Should I Take a Birthing Class?

I went to a birthing class at Holy Name Hospital (Teaneck) that was really good. Very good instructor, I found it really helpful. But I've heard more negative things from other folks about their class experiences at other places, so I guess it's kind of random.

honestly, probably not so useful. i liked meeting other new moms to be and the social aspect but seriously remebered nothing when inlabor. except to ask for the epidural. good luck.

I vote for GO. it doesn't hurt and you might learn something new. At the very least it'll make you feel like you've done your due diligence.

Congrats on your pregnancy.

J.

It is always good to educate yourself.It is very helpful. You see where the birthing room is and learn what to expect. You should take other courses at the hospital too. CPR etc..

I would say YES!!!!!
I think it is better for you and your birthing partner to have an understanding of what will be happening in each stage of labor...the only surprise should be who the baby looks like!
All kidding aside, my husband and I took a class with our first child. Five years later when the due date of our second child approached, I was reading everything I could to 'refresh' myself and wishing I had that reassuring 3rd party for guidance (I am also a 'sponge' and find that I retain more when I hear information)Plus, this baby came so fast that there was no time for the epidural.
Some people think the breathing techniques are a waste, but they are helpful in keeping your concentrating on something other than the labor.

Good luck and congratulations on your upcoming arrival!

Well I did it for both of my pregnancy, helpful for breathing and positions techniques which are good for when u are in labor. They also provide information on different medications provided. And Age has nothing to do with it. Being its your first pregnancy, I recommend to try it.

Depends on your comfort with the process. You can learn a lot in a few hours so if there is a short class, that might be helpful.

I found that it was helpful in terms of learning a lot of the terminology. But I too got an epidural for the pain and therefore didn't really need any of the breathing techniques.

I also found that I learned a lot about the process from watching discover health channel's birth day program (but was freaked out by the special delivery show so I wouldn't recommend that).

Hope that helps and good luck!

I would strongly recommend it, even if you plan on an epidural. Understanding what is going on with your body during labor gives you the control to be able to get through it well and tell other people what you truly want/need.

We attended classes at RealBirth in Manhattan for our first. It really helped me. They have a few locations and excellent classes for birth/breastfeeding/newborn care. I think your experience with childbirth classes has a LOT to do with the quality of the classes. This place is quality. They don't teach just one method, as everyone really needs a mixture. This is the schedule for the childbirth w/epidural class:
http://www.realbirth.com/istar.asp?a=3&dept=02CBPE&am...

Absolutely! Taking a class will give you tons of information with an instructor who can help you put it all in perspective. A good birth class will give you a strong understanding of what is going on in your body now and what will happen throughout labor. It will also provide you with tools to cope with the discomforts of late pregnancy and the rigors of labor (both holistic methods and medicinal). People are under the impression that choosing an epidural is the only thing they need to worry about which is false. Plus there will be plenty of hours of labor before you will even want an epidural but will want to know how to make it all go smoothly!

I think the biggest thing you pull from a class is the understanding that there is no one right way to give birth. Honestly, I am VERY biased as I am a childbirth instructor and a Birth Doula. One of the best compliments I have received from my students has been "Wow, I did not know that I had so many choices about how my birth experience would unfold!" This is your body, your baby, your birth and you do not get a do over in this journey. If you do not understand what is going on or you do not exercise your right to choose the path you are on, your doctor and the nurses will make your decisions for you.

As far as finding a class goes, you are cutting it tight! Check with the hospital where you will deliver and if they do not have anything that works for you, try other local hospitals. I teach at Valley (in Ridgewood) and one option that you could try (if you truly cannot get into a class) is an online Lamaze series. Nothing is better than sitting in a class with a great instructor but I have gone through the online class and the info is terrific and well presented.

Good luck and remember that knowledge is power!!

I would say DEFINITELY!
The birthing class that my husband and I took really made the entire labor and delivery process very calm, relaxed, and relatively painless.
I opted not to go for an epidural or other pain relief and I feel like I was only able to do this because of the birthing class that I took.
The knowledge that you get and the methods to deal with pain and relax yourself are amazingly helpful.

Good luck!

If you can find one you can take possibly that is accelerated I found it useful. The breathing stuff was good but I also appreciated learning some stretches and exercises to do beforehand to prepare me for the delivery phase. With a first baby you could be pushing for an hour or more (I pushed for 1 1/2 hours) and I think having been prepared physically also helped. Because especially with a first you don't know how things are going to go, be prepared for anything and I found the class useful from that aspect. A birth plan is good but it doesn't always go how you want and it is best to be prepared for a number of scenarios. I didn't end up needing the breathing exercises as much because I ended up with an epidural because my water broke and they had to give me pitocin to rev up my contractions. You just never know.