What Makes a Great Birthing Class?

February 15, 2022 Colleen Goidel

With pregnancy comes a hefty to-do list: buying furniture, readying the baby’s room, gathering supplies, purchasing adorable baby clothes, packing the hospital bag. But how do you prepare for the *actual birth* itself--a life-altering event that is unpredictable and pretty much out of everyone’s control?

Childbirth is full of unknowns. We don’t know when labor will start or how long it will take. We don’t know if baby will need to be born surgically, or if other medical interventions will be needed.

How to choose a class

There are tons of classes in and around Atlanta, offered by hospitals, OB practices, doulas and even chiropractors. Most hospital and OB classes focus on being a “good” patient and following hospital rules. Some classes focus on hypnosis or practicing a special kind of patterned breathing. While both of these approaches may be helpful, birthing people benefit most from exploring lots of different mechanisms to cope with whatever path labor and birth take.

A truly helpful, empowering childbirth class should include:

Up-to-date research that is evidence-based and unbiased
A review of all the options and their benefits and risks to can make informed decisions
Information to help you decide what’s important to you so that you can create a list of preferences and communicate them to your provider
A toolbox full of emotional and physical coping tools to minimize fear and anxiety and avoid suffering

These four concepts help folks approach birth and parenting from a place of strength, empowerment and awareness, rather than with a specific goal or outcome in mind. And they’re the foundation of all our classes. Here’s a list of our educational offerings:

Birthing From Within™ 12-hour childbirth education series:

Along with covering common medical interventions, we practice dozens of emotional and physical coping tools that help parents birth in empowerment rather than fear. Parents learn what the human body is physiologically capable of, the psychology of how to enable that capability, and how they can be fully present without fear clouding their experience or preventing them from birthing in empowerment.

Lactation Basics:

Modern birth can make it hard for newborns to initiate breast/chest feeding without guidance, and new parents often lack the peer support and resources to succeed at this nutritionally ideal feeding method. Taking a lactation class *before* birth can help parents be resourceful, flexible and self-compassionate during this vulnerable time. Our 3-hour class covers the whys and hows of latch, positioning and frequency, taking a nonjudgmental approach to this sometimes complex relationship. You’ll get guided practice with dolls for positioning, view optimal lactation on videos and engage in lively discussion. Partners are encouraged to attend so that they can learn how to support the lactating parent. If you have any questions or challenges after your baby begins nursing, we offer FREE support by text, phone or video chat.

Navigating the Fourth Trimester:

If you’re anxious about learning to care for an infant while recovering from birth, you’re not alone--every new parent feels worried about this time of physical and emotional exhaustion. Our 4-hour class gives expectant parents a boatload of tools and resources to care for their babies *and* themselves during the tender, vulnerable first weeks and months after birth.

Birthing Refresher:

For parents who’ve given birth previously and want to brush up on what’s to come, we cover a review/refresh of emotional and physical pain-coping practices, ways to create space to focus on THIS birth and THIS baby, how to integrate the new baby into your existing family, and how to support siblings through this tender transition.

Back to Work & Pumping:

Returning to work or school after giving birth can be physically and emotionally fraught, especially if you’re lactating. This 2-hour class will help make the transition as smooth and stress-free as possible while maintaining your milk supply and staying connected to your baby. Topics include pumping and storage, nanny/daycare considerations, workplace considerations, scheduling challenges and support resources.

Yes, birth and parenting are mysterious and impossible to fully prepare for. The right classes can help you feel confident and informed about this wondrous, life-altering experience.