Inexpensive Childbirth classes

Hi, I'd love to do a childbirth class that gives an alternative view to the hospital one we did with our first child - hypnobirthing or Lamaze. However, we just can't afford $300+ for a series of classes. Are there any more reasonably priced ones around? Anon

- Natural childbirth, which means avoidance of all drugs and interventions unless medically necessary.
- Excellent nutrition, the foundation of a healthy pregnancy
- Many different relaxation techniques
- Physiology of pregnancy, labor and birth
- Information about obstetrical practices including narcotics, commonly used substances, and interventions used to ''manage'' the labor and ''deliver'' the child
- How to handle unexpected situations such as emergency cesarean or out of hospital birth
- Postpartum care of mother and child
- Parents take responsiblity for the entire pregnancy and birth as informed consumers of the obstetrical service
- Classes are 12 weeks long, during which time the mother is in training for a major endurance event, labor and birth, and her partner is in training to coach her through it.

Instead of seeking to control the sensations of labor with distraction methods, you will learn exactly what will be happening in your body so that you can trust your body to do what it's made to do. Using natural breathing combined with different relaxation techniques, you and your coach will find what works best for you.

Please feel free to contact me if you are interested or have any questions. kwinkleman[at]sbcglobal.net Kim Winkleman

Childbirth class that includes meditation/mindfulness

My partner and I are looking for a childbirth class in the Bay Area that includes meditation/mindulness techniques. Please let me know of any recommendations and info. regarding length of course, price, and orientation/style of instructor. Thank you. Alexis

Nancy does all the usual childbirth prep information, but she puts the whole thing into a context of a daily meditation practice, and uses that framework to get people to examine their fears about the whole thing, and learn to not freak out if something unexpected happens in the birth - i.e., be in the moment. She also has couples practice all these different meditation techniques to deal with pain, many of which were very helpful to me during labor. My son's birth ended up being wonderful and free of any panic. Not that things went the way I wanted them to, but it was okay that they didn't, and I felt at peace during the process.

Her website is www.mindfulbirthing.com. Jen

If you'd like to hear our show all about Mindful Parenting, see http:// www.childhoodmatters.org/radio_shows.html. The show aired on February 27, 2005.

Hope that helps! Susan

I believe she has two new classes starting in September. Give her a call and see if this is a good match for you. Her number is 510-595-3207. ~Kim

I took the one day class and highly recommend it, although I'm sure the longer classes are even better. I can't say enough about how great these techniques are or how much they helped me to get through my labor naturally.

Also, I noticed you said you and your partner. You might be straight people using an inclusive term, but if you're a lesbian couple I also strongly suggest that you check out the childbirth classes at Maia Midwifery, http://www.maiamidwifery.com/ The classes are not mindfulness-based, but they also gave us something totally invaluable -- a community of other lesbian moms with babies the same age. Good luck! anon

Birthing class for natural labor at Kaiser

Hi, I am expecting our first child in mid September, and would like recs for Labor and Delivery prep classes. The BPN web archive has only dated recomendations (none less than 5 year past). I am enrolled with Kaiser and will be giving birth at the Oakland Hospital or, possibly, the Walnut Creek facility. I plan on taking KP's class, but wonder about alternatives and/or supplements to KP classes. Not sure what method I'm interested in either, but would like to labor as naturally as possible... none or least drugs and least ''clinical'' or pathologized as possible, given the reality of a hospital birth. thanks, Sara

Neither class promoted any single ''method'' and both classes were very pro-natural birth. The Birthways class was a tad more in depth (because it was a tad longer) but there was nothing very different presented. I think the classes were important 1) for me to be comfortable with what was going to happen with my body 2) for my partner to learn the techniques and 3) for my partner to learn how I respond to pain and soothing. Both classes did this. I remembered very little of what we learned during labor - it was my partner that remembered a lot of the breathing techniques (with some help from our doula). So for us it was important to choose a class/classes that had a format that my partner could digest and that would make me feel comfortable.

Also, the Birthways class included a breastfeeding day, but I found the KP breastfeeding class (offered separately) more thorough.

