Tell me about birthing classes

[asscherisme]

I did the typical hospital offered birthing class. I believe it was a six week session, once a week, for 3 hours or so. My favorite part of the class was the last week when we got to go on a your of labor and delivery. Honestly, I think the only thing that prepared me for birth was birth itself.

Ditto. I did something similar and it was fine. And I will say that whatever plan you come up with for the birth, be prepared for it to not go that way. Births rarely go the way you plan! But the class did help me with what to expect during the labor and birth process. But as long as the outcome is a healthy baby and mom its all good

 

[monarch64]

Clairetek, don't forget to at least skim through the Postpartum Care thread one of these days. I remember starting it because I learned all about the L & D process in birth class but the topic of how to take care of your body and what to expect after birth was BARELY brought up. There is a wealth of advice in that thread.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/postpartum-care-thread.176194/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/postpartum-care-thread.176194/[/URL]

 

[Clairitek]

Clairetek, don't forget to at least skim through the Postpartum Care thread one of these days. I remember starting it because I learned all about the L & D process in birth class but the topic of how to take care of your body and what to expect after birth was BARELY brought up. There is a wealth of advice in that thread.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/postpartum-care-thread.176194/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/postpartum-care-thread.176194/[/URL]

I have reading that thread and taking some action items on my to do list!

 

[SMC]

Check your insurance. Some cover specific birthing classes. Mine covers the classes taken at my hospital.

 

[ponder]

I am nearly 23 weeks pregnant and feeling overwhelmed with the number of options for birthing classes in my area. One one hand it is great that I have so many options. On the other hand the idea of researching them all is tiring. I live in the SF Bay Area and we have everything from hospital options (that range from 1 very long Saturday class to a handful of shorter weeknight classes), Bradley Method, McMoyler Method, and stuff that falls in between.

I think I am currently leaning towards a set of Bradley classes paired with a Doula based on a recommendation from a very trusted friend but I wanted to cover my bases by asking the lovely PS moms about their experiences.

What did you end up doing? Do you think it helped prepare you for birth? What would you change (or did you change) for the next time?

I went into labor before I had the opportunity to take my class at the hospital. I didn't even read the last few chapters in my pregnancy books (info on weeks 36-40). What happened? It was fine. I relied heavily on my nurses and everything went well. I do agree that there is no way to prepare for pushing. I was so numb I couldn't feel or see anything. I put my feet in the stirrups, grabbed a hold of the handle bars, pulled myself up, held my breath and PUSHED. I felt like the little engine that could. I kept hearing "push, push, push" in my head but could not feel anything to know of it was working. Luckily I don't need to feel to push effectively, some people do.

I didn't want to change anything about my birth experiences, my first was my fastest and easiest. Each subsequent birth actually got longer and required a little more intervention each time. Stalled at 5cm with DD#2 and had to have pitocin, and required a full blown induction with #3. Luckily I respond really well to pitocin.

 

[ponder]

I took Bradley classes but that was over 30 years ago. It sounds like they are more flexible now. She was early and had lung problems so I couldn't use my midwife and had to be transferred. The one thing I wish I knew was when you are pushing don't hold on to anything. I held on to the bars, lifting myself off the bed as I pushed and could not lift my arms for days.

I loved the bars. Having anyone touching to support my legs or my body to curl forward was so distracting that I couldn't focus on pushing.

 

[Tourmaline]

We took a birthing class with our first child, and it was very informative. The two most helpful parts were the breathing exercises and the bit of information that the desire to push felt like one had to poo.

 

[random_thought]

I figured I would be the voice of the un-prepared, lol.
I had no birthing plan. I knew I wanted a vaginal birth but was ok with everything else considering I was a high risk pregnancy. I had intended to have music playing, their was a soccer game on tv instead. I wanted packets of lavender placed around the room, I got the scent of a chipotle burrito that dh ate in front of me, lol. I specifically asked not to have a nurse who had botched my iv a few weeks earlier but had to deal with her for a few hours because there was a shift change. I took my glasses off because I had a fever and was vomiting from a uterine infection. I forgot to ask for them to be back on my face and so 5 minutes after I held DS, a nurse asked "what do you think, isn't he beautiful?" to which I blurted out "I don't know, my glasses aren't on, I can't see him!!" and everyone scurried to find my glasses lol! While I was pushing, they had prepped DH for OR, I had pushed for about 5 hours at this point and had been in labor for 45 hours, 50 total. They said if he doesn't come out this time we are going to the OR. I screamed at them, this baby is coming out my hoo hah or we are going home! Turns out, DS was chillaxin on his elbow and was a little stuck, they move his arm and bammo, he shoots right out!

So what I'm trying to say is, be prepared for it not to be perfect. Despite everything that went differently, it was still the best day of my life. My plan was to be vocal and that was it. I knew what I wanted and I knew I had a loud mouth so I just went with it haha. I didn't take a hospital tour, no lamas classes, etc. That baby will come out one way or another

And for what it's worth, it's not as bad as people tell you, I promise! I had every complication in the world and would do it all over again in a heartbeat