The Importance of Child birth classes
- Increased confidence for labor and birth among parents who attended classes
- Higher likelihood of breastfeeding success
- Improved communication between parents and their care providers
- Decreased need for analgesic medication (epidural) in labor
- Increased satisfaction with birth
- Families who attended child birth classes are also significantly less likely to have a cesarean surgery.
Why Do I Strongly Recommend Families Take Out of Hospital Birth Classes?
Research has shown that US hospital child birth classes use various methods to “socialize parents to comply with hospital routines and expectations” and may fulfill institutional rather than individual needs (Armstrong, 2000, p. 583). Basically, these hospital classes are teaching you how to be a ‘good patient’ and how to have a birth that is typical in a hospital setting. Many of my doula families are preparing to have spontaneous, unmedicated, vaginal births which is unfortunately very much not the norm for a hospital birth.
What Classes Do I Recommend?
There are several options for child birth classes both online and in-person! For my most suggested online classes Click Here. For in-person classes or one-on-one classes with a child birth educator, you can search your local area via google or ask your doula for a list of upcoming classes that fit your family and birth goals.
