If you are having a child for the first time, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by questions, fears, and just not knowing what to expect. Many new parents find that birthing classes can really help calm their worries and answer many questions.
These classes cover all kinds of issues surrounding childbirth including breathing techniques, pain management, vaginal birth, and cesarean birth. They can help prepare you for many aspects of childbirth: for the changes that pregnancy brings, for labor and delivery, and for parenting once your baby is born.
Typically, new parents take birthing classes during the third trimester of the pregnancy, when the mother is about 7 months pregnant. But there are a variety of different classes which begin both sooner and later than that. It's a good idea to talk with your doctor about the different kinds of classes that are offered in your community.
Benefits of Taking a Childbirth Class
A childbirth class can provide you with a great forum to ask lots of questions and can help you make informed decisions about key issues surrounding your baby's birth. Some of the information you can find out from a birthing class includes:
* how your baby is developing
* healthy developments in your pregnancy
* warning signs that something is wrong
* how to make your pregnancy, labor, and delivery more comfortable
* breathing and relaxation techniques
* how to write a birth plan
* how to tell when you are in labor
* pain relief options during labor
* what to expect during labor and delivery
* the role of the coach or labor partner
Many classes also address what to expect after the baby is born, including breastfeeding, baby care, and dealing with the emotional changes of new parenthood.
You might also find support from other expectant couples at a childbirth class. Who would better understand the ups and downs of pregnancy than couples who are going through them, too? Many people find friends in their childbirth class who last long past the birth of their child.
If your birth coach is also the baby's father, taking a class together can mean his increased involvement in the pregnancy, and can act as a good bonding experience. Like the mother, the father can also benefit from knowing what to expect when the mother goes into labor - and how to assist in that process. Some classes have one session just for fathers, where men can discuss their own concerns about pregnancy and birth. There are also classes geared just for new fathers. Some classes even offer a special session for new grandparents, which is a great way to get them involved in the process and to make sure they're up on the latest in baby care techniques and safety.
Of course, some people get more out of childbirth classes than others do. But even if you find the techniques you're taught don't work for you when you finally go into labor, you may get other benefits from the class. The common goal of all birthing classes is to provide you with the knowledge and confidence you need to give birth and make informed decisions. This includes reducing your anxiety about the birth experience, as well as providing you with a variety of coping techniques to aid in pain management. Remember that the ultimate goal is to have a healthy mom and healthy baby.
What Types of Classes Are Available?
Many childbirth classes embrace a particular philosophy about pregnancy and birth. The two most common methods of childbirth breathing, relaxation, and exercise in the United States are the Lamaze technique and the Bradley method.
The Lamaze technique is the most widely used method in the United States. The Lamaze philosophy holds that birth is a normal, natural, and healthy process and that women should be empowered through education and support to approach it with confidence. The goal of Lamaze is to explore all the ways women can find strength and comfort during labor and birth. Classes focus on relaxation techniques, but they also encourage the mother to condition her response to pain through training and preparation (this is called psychoprophylaxis). This conditioning is meant to teach expectant mothers constructive responses to the pain and stress of labor (for example, controlled breathing patterns) as opposed to counterproductive responses (such as holding the breath or tensing up). Other techniques, such as distraction (a woman might be encouraged to focus on a special object from home or a photo, for example) or massage by a supportive coach, are also used to decrease a woman's perception of pain.
Lamaze courses don't advocate for or against the use of drugs and routine medical interventions during labor and delivery, but instead educate mothers about their options so they can make informed decisions when the time comes.
The Bradley method (also called "Husband-Coached Birth") places an emphasis on a natural approach to birth and on the active participation of the baby's father as the birth coach. A major goal of this method is the avoidance of medications unless absolutely necessary.
Other topics stressed include the importance of good nutrition and exercise during pregnancy, relaxation techniques (such as deep breathing and concentration on body signals) as a method of coping with labor, and the empowerment of parents to trust their instincts and become active, informed participants in the birth process. The course is traditionally offered in 12 sessions.
Although Bradley emphasizes a birth experience without pain medication, the classes do prepare parents for unexpected complications or situations, like emergency cesarean sections. After the birth, immediate breast-feeding and constant contact between parents and baby is stressed. Bradley is the method of choice for many women who give birth at home or in other nonhospital settings.
