Birthing Classes/Methods- Which one(s) do you like???

[1hopefull]

Hi All,

I am planning on a natural birth at a hospital (the best one for this within 2 hrs of my house). I need to decide on a method and sign up for classes but haven't eduated myself much about it. My doula has let me borrow the Bradely method book but I haven't looked at it yet. Also, I am wondering about hypobirthing or other methods. What is your experience? Some of the these classes are very expensive and take up to 12 weeks (Bradely). That seems like a lot to me, but maybe I am looking at this wrong. Not sure if US vs UK is different here, but I am in the US.

Thanks!

 

[lynnikins]

i personally would have so much trouble remembering the "method" to what i was supposed to be doing and OH tryign to tell me would piss me off entirely, i found relaxation breathing the best help with ds2 and being positive about the labour helped. your first baby you learn so much about your body and yourself going through labour

 

[FeistyMom]

I prefered reading up on the theory of lamaze and bradley versus really going in depth and learning the ins and outs. Relaxation through breathing and visualization helped me a lot, along with working with my contractions instead of against and letting my energy focus on the contractions instead of tensing up other areas.

I'm with lynni - Trying to follow a single method exactly would end up irritating me - especially if OH corrected me

 

[5ara]

I took the 12-week Bradley class. It was really good, but I like to read and am very visual, so I think just buying the book would have been fine. I did like being in class with other moms, to talk about everything and hear first-hand experiences from 2nd-time moms. I don't think that was worth all the time and money we spent, though.

Also, I couldn't have gotten my DH to read the books if I paid him, but he went to every Bradley class. I'm glad we went mostly because of that.

 

[1hopefull]

5ara, honestly that is exactly how i think i would feel if i took bradely. and i will be lucky if i can get DH to ready one chapter of the birthing partner book my DOULA told him to read (if i came from me, forget it lol!)

thanks i was really good to hear this prospective.