How necessary is a class?

eatdrinkstretch · October 2012

FTM here. I am delivering with a midwifery practice and am deeply committed to a no-med, no/low-intervention birth. I should add that I am not nervouse or scared to have a med-free birth (I mean, I am a little scared, but I am much more scared of interventions and that epi needle...) I am not great at hypnosis or letting everything go, but LOVE yoga and the labor relaxation methods taught in my prenatal yoga class. In an effort to decide which method I want to use for my birth, I have read a lot of books and taken many lessons from each - books read include the Birth Partner, Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth, Birthing from Within, Hypnobirthing, and Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way. As I mentioned, I have taken elements of each method and think I have developed a pretty good list of things that will work for me to manage pain, stay relaxed and focused, etc.

But here's my question - do I really need to pick a method and take a class? For those of you who took classes, how valuable did you find them? For those of you who didn't, do you wish you had?

mjbaby · October 2012

IMO, if you can afford a class, do it. Find a class (does your midwifery practice offer one?) that isn't specific to one method. We did - it was just all about natural child birth. For me, practicing certain things w/my hubby and having organized content to watch/learn was invaluable. I didn't do hypno birthing or any of the other methods - I just knew what I wanted and what to expect - and I, fortunately, had the exact birth I had hoped for.

alanap · October 2012

I didn't take a class. I just read like crazy and created my own "labor cheat sheet".

I think you'll do just fine!!!!

eatdrinkstretch · October 2012

mjbaby:
IMO, if you can afford a class, do it. Find a class (does your midwifery practice offer one?) that isn't specific to one method. We did - it was just all about natural child birth. For me, practicing certain things w/my hubby and having organized content to watch/learn was invaluable. I didn't do hypno birthing or any of the other methods - I just knew what I wanted and what to expect - and I, fortunately, had the exact birth I had hoped for.

Thanks! I should have mentioned that we plan to take a "using yoga to relax during labor" class, but I wasn't sure whether we also need to take a longer, more detailed childbirth method (i.e., Hypnobirthing or Bradley) class. I don't really want to invest the time and money in a 12-week class unless it's absolutely necessary...

AmyRI · October 2012

We only took the hospital's 4 hour birth course that covered all of childbirth - it was not NB specific. I do not regret the decision and was able to have the med-free birth I was hoping for.

I think it ultimately comes down to how prepared you AND your DH are. DH did not read about labor. Talking about it made him queasy. Forcing him into a short class taught him the stages of labor, emotional signposts, what facilities would be available to us, and what interventions we may come across and their pros/cons. It was very useful for getting us on the same page. Past that... I did research on coping techniques and just did what felt right in the moment. DH helped me move around, got me water, cold washclothes, etc. That was all I needed to make it through.

I am terrified of the epi needle and side effects, and at no point did the epi seem like a better option than what I was going through. Another NB class would not have changed anything.

Temp76535187505890 · October 2012

I could never buy into any one method so I found a general birth education class that was geared toward med-free births. It touched on many of the different methods. The best thing I took away from the class was the different stages of labor to include emotional and physical aspects so I knew what I (and my husband) could expect. I didn't end up using any of the relaxation or countermeasures but I'm glad we had it to reference if it was necessary. Sure, I could have gotten all that from reading but my husband never would have had the info because getting him to read more than two paragraphs never would have happened let alone multiple books on all the different methods. He'd still be reading them now and our daughter is 2!

qtssima · October 2012

I think you've done a lot, but as pp's have said, is your SO going to be your labor coach? A 3-4 hour class on natural childbirth would help make sure you two are on the same page. I took hypnobirthing and read the bradley book - while I don't think the class was a waste of time, it sounds like you have a "method" of your own you want to follow so I don't know how valuable method-specific classes will be for you.

I am with a midwifery practice as well, through the hospital. If you will be delivering at the hospital (vs a stand-alone birthing center), find out what the policies and procedures are with regard to the birthing methods you choose - some hospitals have a short 1 hour class, others offer a comprehensive hand out. That way you will know ahead of time if you need to make specific requests in a birth plan, like "no fetal monitoring", etc.

Celyn · October 2012

I think a huge component to managing labor is knowing what to expect - what's normal to be feeling physically and emotionally -- and it's equally important as techniques for coping.

