I need honest opinions...

My MOH just had her baby-never took any class & now shes a proud mama

She did what was natural by nature and what women have done for thousands of years before any such classes

I never took a class..and I was fine. I did however read alot and it is so informative and prepares you because you have an idea of what is going to happen.

HTH

I just signed up for a childbirth course at my doctor's office. It focuses for 4-5 weeks (weekly class) on pain management, massage, breast feeding, hospital tour, what to expect or anticipate, etc.

I am looking forward to knowing what to expect. I really don't have any idea.

I know its nice to have some type of classes, to feel part of a team, and to know that there are others out there with concerns like you.

When I was preggo last time, I did:
*Prenatal water aerobics (plan to do it again in a few months )
*and my OB had several free classes (4-6 or so) for each trimester, they were informative and interesting. (did not include Lamaze).
*I also found free classes at the Y in Infant/Child CPR, Parenting & Childbirth, and Breastfeeding.
So all this fulfilled my anticipations and 'cravings' to be with other preggos and be able to talk about how we were feeling and what to expect etc..

I was lucky to be able to find all this free, so I didnt take Lamaze. I spent the $150 on other things I felt were more necessary...

Its a matter of how you feel and if you feel you need it.

I believe that you MUST know what is happening to your body in order to be prepared. Now for some that means reading books, for others that means taking a class. I don't just mean asking a friend 'what was it like' I am talking about understanding what is physically happening to your body so that you can avoid panic and say to yourself 'I know that I am suppose to feel this, or I know that this is nature and supposed to happen'. To me, it would be like getting into a car, turning the key and having NO clue what happens next or how to get out of the driveway or where the turn signals are.

I took the required midwife class, which is where I learned how to time contractions and what is happening to you and the baby at each stage. But I also took a Hypnobirthing class. I have wanted to take that class for years. It was in that class that I found a real calm for myself and I learned a lot of relaxation techniques which I truly believe will make my labor and delivery a more pleasant experience. Scott said he was also really glad that we took the classes. He had NO idea about most of the stuff that would happen.

Regardless you NEED to take the hospital tour and understand what paperwork you need to complete and what enterence to use during the middle of the night etc...
And I highly recommend a breast feeding class- which are typically free and offered at many hospitals.

Having 'been there' and having had a c-section (after 18hours of labor). No matter how educated and prepared and well-read I was, having been to 3 of my sisters' kids deliveries, in things like labor you have to let mother nature take her course at some point. I have an extremely high tolerance for pain and my screams were probably heard miles away

Yes every mom wants a 'birthing plan' and hands the nurse a 'how to' guide for her specific delivery, but even the nurses have told me, what a low percentage (in their experience) of those birthing plans come even CLOSE to what was 'planned'.

JMO

Anna- honestly (please do not take offense) but I find it very difficult when you post things like your screams were heard miles away. many of us are in the midst of doing this for the first time and those 'horror' birth stories do not help anyone. I think when we hear stories like that it really justs scares us and makes us all nervous. Yes, maybe your labor and delivery was very much like that and I am NOT saying to lie but I, for one, would like to have a more positive outlook on what is ahead for me in the next few weeks. so maybe, for the sake of us mom's to be, you could try to lessen your 'pain' stories. And yes, after my birth if you can say I told you so if I post that my screams were heard down the hall.

look at Ron's wife- she had a home birth and was up and walking 10 minutes later and never, ever said that she was screaming like that. So it is possible that some women do not have horror stories.

I don't hear much about Lamaze anymore...but my mother said that when it first came out/popular in the early 70's she took it for me...

She had very easy births (hoping that is genetic), but she said it was much easier with me...than my sister 3 years before...

now I don't know if it was b/c it was her second birth...but I was breech, they turned me around and my mom didn't have any drugs (like she did with my sister)

so it may or may not have been the Lamaze...

I'm taking a 'child birth prep course' starting tonight. It's mostly what to expect and pain management. I'm doing it more for Patrick than myself though... he thinks he's delivering this baby, and he needs to know what he's in for!

I did the 'bradley Method' courses ...that teach you more about what happends within a preg woman's body during L&D...and how to relax..no breathing plans...etc.
Talks in medical terms and what each term means...tells you how much YOU have to say vs what the hospital would like..for your delivery. (dont' you think it is easier for them to have 4 women on epi's than 4 women delivering without drugs?)...

how this is a NATURAL process....etc...so it was empowering since most of us fear what is UNKNOWN....

with this information, I felt that I could make SOME informed choices. The birth plan may or may not happen, etc ...but I could choose (in my case) whether I wanted drugs or not

I chose not...it was not EASY- and I dont mean to frighten anyone...but look at it this way...10, 12, 15 or 5 hours later- whatever is your timing on your birth...you have a BABY IN YOUR ARMS!

that makes it worth ALL the WORK of labor. (they call it labor for a reason )

HTH

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I did the 'bradley Method' courses ...that teach you more about what happends within a woman's body during L&D...and how to relax..no breathing plans...etc.

