To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

I know this topic has been dicussed in the past, but I wanted to bringit up again here. I am due in 8 weeks and am wondering if I should take a class. I have heard mixed reviews about it. Some people swear by it and other think it was a waste of time. Any opinions?

Thanks~

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

IMO if you read up on your options and what is going to happen during labor and the possibilities (vacuum, C/section etc) than I would opt out of Lamaze!

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

I didn't take anything and then I wound up getting a c-section...

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

We took the class and found it to be very informative however once your baby is being born, all that breathing crap goes out the window. It was good to know about what to expect though and what all the terminology meant when the time comes.

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

I have 4 weeks to go and DH & I will be taking a Birthing Class offered at the hospital we are delievering at. The class is 2 days (next weekend) and it includes some breathing techniques such as "lamaze". I am looking forward to getting educated on it, not that I believe when the real time comes I will follow it. I watch tons of these baby stories on TLC and who ever looks as if they are doing cool, relaxing breathing techniques I think it is up to every individual to decide to take the course or not. Don't forget, if you pay for any pre-natal classes (birth, lamaze, breastfeeding, ect.) keep your recept, it is a Tax Write Off...

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

I took Bradley not Lamaze. I think it was helpful during labor because they drill into your head that it's your body, your comfort level is the most important, you have decisions, etc. When I was in labor, I needed my husband to do counterpressure to my back (ok, dig his fist into the small of my back) - it kept knocking the monitors off. If I hadn't taken Bradley, I would've been the good patient & said "I don't want them to keep coming back to fix the monitors. I feel bad..." but instead I said "I don't care. I'm in pain - you do what I need you to do to help me through this "

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

IMO if you are well read up and informed on birth and the whole process and plan on getting an epidural then I would say lamaze is probably a waste of time and money.

If you plan on having a natural drug free birth then I would say to definitely take a birthing class. Probably something other than lamaze though. Like the nrtshgrl I would say Bradley or Hypnobirthing or Birthing from within would be more helpful to you in having a natural birth.

I used Birthing from Within and my instructor was also my doula.

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

We tooka childbirth class at the hospital I delivered at (Mercy). I'm really glad we took it. Yes, some of it I already knew and was boring but I knew DH didn't know anything (I tried to get him to read some htings but he never did) so this class was great for him (although he would NEVER admit it!!). It had a different topic every night (6 classes) drugs, c-section, stages of labor, newborn care, and we had a tour of the hospital. At the end of each class we went over breathing techniques (we learned about 4 different ones) which I always laughed through .

Like others have said, we you go into hard labor, most of the breathing goes out the window but I definately went into my labor well informed about everything they were doing .

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

Im taking birthing classes only because they are free for me since i am an employee at the hospital where i will be delivering (Mercy). I was supposed to go to my first class last monday nite but wound up admitted for kidney stones instead. Tomorrow will be my first class. And if i find it not worth it, i will not be continuing. Figured for free i might as well see what its about.

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

I took a class and ended up having a c-section so technically I didn't really need the class.

However I liked getting all the info on what would go on during labor -- I feel like I was informed on a lot of things. Also in the last session she also did childcare basics and my husband is really glad that he got that because he said otherwise he wouldn't have known about things that really happen, like the umbilical cord stump, baby acne, stuff like that that I knew and assumed he knew, but he obviously didn't.

Re: To take lamaze or not to take lamaze

I took a class and I'm glad we did. We went through breathing meditation, relaxation techniques. They went over the different equiptment, drugs, terminology, etc... And at the end we got a tour of the maternity ward and saw a LDR room.

Although nothing could really prepare you for what labor is like, it can help show you what to expect whether you have a vaginal birth or c-section. DH said taking the class helped him stay focused a little better bc the various labor scenarios were discussed in class.