[Open] Childbirth Classes

[BananaCake]

Have any of the moms here taken childbirth classes? What type, and was it helpful? Are any of the moms-to-be planning on taking a class, or currently taking a class? If so, what and how is it?

Thanks!

 

[Kazamataz]

I finished my classes just a few weeks ago. They were great!

esp being a first time mum, my husband refuses to read any books or watch any dvds on being a parent or any baby issues.

so i was glad he came along to the classes, it meant he got to hear all the basics and i didnt have to worry so much that he's going to be completely useless when i'm in labour!

my course went for 6 weeks and covered so many topics.

eg: the labour, what do when baby gets home, first aid for babies, postnatal depression, pain relief in labour, how soon can you: go back to work, exercise, have sex, breast feeding and so many other things i'll be here all day if i keep writing.

 

[olafias]

Wow, your class went for six weeks? I bet that was really helpful! DH and I signed up for a weekend class at our hospital in July. It covers everything from a tour of the hospital to different birthing methods. I also signed up for a breasfeeding class and infant car seat safety/CPR.

 

[ChildByGrace]

I've signed up for our classes but to be honest i'm not really very impressed with them.

we have two Saturday sessions - one is from 10am to 1pm and is about water births as i am really interested in that.
The other Saturday one is from 10am to 4pm and covers the tour of hospital and other stuff and also breathing.

They are the only two that my H is allowed to go to.

I have 4 other sessions that are down as relaxation sessions - my H is not allowed to go to those due to space and it's really annoyed me as i don't think they are going to help me without him there.
I really want to be able to do the labour as naturally as possible but if my H doesn't know how to keep me calm and breathing properly than that isn't going to happen!

 

[olafias]

It seem strange that they won't allow your hubby to go! Like you, I would definately want my hubby to be there to learn how to help me!

 

[ChildByGrace]

I think they assume that the 6 hour class covers enough for him.

Next time we are going to pay to go to some which will hopefully cover more but it's too late for us to sign up for them now.

 

[Kazamataz]

That totally sucks your hubby can't be apart of the classes.

Our classes were full of so much good info and it was great having hubby there.

We generally don't have private classes around here i think it's mostly because the classes run at the public hospitals are so good there's no need to pay for classes.



(for all you who don't know in Australia we have a fairly good public health system.

The biggest plus is you don't need health insurance to go to hospital or see a doctor.

Ofcourse if you want to you can have health insurance and go to private hospitals but i live in Country Australia and the public hospital has far better facilities than the private.

I was so shocked when i first found out that you can't even see a doctor at the a hospital in the US without insurance!)

 

[ChildByGrace]

That totally sucks your hubby can't be apart of the classes.

Our classes were full of so much good info and it was great having hubby there.

We generally don't have private classes around here i think it's mostly because the classes run at the public hospitals are so good there's no need to pay for classes.



(for all you who don't know in Australia we have a fairly good public health system.

The biggest plus is you don't need health insurance to go to hospital or see a doctor.

Ofcourse if you want to you can have health insurance and go to private hospitals but i live in Country Australia and the public hospital has far better facilities than the private.

I was so shocked when i first found out that you can't even see a doctor at the a hospital in the US without insurance!)

I know - it's really annoyed me lol.

The private classes aren't that expensive and if we'd known that H couldn't come to the NHS ones then we would of signed up for them straight away - the two big reasons why we decided not to go with the private was becuase when my sister had her classes 6 years ago her H went to them all and we assumed it would be the same now (it's the same health authority so you'd think nothing had changed) the other reason is that the private classes were being held in a area a little way out from where we will whereas the NHS ones are a 5min drive away.

 

[Redstiletto]

I am signed up for the class through the hospital I am delivering at.

Classes start on April 11 and run every wednesday for 5 weeks.

I also signed up for a breastfeeding course so I can learn more about that too.

The hospital where I am delivering has all these neat classes that you can take, I might end up signing up for more!

 

[PegasusOnFire]

I took some when I was preggers with Christian then ended up having to have a c-section. So they didn't help me much. BTW I have to cancell out of two of my classes for this one, but I am going to the conference my hospital system has set up.

