Childbirth |
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The comments below are unedited opinions of the colleagues who submitted them. A date (month and year) indicates that the comments following that date are from the given month and year. The most recent comments appear at the bottom.
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4/01 *** I took Bradley childbirthing classes which were great. They focus on
nutrition, relaxation and positive imagery, and breastfeeding. The old referral # was 1-800-4ABIRTH. They are associated with the American Academy of Husband-Coached Births. It is a 12-week, 2-hour/week intensive class but it was well worth it. It's definitely the way to go as long as your husband buys into it.
Good luck!
| *** Hi. I had a baby 2 and a half years ago. The classes I went to were at the hospital where I was going to give birth. The classes tied into their philosophy of birth and included a lot of information on the procedures at the hospital, a tour of the facility, etc..... This was really important and helped a LOT because I felt comfortable in my surroundings when the time came. I also took a breast-feeding class and a "caring for your newborn" class which I highly recommend (especially if you're like me - I had NO clue!) The key for me though was that the childbirth class had a session on C-sections too - I ended up having a scheduled C-section, and I was glad that this was included in the class. (Though I wish there had been even more info.....) So I can't really tell you anything about how the breathing exercises etc prepared me because I didn't give birth "naturally" -- but I actually did use some of the breathing during my surgery! It helped a lot. *** no specific recommendations (the lovely woman we took classes with no longer does it), but some general advice for what it's worth, re: your queries; - no-one I have ever met -- not one -- has ever felt that a childbirth class had been very useful for physical preparation (how to breather, push, etc) when the big moment finally came. Most folks seem to think what you learn is a little helpful at best, but basically most of those nifty tricks you learn go right out the window when the enormity of the thing takes over. - that having been said, my friends and I have felt that classes were worth it - but primarily for the psychological preparation and the chance to hang out with others in the same boat. If it's a close-knit class, the reunion after all the babies are born is a kick. But by far the most valuable thing you can get out of a class, in my opinion, is the relationships. For me, it was a friendship with 2 other women who have become my best friends. We started getting together weekly after our babies were born and 5 years later, we are still at it! - a lot of people I know who have taken classes through hospitals have found them sterile and lacking in the human touch - not condusive to relationships continuing after the births. People who have taken classes offered by freelancers (e.g. in their homes) have found them to be much warmer, more personal experiences, and friendships seem to form more often there. good luck! | |||||||||||||||