Childbirth Classes

There are many different types of childbirth classes.  I recommend that every pregnant women take one with her birth partner.  Even if you are planning on a medicated birth, I would still take one!!  A good chilbirth course will give you information on nutrition, exercise, progression of labor, and importantly, natural pain management techniques (I would rather call them comfort measures) to use during labor and birth.  They will also give you information on different medicated pain options, as well as c-sections and possible complications.  A good natural chilbirth class will educate you on your birth options as parents, and help you decide what is important to you.  Below are the childbirth classes I would recommend:

Husband-Coached Childbirth (or the Bradley Method):

I took this method to prepare for my first and second births.  It is a very thorough (10-12 weeks long) class that discusses everything you could want to know about how to prepare for a wonderful birth.  What I loved most about it was how involved my husband became.  This class is for women whose husbands want to be very much involved with the birth.  They help the moms with relaxation techniques, visualizations, position changes, and very importantly, emotional support.  This technique helped my husband see the vision I saw in WHY I wanted an unmedicated birth, and he became not only fully supportive, but he was an advocate for achieving my dream birth.  I promise you and your husband will become closer through this experience.  According to the website: www.bradleybirth.com,

Bradley^® Classes:

1. Teach a natural childbirth method that works – Natural childbirth is an important goal since most people want to give their babies every possible advantage. Without the side effects of drugs given during labor and birth. Bradley^® classes teach families how to have natural births. The techniques are simple and effective. They are based on information about how the human body works during labor. Couples are taught how they can work with their bodies to reduce pain and make their labors more efficient. Of over 200,000 Bradley^®-trained couples nationwide, over 86% of them have had spontaneous, unmedicated vaginal births. This is a method that works!

2. Provide each couple a 125 page Student Workbook containing the class curriculum, study guides, vocabulary, information on pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum, coaches/doula training, ways of handling pain in labor, pre-birth bonding, staying healthy and low risk, nutrition, protein counter, general assignments, birth plans, relaxation exercises, labor rehearsals, Certificate of Congratulations, pictures and more. The workbook provides standardization and insures couples that their teacher is teaching according to today’s standard of Bradley^® classes.

3. Provide excellent coach/doula training – Coaches face some special challenges in labor. They need special training as well as the mother. This is not a spectator sport. We begin by teaching the coach how to help her during pregnancy to be aware of things that help her be as healthy and low risk as possible. What to expect in the natural course of a birth, how to avoid unnecessary pain in labor, how to support and be an advocate for this mother. Coaches learn a series of relaxation techniques and effective labor and birth positions. The classes provide relaxation practice and labor rehearsals. They are designed to educate and motivate coaches and make them a valuable part of the birth experience.

4. Offer comprehensive education – When you take a class in the Bradley Method^® you don’t need most “extra” classes that are commonly offered. Bradley^® classes cover it all: nutrition, exercise, being more comfortable during pregnancy, the coaches role, introductory information about labor and birth, advanced techniques for labor and birth, complications, cesarean sections, postpartum care, breastfeeding (we do recommend La Leche League meetings) and caring for your new baby. Our classes cover a few topics that are rarely discussed in other classes like: how to reduce the need for an episiotomy and the likelihood of a tear, how to avoid needing a cesarean, how to make the best of it if a cesarean is necessary, and what the coach should do if the baby is accidentally born in the car.

5. Keep classes small enough for individual attention – Bradley^® classes average 3-6 (or 6-8) couples per class. Classes are kept small so that your instructor can get to know you and present a class that meets your needs. Small classes are also important so that you will have the space to do plenty of practice in class. Studies have shown that the Hawthorne effect (the effect of personal attention) makes for better learning and successful results.

6. Use only certified instructors – Certified Bradley^® instructors are trained professionals and experts in the field of childbirth education. Most of them have given birth naturally themselves or attended many unmedicated natural births. They have undergone an extensive training program with the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth and are required to complete continuing education requirements and reaffiliate every year.

7. Teach 12 weeks of classes, because it works. Couples who take a 12 week series are more likely to give birth naturally.

 

 

Hypnobabies:

The Hypnobabies method assists mothers in reaching a very deep level of relaxation, to where the mind becomes more powerful than the body.  Pain converts to pressure. Positive thoughts and expectations erase negative ones.  Birth becomes a joyful, loving, comfortable experience.  Below are the unique benefits of Hypnobabies listed from the official site at www.hypnobabies.com.  

Why choose a natural, easier birth using Hynobabies? The benefits are many:

●  Most of our moms use fewer drugs or no drugs, which means less risk of side effects for you and your baby, due to elimination of the Fear/Tension/Pain Syndrome, and using post-hypnotic suggestions.

 ● Most Hypno-mothers have shorter labors since there is less resistance of the birthing muscles when pain and fear are minimized or eliminated.

 ● Hypno-Moms generally have much more energy throughout first and second stage, due to your total relaxation throughout the birthing process.

 ● The birthing environment is much more calm and peaceful when you, the natural childbirth mother are comfortable, relaxed and confident.

● Breech and posterior babies can be turned using hypnosis.

● Blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature can be lowered and nausea, back and hip pain eliminated with hypnosis during pregnancy and labor.

● There are fewer interventions for failure to progress and therefore fewer complications during labor for our mothers and babies.

● The deep relaxation in Hypnobabies sessions has also helped many a nervous birth partner to enjoy their partner’s pregnancy and childbirth, and the skills that the Hypno-couple learns for relaxation and hypnosis will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

 ● As a Hypno-Mom, you are easily “deprogrammed” from the usual negativity of childbirth stories and scenarios you may have heard or read, by way of training in Hypnobabies classes and audio CDs which have positive messages and hypnotic suggestions. This automatically allows you to have a much more positive attitude and confidence in birthing. It is truly a gift that you are giving yourself, an amazingly easy way to enjoy your pregnancy more and actually look forward to your baby’s birth.