There are several other types of birthing classes available. Some include information from the two previously mentioned techniques, and some are offshoots that explore one particular area. Two options that might be available in your area are active birth classes that teach yoga techniques to prepare for labor and "hypnobirthing" courses, which use deep relaxation and self-hypnosis as relaxation techniques.
When Should I Start Taking a Class?
In addition to offering many techniques and curricula, birthing classes also vary greatly in terms of duration. You'll find classes that begin during the first trimester and focus on all the changes that pregnancy brings; 5- to 8-week courses offered late in pregnancy aimed at educating parents mostly about labor, delivery, and postpartum issues; and one-time-only refresher courses for repeat parents. Most parents opt for a course that meets about six or seven times in the last trimester for 1 1/2 to 2 hours per session, or for full-day versions that take place over one or two weekends. What's important to remember is that a variety of options are often offered, so be sure and find one that fits your needs.
Choosing a Class
The type of class that's right for you depends on your personality and beliefs, as well as those of your labor partner. There is no one correct method. If you're the kind of person who likes to share and is eager to meet people, you might like a smaller, more intimate class designed for couples to swap stories and support each other. If you don't like the idea of sharing in a small group, you might want a larger class, where the teacher does most of the talking.
Of course, the community you live in may limit your choices - expectant parents in rural areas often have fewer choices than those in large cities. You may find childbirth classes offered by:
* hospitals
* private teachers
* health care providers (through their practices)
* community health organizations
* midwives
* national childbirth education organizations
* videos and DVDs
Before you sign up for a class, it's a good idea to ask what the curriculum includes and what philosophy it is based upon. You can also request to see the course outline. A good class will cover a range of topics and prepare you for the many possible scenarios of labor and delivery. Classes should include information about vaginal births and cesarean sections; natural childbirth techniques as well as the use of pain medication during labor; tips on pre- and postnatal care; and postpartum adjustment.
If something you wanted or expected to see isn't included in the outline, ask about it - if your teacher doesn't seem flexible or his or her philosophy doesn't match yours, you may want to look elsewhere.
You should also feel free to contact the teacher or childbirth class coordinator with questions, such as:
* What's your background and how were you trained?
* Do you have certification from a nationally recognized organization?
* What is your philosophy? Do you teach a particular method?
* How does the class time break down between lecture, discussion, and practicing techniques?
* How many people are in the class?
Whatever course or method you choose, you'll want to begin exploring your options early - some classes fill up well in advance of the start date.
Showing posts with label home birth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home birth. Show all posts
Friday, March 19, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Birthing Centers and Hospital Maternity Services
You'll make plenty of decisions during pregnancy, and choosing where to give birth — whether in a hospital or in a birth center setting — is one of the most important.
Hospitals
Many women fear that a hospital setting will be cold and clinical, but that's not necessarily true. A hospital setting can accommodate a variety of birth experiences.
Traditional hospital births (in which the mother-to-be moves from a labor room to a delivery room and then, after the birth, to a semiprivate room) are still the most common option. Doctors "manage" the delivery with their patients. In many cases, women in labor are not allowed to eat or drink (possibly due to anesthesia or for other medical reasons), and they may be required to deliver in a certain position.
Pain medications are available during labor and delivery (if the woman chooses); labor may be induced, if necessary; and the fetus is usually electronically monitored throughout the labor. A birth plan can help a woman communicate her preferences about these issues, and doctors will abide by these as much possible.
In response to a push for more "natural" birth events, many hospitals now offer more modern options for low-risk births, often known as family-centered care. These may include private rooms with baths (birthing suites) where women can labor, deliver, and recover in one place without having to be moved.
Although a doctor and medical staff are still present, the rooms are usually set up to create a nurturing environment, with warm, soothing colors and features that try to simulate a home-like atmosphere that can be very comforting for new moms. Rooming in — when the baby stays with the mother most of the time instead of in the infant nursery — also may be available.
In addition, many hospitals offer a variety of childbirth and prenatal education classes to prepare parents for the birth experience and parenting classes after birth.
