When I first became pregnant with my son everything was new to me. I had no idea what to expect or what being a parent would be like. In fact I had very little baby experience at all and was petrified about babies. How on earth was I ever going to cope with one of my own?
Fortunately my husband had some experience with caring for little ones at a church day-care and was ready to give me a hand. Together we attended a prenatal class provided by the hospital where I was booked to deliver. The class offered tons of information about labor and delivery and prepared us for what we might expect when our baby was newly arrived.
It was a great chance to get to know other pregnant mothers and know how my pregnancy compared to what they were going through. There’s nothing quite like watching other pregnant moms struggling with frequent bathroom runs and an inability to pry themselves off their seats to make you feel welcome and at home.
Prenatal classes are a good option to consider if you want to find out more about what you might expect from labor and delivery. Unfortunately, many of these classes are privately run and cost quite a bit of money.
At a prenatal class you will learn about all kinds of things. They will discuss what to expect when you go into labor and what is happening both to you and to your baby. The class will go into the available pain control options and the pros and cons of each. Many classes go even further and discuss basic baby care so that when your little one arrives you will know how to take care of him.
The classes may run over a period of weeks, or you might find a class that runs over a single weekend. Some places offer review courses for parents who have had kids before, but need a refresher course. Whatever type of class you choose be sure to book well in advance as many classes close up quickly.
Sometimes offered as a part of the classes, and sometimes offered by the hospital itself, you should definitely take a tour of the hospital you plan to give birth in. Hospital tours give you a chance to see the facilities and know what to expect when you go in. Once you are in labor the last thing you want is to be confused as to where to go or what is expected of you. Book this tour by your eighth month of pregnancy to make sure you get it done before you baby arrives. Early deliveries do happen sometimes, so you want to be ready just in case.
Going into labor can be a very scary experience, even if you’ve done it before. Without knowing about what is going on and understanding the process and your options it is even scarier. Prenatal classes are great forums to not only learn about the details, but also to get your questions answered. With other new parents in the program you can learn not only from your own questions, but from others. If the class includes both new parents and second time parents you can ask questions of those who have had kids before and get a first-hand idea of what goes on.
With my second child I strongly considered taking prenatal classes again. I had lots of questions about my pregnancy and the time between this baby and the last left me feeling as though I’d forgotten everything. While I did not end up taking the prenatal classes in the long run, I think that they would have been a great review. Having a new baby around changes so many parts of your life that you don’t expect and whatever help you can get ahead of time should be taken advantage of.
If you can afford the cost of prenatal classes they are more than worth the cost. If you can’t it is worth enquiring if there are financing options available. Special classes are sometimes available for teenaged moms or single moms, so look into all the options. Not only will you learn a lot, you will also meet other moms just like you. Who knows, you might even make new friends to share your pregnancy and your newborn’s life with.
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