# Didn't take the childbirth classes- am I screwed?



## daneuse27

Although advised by my doctor to take prenatal classes, I never ended up doing it. It has been a complicated pregnancy with the father being away in another country and other reasons - long story. We're together now, but the baby is due in a few weeks and we still haven't taken the classes.

I've looked into classes being offered in the near future, but they all seem pretty pricey. I'm wondering if doing a lot of reading and research could possibly make up for not taking classes.

Did anyone else not take the classes, and if you took them, do you think we're missing out greatly if we still haven't by the time the baby's here?


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## Newbride2011

I've not taken them either and was wondering the same thing, I don't know how to breathe etc and am now thinking oh my god I don't have a clue!! :(


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## Dawnlouise30

I have done he classes and found them useful, but equally you could read all about it on the internet too. Re breathing, i found my pregnancy yoga dvd shows you all about breathing which would be useful in labour.


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## xSin

I never took any and don't feel I missed anything, I did do lots of reading online though about hypnobirthing, Ina May Gaskin's guide to Childbirth, about pain relief options and their various risks, etc etc. 

In the end I'm most glad I went in "aware" that this was MY birth (I know it might seem pretty obvious but that hospital setup is a doozy!) and aware that I do have the power to say "no" and make choices.


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## disneyleanne

This is my 3rd child and I have never taken classes for any of them. Its all pretty much common sense and I found reading books to be really helpful. So I wouldn't worry.:flower:


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## jenniferttc1

I didn't take any at all and did just fine. 
I heard that in labor it all goes out the window anyways and you forget what you learned lol just trust your body.


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## tristansmum

We get them free here on nhs.. i went to the first one and never went back. I already knew it all from all the reading i'd done during pregnancy. Plus one i was in labour i didt remember anything lol. Women have been giving birth for thousands of years without classes on what to do. Your body will tell you.


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## babykitty

I attended the normal ones as well as the hypnobirthing. I did lots of reading and looking online. The best classes I attended were the hypnobirthing. I would highly recommend these if they offer this at your hospital.


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## daneuse27

Thanks! Yes there are actually free classes paid for by under universal healthcare here too, but since I've left it so long I don't think I'll make any of the free ones. All I can find now are a lot of them for an extra fee, which I don't want to pay considering I have so many books and both of us are doing research. All the answers here put my mind to ease, thx!! :)


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## XJessicaX

I did classes for my first pregnancy and they were absolutely useless. Unless you have a text book labour they don't prepare you well enough for other issues that could arise. I think actually I would have coped better without them as I found my labour confusing as it didnt follow the pattern we were taught!


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## popps12

ive been to the antenatal classes and i found them pants, they were boring and just told me things ive already read in books and on the internet, the room was also really cramped and hot and just made me feel ill every time i went 

xx


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## TatorMom

I never took childbirth classes. The breathing they teach you only helps with distracting you from the pain, not from the actual pain itself, although I guess you could say it's one in the same. I never regretted not taking them with either of my deliveries. I got epidurals for both deliveries and was really able to enjoy them. My first I didn't feel a thing during and with my second I only felt a little bit b/c I didn't get it until I was 9cm. I got it with my youngest b/c he was having heart decels. In case I needed a c-section to get him out I wanted to be prepped because minutes count! Thankfully he came without a hitch. :happydance:


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## SnowGal

I never went to any. The ONLY reason I wish I had was to meet other people that were also expecting.


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## teal

Child birth classes were no use once I was in labour!


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## xxEMZxx

I never did, didn't affect me tbh. xxx


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## we can't wait

I never took the prenatal classes, and I had a fantastic labor and delivery. :thumbup:


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## Monkey monkey

I thought antenatal classes were a pile of sh1te!! could have told myself everything they told me!


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## anita665

I've never been to any of those classes. For me personally the only important things to remember are to take long, deep breaths through contractions and not to panic because it just makes everything spiral if you go down that route.

You're body and your midwife will tell you what to do.


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## Wisp

I took the ante natal classes at my local nct children's centre the free ones the midwives get you on. And to be honest the one that said it covered labour positions and breathing techniques didn't go over it at all. By the time theyd gone over pain relief and the stages of labour and all scenarios that could occur there wasn't time. Got one at my local hospital tomorrow so hoping they go over it better. Ring your local hospital physio department and see if they have any. They are normally on a weekly basis. I found out about them at the last minute, my baby is due in 11 days and I only just started preparing with this sort of stuff not even done my birth plan yet. I think once in labour you just go with the flow anyway, a lot of people don't go to the classes and still cope fine. It's all natural as long as you relax your body will tell you what to do. Xxxxx


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## Wisp

tristansmum said:


> We get them free here on nhs.. i went to the first one and never went back. I already knew it all from all the reading i'd done during pregnancy. Plus one i was in labour i didt remember anything lol. Women have been giving birth for thousands of years without classes on what to do. Your body will tell you.

I never went to first one only second and third. First one even sounded like a pile of crap. Lol third one on labour was beneficial I think but second one was how to change a nappy etc and that was horrendous...so patronising demonstrating on a doll! Lol


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## Katy Bug

I didn't take any classes cause DH was always working when they were going on. I have a gut feeling my birth plan won't go as planned and the classes will prob end up being a waste for me.


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## Pooker

We are not taking the classes (United States), just because most people we have talked to say they are pretty much a waste of time and money. But f you are interested I would do it, they offer them in grocery stores, hospitals, clinics, etc.


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