Finding out I was pregnant with my first child was one of the most exciting days of my life! My thrill was quickly clouded with a lot of anxiety—about morning sickness, the health of the baby and whether I could still eat the cold turkey sandwiches I usually ate daily. But the biggest cloud looming over my head consisted of worries over the experience of childbirth: How long would it take? What would it feel like? Could I handle the pain? I began asking my mother, sisters and any friends who had been through this before, and while I enjoyed all of the stories, they didn’t really help me feel any more prepared. When I learned the hospital where I planned to give birth offered these classes, I signed up right away.
The American Pregnancy Association says the information that childbirth classes provide you can lessen anxiety, build confidence and provide a safe way to discuss your fears before the big day. Many of our birth class takeaways definitely made my husband and me feel more prepared for the labor and birth experience—while others gave us something to laugh about! Here are four things that surprised us in our first childbirth class:
Acronyms Matter
…And they may ruin some foods for you! TACO is actually a reminder for what to tell your doctor if you think your water has broken: Time it happened, Amount of fluid, Color of the fluid and Odor. Although my water didn’t break until after I was in labor at the hospital, I know some mom friends who had either a gush of fluid or a slow leak signaling the start of labor, and reporting the TACO information was helpful for their medical team.
I know now that the Lifesaver analogy is quite common, but my husband and I had never heard of this before our classes. He now says he can’t look at a Lifesaver candy, let alone eat one, without thinking about a cervix dilating. And tacos were off the table for a while at our house!
Leave Your Modesty at the Door
I was definitely prepared for being in my own vulnerable positions for checkups and delivery, but one KC mom says she and her husband were caught unaware when they viewed an actual childbirth video in class, leaving nothing to the imagination. While others in the class watched seriously and took notes, she found herself shushing her husband who found the situation amusing and uncomfortable at the same time. In short, run this one by your husband and be prepared also to shush him to keep him from embarrassing you!
You Will Also Learn About Your Partner
We came into our birthing class married for five years and felt like we knew each other pretty well. But as always, being in a new situation together let us see each other in a new light. My husband reported being surprised, and a little impressed, with my confident attitude toward the impending labor. I will attribute part of my calmness to the fact that I had pretty bad morning sickness all throughout my pregnancy, and I simply would do anything to get this baby out! But it was nice to have him think of me as brave. And I loved seeing him in this nurturing, caring and supportive role. It was my first little glimpse of what he would be like as a father. To top it off, having our childbirth meetings gave us the opportunity to have a weekly date night, and we made it a regular event to go out and talk about the class over our favorite frozen custard treat.
Your Labor May Go Differently Than Anything You Hear in Class
Our class prepared us with loads of helpful labor-coping strategies: take a walk, watch Netflix, tidy up the nursery and get a massage from your partner. We thought we were so prepared with options to pass the time when the first contraction hit … and we were. The problem was, my labor was so fast that we didn’t use any! When I woke up and yelped to a hard contraction, my husband rolled over in bed and said “You’re doing great sweetie, let me know when you’re in the next stage and need me.” He thought we had plenty of time to hang around and do our “early labor activities.” I got up and tried to work in the nursery, but I ended up progressing so quickly we barely had time to throw some things in a bag and head to the hospital. When I called my mom to tell her I thought I was in labor, I was having difficulty getting a sentence out. We had been so set on doing most of the labor at home, I had to convince my husband that we weren’t going to be at home for a while after all. And we were glad we went when we did, because our little boy came shortly after we arrived at the hospital. My takeaway: Take all of the different labor scenarios with a grain of salt. It’s good to be prepared for all situations, but yours may still go differently than you think!
Although your labor and delivery will be unique, you and your partner still will learn a great amount from a class. Being armed with information and having a shared understanding of important terms will get you both on the same page, ease anxiety and concern and, most importantly, put the focus on that sweet little babe you are blessed to hold in your arms soon.
Where Can I Find a Childbirth Class?
To start, check with where you choose to deliver for childbirth class options. You get to choose which one suits you. You may want a traditional class or one that aligns with the particular birthing method you plan to use. If you’re looking for the perfect place to deliver your bundle of joy, check out the Labor & Deliver guide online at KCParent.com.
Emily Cline is a freelance writer and instructor of education at a local university. She lives in Lenexa with her husband, Joseph, and 3-year-old son, Fitzgerald.
As always, please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns.
Source: AmericanPregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/childbirth-education-classes