Birthing Class for First Time Parents: What to Expect and How to Prepare
By the time most people are pregnant, they have already been thoroughly inundated with narratives about birth. Many of these come from media–movies & TV shows–and many come from stories we hear from family and friends. Some are from books, high school health class, TikTok, or just a general cultural expectation of what birth is like.
Along with this come all the learned images of the people and things associated with birth–tropes of pregnancy (such as discovering you are pregnant by vomiting), stereotypes of midwives and obstetricians, cliches of doulas, and common constructs of prenatal classes. So when people arrive at their first birthing class, the reality can be a surprise.
So let’s debunk a few stereotypes about our prenatal education for first-time parents so that you know what to expect, and how to prepare for our birthing classes. We will sift through some of these pervasive myths to find the truth. Some common cliches are completely false, while others are totally true.
PEOPLE SIT ON THE FLOOR
FALSE. One of the first things people often comment on is that they are relieved they don’t have to sit on the floor. In movies, prenatal classes always take place on the floor. I am sure there are classes that actually do that, but we at The Childbearing Society do not. Our birthing classes for first time parents feature actual seating. You can expect to sit on comfortable sofas and chairs.
THE TEACHER WILL BE A HIPPIE
FALSE. While we could all be credibly accused of having some hippie like beliefs or tendencies, the image movies generate of a bohemian, flowy, bangle-wearing, tie-dye enthusiast a la 1960’s doesn’t represent any of our instructors at all. You can expect your birthing class instructor to be a contemporary, educated professional rather than an anachronistic cliche.
THERE WILL BE DOLLS AND A MODEL OF A PELVIS
TRUE. The snapshot of the prenatal class instructor holding up a doll and demonstrating how it fits through a model of pelvic bones is fairly accurate. We do that. You can expect to see lots of props and lots of visual aids. Our classes are never dull, and never rely solely on the instructor lecturing. You can expect to be quite engaged and entertained as you learn about labour and birth.
YOU WILL LEARN “HEE HEE HOO” BREATHING
FALSE. Really? This one is false? This outdated cliche is in every single movie and TV show scene of a prenatal class, so much so that clients are genuinely shocked that we don’t teach that technique anymore. We do talk about the role of breathing, and the importance of breath awareness. We do teach specific breathing techniques for labour and birth. You can expect to learn several that are very effective. But the old ‘hee hee hoo’ chestnut isn’t one of them.
YOU WILL SEE SCARY BIRTH MOVIES
FALSE. In our birthing classes, we do indeed show video clips of births. That part is true, and you can certainly expect to see some. But are they scary? I would say no. There is an extremely wide range of ways that people experience birth, and the childbirth preparation we do contributes to this enormously. In context, with supporting preparation, you will be amazed at how un-scary birth can be, even when you’re watching a movie of it. Be prepared to unlearn stuff you thought you knew. Be prepared to think of birth in an entirely different way. Our birthing classes for first time parents will prepare you for this experience in ways that help you feel more confident, more comfortable, more excited about the adventure ahead. Nervous excitement? Probably. But scary? No.
YOU WILL BE FORCED TO “SHARE”
FALSE. Our prenatal classes for first time parents do indeed facilitate opportunities for discussion, talking, and asking questions. And we do lots of activities that encourage participation. But you will never be required to talk if you don’t want to, and you will never be pushed into participating. These are non-coercive classes that prioritise your comfort and experience. You can expect to feel respected, supported, and empowered in our childbirth classes. You can expect to feel comfortable.
YOU WILL LEARN POSITIONS FOR BIRTH
TRUE. In our birthing classes for first time parents, you can absolutely expect to learn positions for labour and birth. The part that is more of a false assumption is that these positions are all for pushing the baby out. The majority of labour is spent upright, moving around and changing positions, before you are ready to actually birth the baby. In our prenatal classes, you will learn positions for all stages of labour, including upright and dynamic ones for coping with first stage labour contractions, and a variety for second stage labour, when it’s actually time to birth the baby. You can expect to learn both theory and practice in our classes, so that you understand the mechanics, and so that you are well prepared for the experience when the time comes.
As a first time parent, it would seem reasonable to assume that all the cumulative representations of prenatal classes you’ve seen over the years would be accurate. But here’s a secret. The representations you’ve seen over the years of birth aren’t all that accurate either. Which leads to the final one.
YOU WILL LEARN THINGS YOU HAD NO IDEA YOU NEEDED TO KNOW
TRUE. Our birthing classes for first time parents will surprise you, delight you, and fill you with confidence. You don’t need to do anything to get ready for them, except prepare to have all your assumptions shattered, especially the scary ones. Prepare to be fascinated. Prepare to be amazed. Prepare to feel informed, empowered, and excited.
Stephanie Ondrack lives in Vancouver with partner, kids, and pets.