Childbirth classes/methods
LizzyG11
member
So I'm kind of overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information out there about natural birthing methods and classes. I am looking into taking a breastfeeding class, a (preferably natural) birth class (Bradley, Hypnobirthing, Lamaze...so many to choose from and I'm so confused as to the best one to choose), and a newborn basics class. I don't know when or where to start!
I was hoping to get some input from y'all as to when I should start registering for classes, and which classes you took/your opinions on them. Did anyone try Hypnobirthing? Bradley?
Thanks for your help! I'm a FTM and am just lost with all the info there is out there. I am planning on laboring and giving birth with a midwife in a birth center, possibly a water birth but I'm still deciding on that.
Re: Childbirth classes/methods
Through our local hospital, I took a breastfeeding class and my husband and I took a class called, "surviving the first month" which taught the basics like how to change a diaper, swaddling, etc. I did learn things from that class but to be honest I signed us up for my husband's benefit, because before we had kids he was one of those guys that was afraid to hold a baby! The biggest benefit to the breastfeeding class for me was the reading material to refer back to once we were home from the hospital. The nurses in the hospital were great about helping with nursing, but once I got home it was nice to have a couple basic handouts to refer to whenever I got anxious about something.
My husband and I took Bradley classes, and we've made it through two natural births in a hospital with a midwife. Obviously I don't have experience with the other popular methods out there, but I felt really prepared from Bradley. Really understanding the birthing process helped to take away alot of my fears, and I really believe that the exercises helped aid in my relatively quick recovery.
Good luck to you!
It's never too early to look into classes.. The Bradley classes are 12 weeks long, so we started ours at about my 20 week mark. They are limited in size, so they fill up quickly in many areas.
I really enjoyed the Bradley classes. They were helpful in preparing me and my husband for labor and delivery. They were particularly helpful for my husband, who didn't know anything at all prior to the class and wasn't the type to read up on it on his own. Our instructor made the classes fun and informative, and I met friends through them.
I also took an infant care and breastfeeding class through our hospital. They were kind of useless, but as pp said, they were helpful for DH who was clueless. For me, the lactation consultants in the hospital were way more helpful than a class because you can actually practice.
I had a natural childbirth (using laboring in the shower and a tub - which I highly recommend).
While I don't have experience with it for labor yet, we have finished 5/6 classes for our Hypnobabies course and I'm so glad we decided to go this direction! It's a comprehensive course which teaches both about the process of birth, what your options are (we had factual, evidence based discussions about the birth process vs. medicalized birth), there's also some info about breastfeeding, newborn care, and creating a baby care plan for immediately postpartum, as well as the actual Hypnobabies tools/process. I honestly knew most of the "other info" that was covered already, well, probably all of it, but I'm also a STM who has researched the crap out of pregnancy/labor/delivery.
I actually asked my MW for their opinion of whether we should pursue Bradley vs. Hypnobabies and while she had great things to say about both theories she recommended Hypnobabies specifically because she feels like in her experience it would give us better tools to help with the birthing process. That's not to say that Bradley doesn't do that, but just that she thought Hypnobabies was a better fit for us and she's seen really great results from past moms who have had Hypnobabies births.
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I am a past Hypnobabies mom, and I have to say that it was amazing for me. I am a firm believe in the tools and information the course provides. I had one un-medicated birth (in a hospital) and will have another un-medicated birth (at home). I really can't say enough great things about it. It does, however, take work. In order to utilize the Hypnoanesthesia you need to practice. It is also very involved for birth partners, so you need to make sure your birth partner is on board. After our first class, my husband turned to me and said "This is perfect for you. I was totally skeptical until we took this class, and now I'm going to do whatever it takes to help you."
So a lot of you mentioned several options: Bradley Method, Lamaze, Hypnobabies.... what exactly is the difference between all three? Are they generally offered at your local hospital?
My husband and I are new to babies... neither of us changed a diaper in our lives, so we need all of the help we can get!:-)
Shannon
This PDF is great at figuring out which route is best for you (Bradley vs Hypnobabies/birthing, etc).
https://www.birthnaturally.org/childbirthoptionsguide.pdf
DH and I just started our Hypnobabies class last week (we had our 2nd today) and so far have really enjoyed it. As pp mentioned, it definitely involves a lot of out of class "home play" which is reading and listening to scripts and practicing your hypno-anesthesia techniques. But, we both like the positive and mental focus approach the class has.
These classes are usually not done at your hospital (those are usually the one day several hour long classes), but through a private instructor in the area.
BFP 8.14.15 ~~ Due 4.22.16
Thanks for the Birthing Options link. It was really helpful! I've never heard of the techniques, except the traditional ones offered through a hospital.
I'm intriguied by the Hypnobabies, though. I watched a few deliveries on YouTube using the method and kept thinking that I would get irritated with the CD and want to throw it through a window, if I was in labor!*LOL* I do things like Yoga and believe in Organic foods and products, but I'm not sure a skeptic like myself can be won over by it. Was anyone else a skeptic at first, but was won over to hypnobirthing in the end?
My husband, however, is the opposite. He's very closed minded: prime example, he thinks eating organic is a big money making hoax. Will this make a technique like Hypnobabies harder to learn and implement?
I was thinking of this or the Bradley Method, since both focus on natural childbirth with little to no interventions.
Shannon