Unmedicated birth class/resources recommendations?

[phdprocrastinator]

Hi!  I'm not here often, but I have a question that google's not really helping me with...

With DD, I was diagnosed with gestational thrombocytopenia, which is diagnosed when your platelet count gets below 100k parts per... something.  It isn't a big deal for the most part, but I had to have extra testing done to ensure that I was a candidate for an epidural.  They start to worry about the ability of your blood to coagulate at 100k and require a co-ag test (if your blood doesn't coagulate, there's a possibility of bleeding into the spinal cord causing paralysis).  If you get down to 50k, you aren't allowed an epi.  Luckily, I stayed around 70k and my co-ag was fine, so I went ahead with the epi, but they kept the catheter in for 24 hours because my numbers dropped after birth.

I was extremely nervous to face unmedicated labor pretty unprepared.  I took a 1 day "natural birth" course through my hospital, but I'm didn't feel super prepared to go without meds.  So this time around I want to plan ahead.  I didn't get the diagnosis until I was 30-something weeks (35 maybe?), I didn't have time to sign up for a more intensive class.  It may not be an issue this time, but I want more info about getting through labor unmedicated.  

The challenge I am facing is finding a straight-forward course on unmedicated childbirth.  I looked at the Bradley courses and (1) 12 WEEKS!?  No... I'm not going to figure out child care for 12 classes.  (2) It seemed... kind of slanted.  I guess that's to be expected.  I looked at Lamaze, on the other hand, and can't get a gauge about how long the course is.

Does anyone have recommendations for classes or books to read about unmedicated childbirth?  Or is the Bradley course really that amazing that it's worth the hassle of figuring out child care?

TIA!

[Odonata]

I don't have advice on classes but I do know that you can hire a Doula to help you through L&D. They will instruct you on the best pain relieving positions/activities and be there to support you emotionally when the going gets really rough. They also help instruct your SO on what they can do to best support you and they also make sure that person gets some rest, too.

[IndiaInk]

We aren't having a home birth, but I googled home birth midwives in my area and found one that was offering a childbirth class in her home. There were couples in the class who were planning hospital births, us (planning to use a birth center with certified nurse midwives), and couples who were planning home births. It was actually nice to have all the different perspectives in the room because I learned a lot of from everyone's questions based on their circumstances. We learned a lot about the whole physical process of labor as well as how to cope with it without medication, and then she spent a whole class discussing post-partum recovery which was really interesting. It was a 5 or 6 week class, if I recall.

Could you find something like that in your area? I live in a pretty pro-homebirth area, so maybe it's harder to find a midwife in other parts of the US.

[IndiaInk]

Oh and I've read "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way" and "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth". The Bradley one has lots of great-sounding relaxation techniques that you can practice with your spouse, so it might be a good one to use in lieu of a class. I only picked it up last week, so I doubt we'll be doing much practicing at this point. Hahaha. The Ina May Gaskin book is really empowering and is my favorite childbirth book that I've read. You come away from it feeling like you can really do it and that your body is pretty amazing and powerful.

[curbsideprophet]

With DD we took Bradley classes and were very happy with them. It probably would not be the same as taking the class, but you might get enough from the books PP mentioned.

Does your hospital/provider offer waterbirth? If so, would you be a candidate for waterbirth? Is your provider supportive of pain med free labor/delivery and willing to help you if that is your goal. Requesting nurses with pain med free experience can be helpful.

I think hiring a doula is a great suggestion.

I believe Hypnobirthing has an at home course, but I have not done it.

[sillygoosegirl]

A lot of the classes around here are offered either as X evening classes, or X hours on a Saturday or Saturday/Sunday... would childcare be easier to arrange if you could find someone with that schedule?

[Deleted]

I did an unmedicated home birth with my first. No classes.

I read a lot of unmedicated birth stories and hired a doula. It worked out really well for us. The doula was fantastic and really helped my DH help me. She had great suggestions for getting labor going (had PROM at 38 weeks).

