Independent childbirth classes prepare families to advocate for the birth they want – the difference between the class taught at your hospital and one taught independently can dramatic and will change your birth for the better.
Families generally want the very best birth possible, for themselves and their baby, but knowing what “the very best birth possible” actually means is not always easy. Maybe friends or loved ones share what type of birth they feel is the best for you based on their own experiences and our society in general tells pregnant people to just be happy and thankful. However the phrase all that matters is a healthy mom and healthy baby” is a MYTH. In the almost 15 years of working with families, we’ve yet to meet anyone who didn’t think a healthy baby was important. The myth is that you have to choose everyone being healthy vs. everyone being happy. Healthy birth experiences are statistically related to better birth outcomes and independent classes recognize that fact and help you achieve both.
Here are NINE reasons to choose an independent class:
1. Because birth matters. What happens during labor/birth will effect you and your baby’s health for the rest of your life. It may impact the birthing person’s mental health, future reproductive choices and the health of future pregnancies. It also will be a day you remember for the rest of your life. Birth matters and an independent class will always respect that and never try to make you feel otherwise.
2. Class will be more comprehensive (and you will be more confident!). You can expect to learn more than the basics of labor and a few hospital policies. Obviously the layout of the class itself will dictate how much more information you are provided with, but an independent class will teach techniques for relaxation, helping labor move effectively, positions that might help labor progress and how to use informed and shared decision making during the last weeks of pregnancy and birth. You will leave your class with the tools to feel confident and excited about birth.
3. Prepare for the birth you want, not the birth the hospital wants you to have. Hospitals have policies. In the DFW area, hospitals have widely varying policies, so a birth class at one hospital may be very different than the one only a few miles down road. It’s not that the people birth differently in those hospitals – it’s that hospital policies effect how birth happens. A hospital is not a person, so it doesn’t care how you give birth, but institutions do create policies that are in their best interest and those policies may or may not be in your best interest. An independent class can help you learn the difference.
4. The menu is bigger than you think! Have you ever gone to an In and Out Burger (or Starbucks…) and seen people order things *you* don’t see on the menu? That’s because those people are in the know. Guess what else? When people ask for the things that are not on the menu, no one gets mad or laughs at them. They help them get it! A hospital class might show you a default menu of options for birth – but the full menu is so much bigger and no one minds you asking for the other stuff. Learn about the cool secret stuff at an independent class.
5. Learn your options and rights. Informed consent is kind of a big deal. We just mentioned that there are many options on the the secret menu you can ask for, but you also have the ability to turn down things on the default menu. I mean, not everyone wants a pickle on their chicken sandwich just because it comes with one. Remember, it’s a myth that you have to choose between a healthy baby and a positive experience. Learning to ask questions about the risk/benefits of any procedure leads to shared decision making, better provider relationships and healthier outcomes for everyone.
6. Get ideas to facilitate conversation with your provider and your support. The goal of independent class is to get families talking to each other and their provider. You choose your OB or midwife and so we assume you like them – we want you to talk to them too! A class should not tell you how to give birth, it should fill you up with ideas for conversations to have with those who will be with you, helping you make choices and supporting you. Conversations about birth BEFORE birth lead to better outcomes and positive experiences.
7. You are unique and so are your needs. Find the class that supports those needs. Preparing for a natural birth, having multiples or planning an amazing Cesarean birth? Do that. The only thing you will have in common with all the people in the hospital class is that you are all delivering at the same place. That can be pretty cool – but imagine taking a class where everyone was supporting each other in their unique goals that have nothing to do with birth location. Now that is really cool. (Though if being around people is not your idea of fun, consider a private class. Not leaving your house and getting a great childbirth class may be the coolest for you.)
8. The videos are better. That’s what we are told about our videos anyway! Seriously, independent classes will usually use non-scary, positive and empowering videos of normal looking and contemporary people – not hairy dudes from the 70s standing next to their birthing partner.
9. In most cases, it’s not more expensive to take the independent class and the difference in what you get may be priceless. Money matters, especially as your family grows. Some hospitals do provide free classes for patients but most do not…and like many things. Often you get what you pay for. Look around you will find that investing in an independent class is an easy choice to make!
At Great Expectations, we offer several independent classes – including, a one day class, online classes and a four week series, as well as private classes offered in your home. All of our educators are certified and experts at what they do. We’d love to chat with you about the perfect childbirth class to prepare for your BEST birth!