Questions You May Have About Childbirth Classes

Who should take childbirth education classes?

Any woman preparing to give birth and the people they would like to have with them during the labor and birth should take a childbirth course.  It is a common perception that childbirth classes are only for women planning to give birth “naturally”.  While it is true that we will learn how labor and birth progress normally and naturally(including comfort techniques to utilize in natural childbirth), childbirth education is for all women, no matter the type of birth they and their care provider feels is the healthiest choice for them and their baby.  Medical interventions are also explored including common reasons they are used and/or necessary, as well as the whole gamut of options a woman has for pain management in labor along with their benefits and risks.  Childbirth education can ease a woman’s fears, prepare her for labor, and help her family and friends support her labor and delivery no matter if she has a vaginal unmedicated birth or a cesarean birth and anything in between.  There is something offered for everyone in every class of Birth True.

Why do women and their support people need to take a childbirth education course?

In a perfect world, every pregnant woman would be offered childbirth classes before the birth of her baby no matter the type of birth she has planned.  A fully informed and supported mother will be more at ease throughout her pregnancy, labor, and birth.  Taking a childbirth education class prepares mothers for the wide range of things that can occur during the birth of her baby, and it helps her to understand the many variations of normal birth.  The hope of any expecting mother is that her baby will be born healthy and strong, and that she will be able to care for her baby as soon as possible after the baby is born.  Labor and delivery is an experience that carries with it much history and many stories.  No woman’s story will be the same.  Because of this, many women have fears about their body’s ability to birth their babies, what could occur during the labor and delivery, and worry about some of the medical interventions that might be needed to ensure the health of mommy and baby (i.e. induction, c-section delivery, and epidural being the common ones).  It can also help women and their partners to be active participants in their healthcare decisions.  No woman should approach the day of her baby’s birth feeling in the dark about what is about to take place, or what could take place before she meets her baby for the first time.

Many fathers, partners, or family and friends that plan to support a mother during the birth of her baby, or have been asked by the mother to be present at the birth, fear that they will simply take up space in the room.  Many also fear that they will faint or be squeamish and be a distraction to the laboring mother and her health care providers.  Childbirth education will help prepare them to witness a birth by giving them a basic understanding of what they will see.  The classes will also prepare them to offer support and comfort to the mother during the labor and delivery.  In the case of an unexpected event, childbirth education can equip the support people of a laboring woman to help the mother understand any medical interventions that might be necessary or ask the questions she needs to make decisions about the birth of the baby.

Childbirth education helps to create reassurance and preparedness in the pregnant woman and the people she will have supporting her during her birth experience.  The more a woman understands what is happening to her and her baby, and the more she feels she is a part of the choices made during her pregnancy and birth, the more peaceful her pregnancy and birth will be.  Childbirth education classes can help her and her support people find that place of confidence.

When in my pregnancy should I register for a childbirth class?

Birth True classes are appropriate for any stage of pregnancy.  It is recommended to begin classes closer to your time to give birth than in very early pregnancy.  This is because in class you are given quite a bit of information and techniques to use during labor and delivery.  You will want them to be fresh in your mind as well as the mind of the one supporting you.  It is recommended as well that you not wait too late to begin classes.  You will want to have time to practice the techniques, think about your birth preferences, and make plans for welcoming your baby based on the information you learn in class.  It is my opinion that the second trimester (sometime around month six) is the perfect time to begin taking a childbirth course.  If you are interested in learning about prenatal nutrition and exercise along with tips on choosing a care provider and place of birth before you reach the 6th month, you may call to schedule a private or group workshop early in your pregnancy, and register/schedule a  complete class series in the later trimesters.  These topics are also included in the regular class series both group and private.  It is better to take a childbirth class at anytime than to not take one at all.  With that in mind, you can register as early as you would like to or as late as 32 weeks to still have plenty of time to complete the course before giving birth.

What will I learn if I register to take the course?

Birth True Childbirth Education classes will prepare eastern Kentucky women for all aspects of pregnancy, labor, birth, and newborn parenting (including breastfeeding).  Mothers and their support persons should leave class feeling that they can make informed choices about the birth of their baby.  Women and their support people who actively participate in the complete class series group or private will leave with an understanding of :

• what is occurring in the mother’s body and what is happening to the baby during normal labor and delivery
• methods of supporting and comforting laboring women
• exercise and nutrition for a healthy and comfortable pregnancy
• a basic understanding of medical interventions that might be necessary should a problem arise and the medical reasons that they are used
• relaxation techniques that can be utilized during both drug-free and medicated childbirth
• the basics of newborn parenting and beginning breastfeeding

How much do these classes cost and where and when are they offered?

I am pregnant and would like to attend the classes, but I have no one to come with me.  Can I still attend?

Absolutely!  Though it is strongly urged that a laboring woman have support aside from her health care provider during her birth experience, it is still fully acceptable to attend class singly if your husband, partner, or support person’s schedule prevents them from attending.  However, it is encouraged that you look for someone to attend class with you whether or not they plan to be there for your birth.  The classes are for women and the people they plan to have support them through this experience.  If it is not possible for someone to be with you, it is better for you to attend class alone rather than not at all.  If you would like support during labor, but cannot find that support, please ask your instructor and she will do her best to help you find the support you need during this time.

Do you have a question that was not answered here?  Please contact the instructor, Kelli B. Haywood at birthtrue@gmail.com.