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did you/will you give birth without taking a childbirth class?

860 views 15 replies 15 participants last post by  Pynki 
#1 ·
Just curious...if you have, how was the birth?
And, did your doctor or midwife have an opinion on your decision?
This is my second child, but I feel like it's my first time to go through a normal birth--my last was highly intervenous. I feel like I should probably take a class because a) birthing center "requires" it and b) i don't want to go into it blindly. But, then again, a) i don't think i'd be going into it blindly--I read a lot, talk to other women, etc, and b) the thought of classes and subscribing to a particular philosophy is starting to annoy me--I don't know how to explain it. Plus, who is supposed to watch my child during 12 bradley classes or whatever?

Sorry if me talking about childbirth classes all the time is getting annoying...just on my mind a lot and i don't have anyone to ask about it irl.
 
#2 ·
I haven't had my little one yet, but thought I would throw my two cents (or more) in... I'm in much the same boat as you- pregnant with #2 and looking to do my first natural birth. I thought a lot about taking childbirth classes this time around, and thought about Bradley and Hypnobirthing, but there were several things that stood in my way. First was that dh works afternoons and evenings, and couldn't attend with me. Second was like you said- I really didn't like the idea of having to get a sitter once a week for twelve weeks to take a Bradley class, or others. And the third issue for us was money- the classes seemed really expensive at a time when there was no extra money in our budget.

But like you said, I have done so much reading, and I think that i have benfitted from it because I've seen a lot of different points of view and have been able to take the things I liked from all the different points of view. I'm feeling pretty confident about my ability to labor and deliver naturally, even without a formal class.

Good luck in what you decide!
 
#3 ·
I am in a different situation because I am pregnant with my first baby, but dh and I decided not to take childbirth classes. We are doing it on our own. We read birth stories from Ina May's Guide to Childbirth every night before we go to bed, we are going through the exercises from Birthing From Within, watching birth videos from our birth center, and reviewing the stages of birth and pysiological aspects together. This just feels really right to us and is exactly what we need. We are designing our own progam to fit our own circumstances. Our midwives at the birth center are very supportive of this. One of them said, "Your body already knows how to give birth." But, I think they are also reassured by all of the effort we are putting into it. You don't need an official class in order to prepare yourself. Especially if you have given birth before. I highly recommend Birthing From Within. It has been so powerful and cleansing for us to do.

I hope you find the solution that works for you. Good luck!
 
#4 ·
I was also PG with my first and we decided not to take classes. We had read a lot and also talked to people, and did some Bradley exercises and such. We both felt really prepared and it worked out well. Both DH and I have always been the type to be able to completely self-teach though, so I don't know if that made the difference or not.
 
#5 ·
Having a baby is the hardest labor-intensive job a woman will EVER go through, like a jogger in their first marathon-don't go into it without A LOT of practice and you will do super!

I think that practice can come from MANY methods- videos, reading or Bradley classes, some people do better with different styles of learning (I love classes and books, not videos).

Just like the marathon runner, they don't do it by just running in the marathon without practicing first, they practice for months and months on end, so their bodies can cope like they should!
 
#6 ·
Im not pregnant but was lurking around and so..........I do not think a child birth classs is necessary. There is nothing that will prepare you for that until it happens. But education is important at least so you know what to expect.

In my experience, I wish I had spent more time before I had the baby learning about BABIES and not childbirth!! I cannot stress this enough. I had no idea what I was about to go through. The most important thing to prepare for is BREASTFEEDING. I thought this would come naturall and sounded easy. I had absolutely no clue what was involved until after I had my son. It was much more complicated than I had imagined. I dont know if this applies to the original poster because this will be yer 2nd, but thot Id throw it out there for all the 1st time moms to be.

Another important thing to learn about is post partum depression. I think if you are prepared with a good support network then if this happens to you, you will be ready, and therefore can recover more quickly.

Also be sure to stock yer fridge ahead of time, unless you have a loving partner.
 
#7 ·
I didn't take one the first time, and felt comfortable with our birth experience.

I did take one the 2nd time for several reasons.
We had just moved 1600 miles when I found out I was pregnant (literally sitting there the first night in our new dark (the electricity hadn't been turned on) apartment, saying I think i am pregnant).
And having the baby at a birth center was a nice way to get to meet new people and the birth classes were a fun way to do that.

It was a nice chance to focus on the new baby, with a 1 year old, I spent hardly any time actually thinking about this new little life.

Our toddler mostly went with us to class. Espcecially on video nights, because he was going to be at the birth too. There also were lots of toys at the center, a couple of the women that worked there brought there children with them to work.

The class we took was a very broad, it wasn't really a certian philosophy.
 
#8 ·
With my first, I took Bradley (then became a teacher) and had a great birth center birth with a midwife. With #2, I decided classes would be nice but weren't necessary since I was a teacher and things went so well the first time. With #3, I am taking classes hypnobirthing classes because I know my challenge in labor is emotional/mental relaxation and after the second birth I wished I had spent more time preparing.

If you and your dh can commit to spending uninterrupted time together focusing on the pregnancy, birth and preparing physically, mentally, and emotionally - together - maybe classes aren't necessary. In my second pregnancy, I continued to read and dh and I talked about this and that, I wrote up birth plans, etc. but it wasn't the same as being in a class, getting feedback from dh and other couples who had the same goal as I did, and spending that time just thinking about the upcoming birth/baby. We got sidetracked, forgot, or whatever. I know it's hard when you already have a child. I have 2. Dh hasn't been able to make it to all of the classes because he's with the kids but I'm glad I'm in class.