Good luck! Kaiser Mom

I would recommend Sabina Henri as a local Bradley Method Instructor. My husband and I took her class last fall and learned so much! The Bradley Method definitely emphasized a drug-free birth and it also helps you think about diet and exercise during your pregnancy. What I liked about Sabine's class was that there was no right idea of what parents should be - black, white, old, young, folks with diabilities etc. All different types of couples signed up for the class all in the interest of being the best prepared for this life changing event.

I would strongly recommend Sabine. She is knowledgeable, sincere, dedicated and warm.

Here is her email if you want to contact her. SabineH@aol.com

All the best, Amma

in peace Samantha birth and postpartum doula for over 8 years Birthways Board Member Signed: Samantha

My friend, Sabine Henri, offers Bradley birth preparation classes from her home. The classes are kept small (5 couples max) so there's lots of time for questions and class discussion. Her space is cozy and conducive to a relaxed atmosphere. Students are encouraged to make connections with each other so they become supports for one another outside of class.

I know Sabine as a colleague and parent, and admire her integrity, warmth and knowledge in all that goes with birth preparation. Feel free to call her for more information at: 843-2091. Yvonne Mansell

Unfortunately, their web site only lists the classes but does not give additional information. To sign up for classes, or hear more information about them, call (510) 204-1334 and leave a message. The office there is very good about calling people back. Specifically, I can highly recommend a childbirth educator there named Jennifer Subasic-Ross (not sure of the spelling of her last name) who teaches Childbirth Preparation and other classes. As first-time parents, we needed to know all kinds of things about taking care of a baby, and Jennifer's classes were thorough and very informative. The classes cost different amounts depending on the amount of time for each, but I felt the costs were reasonable given the amount of information we were getting. Each couple got a spiral-bound book to take home with even more information about this whole birth process.

All of the couples in my classes were giving birth at Alta Bates, but I don't believe the classes are exclusively for parents who are delivering there. Couples in the classes came from varying backgrounds: there were mixed-race couples, lesbian couples, older couples, etc.

Also, the group of about 10 sets of parents keeps in touch and meets occasionally for various events.

Lori

Weekend Intensive Childbirth Prep class

I am looking for reccomendations for weekend childbirth prep classes (first time for us). Because of schedules, doing a weekend intensive works best. The Nurture Center in Lafayette has a class taught by Lynee Forrette. The class at Birthways will be taught by Constance Williams with Earth Lande possibly co-teaching. Birthways is closer to home for us but we are open to either option or if anyone has other teachers/locations they reccomend, please let me know. Thanks!

Natural childbirth with tools for medication

I have read the previous recommendations about childbirth classes, but still wanted to more information. I wondered if anyone has taken classes at Birthways in Oakland and what the experience was like. I am considering natural childbirth, but would want a class that provides me with the tools for that or for birth with medication. I am afraid the hospital classes would be too impersonal and would not cover enough information. Any information on Birthways or other good experiences would be appreciated. Stephanie

There were people in our class doing homebirths, birth-home births and hospital births, as well as medicated and non-medicated births. There may have been a slight bias against medication in birth, but Nancy was always careful to say that whatever works for you is the right way to do it.

I was never a meditator pre-class, and I don't do it often now either, but the training in meditation was useful to me, and still is occasionally useful when I feel overwhelmed as a mother of a 2-year-old... and the idea of being present in the moment (and the tools I have now to help me do that) has made a huge difference to me in my life. Jen

The thing about the classes is that different people teach them, and I know that the woman who taught ours, Sandy Swing, no longer does so. If the feedback you get seems oddly split, like it must be coming from people who took different classes, that's because it is coming from people who took different classes. What Sandy had in teaching skills others may lack. Honestly, we chose the class because it worked best for our schedule -- no small consideration! -- but, as I said, we really were pleased with it.

I think someone already commented on this, but the room where the class was taught was really not very comfortable. Poor climate control and uncomfortable seating. I usually didn't notice, but it got to me sometimes.

Good luck with your decision, and best wishes for your pregnancy. 2nd time mama

Birth refresher & VBAC classes

I am expecting my second child in June. My husband and I did take a childbirth preparation class before the birth of our first, but (a) it's been a while -- our son is now 3, (b) the class we took (at the now-closed Birth & Bonding) was, in retrospect, less helpful than I would have liked, and (c) I ended up having an unplanned C-section, something I want to be as prepared as possible to avoid this time around.