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My birthing class was similar to Phyl's, and I really enjoyed it b/c I am the type that likes to be prepared for a major life experience. Melissa, I know that you do tend to worry about things, and I know that you will be far from both your families when you have the baby (I was too!) so I want to give you my honest opinion about this.

I DEFINITELY found the class to be informative, helpful and useful during my L&D and so did my hubby. Because of my hubby's knowledge, he was more able to help me cope during my labor (especially while we were still at our apartment). I would recommend some type of birth class to you, Melissa, for the simple reason that (like Phyl said so well) it is EMPOWERING to understand what is happening to your body and what your individual choices are in dealing with your labor pains. Unless there is a *medical emergency* with you or the baby, you do not have to give yourself over to the hospital staff and just let the chips fall where they may (pardon the expression, but...)

Everyone has a certain 'vision' for the birthing experience, and there is no book that says every women will have the same experience. Just b/c some women are screamers does not mean that is how everyone will handle labor pains. There are no awards for who screams the loudest! (Although that is very funny!) I did not scream during my delivery, but I did endure 4 hours of pushing. I was very happy that I was alert and understood EXACTLY what was happening to me, my body and my baby, every step of the way.

Anna well said

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Having 'been there' and having had a c-section (after 18hours of labor). No matter how educated and prepared and well-read I was, having been to 3 of my sisters' kids deliveries, in things like labor you have to let mother nature take her course at some point. I have an extremely high tolerance for pain and my screams were probably heard miles away

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Posted by JennRenee
I'm doing it more for Patrick than myself though... he thinks he's delivering this baby, and he needs to know what he's in for!

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We took Lamaze and am glad we did. Althought I ended up having a c-section we still found it helpful

Jenn

The guys do like to be informed, its kinda cute, when they repeat things they learned. I was kinda impressed at how much John picked up from the classes we took.

Michele-no offense taken.
Not only is it possible, but it's obviously a fact that there are many women who have those wonderful stories to tell.

I have many friends who have those cheerful and happy labor story, and I have quite a number whose 'horror' stories I heard well before I gave birth.

There are ways to take and process information given to you, and ways to view things.

This is how my story should be taken:
There is obviously a reason that Im not shaken up or why we decided to 'go for' baby#2 so soon. In the grand scheme of things, it wasnt all that bad. Yes it was the most excruciating pain Ive ever felt in my entire life, but Id do it again 10 more times, because of what the end result is.
And I didnt go in expecting a manicure or pedicure either. I dont feel there's any reason for me to hide or 'jazz up' my story.

Sidenote:
Yes, knowledge is power. (I love that quote!) but...
I had lots of long chats with one sweet nurse at the hospital and I have to say, I find it a little offensive to the nurses that so many moms come in with this list of 'Do's and Donts'. Nurses are nurses because they chose the profession, they love what they do, they are extremely knowledgeable and they give the best possible care to their patients, in this case, mommy and baby.
Yes a mom should absolutely have the right to make informed decisions, to be involved in every step of the way, to question or reject anything or any Dr or nurses opinion or advice, and to be told anything she needs to know (should we just attach the patients bill of rights? ), but I think there are certain times when we need to let the professionals do their jobs. To go in with a certain mentality is not necessary. JMO

PS-Yes I see the glass as half full. Always have and always will.

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Nurses are nurses because they chose the profession, they love what they do, they are extremely knowledgeable and they give the best possible care to their patients, in this case, mommy and baby.

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This is a complete sidenote/tangent and not related specifically to L&D...but, I just have to say that I could not disagree any more strongly with this statement.

It does not matter where a nurse is assigned in the hospital, I just do not think that nurses always give the best possible care to their patients. Yes, they choose their profession (just like everyone else), but not all of them love it and lots of times IT SHOWS in the lack of care they give their patients. Someone can be sweet as pie and still be a horrible nurse who is not proactive about patient care and does not involve the doctor immediately for critical care issues. This is not labor & delivery related as I stated, but my Grandmother was recently in the hospital for almost a month, and the type of 'care' that she was given from several nurses bordered on ABUSE so badly that my family is considering taking action.

Good nurses - who do genuinely love what they do and treat their patients with care - IMO, are diamonds in the rough....very few and far between. Kinda sad