As my husband and I started our trek down the (seemingly) long road towards parenthood, we quickly realized that there was a lot that we wanted to learn.
The library offered a wonderful selection of books that certainly helped to establish a nice foundation for pregnancy and childbirth. Still, we found ourselves craving a more personal touch. We decided that we wanted to find a Child Birth Educator (CBE) that presented the information we were looking for on our journey.
I must say, that there are a great many approaches to child birth... and that no singular approach is right for everyone. FURTHER-- the choice that was right for me, your best friend, your mother or your neighbor, will likely not be the exact path you are seeking to travel down. And that, my friend, is perfectly fine!
Parenthood seems to evoke the most personal of opinions for those just beginning the journey-- AND for those who simply cannot wait to share their own experience. As with any huge life event: marriage, death, etc. childbirth carries with it some very potent opinions. I will mention it now, I will likely say it again later... stick to your guts, follow your heart. What is right for your household will be right for your baby because it will put you, as the parent, at ease. Those who love you, those very same folks who cannot WAIT to tell you all the things you should/shouldn't/can't/can do... they will get on board when they see how happy you are. (And if not, they will promptly board the happy train when that precious cargo has unloaded... because the smell of babies makes everyone smile)! ;)
Alright. Back to Childbirth classes.
Here is what we found:
- HOSPITAL COURSES - Call the hospitals (try to call at least two so that you can compare) nearest to you. They all offer some sort of childbirth course. Some will offer specific information regarding cesareans, nursing, VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean), a refresher for second time parents, etc.
- Ask questions when you call. The hospitals charge money for most of their classes, just the same as a private instructor. Make sure they are going to cover the topics that are of interest to you.
- Be weary of some hospital courses. Some will 'teach' you the methods that they find most useful-- quick entry, seamless administrative processes, a timed labor, procedures to expect and hospital policy. If this does not align with your birthing goals don't be afraid to keep looking!
- The highlight of hospital courses might be that they are frequently offered, meet a variety of schedules and really seem to meet the needs of a lot of new parents.
- ON-LINE - Some courses are offered on-line.
- These courses may meet the need of a couple who is not interested in a group activity, but who would not enjoy reading a text together.
- There are a variety of on-line options out there, in a variety of formats. Dig around and you will likely find one that covers the information you are in search of.
- One example: http://pregnancy.about.com/od/childbirtheduc/a/cbeclass.htm
- BRADLEY METHOD - A husband-focused method of childbirth
- http://www.bradleybirth.com/
- This is a good course for folks who are seeking a healthy birth for baby, mother and family.
- Bradley has been around for a quite a while and those who have taken the course seem very happy with it.
- 12 comprehensive classes for each course.
- There are instructors through-out Ohio: http://www.bradleybirth.com/Directory.aspx
- LAMAZE
- http://www.lamaze.org/
- The birthing class your Mama raved about is still at it today!
- They are no longer just focused on the breathing, but the heart of their practice are six birth practices that they find help mothers a great deal.
- They offer videos, clothing, and books aligned with their philosophy.
- There is an instructor in the greater Akron area: http://www.lamaze.org/ExpectantParents/FindaLamazeClass/tabid/62/Default.aspx
- HYPNO-BIRTHING
- http://www.hypnobirthing.com/
- A movement that (of-course) started on the west coast and is moving eastward.
- There is a great textbook that I can personally vouch is available from Akron Public Library that includes the meditation CD that many on-line copies do not include
- Hypno Birthing is about learning how the muscles in a mother's body work to bring a child into the world. By understanding what is happening in the body, the belief is that a mother will be able to control fear and pain by working through the discomfort in a number of methods taught here.
- Emphasis on a calm birthing experience
- There are instructors in Northeast Ohio: http://www.hypnobirthing.com/ohio.htm
- BRIO BIRTH
- http://www.briobirth.com/
- I must confess, Brio is almost unheard of here in Ohio... BUT it's big out west :) A friend of mine teaches Brio in Colorado so we had an inside scoop on the content; add to that what we learned about Brio... and we were confident it was the right choice for us.
- Brio, in short, covers the finer points of all the above courses and puts it together in a very comprehensive group of lessons.
- As with many of the above options, Brio classes are 12 courses long.
- Brio also covers breastfeeding, which not all courses offer - be sure to ask, if this is relevant to your household.
- They have an EXCELLENT text book that will be of huge help during labor.
- Their instructors are fabulous.
- Brio focuses on empowering the mother and the father by informing them of (not only) the birth options that they hope to utilize, but also the implications for all contingency choices in childbirth. This can be particularly helpful if labor and delivery do not go perfectly according to plan... as they often do.
- While I realize I am biased, Brio gave us confidence in the choices we prepared for our labor experience and also gave us peace with our choices when the initial plan was effectively thrown out the door and we had to think on our feet! We had learned about our options and what each choice would mean for our child and for me, as the mother.
- *As a word of caution, Brio is a newer company that got off to a rough start. They were first known as 'The New Bradley'... which of-course promptly brought about a lawsuit. So... they are struggling to grow to reach all the folks who want to take their courses. If you find that Brio is the right course for you, but the nearest instructor is too far away, ask if they will Skype... ours did! We drove to the first and final courses and joined our classmates via Skype for the remaining dates to save on the commute. It worked beautifully!
As I mentioned before, though I have strong reasons for adoring Brio courses, you may find that they are not right for you -- don't give up on the idea of childbirth classes as a whole, just dig a little deeper. The answer will come to you!
When??? When should you begin your childbirth courses? You may get different answers to this question, but I would recommend starting not later than somewhere in your 7th month.
Good luck and happy learning!
--The Rubber City Homestead
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