Taking prenatal classes can make you feel more confident about the childbirth process and help you have a positive experience.
Besides childbirth, you can take a class on a variety of topics, including breastfeeding and pregnancy mood concerns.
Big brothers and big sisters can also attend a class to prepare them for the arrival of their new baby brother or sister. It includes a short video, holding and diapering practice, and a tour of our maternity center.
Expecting Your First Baby
Pregnancy is an amazing time in a person’s life. The thrill of finding out you’re expecting, realizing your baby is growing inside you and then sharing that news with loved ones is something we can never forget.
However, the excitement can also be overwhelming for some new moms. The anticipation of the birth and parenting experience can make them feel like they’re on a roller coaster ride, with so much change happening in such a short amount of time.
One of the best ways to prepare for this big change is to take a pregnancy care class. Classes are designed to help expectant parents and their partners navigate the journey from planning a family to bringing the baby home.
Antenatal classes, which are free on the NHS, are a great way to meet other expectant parents. They’re usually fun and informative, and can help you gain confidence. You can find them near you by talking to your community midwife or health visitor, or GP.
Some of these classes include a tour of your local hospital. This is a great way to see how the hospital will look and how it will function once your baby arrives.
Others offer a more in-depth study of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. These classes can be tailored to your interests and preferences.
For example, the Birthing From Within class is ideal for future parents who are curious about the emotional aspects of labor and delivery. It can be customized for a vaginal birth or a c-section, and offers guidance on self-care, breathing techniques and relaxation exercises.
The Postpartum Survival workshop is also a good choice for expectant parents. It teaches basic survival techniques for caring for a newborn, including infant milestones, bathing, hygiene, diapering, comforting, sleep and recognizing signs of illness.
These classes also provide an opportunity for new parents to learn about breastfeeding, infant safety and injury prevention. This information can help ensure a positive birthing experience and help you develop a healthy relationship with your new baby.
Preparing for Childbirth
Pregnancy care classes help you prepare for the birth of your baby and get ready to start your new role as a parent. These programs typically include a combination of informational lectures and practice exercises that focus on the stages of labor, medical support and pain management techniques. They also cover topics related to pregnancy, such as foetal development and the psychological aspects of birth, postpartum period, and breastfeeding.
These classes can be held at local hospitals or birth centers and provide an overview of the birth process, hospital practices, medications and birth options. They can also help you determine the best birth plan and discuss ways to manage your fears of childbirth.
Some classes are held in-person, while others are available online. Online classes have a few advantages over in-person courses, including a more flexible schedule and the ability to watch modules at your own pace.
For example, John Hopkins’ gynecology and obstetrics department offers a $50, eight-chapter online course that helps expecting moms understand childbirth and different relaxation and comfort methods. It covers things like the Lamaze Six Healthy Birth Practices, coping techniques, and medications for pain relief.
The Bradley method, which emphasizes natural childbirth, relies on deep breathing and massage. You can also enroll in a class that focuses on laboring at home, if you’d prefer not to use a hospital.
To find an in-person class, ask your doctor or midwife about options in your area. You can also ask friends who have recently had a baby for recommendations or check with your hospital or birth center.
Online birth and parenting classes are increasingly popular for a variety of reasons. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many moms-to-be were unable to travel or attend traditional classes. During this time, Motherly offered a free, online birth class led by a certified nurse-midwife.
Taking a class also gives you a chance to meet other pregnant women and hear what they had to say about their birth experiences. These classes usually include a tour of the birthing facility and may also teach you about the routine practices of the hospital staff, such as fetal monitoring and freedom of movement during labor.
Gestational Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious medical condition that affects 29 million Americans. It’s caused by a combination of lifestyle and genetic factors. The good news is that it can be controlled and prevented with diet, exercise and weight loss.
The American Diabetes Association encourages doctors to screen women for diabetes at their first prenatal visit, especially if they are overweight or have a family history of diabetes. The screening is usually done between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy, or sooner if you have risk factors like age 30, a history of gestational diabetes, or a previous stillbirth.
A pregnancy care class can help you manage your blood sugar and make the necessary dietary changes to keep it in a healthy range. Your doctor may suggest that you take a one-hour group education class or an individual class, or work with an expert diabetes educator.
Your doctor will also recommend that you test your blood glucose regularly, either before or after meals. He or she will teach you how to check your blood sugar and provide you with a meal plan that can help you control your diabetes.
During pregnancy, your body needs extra insulin to help it use the glucose you eat for energy. When your body can’t make enough insulin, or when you can’t use the insulin it does make effectively (called “insulin resistance”), blood sugar levels get high.
This increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, so it’s important to work with your doctor to prevent it. The National Diabetes Prevention Program and CDC-recognized lifestyle change programs are available to help you lose weight, improve your diet, increase physical activity and learn how to monitor your glucose.
Gestational diabetes is a common condition that occurs in about 10 percent of pregnant women. It happens when the hormones made by the placenta interfere with the way your body uses insulin.
Your doctor may prescribe oral medications or insulin shots to help you manage your diabetes. You can also use special devices to monitor your blood glucose levels and track the amount of insulin you need.
Parenting
If you’re expecting a baby, a pregnancy care class can help you and your family learn about childbirth, breastfeeding and caring for a newborn. Many parents say that going to classes makes them feel more confident as the birth approaches.
In addition, a pregnancy care class can help you connect with other parents in your area who are also on this journey. This can be very comforting and lead to lasting friendships.
Another benefit of attending a pregnancy care class is that you and your partner can learn how to be better partners during the birth process, as well as after your baby has been born. In this class, you can learn about working through conflict with ease, maintaining positive parent-infant interactions and improving communication in your relationship.
It’s also important to remember that your baby can bring profound changes to your family. In this Healthy Families webinar, you can find tips on how to make the transition from a couple to a family easier.
One of the biggest challenges is learning how to take care of a newborn baby. In this class, you’ll learn about infant safety, how to bathe, diaper and burp a baby, as well as common concerns such as how to deal with illness and when to call the pediatrician.
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The classes offered at Amma Parenting Center will provide you with the skills to care for your baby and your family as a whole. These classes include Preparing for Birth, Breastfeeding, The New Mama Class, Infant CPR and First Aid and Big Brothers and Sister. For a full list of classes, dates/times, locations, fees and registration, visit Amma Parenting Center’s website.
Most pregnancy care training run for about 12 hours over several weeks and are designed to fit the schedules of busy parents. It’s a good idea to start planning to attend classes at around 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Antenatal education can be a valuable resource for all parents, but it’s particularly relevant to fathers. We found that men are often underprepared for the responsibilities of parenting. They may not know where to turn for help, how to approach health care professionals or how to share their knowledge. This may affect the quality of antenatal education provided to them and the outcomes they get from it.
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