Womens Health Blog

I’m an enthusiastic supporter of prepared childbirth, and I believe that everyone can benefit from going to childbirth classes. These classes are tremendously enjoyable. You’ll make friends, and you may find that the other members of the group become a substitute for your extended family as you swap stories and experiences, so you don’t feel alone and isolated. It’s a great help to be able to share what you’re going through with people who are in the same position, and it helps to relieve tension and anxiety. Many couples find they make strong, lasting friendships with the people they meet at classes.

Parenting Classes

These are designed to give you information that will make you both feel more confident and are particularly useful for first-time parents. They cover three main areas:

First, the classes go through the processes of pregnancy and birth, including female anatomy and physiology, and the changes that are happening to you and the baby throughout your pregnancy. This will help you have a clearer understanding of what’s involved and why things are happening. The teachers will also talk to you about the kinds of medical procedures that you can expect, and why these will be done. You’ll be given plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

Second, you’ll be taught relaxation, breathing, and exercise techniques. These will help you to control your own labor, reduce pain, and give you the confidence that only comes with being familiar with what’s happening. It’s bodies, not brains, that give birth, so be open to anything that helps you tune in to your body. Your partner will probably be taught how to give you a massage to help relieve your pain.

Third, the teachers will talk you through the stages of labor and birth, and give tips on starting to breastfeed. They’ll also give you practical advice on how to bathe and dress a baby, change diapers, and make up formula and bottle feed should you need it, all of which will help you feel more confident about caring for your newborn baby in the early days.

Exercise Classes

Strengthening the muscles used in childbirth can often mean you have an easier and more comfortable delivery. With this in mind, many hospitals hold prenatal classes that include some exercise and relaxation. There are also independent organizations that provide exercise classes for pregnant women-some are even for specific types of births. If you tell your instructor that you would like to have your baby while you are standing or squatting, you’ll be given specific exercises to help strengthen your back, hips, pelvis. and thighs.

Yoga

Practicing yoga is an excellent way to prepare for childbirth because it emphasizes muscular control of the body, breathing, relaxation, and peace of mind. But yoga isn’t something you can do casually-to be of any benefit, it must be done regularly, preferably starting long before you conceive. There are some special exercises for pregnancy, but it’s best to have the guidance of a qualified teacher-particularly if you’re pregnant.

Techniques of Childbirth Classes

Many studies have shown that women who take childbirth classes have shorter labors. In one study, the average length of labor for women who’d been to classes was 13.56 hours, compared with an average 18.33 hours in another group of women who’d had no training. This is probably because knowing how to deal with pain means you have a more relaxed labor. Strategies for dealing with pain taught by childbirth classes include:

Cognitive control You dissociate your mind from the pain by visualizing a pleasant scenario for the pain. For example, you’ll feel happier about contractions if, every time you have a pain, you imagine your baby moving farther down the birth canal, closer to being born. In this way, you’ll concentrate on the joyous part of the sensation rather than the pain.

Distracting yourself can also help, although this works best in the early stages. Counting to 20, going through a list of possible names for your new baby, or concentrating on a beautiful picture or piece of music helps you to take your mind off the pain, and keeps it from completely filling your consciousness and over­whelming you.

Another way of taking your mind off the pain is to focus your attention on your breathing techniques. Think about each breath and become consciously aware of your breathing pattern.

Systematic relaxation You’ll be taught exercises to relax all the various muscles of the body in turn to decrease your fear of pain and so increase your tolerance for it. This will help you to isolate pain in your contracting uterus, rather than allowing it to spread to other parts of your body.

Hawthorne effect This psychological research showed the importance of positive attention and motivation in any situation. If a mother receives extra, focused attention from a birth assistant, she’s likely to cope better with labor.

Systematic desensitization You gradually become more tolerant of pain. An example used in many classes is your coach pinching Your leg very hard to illustrate how painful a contraction will be. This pinching is repeated every time you go to a prenatal class, and by the end of the course you’ll be able to tolerate harder squeezing for longer periods.

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