Should you Take a Birth Course?
If you’re in your third trimester of pregnancy and your due date is fast approaching, you’re probably wondering how to prepare for labor and delivery. Back in the day, you saw movies and TV shows where women went to Lamaze classes and learned how to breathe their way through contractions, but how the heck is the modern mom supposed to prepare for childbirth?
I’ll be honest, I didn’t prepare much at all for the birth of my first baby. But after a sort of scary delivery and recovery, I decided that I was going to learn everything I could the second time around. So, a few weeks before my due date, I did some research and signed up for an online birth course.
What is a Birth Course?
There are many different birth courses available now days. The beauty of living in a technologically advanced time is that we never even have to leave our home. There are tons of online birth courses on the market that you can take when the time is right for you (and you never even have to change out of your pajamas). Another great thing about online birth courses is that you typically get lifetime access. That way, you can re-watch a lesson or even retake the course if you decide to have another baby. Now, if in person courses are more your thing, you can probably still find one in your area (most likely at the hospital where you plan to deliver).
Why Should you Take a Birth Course?
A Birth Course Can Reduce Fear and Anxiety about the Big Day
Knowledge is power. I’m a firm believer that the more you know about something, the less scary it becomes. When it comes to giving birth, there are so many unknowns (especially if this is you first time). But, if you have an idea of how your body works and how the process of delivering a baby works, a lot of fear and anxiety can be relived. With my second baby, I was so nervous about how to know I was actually in labor. I know that sounds silly since I had already done it once before, but the first time, I had a slow leak of amniotic fluid, so I was already comfortably laying in a hospital bed when my contractions began. I was also nervous about the pain and how to manage it before I got the epidural (yes… I’m an epidural girl, but I fully support women having babies however they believe is right). Taking a birth course helped me learn about and deal with both of these worries. When the day finally arrived, I had an overwhelming sense of calm (which is totally unlike me).
A Birth Course Helps you Know What to Expect
A birth course typically covers things like how your body prepares for labor, what contractions feel like, laboring positions, how to push, and more. Did you know that you don’t have to push lying on your back with your legs in stirrups? The more you know, the better your experience will be.
A Birth Course Helps Prepare you for the Unexpected
When it comes to delivering a baby, there are things that don’t go according to plan. You might decide you want an epidural when you had wanted to go natural. You might have to be induced. You might have to have a C-section. There are just so many different things that can happen, but the goal at the end of the day is to have a healthy baby and a healthy mom. If you’re knowledgeable about the different processes and procedures that might happen, they won’t be as scary if they do happen.
A Birth Course Helps you Create a Birth Plan
I’ll be honest, my birth plan with both babies was “have a healthy baby”. I knew that the less I planned, the less disappointed I’d be if something didn’t hap
pen the way I dreamed it would. However, I knew that I didn’t want to be induced (if possible), I really wanted to have my babies vaginally, and I knew I wanted an epidural. So, essentially that was my birth plan. However, every woman is different, and the process of bringing a child into the world is very important to all of us. Taking a birth course, and learning more about your options when it comes to laboring, pain management, and pushing, can help you create the perfect birth plan for you. (If you haven’t made a birth plan yet, you can grab my free template here!)
The Birth Course I Chose
After researching a few different birth courses, I decided on Birth it Up. Birth it Up was created by Liesel Teen, a labor and delivery nurse. Liesel offers two different courses. One for women who want to go natural, and one for women who want to get an epidural. I chose her course because it covered everything I wanted to know, she’s extremely personable and knowledgeable, and it has excellent reviews! Birth it Up also gives you access to a private Facebook group where you can ask questions and chat with other women who are also about to give birth (which I find super valuable). Even if you don’t sign up for her birth course, you have to check out her awesome Instagram page (she shares tons of info about labor and delivery… below is one of her posts).
Although I did things a little backward and took a birth course with my second pregnancy and not my first, I’m so glad that I did. Labor and delivery is one of those rare times in life that experience isn’t necessarily going to help you because every birth is different. I’m happy to share that I had an absolutely amazing experience the second time around. I could not have asked for a better birth story for my baby boy. Obviously, a lot of that had to do with my body and my baby, but going to the hospital and feeling like I was knowledgeable and in control helped put me in the right mindset to have a wonderful birth.
If you’re pregnant and preparing to meet your bundle of joy for the very first time, I want to wish you the best of luck. There’s truly nothing like meeting your baby.
DISCLOSURE: Coffee and Coos is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. Always consult your doctor for medical advice.
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