You say you have trouble letting go. That sentence sticks out to me. You seem to be well read, so perhaps a non-textbook labor might not throw you. But very often there is something that comes up which is well within the range of normal, but not textbook per se. Will that unknown of it be something you anticipate you can relax through? Some people are just able to trust their body and coast through it, others need as much info as possible.

Knowledge is power, imo. I'm a fan of a good class that draws from many modalities.

eatdrinkstretch · October 2012

Celyn:

I think a huge component to managing labor is knowing what to expect - what's normal to be feeling physically and emotionally -- and it's equally important as techniques for coping.

You say you have trouble letting go. That sentence sticks out to me. You seem to be well read, so perhaps a non-textbook labor might not throw you. But very often there is something that comes up which is well within the range of normal, but not textbook per se. Will that unknown of it be something you anticipate you can relax through? Some people are just able to trust their body and coast through it, others need as much info as possible.

Knowledge is power, imo. I'm a fan of a good class that draws from many modalities.

Excellent points. By saying I have trouble letting go, I meant that I have trouble emptying my mind in yoga or getting into a hypnotic state. I am pretty flexible terms of understanding that no one knows how this is going to go - that is why I started by looking into so many methods.

katsue0xo · October 2012

Agreed. If you understand the anatomy and physiology of what is happening, land marks in labor become apparent. If you understand the process and the many reactions the body may have it is much easier to roll with it. I also loved the perspectives I gained from other women in my class who had already given birth and were just there for a refresher.

bandwife · October 2012

Did it as a FTM with no class (home birth). Totally doable.

I also wasn't that scared of labour. I read a lot of birth stories and read quite a few books on labour and such. I was actually excited about the process and experience.

We had a Doula which was a big help.

I used a lot of focus techniques from my days as an athlete - yoga breathing will come in handy. I had a labour playlist, my DH was awesome and we kept the environment relaxed without a lot of people or distractions.

Totally possible to use a variety of coping techniques, not subscribe to one method and do it without taking a class. As millions and billions of women all over the world do... Wink

vintagejjane · October 2012

I didn't take any classes. I read a lot, and I had been at 2 births before hospital and home.

jinnymb · October 2012

I would do some sort of class if you can afford it. I ended up with an epi with my first try and did go med-free with my second. However, I think a class would have given us the tools to go med-free the first time and would have made the second experience better.

Good luck!!

nosoup4u · October 2012

If you're already into yoga, it will probably be fine. I am not a yoga person, but I took a prenatal yoga class, and was able to get through DS1's labor med-free (until the c/s!). I didn't do anything special for my second, but used the same techniques (breathing, vocalizations, movement).

If you're going to have a midwife with you constantly, that's also a big help.

PansyPants · October 2012

I took a class because it meant that my husband would be exposed to the same information I had been learning. I found it very helpful to have my husband know a lot of the things that were important to me since I ended up forgetting a lot of the information I had hoped to remember. I didn't even think about changing positions except when he reminded me to or suggested something.

jsillyfun · October 2012

I did Bradley, but didn't take a class. Dh and I read the book and practiced on our own. I had a wonderful, unmedicated birth.

Dman85 · October 2012

I didn't take any classes when I was pregnant with my son. I read the book Natural Childbirth the Bradly way a few weeks before I delivered. I read a lot on websites and message boards as well. I am not taking any classes this time around either. I was able to have an all natural birth. My advice for when you are in labor. When you get to the point that you think you can't do it anymore, you are close to being done! I'm having my husband remind me that when I hit that wall this time around!

yellow16 · October 2012

I think it depends on your personality whether or not YOU need a class, however, I highly recommend classes for your husband's sake if he will be your support and coach. Our Bradley method classes were really great for us to bond and even though I work in labor and delivery, I felt they were really helpful at preparing both of us for delivery and labor. We also had a doula and I would say that her presence was crucial to us achieving the birth we wanted. Our doula requires childbirth education before she will agree to provide services so it was a no brainer for us to do classes. I had an extremely fast labor and delivery and would likely not have had time for an epidural even if I had wanted one, but I still would not change the fact that we took classes and hired the doula. Both were money well spent for us. Good luck with your delivery!

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