When to take classes?

[daisycat]

I am planning to start registering for classes, but am not sure if this is too soon.  I am 23 weeks today and wasn't sure if I should take the hospital's childbirth class in February or wait until March.

My emergency cerclage a couple weeks ago started me worrying that I need to get on this - especially if there is a chance of early labor.

Any thoughts on when to take?

[anna7602]

How in-demand are the classes in your area? I waited too long to register and by the time I thought I should be taking classes (maybe 30 weeks or so), there was a waiting list. I ended up taking the newborn care and breast feeding classes the week before I actually went into labor. That was cutting it too close!

Although I will say that the BFing class didn't make much sense until I was nursing a newborn. I feel like I got more out of the hospital's BFing clinic for new moms.

[Deleted]

The earlier you register, the better. We are taking the classes between weeks 34-38. I would have preferred earlier but they were booked out by the time I registered 3 months out!

[chicago]

We took our childbirth class when I was 31 weeks. Had our hospital offered more availability and we weren't moving, I would have signed up for breastfeeding and maybe infant care and/or cpr, but I've felt a bit pressed for time.

[smock]

I already started our class, and I'm only 21 weeks! Our hospital offers it only a few times a year, and the next 5-week series (we prefer that over a 1-day marathon) ends after my due date.

Our hospital recommends taking the class in the 2nd tri, or after 24 weeks. Most people in my class have April/May due dates, and a few are March/Feb. So I might recommend trying for the February class, but March would probably also be fine.

The downside of taking the class early is that I'm worried I'll forget stuff by my due date. But I'm taking really good notes, and I have a few books and the whole internet if I have questions.

[robinsbff]

our doc/hospital recommends to take them in months 7 or 8, but i know they book up super quick. with a july due date i'm aiming to take them in may or june. the may dates are just starting to show up on the hospital's calendar and i will probably register as soon as i find a date that works for us. the only one posted so far is when we will be out of town for SIL's graduation.

[humpforfree]

The all in one class I wanted to do is 6 weeks- the hospital said to take it early 3rd tri. There wasn't anything late fall/early winter, so I started at 32 weeks. I am the farthest along & the class ends like 2 weeks before my due date, so it might be cutting it close. I wish we could have started earlier but oh well.

[pixiedust]

I signed up at the beginning of this month for a few classes, beginning in March. I'll be 32 weeks for the childbirth all-in-one-weekend class, which is around the time my hospital recommends. I signed up when the dates became available, as they tend to fill up.

[speyedr]

We are taking a one day intensive class at the end of Feb-I will be 33 weeks.

[catsarecute]

I'm just looking up the schedule for classes offered through my hospital. Perhaps I should have looked sooner. My husband starts a demanding 6 day a week/12 hours a day work schedule February 1-Mid March so he won't be able to attend one class with me. Wonderful.

ETA: We figured it out! We'll take the newborn care class in February, which is a bit earlier than I had hoped but better than me doing it alone. And we'll take the late pregnancy/hospital tour when I'm 36 weeks. Hopefully, I'm still pregnant by then!

[changedname]

Yes, book it now. I tried booking for November when I was 6 weeks pregnant and got put on a waitling list. We are actually doing our class this coming week (36 weeks). I have been so worried that I will miss the class.

[IndiaInk]

I'm taking mine through a local midwife, and it starts in early February. I'll be 26-31 weeks while taking the class, and she said that is just about perfect.

[Yankees21]

Mine is 6 weeks long, and they recommended you finish a month before your due date. I signed up 6ish weeks before it started.