Classes?? YEA or NEY

Sleepless in ChiTown · September 2013

So we're rounding the corner to week 33, baby boy is measuring in the 85th percentile, but (due to scheduling changes for my hubby's work) I have put off scheduling any prenatal tours and classes.

As I now know his new schedule, I'm looking at the class options from our hospital. So far not crazy impressed with the descriptions, especially when weighing out the cost of time and $... And, adding to the complication, my husband isn't even available for most classes, so I'd be the only one moving around my shift (which is an expensive task in and of itself) and able to make any of the classes.

I have been a successful full time massage therapist for the last ten years, and am an avid yogi and Pilates participant. So finding my calm, coaching others through it, and maintaining my center is what I do best. Obviously birthing a baby will be entirely new, but will Lamaze (or similar) open my eyes to something I can't function without??

So I'm wondering if any of you have useful advice re these classes? Or even the tour of the maternity units?

Both of us are pretty easy going and don't necessarily feel the need to "calm our nerves" by seeing the spaces we will be using in a couple months. Do you think we'll regret if we were to skip any of it? (Tours or classes??)

KatieintheCity · September 2013

We're doing a weekend birthing class with a natural birth focus, not through our hospital. I think it's pretty important. I've done yoga and run half marathons, but to me, childbirth is a completely different beast, and I'm of the mindset that knowledge is power. Plus, while I've been doing a ton if reading on what to expect in labor/birth, DH definitely hasn't. So he absolutely needs the class.

We just signed up for a hospital tour today. It's a big hospital, and I figure I'd rather not be trying to figure out where I need to go in the middle of the night while I'm in labor. It's more about getting the lay of the land and having a few questions answered than seeing the actual rooms.

nano1 · September 2013

I'm a ftm. I'm glad we toured the hospital because I feel more comfortable being mentally prepared for the environment. We took a five session labor and delivery class, which didn't really teach us anything new but did make us feel more confident that there were no surprises. It was neat to meet other couples from our community that will be laboring around the same time. I hope to take the infant classes/play times once lo arrives so hopefully we will all have already met the other moms. I've read several books lately on expecting baby and decided to cancel our infant care class as well as breast feeding class based on the information that was described. I'm sure every class is different but dh and I agreed we could have gone without the classes.

1sloqwen · September 2013

I feel more comfortable after taking the birthing unit tour and taking classes. I too feel a little more educated about my options and what to expect. Also it was nice to be in a room with other couples going through the same experience. I'm going to take a breast feeding class and baby care basics just to better prepare also.

bglovesbabyk · September 2013

I'm not doing them, for many of the same reasons. We are both super busy and my hubby is not a first time dad, so I feel safe knowing he has been through this before. Honestly, the more I learn about child birth the more anxiety I have. I have numerous friends who skipped them and everything went fine.

McJen715 · September 2013

I didn't find the classes to be extremely helpful last time. I did a lot of reading on my own, and felt like quite a bit of what they taught in our classes I'd read elsewhere. The hospital tour was nice, the infant CPR class was good. We did the whole run of classes though and I didn't feel for me it was worth the time and money spent. Just my opinion though.

heritten · September 2013

Id do the hospital tour, if for no other reason because it might be nice to know admission procedures. I learned at mine yesterday that if you go arrive at the hospital between 6 am-8 pm you go straight to Labor and Delivery, but if its night those doors are locked and you have to go to the ER on the far side of the hospital. Id really hate to be banging on the door in labor at 3 am and no one answer. Also, they only have someone at their front desk on weekdays, so if you go on a weekend then you need to go and know which phone to pick up and ask for someone...

fluttergirlmoonchild79 · September 2013

Hospital tour can be helpful so you know where to go. At this point you're probably too late to even attempt to take any other classes. We were advised to take our classes when around 28 weeks and most classes only have so much room so we were told to sign up for the classes by 20 weeks.

lafsalot · September 2013

We are doing them, we had our first class last week and it was very informative, more so on the hospitals normal births, and what they practice routinely. (Skin to skin time, allowing for immediate BF, visiting hours, number of visitors and policies on delivery etc) I am looking forward to the tour, live and in person because it will help me mentally prepare and takes away guess work. We also are taking a BF class next month... I think information is good, I had to cancel a months worth of Thursday evening appts to make it work... But I am ok with that because my family is worth it. DH and I have a shared calendar so if there is something both of us need to go then we use that calendar so we don't double and triple book.

sands42 · September 2013

I didn't take any classes with my first... I didn't feel it was necessary for me personally.

