Hospital classes... are you taking any?

animaldoctor12 · December 2014

Hello all! I was just perusing the list of maternity classes that my hospital offers and I was wondering if anybody had any input on classes that they were planning on taking, have taken in the past, etc. They have options like breastfeeding (free, so I am taking that one for sure!), baby basics, labor and delivery, breathing and relaxation, newborn massage, CPR, happiest baby on the block, etc.

I want to take advantage of being as educated as possible, but I don't want to waste my time and money either. I know that every hospital's classes are different, but any input is welcome! Right now I am leaning toward adding in baby basics (ftm here obviously!) and labor/delivery.

sabriel1 · December 2014

CPR would probably be a good one too if you don't already have it. Happiest baby on the block you can find lots of videos online etc on it so I wouldn't take that. I'd take the ones you were leaning towards plus the CPR since it is different for infants than adults.

lala5507 · December 2014

We took a basic labor/deliver and a breastfeeding class the first time around and a hospital tour. This time around I am hoping to go med free, so I am tossing around a lamaze type class. I will also be at a different hospital, so we will probably do a tour. Our hospital offers a "big sister/big brother" class that I am considering also.

FreddyisReady · December 2014

I'm taking all the classes my hospital offers. FTM, so I don't know anything, including how to google. :ar!

But I agree with the pp- don't take happiest Baby on the Block. Or, at least don't pay anything for it. You can find it cheap online. Someone mentioned Netflix.

MAdams728 · December 2014

With DD we took a childbirth class. I honestly didn't learn anything that I had not already read, but it was really informative for my DH. He did not want to go, but then admitted that he was glad that he did. Men can often be pretty removed from pregnancy, and that brought a lot of things home for him.

We took a breastfeeding class, too, but the LC's that were available after birth were a much better resource. DH did not enjoy that class, and I was not that impressed, either.

The hospital tour was definitely worth the time, though! It was so nice to know where everything was and all of their standard procedures ahead of time.

animaldoctor12 · December 2014

Great point @MAdams728‌ , I always forget that my husband isn't as well versed in this type of stuff. I am sure that the l&d class would be most helpful to him. I think that the hospital offers free tours, so I will likely do that too.

putput19 · December 2014

We took the basic class at the hospital last time. It covered pregnancy, delivery options (meds and such), a little nursing and after baby care. It also had a tour. It was $100 for a 8 hour class. I didn't find it super useful but DH did. They told him really practical things like where to park and when to call etc and that made him feel much more comfortable.

AliceKC9876 · December 2014

I agree with a pp to try a class out before signing up for a bunch of them...the ones at my hospital were a waste of time and money. This time around I may take infant CPR. I thought about doing a private Bradley class with a local lactation consultant since I want to go med-free this time, but I decided against it because I would have to get a babysitter once a week for 12 weeks and I decided that was too big of a commitment right now.

CamoBride2010 · December 2014

I honestly didn't get much out of my childbirth class. Most of what they covered I read in books. The tour was helpful but that was about it. I'm not taking any classes this time but I do plan to take DD to a siblings class this Spring, so she can tour the OB floor and hopefully learn a little bit about what is going to happen with Mommy and the new baby so it's not such a shock for her. She's never seen Mommy in a hospital, hooked up to IV's or anything so I want to prepare her as much as possible.

lgsdesigner · December 2014

I plan to take a Hypno-birthing series.

I also plan to take "Baby Basics" for DH since this is his first biological child. I think it would be helpful to him since he has never been around a newborn.

sabriel1 · December 2014

LinnyDan12 said:

We're doing CPR and the L&D tour.
Not to threadjack, but did any of the BTDT moms find that the birthing classes increased or helped anxiety?
I deal with anxiety and panic attacks and think I would be better off going into L&D a little bit blind, but then I worry that there's some magical secret to giving birth that I won't know since I didn't take the class.

I don't have any issues with anxiety but the labor class helped me be less nervous for a few things. They told you when was the best time to call (how far apart contractions should be etc.), what would happen when you get to the hospital and explained the different pain options available and resources available at the hospital.

With DD, my contractions never got closer together than 7min apart, even when pushing so the advice that you read online of "wait until contractions are 3-5 minutes apart would have had me having my baby at home. The class helped me to understand how the contractions would "feel" (as in how bad they'd be) before I should bother going in. I ended up showing up at the hospital at 6cm with lots of time to spare.

I didn't watch any videos though and they didn't show any, I don't think that would have helped me at all!

SassyPants150 · December 2014

We did a one day child birth class. They went through all the possibilities and interventions. It was especially helpful to DH since he was totally clueless. As soon as they talked about the sign out procedure for placentas I saw his wheels turning. He had to know where you would take it the instructor simply said to eat it. Then we went to lunch.

jenanns · December 2014

First I am jealous of those who have classes offered for free or a low fee!

I will be figuring out how to work the CPR into our budget it is $90 and then I am taking the tour of the hospital since it is free. DH already has CPR for his professions (PE teacher and Personal Trainier)

Then we are taking Bradley method outside of the hospital and that covers a lot of things including baby care and breastfeeding.

mylittleladies1229 · December 2014

I wanted to take ALL the classes the first time I was pregnant. I signed up fro one at 24 weeks- sounds early enough right? Well I was put on hospital bedrest at 22 weeks for the remainder of my pregnancy and was not allowed to attend because I wasn't allowed to sit upright

The worst part was that the class was held in the hospital, literally down the hall from my room and I watched the expectant parents walk into the class. I was so upset, but honestly the nurses taught me everything I needed to know about taking care of a newborn before I left the hospital.

dj99 · December 2014

I plan on taking the child birthing class, the maternity tour and maybe the breast feeding class.

rivieramaya · December 2014

Before DS was born, we took an Infant CPR class and a six-part labor and delivery class. I would suggest the CPR class and I think DH got more out of the L&D classes. I was already aware of the overall process to birth a baby but it was nice to learn some breathing and relaxation techniques.

This time around I plan to take a Breastfeeding Basics class.

MrsPDX · December 2014

I am only taking the infant CPR class and the maternity ward tour. I do not want to take a birthing class through the hospital, because I have heard hospital birth classes stick around rules and regulations, and those I already know through my intake session. I don't want to take a non-hospital birthing class, because they are like $200-600! Way out of my budget. Everything else I feel like I will be able to learn through others (breastfeeding, ie: LC and nurses).

kandybarandco · December 2014

We took a several week L&D class that I felt was helpful, and a breastfeeding class. This time around, I haven't even looked, but I did feel that both were nice for helping me to know what I was getting into.

And if your hospital has a Boot Camp for New Dads class, my DH HIGHLY recommends it. They're run by new dads, who bring their babies along, and my husband said it was really helpful, not only for understanding what I was going through with my pregnancy, but for understanding what he was getting into and what it would be like with a baby in the family.

jesslfar · December 2014

At this point, I am up to date and don't need any. I did make Dh take an infant CPR class (I was already certified) before the birth of our first and we both took a childbirth and breastfeeding class. I am still debating which hospital I will use so I will tour my options to help with that decision, but I already have two children so I don't feel like DH or I would benefit from more classes, but I do think they are helpful with your first.

Hospital classes... are you taking any?

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