Many of the basic questions about birth may be answered by books or your care provider before you go into labor.  But are they?  Unsure of their choices during labor and eager to know what to expect and why, families come to class for understanding.   Understanding: how their bodies work during labor, practical and useful comfort techniques, hospital procedures and choices, and a deeper tangible connection with their baby and the birth process.  
 
Making Informed Choices starts with:
Understanding and Practicing Comfort techniques
Learning and Discussing hospital procedures and alternatives
Celebrating and De-mystifying pregnancy and birth  
 
 
   Here is a mini labor quiz.  Flex your Birthing Trivia Muscles...
 
   TRUE or FALSE
 
1.  Eating during labor will make you vomit.
 
2.  You must go straight to the hospital when your water breaks.
 
3.  You have to stay in bed throughout your whole labor.
 
4.  Women who give birth without medications have a higher pain tolerance.
 
5.  Your nurse will stay with you during labor to help you deal with the contractions.
 
6.  All suggestions made by your Medical Team are for your own good.
 
7.  Pain Medications in labor won’t effect the Baby.
 
8.  Pain Medications in Labor won’t effect Breastfeeding
 
9.  Your Nurse or Midwife has had extensive training in Breastfeeding Support
 
10.  If you hold your baby too much you will spoil it.
 
How did you do?  Are you confident in your answers?  
Go scroll down for the answers.
 
 
 
Do I really need a Class?
 
 
 
False is the correct answer to all the questions. 1. Eating during labor will make you vomit. In fact you are more likely to vomit if you have nothing on your stomach. Just think of the advise given to you during your 1st trimester. 2. You must go straight to the hospital when your water breaks. Heading to the hospital too early increases your chances of unnecessary interventions 3. You have to stay in bed throughout your whole labor. Laying on your back during labor works against gravity, slowing labor, and is more for the convenience of your providers than your comfort. 4. Women who give birth without medications have a higher pain tolerance. Women who birth normally have no physical difference than Women who choose a Medicated birth. 5. Your nurse stay with you during labor to help you deal with the contractions. Nurses have many duties and other patients. They will be in and out often, and will leave when their shift is over. 6. All suggestions made by your Medical Team are for your own good. Often times procedure are done as part of a routine or policy and have no specific benefit for you and your baby. 7. Pain Medications in labor won’t effect the Baby. Most medications will reach your baby with many documented side effect. 8. Pain Medications in Labor won’t effect Breastfeeding. If a medicated baby is too sleepy or separated from his mother, the first feedings could be delayed, causing future problems. 9. Your Nurse or Midwife has had extensive training in Breastfeeding Support. Most Nurses and Midwives receive less then 10 hours of training in Breastfeeding and are not required to keep up with current information. Unfortunately, Certified Lactation Counselors (CLC) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) are not always available at your delivering hospital (especially nights and weekends). 10. If you hold your baby too much you will spoil it. We dedicate a great deal of time to Newborn Care. The reasons that this is false are far too numerous to list here. Here are a few more facts for you: Parents spend more time researching Cribs then understanding how labor works. Mothers will pay more for a diaper bag then a Childbirth Education Class. Families are more satisfied with the Birth outcome when They take an informed and active role in the process.