ADVICE RATING |
  4.03 (Worth a try) from 12 votes (265 Visits) |
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Attending Ante-Natal Classes |
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by Bethdyl  (October 2006) (rank 152nd) |
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I am not sure if you have ante-natal classes where you are but we have them here in Australia. If you don't or call them something different, they are information classes about pregnancy and birth. I would highly recommend them to first time parents-to-be. When I had my first
child we attended the classes. The information about the drugs available for the birth, the effects and the pros and cons of each one was invaluable. I had no idea what was available and what it did. There was lots of information about the different types of labour you go through, the different types of birthing options available and problems that may occur. We made birthing plans, which had what we expected, what we wanted to happen in the birthing suite, who we wanted there etc..
Although they can't prepare you for the labour (nothing can!!) they can inform you as much as possible. My first labour was 28 hours long and if I hadn't been to the class I think I would have panicked when the first contraction came and rushed to hospital. Instead I knew there were stages and tried (emphasise 'tried'!) to remain calm and work through it.
They were actually fun, it was a group parents-to-be and we bcame friends over the weeks it went for several weeks (one a week nightly for about 1hour). There always seems to be the class clown (my hubby for ours) and it was very light hearted and great.
I have had all my children at the same hospital and with my 2nd and 3rd the midwife who remembered me (amazing how they remember) borrowed my newborn babies and took them to her class and bathed them. The parents-to-be loved it, and it gave me a chance to have a 45 minute hot shower!!!!
