I thought that I would write a little about what our first 2.5 hour birth class was like yesterday. This Bradley course is required of anyone giving birth at our birth center. The midwives told me that some couples “say” they signed up for it, but never do. They always find those people out, because they’re the ones that come in yelling and screaming while in labor. The ones that actually took the class? Cool, collected, communicating with their partner. It’s like night and day, they said.
I’m glad that the classes help as much as they do, because they come with a hefty $300 price tag. Fun 🙂
The course is 12 sessions (8 classes, 4 homework assignments). Yesterday was mostly introductory (our instructor took pictures of each couple and made a little slideshow/album with music so that we could get to know everyone). We reviewed all the course materials (2 notebooks and a folder) and started right in on a few self-evaluations about how each of us deals with stress and pain. It was good to think about, because apparently all of the normal things we do when in pain are exactly the WRONG things to do while in labor. She talked about a person’s “Fight or Flight” response, and how this release of adrenaline is actually detrimental when in labor because it slows things down. The body thinks that the woman is not in a “safe” place and holds things up. Unfortunately, when most women feel the pain of labor, they consider it to be harming them, and the Fight or Flight response kicks in. Understanding that the pain is normal and beneficial for getting the job done is essential to reducing pain, stress and labor time.
My favorite part of class was all the massaging. I used the two pillows we had brought to lay on my side. The instructor then taught Jesse and the other dads 6-7 different stretches/massages that would help alleviate pain and discomfort while in labor. Some were AMAZING…my favorite was the one where he crosses his arms and puts one hand on my shoulders and one on my hip bone and pushes them away from one another. I actually heard popping and cracking (the good kind! really!) in my rib cage/side muscles area. Apparently, that area gets very crunched during pregnancy because of all the extra weight. And the foot massage actually felt good and didn’t tickle (if you knew me, this is huge, because I HATE FEET. I also hate having my feet touched). The instructor then asked each of the husbands to put pressure on various parts of the mom’s body, while the mom was supposed to spend several minutes learning to relax that particular muscle group. Sounds easy, but it’s actually hard to voluntary relax muscles that one doesn’t think about or use on a constant basis. For instance, how often do you think about relaxing all of your tiny forehead muscles? Lower back muscles?
Surprisingly, part of the class also involved the birth partner getting a massage. The instructor said that it was important for the husband to know how to do the very thing they would be helping their partner accomplish. Jesse thinks they just added this part in so that the husbands could feel like they are getting their money’s worth.
So far, I can see that this class will be very necessary and beneficial for our birth (that could occur in as soon as 6 weeks!! Wow!!). Next week involves the first “birth video”. She promised that this one is very PG, and that we will slowly work up to the more graphic ones…things will get interesting if I pass out!
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Tess says
ooo, I like massages! Do you think non-prego associated people are allowed to attend?
morningglory says
We took Bradley classes and they helped us. I really like the whole concept of working through the pain, and knowing that this is a natural thing to go through, not being afraid of it or working against it. Birthing is, in essence, our first opportunity to put our child’s needs above our own, a first real sacrifice for them. Its a relaxation thing, yes, and a mind thing. Your whole body will know that it is supposed to relax to get the job done, but you will have to keep telling it to. So of utmost importance is that you are fully committed to this. I had no idea how hard it would be to go through this and at times during labor I felt like the whole world had tricked me. I was kinda mad! But I got through it (even if I gritted my teeth and at times yelled out even though I was supposed to be relaxing!). Sounds like you have a great class.