 

[Leanna]

What kind of birth do you want? That makes a difference. With my first pregnancy I wanted an epidural for labor, I knew that in advance, I took the hospital class. They told me about the different stages of labor and how to be a good patient. Hospital classes are generally that way. My labor went according to plan, got an epidural, didn't like the way the whole thing turned out though so with my second pregnancy I considered alternatives and I decided not to take a class but to read the "right" books instead with the goal of a natural (drug and intervention free) birth. The books were enough(it all worked out according to plan), although I could have taken a Bradley class or a Birthing Within class which are both for natural mamas.... but I didn't have the time with a toddler and was already familiar with birth. But I hear both of those kinds are great.

 

[Beth1231]

I'm going to take a five week childbirthing class with my husband at the birth center. I'm hoping to learn lots and not walk away all freaked out! I want to have this baby with no drugs, so I'm getting all the help and preparation that I can get.

 

[RoseofLima]

Like Leanna said- it really depends on what kind of birth you want. If you really want a drug free birth, the hospital classes are going to be pretty useless.

 

[jgonz]

If you want a drug free birth, then I would recommend looking for a Bradley method class in your area. You might also want to contact a midwife or birthing center in your area to see if They have natural birthing classes.

As Rose & Leanna said, if you want a drug free birth, the hospital classes are pretty useless...

 

[BananaCake]

I will be attempting a natural childbirth I definitely won't be having an epidural. It doesn't appear my hospital offers any classes, but there's a maternity center right next to my OB's office that I'm looking into.

 

[Leanna]

I will be attempting a natural childbirth I definitely won't be having an epidural. It doesn't appear my hospital offers any classes, but there's a maternity center right next to my OB's office that I'm looking into.

Well then you aren't ATTEMPTING one... you're having one. (unless something unforseen happens and you need intervention)

Have you started reading inspiring books like Ina May's Guide to Childbirth?

 

[Kazamataz]

Like Leanna said- it really depends on what kind of birth you want. If you really want a drug free birth, the hospital classes are going to be pretty useless.

If you want a drug free birth, then I would recommend looking for a Bradley method class in your area. You might also want to contact a midwife or birthing center in your area to see if They have natural birthing classes.

As Rose & Leanna said, if you want a drug free birth, the hospital classes are pretty useless...

What kind of birth do you want? That makes a difference. With my first pregnancy I wanted an epidural for labor, I knew that in advance, I took the hospital class. They told me about the different stages of labor and how to be a good patient. Hospital classes are generally that way. My labor went according to plan, got an epidural, didn't like the way the whole thing turned out though so with my second pregnancy I considered alternatives and I decided not to take a class but to read the "right" books instead with the goal of a natural (drug and intervention free) birth. The books were enough(it all worked out according to plan), although I could have taken a Bradley class or a Birthing Within class which are both for natural mamas.... but I didn't have the time with a toddler and was already familiar with birth. But I hear both of those kinds are great.

Our hospital classes gave you all the options, we looked at drugs and drug free births.

We are strongly encouraged here to make your own choices and do what your most comfortable with.

I would hate to give birth in a bossy hospital where they want you to be a "good" patient.

I really think it's best to let the mum do whats most comfortable and whats best for her.

They say if your left to make up your own mind and not be bossed around by the staff or anyone else you'll do whats natural for you.

 

[seamonster]

Until I had to have a c-section, I labored naturally and didn't take a childbirth class. I felt very prepared and calm about the entire thing and all I did to prepare was read a lot of good natural birthing books. I honestly don't think I could have learned anything in a class that I couldn't learn from books, but I also didn't have an extra $300 to spend on Bradley classes.

 

[jessesgirl]

Everyone I talked to said it was a waste so I didn't take the classes and to be perfectly honest, when it came down to it, I didn't need them. They told me exactly what to do when it came time to push...The classes here are so expensive and we spent that money preparing for after he got here. I don't tihnk we would have taken them, even if they were free...but that is just us.

 

[Redstiletto]

Alright so I am very apprehensive about these classes now, thanks ladies!

I was hoping they would tell me more about my different options on how to give birth, because the way the hospital is set up, I would think that they would because they give you the option of how you want to go through labor, you fill out a "Birth plan" ahead of time, and you are supposed to bring the whole binder to the class, so I thought they would go through everything with you.

Now I am nervous, Hubby gets to go with me, but that should be fun, he is funny around medical stuff.