug (which I haven't yet!! sheesh). She also gave a lot of good tips that I wouldn't necessarily find in my research. I wrote pages and pages of notes during the classes and I read them over every night. Overkill? Maybe.

However, not all prenatal classes are equal and I'm sure some are pretty useless. I guess it depends on the hospital and instructor. It might be worth researching before shelling out the big bucks.

ETA: Fixed typos

Lisa9926 · February 2012

I took one when I was pregnant the first time and found it dumb and unhelpful. You say you are going natural though, so you might want to think about it to practice breathing techniques and stuff.

tamimiller60 · February 2012

Honestly, I did the classes with my first pregnancy and thought they were silly. all they did was tell me all the things I already knew, all the labor cliches, breathing patterns, the list goes on... The only reason I enjoyed going to them was to meet the other expecting mom's in the class. It could be fun for you!

skibunny59 · February 2012

We are taking a childbirth class and it has been very helpful. It's not affiliated with any hospital. I've heard that the hospital classes are not that good. Especially if you are planning on going natural, I would definitely consider a class. Also, I don't know about your DH but mine won't read any books about childbirth but he agreed to take the class so he is learning a lot.

allisons1014 · February 2012

DH and I really enjoyed our class. It was at the hospital we will be delivering at but the instructor was Lamaze certified. Our instructor was great and she really encouraged us to think about natural birth options. She taught a lot of labor positions and techniques that help to distract or make the pain more bareable. She did go over the all of the medicine options available in birth and what happens in c-sections. The other think that I really appreciated was the time she took to explain all of the induction methods so that we really understood when it's medically neccessary to induce and when we should perhaps pushback.

I am very glad we decided to do it. Women have been giving birth for thousands and thousands of years without birth classes but you hear so many horror stories about awful labors and bad birth experiences that it was great to get back to the mindset that birth is natural and your body and your baby know exactly what to do.

Good luck with your decision!

saturdaysuiteheart · February 2012

i'm on my third and never took a class. whats the point? i think it's a waste of money but to each her own i guess.

laurack · February 2012

We had our first last week, it's a 4 part class (2.5 hours each) and cost us $200, which I think the insurance will refund at least partially.

The first class was very interesting & informative, especially for the hubby who knew nothing about labor & delivery, he really enjoyed it. It was also nice to meet other expectant mothers.

I am planning to at least try a natural birth in a birth center and would like to have as much as possible in the way of pain management techniques before going into it. Even if you are dead set on the epi, you may still have to go through hours of contractions before you get it and then there is a chance it won't work. I would say, it's worth going anyway if you have the time and the $

tryincloth · February 2012

I went into preterm labor with my first and didn't have a chance to take classes. What helped me through was counting through each contraction, that way I knew when each would end. I focused on getting to the end of each contraction and I used the same technique during my second labor (induction with pitocin). I made it to 8cm with the second labor with no meds. I caved in because I was so sick of the nurse being upset about my throwing off the blood pressure cuff and monitors and kinking my IV cord when I was trying to get through each contraction.

I did take a class with the second pg that focused on avoiding interventions and what the possible outcomes could be from using different interventions-AROM, cytotec, internal monitoring, etc. Very useful information, but I wasn't taught any method or techniques.

I say use the money for something else!

boydstm · February 2012

We are taking one and while they aren't necessary, I am very glad we are taking one. Our instructor is wonderful and last week she brought in all the tools they could use like the vacuum and forceps and catheters and epidural stuff. I promise if I didn't know what that stuff was and they started coming at me with some of it, I would have a heart attack!!! Some of that stuff looks like it is from Frankenstein's laboratory. They also showed us what all of the equipment in the room does like the monitors and warmer and let us hear how incredibly loud all that stuff is. It basically is keeping me from asking 350 questions of the nurses when I get there because I have to know everything about everything lol.

nicwilk83 · February 2012

JNoelleE:

I'm sure they are helpful, but are they really so necessary? I'm planning on doing things naturally and have a few books that teach techniques, and the hospital I am going to doesnt offer natural birth classes like some of the other sutter hospitals do in my area, and I dont know if I would want to take childbirth classes at a different hospital than I will be delivering at. I am for sure taking a breastfeeding class though... When I said this to her she looked like she was about to poop her pants. Necessary?

I could have wrote this myself. I told my mom last weekend I wasn't going to take the classes. It was not good news for her.

SheenaNash1 · February 2012

Why are you letting your moms feelings dictate or make you question what you do?

hass2001 · February 2012

This is so funny, my mother has been nagging me about the same thing! She's like what about your classes, what about your classes!! I'm like, my doctor said they are not necessary these days. With all the books and info out there on the internet he says it's just a waste of time.

judahsmommy1 · March 2012

I understand what you're saying about not wanting to take a class from the hospital you won't be delivering at. I would highly recommend the dvd "Laugh and Learn about childbirth." I watched it while pregnant with my son and it was more helpful than the class we attended through our hospital. Especially if you're wanting to go drug free, I think seeing women in various stages of labor could be very helpful. They also go through different position and the various interventions and risks of the interventions. One of the most helpful things for me was the part that showed a woman in the transition stage of labor. Every woman is different and your labor might go very differently. But it's good to be prepared for if your labor is very uncomfortable. It helped me get emotionally prepared for what my labor could look like. The video they showed at my child birth class at the hospital did not show the level of intensity that I experienced during the birth of my son.

yaykarin · March 2012

First time around I think attending a class with your partner is good for:

*Keeping labor in mind during a busy, exciting pregnancy

*Starting conversations with your spouse and family about what you'd like labor to look like

*Learning first hand from others what the wide range of possibilities are when it comes to labor (our class played a dice game where random chance determined the time, day, speed, duration, intensity, etc. of many different labor factors, VERY eye opening)

But with baby number deux I have opted out because after experiencing labor I've learned:

*All the techniques you can possibly learn won't minimize or reduce pain, just basically help you not freak out about it.

*I found the class set my expectations really high and when push comes to shove (literally) I didn't have NEARLY the control over the situation as they made it sound like

*I honestly think I would have been happier and less disappointed with my first labor experience had I gone in with a clean slate, open mind

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