06/02/2011 - Birthing Class

[adciv]

Even shorter than those who had C-Sections?

What does a C-Section have to do with labor?

[thejerseyminx]

There are some of us who are in labor prior to the c-section

That said, it seems common that the woman has been in labor for a very long time prior to getting an emergency c-section. For me, looking back, I was in labor for about 12 hours. I didn't realize it at the time though. The crampy uncomfortable feeling was early labor. I just thought I was miserable.

[adciv]

There's a difference?

[athene]

My birthing class was part of the Birthing Center's offerings. The class itself was fairly informative, although I did learn a lot of the stuff on my own as well. We also paid for a separate "Yoga for Birth and Delivery" class that was very disappointing as it was mostly a birthing class with the same info I was getting in my other class with only a bit of yoga thrown in.

Honestly, the best part about my birthing class was the bonds we formed with the other couples. We have our own google group and while we used it occasionally before we had our babies, now we use it all the time to talk about all of our trials and our successes. We have an official reunion in July, but have also been talking about getting together weekly/bi-weekly as a way to get us out of the house.

[charlesjbarry]

Hi Greg! Long time reader, first time commenter. I don't really do message boards anymore, but I'll make an exception now and then. Some advice from a two-time parent who has a teenager and a newborn:

Birthing classes are really only good for meeting other couples that are due around the same time as you. You can get all of the other information online, faster, and with more accuracy/relevance. In general we, and our friends, found that all of the other classes that go along with birthing are useless with the exception of the breastfeeding one; which my wife found very helpful for a first timer, but it's not something you'll need to repeat. Also, if your birthing classes don't include breathing (most don't now I hear); most yoga studios/teachers will offer discounted breathing only classes for pregnancy/delivery.

The most important thing you can remember about the birthing process, as a husband, is that your wife is always right. This may not be new to you, but if it is just go with it. It'll make the whole process and the rest of your life easier.

Also, for natural births, do not look directly into the vagina. I made this mistake with my first kid and there are some things that you can never unsee and that are likely to scar you for life. This is one of them. I could never look at my now ex the same again. The whole placenta delivery is kinda cool in a gross way. It'll surprise you how big it actually is.

When you stare into the abyss the abyss stares back at you.

Oh and on a closing note; my wife was dead set against a c-section going in to the hospital, but it was necessary for her to have one in the end. She was really scared at first, but two months on she says she wouldn't do it any other way now. The procedure is so quick, easy, and well done these days that it's almost better than a "natural" birth. So if Liz is worried about that (if it comes up); tell her it'll be OK. My wife's incision was healed externally in less than a week; internally in a month, and is now pretty much invisible with no side effects.