Looking back I feel like my second birth was harder than my first partly because I wasn't mentally/emotionally prepared. DH did fine. But I needed more preparation. For me, there is a difference in reading a book and discussing something in class. Because I am a teacher and feel very knowledgable about the whole process, I forget that I am still a mom, expecting a child, and I am vulnerable. I like having a sounding board and having discussions with others about birthing. I need to be reminded about staying hydrated in labor or the signs that labor might be imminent, etc. It's comforting to me. Classes just help me get in a good mindset.

Don't stress too much about this or over think it especially if you are early in your pregnancy and have some time. Have you called any teachers and made inquiries? Ask them about childcare or if they have a teen that could watch your child during class. Talk to them about your frustration with choosing a particular philosophy. These are the people you could be discussing this with irl. I'd welcome a call like this from a prospective student. The childcare issue is our biggest obstacle and, frankly, it's why we didn't get into classes the second time. I think classes are one of the boons of pregnancy but that's because I enjoy them. You don't have to buy into everything that is taught in a class. I'm experiencing that right now. I love the technique but there are some things I'm not on board for at all and I still enjoy going to class! There is not right or wrong here. Do whatever you feel is best.
 
#9 ·
I felt like you with my second birth. My first birth was an induced epidural birth. I had had the "LAmaze" class through the hospital. It did no good of course. With my second I was planning a homebirth. I read a lot and meditated on the birth and did yoga. I really felt prepared and the birth went wonderfully.

I agree with you about not wanting to commit to a specific 'style' or plan for birthing. I read Birthing From Within and Dr Sears Birth Book and the Bradley book and I took the best from what they all had to offer. My birth was painless until transition and just a wonderful experience.
 
#10 ·
You can get various things out of birth classes. Many people report that it helps their partner to feel more involved, and that it is good to socialize with other pregnant women. For some it helps them learn about the process and their options. For others it is about learning a particular "method". I think the first two are valid reasons to take a CBE class, but neither necessary nor necessarily helpful. I enjoyed being in a birth-positive atmosphere, around other people who were excited about birth. But I didn't make any real connections, and I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know from reading books.

I've never really understood "methods". To me it seems that to attempt to intentionally guide an involuntary process is to risk getting in the way of the process unfolding normally.
 
#11 ·
I didnt take a class, and I had a natural, non-medicated birth. I didnt take a class or do a whole lot of research because I didnt want to clutter my brain. For me I would have been too busy thinking of what I had read or been told, to experience the labour and birth. It worked out great on my end.
 
#12 ·
I just had my first and my partner and I took a $199.00 private childbirth class based on Pam England's book "Birhting From Within" because it seemed to fit in most with what I wanted for the birth and didn't teach me breathing techniques that were counter to what I was learning in pre-natal yoga. Then, it turned, despite a very low-risk, non-interventionist pregnancy, my labor and delivery were the opposite and I didn't get to use much of what I learned. Now, I reccommend that friend's take the cheaper course at the local maternity center, which is based on the same teachings.
 
#13 ·
i didn't take one with my first, with the thought that women have done this since the beginning of time, often without knowing very much about the process...and i feel that way. i did read a lot, though.

i couldn't afford the classes during either pg, but the birthing center i went to for my second had a free, 2 hour basics course. i took my support person, who is a man (not my dh), and it was beneficial for him. my dh could have benefited from it for the birth of our first, but i don't feel i missed anything.

and i agree with the poster who wanted to learn more about babies--i could have used a lot more in that respect, especially since i don't have any family around to help or ask questions.
 
#14 ·
We are having our first next month and we didn't take a class. Partly, our work schedules would have made it very difficult. Also, I didn't want to spend the money. Mostly, though, I really didn't want to take a class. I guess I also feel that I didn't want to devote time to just one philosophy.

Instead, I did a lot of reading and research on my own. I have a book on the Bradley Method, a friend lent me her hypnobirthing book and tapes, I read Birthing From Within and other books. DH and I went over Bradley exercises from the book. I've spent time listening to the hypnobirthing tapes. I've also done a lot of journaling. Actually, I've been spending a lot more time preparing for the couple of weeks after the birth. I've been going to La Leche League meetings to learn about breastfeeding, etc.

Good luck!
 
#15 ·
Well, I had decided to just go ahead with Bradley, but I asked the only person I knew who would possibly be able to watch ds once a week for 12 weeks, and she can't (she has class on the nights it's on).

It's ridiculous that childbirth classes don't offer childcare. I guess they figure that if you already have one, you know what you're doing...
Oh well.
I guess I'll talk to my midwife about it next week when I see her. It's encouraging to see all the people here who haven't taken one. It seems more like a formality to take classes in some ways--then again, I had a pretty basic 4 part hospital class last time. And I learn 100 times from these boards alone, not to mention books, etc, than I did there.
Or maybe I could do hypnobirthing...although, it once seemed cool to have the prospect of not feeling contractions, but now it kind of scares me.
Anyway, thanks for letting me talk...I know very few people who know anything about natural childbirth irl, so this is really helpful.
 
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