Childbirth preparation classes
During your pregnancy, there should be an opportunity for you to take some childbirth preparation classes or antenatal classes. Not only will these classes be informative and educational, they can also help to allay fears you may have and make you feel more in control of your birthing experience. For first time parents, there is a lot to be gained from feeling prepared about childbirth.
Classes such as these are also a great way of letting your partner feel more involved in the whole process. Pregnancy can be a difficult period for some men, as they cannot actively experience what you are going through: classes may give them an opportunity to feel useful. Some courses even have a father-only session where men can talk about their concerns. In addition, you will probably meet other expectant couples with whom you can share experiences with and have some fun. Most of the other couples will probably live in your area, so at the very least, you'll be making friends with people in the same situation as you - many whom might become your friends for life!
The topics that are covered within childbirth preparation classes usually include advice on breathing and relaxation techniques to use during labour (the power of the breath at this challenging time is not to be underestimated) and offer suggestions as to what your partner can do to help you at this time. See our Breathing techniques video for hints on learning the technique.
You will learn things like, how to tell whether you are in labour, when to go to the hospital and what options you have in terms of the birth including Caesarean sections, natural birth, pain relief and what drugs you may be offered for the pain.
This is your chance to ask all those questions you have been wondering about - no matter how silly they seem. You may also be able to have a tour around the maternity ward, this will be useful in many ways, including knowing where to go when you are in labour and also to see the facilities such as whether there are birthing pools, or what the labour ward looks like.
Classes also offer an education into the physiology of the female body, how pregnancy and childbirth impact on your anatomy and how and why certain things might happen. Finally you will receive lots of information about the different stages of labour and important advice on caring for a newborn baby. You will learn about breastfeeding and even how to change a baby’s nappy. (See our video Changing your baby's nappy for a guide on where to begin!)
Ask your midwife for details of antenatal classes running in your area and make sure you put your name down early as they can get quite booked up. You may also wish to take up a pregnancy yoga class or similar, in order to help prepare your body for the physical demands of labour. Some pregnancy yoga practitioners offer couples classes and other preparation for labour classes, so do ring around a few to see who offers the most suitable class for your needs. See fitness for birth for a guide on keeping fit during pregnancy.
Types of classes
There are different types of childbirth preparation classes and you should decide which classes best suit you. Lots of classes are run by the hospital you plan to give birth in and are generally free. As well as providing information about pregnancy, labour and birth, they will also talk through topics such as that hospitals policies, where to park your car and what the labour ward looks like for example. If you are planning a home birth, or are not going to that partcular hospital to give birth, the classes may not be as relevant to you.
Private classes are run by different organisations such as the NCT. Depending on what you choose, these may focus on things like natural childbirth. You will have to pay for these sessions and they usually get booked up early.
Your GP surgery may also run classes so it is worth asking in advance.
Some couples prefer to be in a big class where they meet lots of other parents, but equally you can pay for small private sessions where you arre the only couple. Some classes run over a weekend and some are in the evening (the ones run by your hospital are probably in the evening) so you can attend whilst you are still at work.
Questions to ask at your childbirth preparation classes:
- How do you know you are in labour?
- What do I do if my waters break?
- (For the birth partner) How can I help?
- What to pack for labour and birth
- What happens afterwards - how long will I stay in hospital
- Questions about breastfeeding/bathing your baby/general babycare
- Questions about pain relief and labour
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