I picked a class based on the approved instructor list from the birth center I visited, and in the middle of week 26, I waddled into our first class with M in tow. I didn't expect much from the first two classes—exercise and nutrition. As a former registered dietitian and certified personal trainer, I already know that stuff. But for our third class, my expectations were high. I couldn't wait to start learning all about what the third trimester will be like, the stages of labor, pain relief techniques, and a host of other secrets that will help me navigate birth.
But class sucked. The entire class focused on things we shouldn't be doing and ended with the horrible side effects of drugs used in obstetric medicine. The instructor told me I could give my baby birth defects from the 12 oz half-caf (half regular/half decaf) coffee I drink in the mornings. I fired back with the research I've done and last summer's ACOG committee opinion, but there was no reasoning with her. I ended up biting my tongue and just smiled and nodded.
Then we started talking about the side effects of epidurals and a host of analgesics and anesthetics. That's when I got really pissed off. Instead of telling us the facts, the instructor peppered her speech with words like crack, heroine, and speed. My goal is to have a drug-free birth. I don't need convincing. And I don't think it's appropriate to add kindergarten scare tactics to information that speaks for itself—especially for adult learners. Plus, it's not appropriate to make a woman feel guilty if she ends up having horrible back labor and decides she needs an epidural.
On the drive home, I started to cry. This class came so highly recommended. I jumped in with both feet, and it sucks so far. What if this whole idea of "natural" childbirth sucks, too? I'm committed to it in theory. I spend my days promoting minimal intervention and midwifery care to the world at my job, and I believe in it with all my mind. But I've never experienced it first hand, and until then, how do I know?
And that is how I had a breakdown over birth education class.
Well that sucks. Perhaps your teacher has had some bad experience with hospital birth and so has become really reactionary. It's no excuse, of course, but maybe it will at least make her rhetoric more understandable. All is not lost. You know why you want to birth your son naturally. You don't need her to convince you because you had your well thought out and researched reasons before you started the class. Her scare tactics don't change that. It might be difficult to see through the bullshit, but I'm sure you can still get a lot of good coping techniques out of your class if you can look past the other parts.
ReplyDeleteYikes. I agree with Astrid that she may be frustrated and reactionary. Some people do the Hypnobabies CDs at home by themselves without a class, if that appeals to you. I hope the class will get more relaxing and useful and less breakdown-inducing
ReplyDeleteHave you looked through the Bradley workbook to the labor parts? That is the stuff that really helped my husband (especially) and me. Plenty of strategies to cope in order to avoid unnecessary intervention--that's how I think of it, rather than thinking how superior "natural" birth is (dislike that term anyway as it's so imprecise and loaded).
Have you read Birthing From Within? "Labor is hard work, it hurts, and you can do it" was my mantra. And one thing that our Bradley class really stressed was just when you think you can't take another second of labor, you're just about done. The advice I always give is don't do labor math; stay in the moment.
Hey Mel!! I'm doing Bradley class as well and while my instructor does make an effort to present a slightly more balanced approach, I also found that the class was a lot more preachy with regards to meds than I expected.
ReplyDeleteI chose to go to a Bradley instructor because natural birth is my preference and my goal, so I don't necessarily need to be scared out of taking meds -- I need to know some good alternative coping methods. But I tried to take it with a grain of salt. On the plus side, it does get better!!
I know you and I have the same due date...we started Bradley class at the beginning of my 5th month, which is on the early side, but the next available session would have overlapped with my due date, so this was our only option. Our class is also on a slightly accelerated schedule - 8 meetings instead of 12. So I only have two more classes left, and I can tell you that for us, the class started to become much more "useful" when we got to the stages of labor.
For awhile there I was thinking, why oh why did I sign up to be lectured at? (And I can only imagine what my husband was thinking... probably something along the lines of, "I'm missing Monday Night Football for this??") So hang in there.
Also, you probably know this already because of your occupational background, but amid all of the scare tactics in the drug lecture, I found it helpful to identify what types of "gateway interventions" could potentially trigger the "cycle of intervention," that we're trying to avoid. For example, stalled labor -> Pitocin -> Stronger, more painful contractions -> Epidural for pain -> Immobility (can't change positions to address the reason for stalled labor) -> C-section. So our instructor's advice to nip the cycle in the bud is to address stalled labor by changing positions, removing stress-factors to reduce adrenaline, etc. This was only one example of avoiding a "gateway intervention" (which in this case is Pitocin) but that was the kernel of knowledge I took from those rough couple of classes.
And as I said, once you address the stages of labor, hopefully you will discover what I consider to be the true value of the Bradley method.
Thanks for the pointers, Lauren! Last Sunday ended up being a more enjoyable and useful class. Tomorrow we're starting the first stage of labor, so hopefully it just keeps getting better and better.
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends jumps up like she's yelling at a football game when I mention Bradley. She loved it. So there must be more in store for us.