So this time around I'm thinking we should take a ''refresher'' class, a VBAC class, or both. Birthways offers a one-day combination of the two, which would be convenient, but unfortunately we have a conflict on the only date it's offered between now and my due date. So I think I'm left with Alta Bates. I'd like to hear from people who have taken either or both Alta Bates classes recently. Was it helpful? Was it worth having to hire a babysitter? :-)

I'd also be interested in hearing about any other appropriate short courses offered by other organizations, and/or books or other resources you'd recommend. Holly

The VBAC course covered the positive and potential negatives of a VBAC. This was helpful for my husband, especially, because he had fears surrounding the VBAC risks. He was able to be more supportive once he was armed with all the info. The course also covered what to expect as a VBAC patient at Alta Bates if you plan to deliver there.

The child birth refresher course was helpful to remind you of what you might expect during labor. We shared birth stories with other classmates and covered labor basics--physiology, stages of labor, pain management options. The teacher (Jennifer Marks) was excellent. She addressed each of our individual situations (including my VBAC issues) I happened to be the only VBAC person in the class. She also spent quite a bit of time discussing the older sibling and what we as parents might expect. This has proven to be very helpful and perhaps the most valuable info I took from the class. My baby is two weeks old today and sibling adjustment for my 3 1/2 year old has been more challenging than the healing process from the VBAC for me! She did take the sibling class which was helpful to her to some degree, but it didn't offer many ideas to parents for how to help the child deal with adjustment. Right about now, I'm wondering if there is boarding pre-school!! I sure this too will pass. Best wishes for the VBAC--YOU CAN DO IT! Feel free to email should you wish to ask me any further questions about the courses or my VBAC experience at Alta Bates. Tiffany

Chidbirth class -- Nancy Bardacke

I am wondering if anyone has ever taken any classes by Nancy Bardacke, CNM. I am due in September and interested specifically in her Mindfulness-Based Childbirth workshop (1 day). I would like to try to have this baby without drugs, if possible! Any input you can give me on this instructor or other ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks -- trish

She has a great way of explaining the physiology of birth. She gives lots of great tools for dealing with pain. She does lots of exercises that get you moving & lots that just involve thinking/talking. I actually USED the thingsd I learned in class during my labor & birth!!!

The only thing I did not like was the mindfulness exercise where we had to be silent & not look at anyone for 4 hours. A fate worse than death for a Chatty Cathy like myself... But she probably won't do it for a 1-day workshop. Good luck! virginia

Also, I found the materials which she recommended very useful, e.g. the book recommendation ''Birthing from within'', and her own pregnancy meditation and yoga tapes).

I ended up with a completely drug free birth at Alta Bates (I must admit that labor was only a few hours though).

We also had taken a class at Alta Bates (6 sessions?) which we did not like very much (since the RN who run the class did not seem to be very motivated, even though the contents and information of these Alta Bates classes seem to be very good, so it depends on the person). Also, I took prenatal yoga classes which I liked a lot (with Barbara Papini).

Basic line: I would highly recommend Nancy Bardacke's one-day workshop. By the way, now, far away from Berkeley and back in Europe, I still find the idea of mindfulness very helpful, and I even reused and reread some of the above mentioned materials before our second baby was born some weeks ago (again drug-free, and without any further preparation class - not time for that anyway). hopefully somehow mindful

Should We Supplement the Alta Bates Class?

We're expecting our first baby in mid-April, and we've already signed up for Alta Bates childbirth classes in February. We were wondering if we should take supplemental classes, in either Lamaze or other relaxation techniques, but we don't want to get a lot of overlap with the Alta Bates class. Would anyone who has taken the Alta Bates course recommend doing other classes as well, or is the AB course good preparation for first- time parents? ali

Re: Should We Supplement the Alta Bates Class? (Jan 2003)
Reviews received:

Treesa McLean   915-283-1346
Linda Almond-Nichols (925) 228-8712
Linda Jenkins (925) 284-2220
Adele Szilardi 510-548-3863