Childbirth Education Classes
“Does it really matter if I go to a childbirth class?” “Does the type of class matter?” The answer is, yes, it does. Few things are as important in your pregnancy journey as finding a truly informative class. If you don’t have that perfect stroller or play-mat before the birth of your baby, someone can always go get it for you. The information you need for your best birth experience cannot be gathered after the birth. Sounds obvious, yet it is an area many families forget to research.
Most women will spend far more time comparing strollers, car seats, high chairs and so on than they will spend finding the right childbirth class. Many women do not invest in a childbirth class. They assume that they will be told what to do when the time comes. Remember, it is your body, your baby and your birth. You should maintain the active decision making role.
Childbirth classes are not created equal, and they are not just about birth. Do you know for example, how many grams of protein you need each day for optimal development of your baby? Have you been taught how different foods can help with different pregnancy related complaints? Do you know the true risks vs. benefits of the tests you will be offered during your pregnancy? Do you know what exercises will stretch and strengthen the muscles you will use during labor and pushing? Do you know specifically what your body and your baby will go through physically and hormonally during labor? Do you know comfort and pain relief techniques that you can use in place of an epidural or until you can get an epidural? What about breastfeeding and newborn care?
Hopefully the childbirth class you take will also introduce you to the idea of having a doula. Many women find that having a doula made a huge difference in their labor experience. Doulas have been shown improve birth outcomes. They are credited with: a 50% reduction in the cesarean rate, 25% shorter labor, 60% reduction in epidural requests, 40% reduction in Oxytocin (Pitocin) use, 30% reduction in analgesia use and 40% reduction in forceps delivery.
Unfortunately, doctors today have far too many patients and far too little time to counsel women on all of the above information. Hospital classes are fine, especially if you want more of a cookie cutter birth experience. They are often geared toward instructing women on what will happen once they arrive at the hospital, instead of giving them several options that are available and encouraging them to make their own decisions. If you want more variety and information, I urge you to take a childbirth class not associated with a hospital.
If you desire a natural childbirth, classes become even more important. Women are no longer taught about birth from their grandmothers, mothers and sisters. Gone are the days of family and woman centered birth. Prior to their own birth experience, few women have witnessed a birth and fewer still have seen a natural birth. In the absence of this tradition, they must seek information elsewhere. It is equivalent to saying you are going to build a house without any past experience. Most likely you will get up some sort of shelter, but it will in no way resemble the home a trained carpenter could build. You may have an unmedicated birth without any instruction, but it will lack the awe, beauty and inspiration of an informed birth.
There are many choices in childbirth classes. There are independent classes that are not tied to any specific method or organization. Usually, these classes take information from many sources and combine them into a class series. There are also Lamaze, The Bradley Method and Birthing From Within classes. Some instructors offer weekend classes, some are a four to six weeks series and some, such as The Bradley Method, are as many as twelve weeks.
A woman should remember that her care is a team effort, and that she is the primary decision maker. Doctors, nurses, friends, family and even strangers can make recommendations, but she makes choices. The path she chooses at each crossroads during her pregnancy and labor affects future decisions. It is important to have all the information to make informed decisions.
Pregnancy and birth are not something that happens to you. It is not about the destination, it is about the journey. There is more and more evidence that the choices we make during the birth of our children have long-term effects on the mother and the baby. These are things to know before you are faced with the task of making an informed choice.
Giving birth is one of the most amazing, life changing events of your life. It is an empowering experience that can shape the way you go forward with your life. Learn how to work with your body so you can emerge from birth transformed.
(Statistics from Mothering the Mother: How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter Easier and Healthier Birth by Klaus, Kennell and Klaus).