2013 Childbirth Education Blog Carnival ~ Why Childbirth Class?

Welcome to Day #2 of the Blog Carnival honoring the

International Week for Respecting Childbirth!  

This Blog Carnival is focusing on the importance of Childbirth Education.

Why Childbirth Class?

By Nancy Houser, AAHCC Childbirth Educator and Doula

Having a baby is one of the most amazing, most momentous events in your lifetime and one of substantial change!  Pregnancy evolves, a baby grows within.  You have nine months to prepare for childbirth, for parenthood, for becoming a family!  It is a time of preparation to learn all you can.  Educate yourselves through reading, asking questions, and most importantly choosing a childbirth class series to attend. 

Why childbirth classes?  To gain knowledge, eliminate fear, ignorance, anxiety;  discover the amazing natural physiological process of labor and childbirth; experience confidence in yourself as you and coach learn the intricacies of physical, emotional feelings as pregnancy evolves into labor and birth;  how essential and vital nutrition is; relaxation techniques to enhance your ability to handle contractions; choosing a care provider who is there to serve your needs; positions and guidelines to assist you in remaining attuned to your labor; importance of natural coping measures: massage, warm compresses, soothing effects of warm water, loving voice of your coach during contractions;  confidence of partner  in the role of “advocate” and “coach”;  choices in obstetric procedures and care regarding:  obstetric tests and technologies, anesthesia and medication, cesarean sections; and  becoming confident and empowered in your abilities to birth your baby in the best and safest way possible no matter what the circumstances! 

Attending childbirth classes enables a connection with an educated, experienced instructor whom you can trust and depend upon to meet your individual needs. The late Dr. Robert A. Bradley, obstetrician from Denver CO and author of Husband Coached Childbirth and creator of The Bradley Childbirth Method, believed that the close relationship shared by the coach and expectant mother could “do more for a laboring woman than any amount of medication ever could”.  He believed, through attending childbirth classes, coaches and expectant mothers could learn to labor and birth their babies naturally, with dignity, as animals do through their “God-given instinctual abilities”. Educate yourselves to be active participants, active decision makers in your pregnancy and birth! Pregnancy and childbirth is the beginning of a lifelong commitment to your child. Aspire to achieve all the knowledge you can, explore the array of childbirth methods to enable you to choose the program that exceeds your expectations so you can be well prepared for this miraculous moment, the birth of your child!  

Childbirth knowledge eliminates ignorance.  Childbirth knowledge enables both men and women to become empowered active participants making informed decisions in every aspect of their child’s birth, their child’s future! 

Nancy Houser, AAHCC is the mother of five adult children and has been a certified Bradley Childbirth Educator and Bradley Doula since 1982.  She has provided past services as both a birth and post partum doula, assisting expectant couples in Ohio, and now providing Bradley childbirth classes to expectant couples in Stafford, Virginia... She is also a published free lance writer, and speaker for parenting groups.  Contact her at: nchbirthn5@yahoo.com or through the Bradley Method website: www.bradleybirth.com.