Pregnancy care classes aim to prepare women for labor and newborn care during their gestation period, and are typically led by midwives, nurses or physicians.
Consider several key points when selecting a prenatal care class: number of couples per class – many couples find smaller classes more beneficial – as well as which childbirth techniques will be taught.
Preparing for Childbirth
Online pregnancy care class classes (antenatal care classes or prenatal classes) provide expectant parents with information and education regarding the birthing process. Expecting couples can discuss their preferences with healthcare providers to develop a birth plan which gives them confidence that they can deliver the baby they envision.
These classes can be taken as early as the first trimester and cover topics such as nutrition, exercise, fetal development and sex. Later in pregnancy, some couples may opt to take birthing classes that focus on labor, delivery and postpartum care for mother and infant.
Some childbirth classes also cover pain management strategies and techniques for unmedicated, physiological births; others focus on medical interventions like cesarean sections and medication options.
Women who have already given birth can still benefit from attending birthing classes by providing a realistic perspective of how close their expectations were to reality during labor and birthing. Furthermore, learning what questions to ask of healthcare providers about hospital facilities, delivery methods and equipment may provide additional peace of mind when discussing hospital facilities with care providers.
Infant care classes often cover topics like diapering, bathing, swaddling and feeding your newborn as well as when and why to visit a pediatrician. Furthermore, newborn safety is usually discussed – such as how to prepare the home for its arrival as well as CPR instruction or knowing when and why 911 needs to be called for an emergency situation.
Preparing for Your Newborn
Once your baby arrives, much will change for both you and them. Infant care classes offer invaluable advice about what to expect and how best to care for their precious cargo.
Your will gain insight into a newborn’s needs, feedings and diapering routines; health concerns such as colic or fever; car seat installation instructions and infant CPR techniques are also typically covered.
As an essential element of prenatal education, these classes are an invaluable source of information and support for first-time parents or repeat mothers alike. Some hospitals even provide online courses specifically targeted towards experienced mothers that cover topics such as infant CPR, breastfeeding techniques, and coping mechanisms.
Preparing for Postpartum Care
Preparing for the arrival of a newborn requires extensive planning. Most expectant parents want to know what to expect during childbirth and care for their new arrival, which Duke Health can help facilitate with its educational classes and resources for expectant families.
Preparing for Labor, an anesthesiology fellow discusses natural approaches to pain management as well as medication, epidural, and nitrous oxide options available to expectant mothers during labor. A video and tour of the maternity center are included. Bringing Home a New Baby provides expectant parents with children between 2.5-6 years old the tools necessary for smooth transition periods during birth; what babies can do, and safe holding techniques. It can be found at Morristown Medical Center.
Most classes at the university are offered in person; however, virtual options are also provided for those unable to attend in person. This program is part of a movement to move pregnant women out of exam rooms and into group settings for prenatal care; studies have revealed that those participating tend to experience better obstetric outcomes. Furthermore, women who attended childbirth education classes report having more positive birth experiences as their expectations were more in line with what could actually take place during labor.
Refresher Classes
Expecting twins or just one is both exciting and life-altering, so classes to help prepare all family members is available through University of Chicago Medicine. Some classes are held on-site while others online; all taught by certified childbirth educators or prenatal nurses.
Expectant parents can learn more about pregnancy concerns, labor and delivery – such as signs of labor, breathing and relaxation techniques, pain management for unmedicated or medicated births and inducing or augmenting labor methods – from their partner/support person. Furthermore, expectant parents can discover their roles during labor and birth.
Grandparents can gain an overview of newborn care and infant CPR through this course, covering such essential topics as bathing, cord care and temperature taking for infant safety issues. Home and car seat safety, feeding strategies and sleep strategies will also be addressed as part of this comprehensive overview of newborn care for grandparents.