I don't think they are a BAD idea- but if you don't want to spend the money and don't feel like you need them then you probably don't.

katie.725 · September 2013

Our goal is to have a med-free child birth... we are taking a 10 week class (2 hours a night once a week) that focuses on that but then also delves into anything/everything we would need to know for after baby is here... breastfeeding/caring for newborn etc.

We've really enjoyed it so far, but it all depends on how you want your labor experience to go

3Dewdrops · September 2013

If its a hassle I'd skip the classes. I'm a 3x mom and haven't taken any. I was glad I didn't take any classes the first time around because I went in with no fear. I think a class would have made me super nervous for all the "what ifs". I just trusted my doctor to take care of me.

I did tour the hospital the second time. (new hospital) I liked knowing where to park and check in but the rest of the tour was blah. I'm going to yet a different hospital this time. I will probably visit just to make sure I know where to go but won't go on an actual tour. They have a booklet specific to the hospital for expectant mothers, It probably answers any questions that would come up on a tour. Maybe your hospital has something similar?

babymama619 · September 2013

My class focuses very ;little on relaxation techniques. I think it depends on how much you know about labor and giving birth and your options. How well informed are you? I've been learning about pregnancy and birth for years as a passion so during my class I kind of feel like I'm not earning anything new. However I wanted to know exactly what hospital policy is regarding certain things and I"m looking forward to a tour of L&D. you can schedule these independently, but I feel like it will be more in depth than normal. How much reading have you been doing? In my class I think the husbands are obviously getting more info than the wives, but for you that seems to be a mute point. Perhaps look into an online class (If you haven't been reading and learning very much about delivery and pp) and schedule a tour of L&D.

Christahoward03 · September 2013

As a FTM, I wanted to take a few classes but being on bed rest prevents us from getting to do this in a class setting. We are however taking a child birth class online right now. It takes about 4-6 hours but you can do a little and come back to it. It cost about $80. I also took a really good (I found it helpful from knowing really nothing) breast feeding class online that was free through Texas Women's Hospital website.

mcgowanp1 · September 2013

FTM here; I would recommend the hospital tour. It was good to be able to see in person the L&D room and maternity ward. I had looked up picture online but felt better being able to see it in person. Also was my husbands first time to the hospital so it was a dry run so to speak in terms of driving there/parking (our hospital is about 40 minutes away from our house).

As far as the classes; we took on thru our OBGYN and I've been pretty disappointed. It is basically an overview class but has no new information that I wasn't able to read online /pregnancy books that I had already purchased/read. My husband is getting more out of it then me (not even sure he is taking it seriously - think he may still be in denial - not sure how this is possible) but basically I'm considering them a waste of time and money.

lilybeth12 · September 2013

we're doing a 3 hour childbirth class at the hospital closer to the end. I signed us up mainly for MH. He's not a great reader, so i think having the options and possibilities presented in a short format will be good for him. also, insurance reimburses 95% of this particular class.

we've already 'toured' L&D b/c i had a fall a few weeks ago, so I think we'll skip that.

dobrydney · September 2013

I'm a FTM and we started our childbirth classes last Monday and while most of the information is stuff I know (so far) it's been really good for DH to hear it from a qualified medical person and not just me. I think it's helping to make it even more real for him. So--I would try to find one that fits both of your schedules if you're going to do one. Like some PPs said, some offer longer day classes on weekends in place of the evening classes to help fit them into schedules better.

