Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why can't I just learn what I need to know about birth from my midwife or doctor?
Prenatal time is very limited. OBs and midwives working in the hospital/ clinic settings are very busy and have very tight schedules. You will often find you do not have enough time to ask your questions or even remember them. Working with a homebirth midwife will offer much more time to visit and provide a comfortable atmosphere for asking questions, however, once again your time is still limited. With a class you have many more hours to work with, ask questions and develop a rapport that will facilitate greater learning. Also, in a class, you will have other couples with you who may ask important questions that may never have occurred to you.

Check out this chart to discover how much time you really have to ask your important questions.

2. Why are the classes so long?
LFL Childbirth Prep is not just about the hours your baby comes into the world or the equipment your birthing provider wants to introduce you to. These classes offer so much more! In 12 weeks we talk about nutrition…thoroughly. We talk about the consciousness of your unborn baby and how they interpret their prenatal time, their birth and postpartum period. We share ideas with your loved ones on how they can most effectively assist mom before, during and after the birth. We do talk about the equipment, procedures and medications your provider may have available to you, but we will discuss them from an objective view point, assess the pros and cons so you can make a true informed decision if faced with any of them. We spend a week each on baby and mom’s postpartum period. We talk about ways to make that time a time of gentle transition for all involved. We work together assess all your hopes, goals and objectives for your upcoming birth and compose a birth plan that is flexible, obtainable and to the highest standards possible. We prepare both mom and dad for the joys and occasional challenges that breastfeeding your baby can present.

And, oh yeah, we talk about the actual birth. We discover the awesome possibilities and consider the potential challenges. Why 12 weeks? Because we haven’t been able to convince mom and dad to come for 15!

3. I am having my baby at the hospital, shouldn't I just take their classes?
I am having my baby at the hospital, shouldn’t I just take their classes?
While the hospital courses are beneficial and will introduce you to the attitude and atmosphere of your providers, they simply do not cover as much as the LFL classes. If you are looking for a very thorough course, one that will leave very few stones unturned, then these are the classes for you. Here is a glimpse of all the topics we discuss in class in comparrison to the classes offered by HealthPartners and CentraCare. (according to their websites 1/09)

4. Why should I take these classes?
Like planning for the perfect wedding, you do not spend one weekend putting the whole thing together and expect a beautiful, seamless event; rather you spend many hours of work and preparation. Very often what you sow truely is what you reap. Though natural birth is just that, natural, and we were designed perfectly to do so, in our current societal climate this is not easy to achieve. You cannot expect it to be handed to you by your doctor, midwife, or even your doula. It often requires conscious preparation and thought.

5. Are all natural births right and all medicated or cesarean births wrong?
Absolutely not! There is no such thing as the “right” or “wrong” birth experience, but there is a vast difference between a birth that leaves a mom empowered and one that takes that power away from mom and sends her home filled with self doubt. Moms and dads who take ownership over the preparation of their birth experience, no matter the outcome, come away feeling stronger and more sure of themselves as parents.

6. What do the classes cost and what is included?
The full series is 12 consecutive weeks, two and a half hours each. Classes are $325, or just under $25 a night for mom and her spouse or support person. Consider it a date night with your baby, it’s cheaper than dinner and a movie and the preparation and bonding that can happen through those 12 weeks will be part of the very foundation of your relationship with your child. $25 a week is a very cheap investment in the very future of your child and your relationship!

Along with 30 hours of lecture, you will receive a ring-binder to be filled with many handouts, work sheets, recipes, exercises, and other learning tools from class. On the second evening you are treated to a candle-lit dinner! Most evenings you will see a video, and each evening will end with an opportunity to “play” with your baby. Each couple will use a fetoscope to listen to their baby with. You may not hear your baby each time, however every opportunity you have to initate contact with your baby - to touch and to talk - is an opportunity to strengthen the bond between each of you!

9. Are there any books I should read before I start?
There are numerous good books on childbirth and pregnancy at our local bookstores, library, and on-line. Books that I have found helpful and recommend include:

Pregnancy and Birth Books
Creating Your Birth Plan, by Marsden Wagner
40 Weeks Devotional Guide to Pregnancy, by Jennifer Vanderlaan
Journey into Motherhood, by Sheri L. Menelli
The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth, by Henci Goer
Birthing From Within, by Pam England, CNM, MA and Rob Horowitz, PhD
Gentle Birth Choices, by Barbara Harper, R.H.
Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina Mae Gaskin, CPM
Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way, by Susan McCutcheon, BCCE

Nursing and Parenting Books
So That's What They’re For! Breastfeeding Basics, by Janet Tamaro
Bringing Up Boys, by Dr. James Dobson
Kids First, by Dr. Ogi Ressel
No Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley
To Train Up A Child, by Michael and Debbie Pearl

Periodicals
Mothering Magazine, www.mothering.com
Midwifery Today, www.midwiferytoday.com

Click here to go to see more books that may be of interest.

Contact Jenny at 320-493-5110, or jlcdavis@laborforlove.com.