The number of people allowed to attend the birth varies from hospital to hospital. In more traditional settings, as many as three support people are permitted to be with the mother during a vaginal birth. In a family-centered approach, more family members, friends, and sometimes even kids may be allowed. During a routine or nonemergency C-section, usually just one support person allowed.
If you decide to give birth in a hospital, you will encounter a variety of health professionals:
Obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) are doctors with at least 4 additional years of training after medical school in women's health and reproduction, including both surgical and medical care. They can handle complicated pregnancies and also perform C-sections.
Look for obstetricians who are board-certified, meaning they have passed an examination by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). Board-certified obstetricians who go on to receive further training in high-risk pregnancies are called maternal-fetal specialists or perinatologists.
If you deliver in a hospital, you also might be able to use a certified nurse-midwife (CNM). CNMs are registered nurses who have a graduate degree in midwifery, meaning they're trained to handle normal, low-risk pregnancies and deliveries. Most CNMs deliver babies in hospitals or birth centers, although some do home births.
In addition to obstetricians and CNMs, registered nurses (RNs) attend births to take care of the mother and baby. If you give birth in a teaching hospital, medical students or residents might be present during the birth. Some family doctors also offer prenatal care and deliver babies.
While you're in the hospital, if you choose or if it's necessary for you to receive anesthesia, it will be administered by a trained anesthesiologist. A variety of pain-control measures, including pain medication and local, epidural, and general anesthesia, are available in the hospital setting.
Birth Centers
Women who experience delivery in a birth center are usually those who have already given birth without any problems and whose current pregnancies are considered low risk (meaning they are in good health and are the least likely to develop complications).
Women giving birth to multiples, have certain medical conditions (such as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure), or whose baby is in the breech position are considered higher risk and should not deliver in a birth center. Women are carefully screened early in pregnancy and given prenatal care at the birth center to monitor their health throughout their pregnancy.
Natural childbirth is the focus in a birth center. Since epidural anesthesia usually isn't offered, women are free to move around in labor, get in the positions most comfortable to them, spend time in the jacuzzi, etc. The baby is monitored frequently in labor typically with a handheld Doppler. Comfort measures such as hydrotherapy, massage, warm and cold compresses, and visualization and relaxation techniques are often used. The woman is free to eat and drink as she chooses.
A variety of health care professionals operate in the birth center setting. A birth center may employ registered nurses, CNMs, and doulas (professionally trained providers of labor support and/or postpartum care). Although a doctor is seldom present and medical interventions are rarely done, birth centers may work with a variety of obstetric and pediatric consultants. The professionals affiliated with a birth center work closely together as a team, with the nurse-midwives present and the OB/GYN consultants available if a woman develops a complication during pregnancy or labor that puts her into a higher risk category.
Birth centers do have medical equipment available, including intravenous (IV) lines and fluids, oxygen for the mother and the infant, infant resuscitators, infant warmers, local anesthesia to repair tears and episiotomies (although these are seldom performed), and oxytocin to control postpartum bleeding.
A birth center can provide natural pain control and pain control with mild narcotic medications, but if a woman decides she wants an epidural, or if complications develop, she must be taken to a hospital.
Birth centers often provide a homey birth experience for the mother, baby, and extended family. In most cases, birth centers are freestanding buildings, although they may be attached to a hospital. Birth centers may be located in residential areas and generally include amenities such as private rooms with soft lighting, showers, and whirlpool tubs. A kitchen may be available for the family to use.
Look for a birth center that is accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC). Some states regulate birth centers, so find out if the birth center you choose has all the proper credentials.
Hospitals
Many women fear that a hospital setting will be cold and clinical, but that's not necessarily true. A hospital setting can accommodate a variety of birth experiences.
Traditional hospital births (in which the mother-to-be moves from a labor room to a delivery room and then, after the birth, to a semiprivate room) are still the most common option. Doctors "manage" the delivery with their patients. In many cases, women in labor are not allowed to eat or drink (possibly due to anesthesia or for other medical reasons), and they may be required to deliver in a certain position.
Pain medications are available during labor and delivery (if the woman chooses); labor may be induced, if necessary; and the fetus is usually electronically monitored throughout the labor. A birth plan can help a woman communicate her preferences about these issues, and doctors will abide by these as much possible.
