How much did your Bradley class cost?

ConstanceGoodspeed · August 2012

How much did your Bradley class cost? Are there additional fees for materials or anything? Our class is $400 but we haven't registered yet because of the cost (wondering if it is fair, if we have a c-section will it all be wasted, etc). Bradley covers breastfeeding and basic newborn care, too, right? So we wouldn't have to take those classes from the hospital?

Also, since I'm due in January and the instructors don't offer classes over the holiday season, we start the class the first week of September. I will be just over 20 weeks pregnant. Am I going to be the "baby" of the class? How far along were you?

Celyn · August 2012

Our local class is 12 weeks long, so it's pretty common to have women starting the series at 20-24 weeks. It was $350, when last I checked, and covers BF and newborn care briefly in the last session. If you have a local La Leche League chapter, you can start attending meetings while pregnant. I found that as useful or more so than the BF class I took, and it's free.

robyn2201 · August 2012

Our instructor was working on her certification at the time so we only paid $100.00. Depending on your area of course, $350 to $400 sounds pretty typical. I also don't think starting at 20 weeks is too early. We started at 25 and with 12 classes, we only ended at 37 weeks. I had DD a week later! I wish we had started earlier but it didn't work with our instructors schedule.

lauriedupuis · August 2012

It's heavily dependent on location and demand. NYC was going to be the closest to me and classes there were $650-$800 depending on the instructor. I found another instructor slightly closer who just finished certification that only charged $250 - but this is in rural PA where there is little demand.

Our classes have covered newborn care and my instructor is BFing her newborn during class. She's been a fabulous resource for me for questions even outside of class. LLL as someone else suggested is a fabulous resource and I've been attending meetings since May. I've learned more there than I think ever possible in a formal hospital class.

Bradley classes are not a waste if you end up having a C-section. First, the whole point of taking the classes and preparing is to stay low risk so you don't end up on the operating table. If an emergency happens and you do, there is an entire class dedicated to C-sections in the Bradley course. I know I learned a lot about how I can still minimize intervention even with a C-section, and about the challenges afterwards and how to handle and overcome them.

LiebeMama · August 2012

Wow, I never looked into the classes before, and had no idea how much they would run, so this is a great question. Looks like the average is around $400.

aylafsu88 · August 2012

Our Bradley class was 200$ but we live in a smaller city so that probably affected the price. Just an FYI- in our class we talked about breast feeding but did not go into details or spend alot of time on it. We spent most of our time on the first stage of labor. We started out class when I was 23 or 24 weeks and were able to finish it before the baby came!

StefandTodd · August 2012

I started my classes with my first at 15 weeks, and the class cost $350. We took a few other classes too, most of them free although not all.

NoeliaV · August 2012

Ours cost $275 for 10 classes, and I'll be 27weeks when we begin. It's a bit late, but the other classes were too far to drive.

CupcakeGirl08 · August 2012

Our class was $300 but the instructor let us set up a payment schedule to make the cost doable for us. The class also went over breastfeeding and a little about newborn care. I was 22 weeks when we started and there was a couple that was only 16 weeks when they started.

RockyMtnMama · August 2012

Ours was 5 years ago and $300.

It was worth it IMO. We justified it by thinking about the thousands we spent on our wedding (us, personally - not counting our parent's contributions) and that was just for a two-day party - so spending a few hundred over the course of 2 months on labor/deliver/baby-prep wasn't an issue for us.

Plus I'm not on my third kid and haven't done refreshers, but still look at the Bradley workbook and such...so really it was only $100/birth.

mb314 · August 2012

Ours was $275 - it was 12 weeks. It covered some newborn care and breastfeeding issues, but I wanted to know more so I signed up for additional one-session classes on these topics through my hospital.

I think $300-400 is pretty standard. I thought the classes were worth it - particularly for DH who hadn't read up on all the birth stuff like I had.

mb314 · August 2012

Ours was $275 - it was 12 weeks. It covered some newborn care and breastfeeding issues, but I wanted to know more so I signed up for additional one-session classes on these topics through my hospital.

I think $300-400 is pretty standard. I thought the classes were worth it - particularly for DH who hadn't read up on all the birth stuff like I had.

Also, I was about 20 weeks when we started and most of the people in the class had similar due dates to mine.

poison489 · August 2012

I believe I paid $350 for my classes 3 years ago. The instructor worked with me to make payments, which was nice.

pixieprincss · August 2012

Ours was $350 in a HCOL area 2 years ago. We talked about breastfeeding but not like a specialized class would cover it. I don't remember talking too much about NB care. In terms of BFing, going to some LLL meetings is a GREAT way to learn a ton for free and build a support network with moms and leaders. They always welcome PG moms.

Even if you have a c/s the class will be valuable, IMO, because of what you'll learn about pregnancy and development, nutrition, having a healthy PG, how to assess interventions in different situations, connecting with your provider, etc.

Harper'smom · August 2012

$350.00 and you should absolutely take an additional BFing class.

I also started classes around 20 weeks and had the latest due date but not the latest birth date. Out of 10 women 8 of us went med free, one chose an epi, and one had a c-section for a stubborn breech baby.

cottonlily84 · August 2012

Classes in my area (which I didn't get to take) were $350. The instructor suggested starting at 20 weeks bc it's an 8 week course. You don't have to take breastfeeding or newborn classes at my hospital, though both are offered. I didn't take any classes before DD was born and we managed fine of course. Like I said, I didn't get to the Bradley classes but from what I read in the book not much would have helped during my c/s except attempting to relax and having a very supportive partner. That would help anyone, regardless of type of delivery.

ConstanceGoodspeed · August 2012

Hmm, looks like $400 is pretty fair. I think I'll go ahead and register. Thanks for the info, ladies!

BLPL101 · August 2012

Ours is $275 for 12 weeks. We live in Nashville, TN which is a very low cost of living area. It starts Oct 9 and the instructor said this is the class to take if you're due in January (which I am). I'll be 25 weeks.

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