The bun is finally in the oven, and now there are so many decisions to make! Whether you are expecting your first baby or you’ve done this once or twice before, most parents spend quite a bit of time preparing for their baby’s birth. Among other considerations, parents decide where to have the baby, who will be the medical care provider, what classes to take, and who will be members of their birth support team. The focus of this article is the question of finding childbirth education that is right for you.
In our practice, we strongly encourage all first-time parents to take a childbirth preparation class. We also recommend veteran parents consider taking a refresher class in order to re-familiarize themselves with techniques that worked in their previous births and to spend focused time connecting with their current pregnancy and upcoming birth. If you’ve reached your second trimester, it’s a great time to start looking for your class.
In the Bay Area, we are fortunate to have access to a wide variety of great options in childbirth education. There are classes available at the hospitals, through centers like BirthWays, and with experienced independent educators. There are series that meet once a week for several weeks as well as weekend intensives. Some classes take an eclectic approach, offering you the opportunity to learn and practice a variety of techniques to help in labor. Other classes focus on a specific technique such as: hypnobirthing, the Bradley method, or mindfulness-based meditation. Still others are specific to folks planning homebirths, single mothers by choice, queer families, and second-time (or more) parents.
Ask your care provider for referrals, check out the BirthWays website, search Berkeley Parents Network, and ask your friends what they did. Consider what approach resonates most with you and speak directly with the instructors to get a better feel for what the class will be like. Some parents even take more than one class. For example, they may sign up for the class given at their hospital so they can learn about hospital procedures and protocols and also take a hypnobirthing series in order to gain practical skills for experiencing an unmedicated birth.
Practice the techniques you learn in class so they will be familiar to you when you want to make use of them in labor. Finally, try to remember that no matter how much you prepare for the birth of your baby, there is no way to truly plan a birth. Trust your body to know how to give birth, surround yourself with unconditional, loving support, and surrender to whatever the mystery of your baby’s birth brings you.
We wish you many blessings on this amazing journey.
–The midwives of East Bay Homebirth Midwifery
None of the information in this column is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. Talk with your healthcare provider about any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
