I think it depends on where you go. Our birth class was really cool. We got to watch a video of a delivery so that was super educational. There was no way a book could demonstrate that as effectively!! They also covered newborn care, which is very helpful for someone with no experience. We actually had realistic dolls to diaper, clothe and bathe. They were heavy like a baby and floppy in the body so that you felt movement when you were working with it.
Something to remember is that you will not have a textbook labor or delivery so all that reading will go out the window. With the classes you actually get into various positions that can be helpful during labor. It was better to experiment with these while not actually in pain!! Most of it was comical. I always thought it was cruel to make women who were 8 months pregnant get on the floor!
Anyway...I guess I am saying that you can get things out of classes that you can't get out of a book. But find one that covers more than just breathing during contractions!
It was definitely worth it especially for my husband who didn't have a clue. We took our classes at Banner Good Samaritan but I think any hospital based program would be good. You'll never regret attending the classes but you may if you don't. I also recommend getting CPR trained for infants or updated in your CPR training if it has been more than 2 years.
Yes, they are worth it. Lots of good information. If you are considering breast-feeding, I would also recommend taking a breast feeding class as well. Lots of good info on that too.
Absolutely. The biggest hurdle in birth is fear - of pain, of the unknown, of change. If you truly understand what is happening during the birthing process, know the different stages and how to recognize them, recognize pain with a purpose as opposed to pain as a signal of injury, and how to listen to your body, you will be in a great mental and thus physical space for a healthy, less stressful experience. I highly recommend The Bradley Method - even if you only read the book and watch the video, but classes are invaluable. Remember the more you know ahead of time the less you have to fear; the more relaxed you are mentally and physically, the easier it will be.
I think taking the class is so important--first of all, you get information handed to you that you could certainly find elsewhere, but who has the time to read all those books and websites? The childbirth educator makes it her or his job to know and be available to answer questions and expand on ideas, to be a resource. Secondly, you meet other couples in the same stage of life as you--you can make friends for life there. Thirdly, you learn a lot from hands-on experience, and your class will probably teach you some important stuff that way. Fourth, you and your partner have a designated time set aside to spend learning about what's going to happen, and I doubt you'd find two hours a week to sit down and focus like that otherwise (but maybe you would!).
If you're interested in a natural birth, I would recommend steering away from most of the hospital programs. They tend to focus on epidurals and what can go wrong, but it's better to focus on what you want so you're more likely to get it. Look into Birthing From Within, The Bradley Method, and HypnoBabies. Hypnosis is a fantastic and amazing help with childbirth--I used it for my easy 5-hour labor, and now I teach a hypnosis for birth class in Albuquerque called Practical Hypnosis for Birth, which isn't available where you are. We have couples having two, three, five and six hour births, loving the experience, having it be empowering and connecting for them as a couple. HypnoBabies is a great program, too, and probably is available in AZ somewhere close to you. Lamaze is okay, but over-controlling your breathing can lead to hyperventilation and loopiness, so I think you'd want to look into other stuff. Make sure the one you pick has less to do with what can go wrong, and more to do with what can go right--your body was meant to do this. The uterus is not broken, and birth isn't a disease. Find a class that suits your values,and you'll be likely to find other couples that share your values, too.
Birthday classes are very much worth it! It is a great thing for dads because it lets them be part of your pregrancy. And though you can get some of the information online or in a book the class, with all the other new couples, is a wonderful experience and helpful.
I do teach Bradley classes, so of course I'm biased. But I found this a thought-provoking question, to think about really why classes would be better.
After thinking about it, if you're taking the right kind of class for you, it'd be worth it. One advantage of the "right" type of class is a smaller class where you are comfortable asking as many questions as you need. You can spend a lot of time trying to find the answer to a question that the teacher can tell you right away and then she can tell you the best place to find more information. I'd imagine most teachers are eager to answer questions anytime, even after the birth, if you have baby questions. (That same point applies to a doula, if you hire one.) Also, in finding the "right" class, you have to figure out what exactly you're looking for in a class so that you're not wasting your time and money. A lot of other people have explained that well.
The other reason why classes would be better is that it's more than learning information that you could learn in a book. (Well, that's more likely with an independent non-hospital class.) When I teach, my priority is the relaxation/labor practice we do. (If we're short on time, that's most important.) Practicing gets your husband comfortable with that role, so that when the birth comes, he's going to be a big help. On the topic of husbands, a lot of women find that their husbands will not actually read the books, and classes is how they actually learn about birth/babies. Many birthing classes cover pregnancy exercises (like Kegel, squat) and nutrition. Personally, I have a hard time finding motivation to keep up with that if I'm trying it on my own. But in a class, having someone check up on what I'm doing does motivates me.
Oh, one last thing. A lot of couples find taking a class together (especially a smaller, more personal class) strengthens their relationship. It's something that they are working together on. Many classes have communication exercises so that couples can understand each other better.
I never went to birthing classes. I am 21 years old now and I have a 1 year old son. I was extremely nervous about giving birth to my son. But I knew the parenting and taking care of him was something that would come naturally. No one will ever be able to give you enough advice to make you ready to be a parent. The advice that you should be listening to is your parents, your friends, and select books by well known and well liked authors. But as far as the classes for giving birth, I know everyone has their own experience, but I personally had the best experience without any classes. I did have a few complications that made the doctors want me to not give birth without pain medication. Waiting for the pushing to begin was no problem, wether you go to classes or not, you kind of do whatever feels best for you or what you already know will calm you down. You will probably be so in the moment that you wont even remember half of the things you learned from the classes. I know not everyone is as lucky as I am but when it came time to push, my son was out in 4 minutes flat. I was alone in the room (besides doctors and nurses), and obviously you wont be, so that will make things a little easier too. It wont even matter what kind of classes you do, or dont take, the second your child is out, you just know that you could've done it no matter what. Child birth is the most amazing experience in the world, and nothing will matter after that besides your child. Your classes can only prepare you for how it might happen, but wether you take classes or not, you will get through it, and you will be the happiest new mommy in the world.
I'd look for a prenatal yoga class. the physical stretching will prepare you for birth and the breathing will be better then the breathing you will learn in a birthing class.
I personally find them to be extremely helpful, especially for first time parents. It depends on what your birth philosophy is though, for the type of class. If you just want general birth information, hospital policies and plan on drugs, one at your local hospital works just fine....I've honestly never found them that informative but my philosophy on birth is different then the mainstream. If you really want to try without drugs or are seriously thinking about it, then something like Bradley Method classes or Lamaze, Hypnobirthing or Hypnobabies or other natural birthing classes would be good.
I attended classes with my husband when I was pregnant with my first. The earlier classes were closed so we started attending a class close to my due date. I ended up delivering before I finished my class... I found that it was helpful for me because we were so young. I probably wouldn't go to a class now that I'm older...LOL Good luck and congratulations!
I can't imagine what I would have done without my birthing class! I learned so much about myself, my husband and what to expect. A lot depends on who you go to so do some research and make sure your birthing coach has the same philosophy as you. Recommendations from friends are also a great help. Birthing classes helped me give birth to my son 4 months ago without drugs and he was sunny side up! I highly recommend taking a class.