Barbercharm · September 2013

I did a hospital tour any time is deliver in a different hospital.. I like knowing where I need to go, especially when we're in a rush to find it!

. As far as birthing classes? I never did them. I'm sure they have their benefits, but the L&D nurses will tell you exactly what you need to do as you're in labor. How to breathe, etc... I made it through 3 deliveries with no classes.

rbtrumpet · September 2013

FTM - for me I can't imagine facing something like labor and delivery without knowing as much as possible about it. The classes are for my peace of mind. Then again, I hope to go med-free, and as my OB put it "labor hurts, if you're going to go med-free then you definitely need some sort of technique (lamaze, bradley, hypnobabies) to get through it". She seemed to imply that if you're getting the epidural, then classes are not as important.

If you're familiar with your hospital, then you can probably skip the tour, if you don't want to do it. I didn't get much out of the "here's the delivery room, here's the recovery room" portion of my tour - I really don't think at that point I will care about where the waiting room is for family, or stuff like that. However, knowing where to park the car, which entrance to use for the hospital, and basics was really important to me, as I've never been to the hospital before, and don't plan on going back until I'm in labor.

Kfran84 · September 2013

The birthing class is definitely for DH's benefit, not my own. He needs to get some background, terminology, and realistic expectations from a third party.

He thought it was outrageous that our friend's doc let her labor for 18 hours... Uh... that's pretty normal, dude. But he needs to hear that from someone else.

The tour seems important just so you know where to go in the heat of the moment.

We are also doing an infant safety class which covers CPR and car seats. Both of those you could pick up elsewhere, but I feel like it's important.

rbh1000 · September 2013

I am taking a labor class, newborn class, cpr and doing a hospital tour. Since I am ftm I would prefer to know as much as possible. That way there is less of a fear of the unknown

I was able to find classes on the weekend so each class is only 1 time but like a full day long.

wendy2613 · September 2013

Ney, never took them, never needed them. I was just fine

Svenny1011 · September 2013

We aren't taking classes for the same reasons. We just don't have the time, to be honest, and I don't want DH to not be there. We live an hour away from the hospital, and there are no local classes, so it isn't worth it for us. We will, however, be getting a set of DVDs that was recommended to us that is basically the same thing.

Two weekends ago we did the hospital tour, and I found that helpful, mainly because I had never been there and would have no clue where to go! There weren't any wayfinding signs at all. It was weird. Anyway, it was nice to see where we'll be going and what the process is. I'd recommend that, for sure.

meabtahi · September 2013

We are not doing them. We are both fr parents but DH works at the hospital I will deliver at and has actually delivered several babies while in med school so I don't think they would be helpful for him at all. I'm pretty laid back and go with the flow so I think bw my dh's experience and the staff I will have around me at all times there is just no need. But if you have nerves about delivery it may be useful. To each there own on this one!

barista411 · September 2013

I would recommend the hospital tour. Ours was great about answering questions and really gave us a feel for what exactly was going to happen through out L&D and PP. I didn't take any classes so I can't speak as to whether they are worth it or not.

cortneyj12 · September 2013

My husband and I just did a weekend childbirth class and hospital tour. I highly recommend it!! We learned so much and I feel much more confident and ready. He was actually the one who convinced me to sign up at first because I was like you and thought I knew enough but I am really glad we did it. It was also a great bonding experience for the 2 of us

NL105 · September 2013

DH & I are doing a hospital tour to get an idea of where to go, etc. But we are not doing any actual birthing classes. I don't feel like we are missing out- anything I'd like to know I can Google, YouTube, ask mom's I know who may know, etc. After talking to several family members/friends who did take a birthing class (at different locations), not one of them felt like it was necessary in order for them to get through labor and delivery when the time came. I'm getting an Epi, maybe if I was planning a natural or home birth, I would take a class. I'm a FTM and I'll be 34 weeks this Friday.

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