Childbirth Education
Choosing the Right Class for You
So you have just learned that you are expecting! Congratulations! Having a baby is one of the most important and life-changing events you will ever experience. It is a time of excitement and anticipation. It can also bring about feelings of stress and anxiety. There are so many new things to learn and do in preparation for this new stage of your life journey.
One of the best ways to prepare for the birth and lessen your anxiety is to become an informed consumer. Learn all you can about the normal pregnancy changes in your body, labor and birth preparation, breastfeeding, and parenting so that you understand choices and options. This will help you to make informed decisions that are right for you and your situation. Make decisions that are in tune with your values, beliefs, and preferences.
Many areas offer a wide range of healthy pregnancy classes. They are frequently offered at hospitals, birth centers, physician or midwife offices, private homes, and community centers.
The benefits of prenatal education classes include:
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Childbirth education classes will increase confidence in your body's ability to give birth.
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Breastfeeding classes increase your confidence in your ability to nourish and nurture your infant. Women who take a breastfeeding class prenatally have a more successful and gratifying experience and nurse for a longer time, thus enhancing the benefits to themselves as well as to their infants.
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Your partner will learn about the same topics and be more confident in supporting you.
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Classes may create or strengthen that special bond between you and your partner as you learn together.
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Your instructor will present and discuss various options for birth and help you understand choices for things such as pain relief and relaxation.
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A tour of your birthing facility is included in many classes and gives you the opportunity to ask about routine practices and procedures such as electronic fetal monitoring and freedom of movement during labor.
The types of classes available might include:
- Early Pregnancy Childbirth Preparation—classes may vary based on the particular method being taught
- Breastfeeding
- Baby Care
- Parenting
- Sibling Preparation
- Grandparenting
- Cesarean Birth and VBAC
- Birthing Multiples
- Happiest Baby on the Block
- Infant/Child CPR
- Babysitter Preparation
What should you consider before choosing any class? Think about what your needs and desires are regarding childbirth education. What are your personal values, beliefs, and life philosophy? How do you learn best? Are you more comfortable in a one-on-one situation or small group? Online or in person? What is the class schedule and cost? Are you looking for a birth class that emphasizes natural birth or one that is focused more on a range of options?
Consider the following before making a choice:
Philosophy of the Particular Method
What are the beliefs about women, labor, and birth? Do they support women making their own choices? Are they teaching a particular method and if so, does this fit in with what you want for your birth? Seek classes taught by instructors with a wide range of experience who are approachable and open to questions.
Qualifications and Training of the Instructor
Look for instructors who are certified in the method that they teach or by another nationally recognized group. For example, Lamaze or ICEA for childbirth preparation or International Board Certified Lactation Consultant for breastfeeding.
Class Setting, Schedule, and Cost
Many classes take place in a hospital setting. Others may be located at a community center or a private home. Some instructors will come to the couple's own home for a private class. There are benefits to having instruction in your own home, but some people look forward to meeting other pregnant couples and prefer a group setting. Most instructors limit class size to 8-10 couples. Look for classes that fit conveniently into your schedule. Most places offer a variety of time and day of the week choices including weekends.
Childbirth Education Methods
Lamaze is one of the most popular and well-known childbirth education classes. It is based on the belief that women's inner wisdom guides them through birth and that a women's confidence is enhanced or diminished by her care providers. It stresses that birth is a normal, natural, and healthy life event that profoundly affects women and their families. Women are empowered through education to make informed choices, to take responsibility for their births, and to trust their inner wisdom. They are taught various breathing, relaxation, and comfort measures.
The average class is around ten to twelve hours broken into several sessions. Express classes of shorter duration may be available as well. Class content includes information about normal labor, birth, postpartum recovery, comfort measures, healthy lifestyle choices, and common hospital practices. Some classes also include information on breastfeeding and infant care.
Hypnobirthing® was founded by hypnotherapist Marie Mongan. It is based on the belief that the Fear-Tension-Pain syndrome increases a woman's perception of pain and that it is possible to control fear and thus pain through deep relaxation, self-hypnosis, and visualization. Freedom from fear promotes relaxation which facilitates an easier birth.
Classes are usually a total of ten to twelve hours. They include specific hypnosis techniques as well as avoiding medical interventions such as induction, epidural, and cesarean birth.
Bradley Method is specifically for women desiring natural childbirth. It was developed to assist women in giving birth without suffering or needless interference and is based on the idea that natural births lead to improved outcomes for mother and baby. There is emphasis on the coach's role throughout the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. Specific labor techniques are discussed and practiced thoroughly.
This method is normally an intensive 12 week program with in depth preparation on dealing with common discomforts of pregnancy, the role of the birth coach, stages of labor, natural comfort measures as well as the risks, benefits, and alternatives of common hospital interventions.
Birth Works is a nonprofit organization that certifies instructors and doulas. It is based on a holistic model of childbirth education supporting the idea that the knowledge of how to give birth is part of a woman's inner wisdom. Writing exercises, meditations, and visualizations are encouraged to help women and their partners identify and with their feelings about birth and parenting. Women are encouraged to view each birth as unique with no one "right" way to birth. It promotes an environment for birth that is respectful of the mother and provides her privacy, autonomy, and emotional security. Classes average about 25 hours in total length.
Birthing From Within is another holistic model of birth education based on the view that birth is a rite of passage rather than a medical event. Classes focus on self-discovery and couples are encouraged to create the birth experience they feel is right for them. This model views pain as an inevitable part of childbirth but supports many measures that can be done to ease suffering. The philosophy encourages pain coping practices that are integrated into the couple's daily life rather that ones to be "dusted off" for labor. It views childbirth preparation as parent preparation as well. Classes may be offered as two full days or a series of shorter sessions.
In choosing the right class, it can be very helpful to talk with friends or former clients of such classes and ask them to share their experiences. Ask if they would recommend the class. Additional sources of information and reference include facility flyers and websites, public libraries and the Internet. Choose sources that are well referenced and supported by nationally recognized groups.
Even more important than which class you take is how you use the information. Taking the time to enjoy your pregnancy and get to know your growing baby will benefit both of you no matter what else you do!