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Childbirth classes - ???

tacosandtumstacosandtums member
in Natural Birth
Natural birth mamas: What should I do as far as signing up for childbirth classes? I am delivering at a hospital with the support of a doula (planned natural birth). We are FTP's and I want to get some sort of training before hand to prepare us. The hospital offers an all day class completely focused on natural birth. They also offer a 4-week "Childbirth education" course that costs half as much and works better with our schedule. 

Here are the descriptions:
Childbirth Education: A four-week course taken around your 7th month (allowing 2-4 weeks between completion and your due date). Class focuses on preparing for labor and birth including phases and stages of labor, breathing and relaxation techniques, the role of the labor partner and/or birth doula, cesarean birth, GBMC’s policies and procedures, postpartum recovery and a tour of the obstetrical area

Born Free: The Natural Approach: GBMC is proud to announce our "Born Free" childbirth education class. This class will teach you and your partner what to expect during labor at home and upon your arrival to GBMC. Labor positioning techniques, relaxation methods and coping skills will help to support your goal toward a non-medication childbirth experience. Delivery positions, breathing techniques and pushing patterns will be reviewed. 

Since I want to go med-free, does that mean I should take the second one?? It's just not as convenient. I can always ask my doula, too- just wanted to get BTDT mama's opinions! Thx in advance!
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Re: Childbirth classes - ???

  • sschwegesschwege member
    Have you considered a class outside of the hospital that might be a better time for you?


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  • tacosandtumstacosandtums member
    Thanks for the suggestions! I did look into Bradley classes and they are way out of our price range, unfortunately. I like the idea of doing it at the hospital because it's close to home, it's where I will be delivering and the parent education department is affiliated with the hospital's doula program- they are WONDERFUL and I just feel very comfortable with them. 

    @aylafsu88 What you are saying is exactly what I had a feeling about- they will cover the natural approach but not really give as much info as a natural childbirth class.

    I think we'll just change our beach weekend and do the natural class at the hospital. Thank you!
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  • marriedinaugustmarriedinaugust member
    We also did Bradley but if that is out of the question I would do the natural class at the hospital. I would also ask your doula about classes she knows about. I have a friend who is a doula (as was my Bradley instructor) and she is also a childbirth educator so she teaches classes even if you don't use her doula services. We did not have a doula but felt my husband was adequately trained through our Bradley classes to be our advocate. My hospital and birthing team were also very pro-natural birth so that helped a ton.
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  • LilTiger15LilTiger15 member

    I highly recommend www.hypnobabies.com if you want a natural, med-free and pain free birth.  They offer classes locally in many areas, but also offer a home study course for people who don't want to do a class or can't afford one.  Hypnobabies is hypno-anesthesia.  I know it might sound crazy..it certainly did to me when I first heard about it.  However, when one of the OBs at my doctor's office even recommended it after she personally delivered someone who used it, I was more interested.  I figured I wanted a natural birth anyway, so why not try to learn something that makes it pain free?!  I also took a birthing class at the hospital I delivered at, but found it completely useless.  The information they went over was mostly common sense.  I learned much more from hypnobabies.  I am now pregnant with my second and can't wait to start practicing hypnobabies again for his arrival.

     

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  • emma&grantemma&grant member
    I've had clients who really enjoyed the Hypnobabies programme and it helped them during labour. 

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  • AargAarg member
    RC1014 said:

    Thanks for the suggestions! I did look into Bradley classes and they are way out of our price range, unfortunately. Thank you!

    Check to see if your insurance will reimberse you for the class!
    Under our insurance, as long as the invoice is in MY name, I will get a full reimbursement for the class. So yes it sucks we have to pay up front, but my insurance will be sending me a check in a few weeks!
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  • tacosandtumstacosandtums member
    @Aarg great suggestion! I would definitely consider doing that but I already signed up for the natural birth class at the hospital. It's an all day class- will definitely be information overload but I just wanted to get officially signed up for something!
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  • AargAarg member
    RC1014 said:
    @Aarg great suggestion! I would definitely consider doing that but I already signed up for the natural birth class at the hospital. It's an all day class- will definitely be information overload but I just wanted to get officially signed up for something!
    Yay! I am also currently doing the Hypnobirthing Home Studies Course CD's. They are relatively inexpensive. It's 8 Parts (so 8 different albums) I just downloaded them to my Kindle. I think it was a total of $25.00 for all of them. I absolutely love them and have been doing them every night to relax!
    We received a list of literature to look into reading!
    Here is the (looongg) list of our required/recommending readings from my Bradley Class:

    Required Reading:

    1)       “Husband -Coached Childbirth” Robert Bradley M.D. ( The only one required for dad)

    2)       “Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way” Susan McCutcheon

    3)       “The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding” Le Leche League International

    Recommended Reading:

    1)       “The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth” Henci Goer

    2)       “Birthing From Within” Pam England

    3)       “Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering” Sarah Buckley M.D.

    4)       “Baby Matters” Dr. Linda Folden Palmer

    5)       “Attachment Parenting” Katie Allison Granju

    6)       “Birth Matters” and “Spiritual Midwifery” Ina May Gaskin

    7)       THE ENTIRE DR. SEARS LIBRARY! -“The Pregnancy Book” “The Baby Book” “The Attachment Parenting Book” “The Birth Book” “The Breastfeeding Book” “The Vaccine Book”.

    8)       “The Happiest Baby on the Block” Harvey Karp M.D.

    9)       “Skinny Bitch- Bun in the Oven” Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

    10)    “Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of your Doctor” Mendelsohn M.D.

    11)    “What Your Pediatrician Doesn’t Know Can Hurt Your Child: A More Natural Approach to Parenting”  Susan Markel and Linda Palmer

    Infant, Baby and Parenting book recommendations:

    1)       “The baby book and the attachment parenting book” Dr. Sears

    2)       “ Raise a healthy child in spite of your doctor” Dr. Mendelsohn

    3)       “Happiest Baby on the Block” Harvey Karp-  (From Oprah show)

    4)       “ What your pediatrician doesn’t know can hurt your child: A more natural approach to parenting” Susan Markel and Linda Palmer

    5)       “ Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering” Dr. Sarah Buckley M.D  

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