Childbirth Class - too close to due date?

[mzbeers]

I really enjoyed the class, and it really helped me a lot. I went natural all the way, so for me it was VERY beneficial. I was pretty far along also, it just made it more difficult to get up and down from the floor. If you are not planning on having an epidural, or are thinking about trying natural child birth, I would recommend going to the class. That's just my two cents......

[carisal]

I also never went to the class(I got really sick the day I was supposed to go) and everything was fine for me. I didnt read any books or anything on it either.

only thing was the doc got a little agitated I think when he told me to push and I was breathing out and was supposed to hold my breath... no biggie though, they just told me no hold your breath and push. only took me 3 or or 4 contractions worth of pushing to get her out (10-12 pushes, 3 on each contraction) - and that was with an epidural.

[willow78]

A couple of thoughts:

If you have insurance, check to see if they reimburse for child birth classes. If I recall, all you need to do is print out a form, have the instructor sign it, and mail it in with a receipt. My insurance company covered most of the cost of the class that I attended.

Or, friends of mine opted to by a set of child birth tapes. It was like a class, just on video. Maybe your local library has something like this. They do show a lot of videos at the classes anyway.

Lastly, I will note that I went because I thought it was what you're supposed to do, and at the time, it did make me feel better. They walked through the process (the different stages of delivery) - showed some relaxation and breathing techniques - it was informative. Too bad nothing I learned came in handy, when I was delivering. [LOL - DS came VERY FAST. They did not prepare me for that scenario!]. Just remember that there will be a lot of people at the hospital, who will help you through it. If you don't make it to a class, you'll be just fine.

[Brandilla]

I don't think I would pay for the class, but my insurance covered mine, so I took a few different classes at the hospital. I don't regret them one bit. I don't know how much they helped me, but it was interesting to meet other preggos, and they showed up around the hospital, showed us the birthing suites and everything. I think it was probably beneficial. But mine wasn't an all day class. If I remember right it was 2 or 3 2 hour classes (one per week)

[aturnbg]

Straight up... I had twins and didn't take a class and I did it vaginally and "natural" b/c the epi wore off. You totally know what to do when the time comes. Save your money. Woman have been having babies since the beginning of time..... It actually felt good/natural to push when it's time to push.

[CJOVANALST]

Our hospital offered them for free so we took one weith our first. I didn't learn anything new or different than I had read. But my husband was really grateful for it. He kept saying "I am glad they covered that because if that were to happen in the delivery room I would freak out." There is no way $150 is worth it unless you feel you really need the information.

[MrsPinecone]

Oh, and my hospital offered the tour for free, so don't think you need to take a class just for the hospital tour.

[MnM's Mama]

Bradley classes were worth it to us :D It gave us insight to what the staff was talking about during labor. I love to be informed and am a knowledge hound and was on light bedrest for the end of my pregnancy and read ALOT! lol
Now Dh is a nurse so that went a long way too. However even he learned alot in the bradley class as it is not his specialty;) For one thing I changed my mind about breast feeding as my mom used formula on the three of us and we all turned out ok...I think;) The other was that I realized that we could do it naturally vaginally once my fear factor was allievated (sp?) with knowledge and preparation. Exercising certain muscle groups etc.

The hospital L&D class annoyed the pants off me (ticked) and Dh because it basically was just a seminar with the L&D staff Telling you what they would do you after you asrruived at the hospital. Instead of them preparing you for the experience and forget about any chance of them honoring a birthing plan. They were asked by someone in the class and they gave the quick oh yeah answer to that "Oh make sure you bring it with you..." umm NO! They should have it BEFORE you go as well as you take a copy with you so they are prepared.
Soooo glad we had an awesome OB who gave us his cell # and a hospital who had mid wives at the time because they were the ones who stood up to the head nurse when she tried Insistantly on putting an IV in my arm even after she told me she hadn't had time to read our birth plan!!! She would NOT listen to me and so I yelled for my doctor!!! I LOVE MY OB-GYN!!!

And oh yeah I agrre with the above poster. You KNOW when to push lol Noone needs to tell you! That was a question I had, the "how will I know????" But the cramps all of a sudden give way to an immediate...think gotta run to the potty moment and your having a baby;)

If it helps alleviate your concerns I'd do it but I see that I'm in the minority here:)

[Cin42382]

Thank you everyone! I think I will nix the class lol. My OB/GYN's office is a team of 3 Dr.'s and 2 midwives, so I hope between them they will guide me through anything I don't already know. I was planning on maing a birthplan, although who knows if anyone will look at it lol.

[VivaciousJewelz]

Well, I wasn't going to take them, but since my health flex account covers them, I decided to go ahead and sign up, so DH and I are taking them in May. I think it's important for me since this is my first baby, and though I've done a lot of reading on the interventions, medications, natural child birth stuff, I think it will be good to help me calm my nerves about the birth, but don't feel bad if you don't want to take them. If you don't really want to, why should you have to?