In response to a push for more "natural" birth events, many hospitals now offer more modern options for low-risk births, often known as family-centered care. These may include private rooms with baths (birthing suites) where women can labor, deliver, and recover in one place without having to be moved.
Although a doctor and medical staff are still present, the rooms are usually set up to create a nurturing environment, with warm, soothing colors and features that try to simulate a home-like atmosphere that can be very comforting for new moms. Rooming in — when the baby stays with the mother most of the time instead of in the infant nursery — also may be available.
In addition, many hospitals offer a variety of childbirth and prenatal education classes to prepare parents for the birth experience and parenting classes after birth.
The number of people allowed to attend the birth varies from hospital to hospital. In more traditional settings, as many as three support people are permitted to be with the mother during a vaginal birth. In a family-centered approach, more family members, friends, and sometimes even kids may be allowed. During a routine or nonemergency C-section, usually just one support person allowed.
If you decide to give birth in a hospital, you will encounter a variety of health professionals:
Obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) are doctors with at least 4 additional years of training after medical school in women's health and reproduction, including both surgical and medical care. They can handle complicated pregnancies and also perform C-sections.
Look for obstetricians who are board-certified, meaning they have passed an examination by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). Board-certified obstetricians who go on to receive further training in high-risk pregnancies are called maternal-fetal specialists or perinatologists.
If you deliver in a hospital, you also might be able to use a certified nurse-midwife (CNM). CNMs are registered nurses who have a graduate degree in midwifery, meaning they're trained to handle normal, low-risk pregnancies and deliveries. Most CNMs deliver babies in hospitals or birth centers, although some do home births.
In addition to obstetricians and CNMs, registered nurses (RNs) attend births to take care of the mother and baby. If you give birth in a teaching hospital, medical students or residents might be present during the birth. Some family doctors also offer prenatal care and deliver babies.
While you're in the hospital, if you choose or if it's necessary for you to receive anesthesia, it will be administered by a trained anesthesiologist. A variety of pain-control measures, including pain medication and local, epidural, and general anesthesia, are available in the hospital setting.
Birth Centers
Women who experience delivery in a birth center are usually those who have already given birth without any problems and whose current pregnancies are considered low risk (meaning they are in good health and are the least likely to develop complications).
Women giving birth to multiples, have certain medical conditions (such as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure), or whose baby is in the breech position are considered higher risk and should not deliver in a birth center. Women are carefully screened early in pregnancy and given prenatal care at the birth center to monitor their health throughout their pregnancy.
Natural childbirth is the focus in a birth center. Since epidural anesthesia usually isn't offered, women are free to move around in labor, get in the positions most comfortable to them, spend time in the jacuzzi, etc. The baby is monitored frequently in labor typically with a handheld Doppler. Comfort measures such as hydrotherapy, massage, warm and cold compresses, and visualization and relaxation techniques are often used. The woman is free to eat and drink as she chooses.
A variety of health care professionals operate in the birth center setting. A birth center may employ registered nurses, CNMs, and doulas (professionally trained providers of labor support and/or postpartum care). Although a doctor is seldom present and medical interventions are rarely done, birth centers may work with a variety of obstetric and pediatric consultants. The professionals affiliated with a birth center work closely together as a team, with the nurse-midwives present and the OB/GYN consultants available if a woman develops a complication during pregnancy or labor that puts her into a higher risk category.
Birth centers do have medical equipment available, including intravenous (IV) lines and fluids, oxygen for the mother and the infant, infant resuscitators, infant warmers, local anesthesia to repair tears and episiotomies (although these are seldom performed), and oxytocin to control postpartum bleeding.
A birth center can provide natural pain control and pain control with mild narcotic medications, but if a woman decides she wants an epidural, or if complications develop, she must be taken to a hospital.
Birth centers often provide a homey birth experience for the mother, baby, and extended family. In most cases, birth centers are freestanding buildings, although they may be attached to a hospital. Birth centers may be located in residential areas and generally include amenities such as private rooms with soft lighting, showers, and whirlpool tubs. A kitchen may be available for the family to use.
Look for a birth center that is accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC). Some states regulate birth centers, so find out if the birth center you choose has all the proper credentials.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
