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Picking A Childbirth Class
Dear MrDad: Every expectant couple I know is
taking a Lamaze classes. Is that really
necessary?
A: One of the advantages of taking a
childbirth preparation class is that it'll give you
and your wife the opportunity to ask questions
about the pregnancy in a more relaxed setting than
her doctor's office. You'll also get a chance to
hang out with other expecting couples and listen to
the women swap stories about how much weight
they've gained, how much their joints hurt, how
many times they get up to go to the bathroom in the
middle of the night.
Seriously, though, most childbirth classes
operate on the belief that the more you learn about
pregnancy and birth—from exercise and
nutrition to the difference between an epidural and
a spinal—the more in control you'll feel and
the less you'll have to fear.
Also, be careful: People have a tendency to use
the word "Lamaze" as a synonym for "childbirth
preparation class." But Lamaze is really only one
of a number of very different approaches to dealing
with labor and the pain associated with it. Here's
a little background on three of the most common
approaches:
- The Lamaze method is based on the idea that
a pregnant woman can overcome her
pain—which is the way her body reacts to
being in labor—by focusing on something
else, usually her own breathing. One major goal
is to help woman achieve drug-free labors and
deliveries but Lamaze also tries to give
expectant parents as much information as they
can to help them make the most informed
decisions possible.
- The Bradley method also emphasizes educating
and preparing expectant couples. They also focus
on exercise and nutrition. But instead of trying
to take the woman's attention from her pain, the
Bradley folks encourage her to experience it
fully: groaning, screaming, whatever she feels
like. Bradley is the method that introduced the
husband/coach and includes dads far more than
any of the others.
- The Leboyer method puts its focus much more
on the baby than on the mother-to-be. Leboyer
maintains that the bright lights and high noise
levels usually found in most hospital delivery
rooms are quite stressful and upsetting for a
newborn. For that reason, Leboyer babies are
generally born in quiet, darkened rooms, often
with mom fully or partially submerged in warm
water.
Classes typically last five to nine weeks and
usually run about $100 to $200. Most are offered
either privately or through local hospitals so
check with your wife's doctor or the maternity ward
for a referral. Whichever approach you and your
wife pick, get going on it as soon as you can. What
you'll learn will do a lot to make the rest of the
pregnancy calmer and less stressful for both of
you.
©2007, Armin Brott
* * *
It's clear that most American children suffer
too much mother and too little father. - Gloria
Steinem
A
nationally recognized parenting expert, Armin Brott
is the author of Blueprint
for Men's Health: A guide to a health
lifestyle,
The
Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for
Dads-to-Be;
The
New Father: A Dad's Guide to the First
Year, A
Dad's Guide to the Toddler
Years, Throwaway
Dads, The
Single Father: A Dad's Guide to Parenting without a
Partner and Father for
Life. He has written on parenting and fatherhood
for the New York Times Magazine, The
Washington Post, Newsweek and dozens of
other periodicals. He also hosts “Positive
Parenting”, a nationally distributed, weekly
talk show, and lives with his family in Oakland,
California. Visit Armin at www.mrdad.com
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