[scribellesam]

I've had three friends who had very successful unmedicated births using the Hypnobabies method.

[anna7602]

Many of the yoga centers around me periodically offer a weekend-long workshop on pain relief techniques for childbirth and labor. They are designed as classes for couples. I did one with DH when I was pregnant with DD and plan to do another one this summer when I am about 34-ish weeks. (That might be cutting it close, but for me, it was better to have it fresh in my mind last time.)

The class went over good touch points on the body for pain relief- lower back and I can't remember where else- as well as covered positions that relieve pain, like leaning over a chair or birthing ball. These are some of the same positions our doula later recommended during labor and I felt like they really worked.

I also loved everything I read by Ina May Gaskin and plan to re-read her books this time.

I took a birthing class with a med-free slant last time as well, but won't be doing that again. They showed a lot of videos and things that I appreciated, but I don't feel like I need to see them all again. And, that class met over several weeks. Like you, I just can't deal with arranging child care for that long.

I also have the full Hypnobabies course on CDs. Every time I pop them into the stereo, though, I tend to be lulled to sleep by the voice of the person on the CDs. Who knows how much of it sunk in last time. I have a hard time recommending it since I'm not actually sure. It's nice to get naps in here and there, though!

[flgirl]

We read the 2 Bradley books previously mentioned. No classes for us. I have a friend that teaches Bradley and she has a very high rate of her couples who follow through on the uneducated birth.

[IndiaInk]

Popping back in with another idea. A while back I saw a FB friend post something about getting certified as a teacher for this online "Birth Bootcamp" course. I have NO idea if it's any good or even what you're looking for. But apparently online courses exist and maybe that would be helpful to you. birthbootcamp.com/

[picksthemusic]

I was actually going to suggest Bradley, since that's the go-to for most people who want a med-free birth. But I get not wanting to find childcare for 12 classes, that's a lot. You can find books in the library to check out about Bradley Method, as well as books online/on Amazon to purchase to read up on it. The concepts are easy enough to understand, it's just that some people learn better with in-person instruction.

Another one is Hypnobirthing, which is along the same lines, but it's more about getting your mind/emotions in line with labor/birth and knowing your body can do what it's made to do, and ultimate relaxation during labor to bring about an easy birth/delivery.

I also agree with hiring a doula who can assist you in keeping your mind in good place, supporting your partner in supporting you, and working with your birth team to help you achieve the birth you desire.

Good luck!

[phdprocrastinator]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm sorry I did a post and run last night - I had lost track of time while searching for class options, and almost missed day care pick up! Oops.

This feedback has been really helpful. I think I may look at the cost for a doula vs. courses available. Now that it was mentioned, I do remember some yoga studios offering classes last time around. My hospital apparently has a good rep among doulas regarding natural childbirth, but my actual nurse last time left much to be desired. Plus I was having back labor... so there's that. I wonder if I had someone (besides my husband) checking in on details if it would have been a different experience.

I will also check out some of the books recommended. If we can practice at home, that would be very helpful. Maybe practice at home + a yoga course is a good combo...

Thanks again!

[amaristella]

Apr 30, 2014 21:08:18 GMT -5 IndiaInk said:

Oh and I've read "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way" and "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth". The Bradley one has lots of great-sounding relaxation techniques that you can practice with your spouse, so it might be a good one to use in lieu of a class. I only picked it up last week, so I doubt we'll be doing much practicing at this point. Hahaha. The Ina May Gaskin book is really empowering and is my favorite childbirth book that I've read. You come away from it feeling like you can really do it and that your body is pretty amazing and powerful.

Props to that book. I didn't have time for the class after I moved so I bought the book and DH and I both read it. A friend of mine and her husband both read it and took the class and we both had unmedicated births. It's a very educational book and I would think that it would be helpful even for those planning a medicated birth (provided that one skips the outdated chapters on hospitals).