Have you ever heard of the old proverb: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime? I feel like nowadays we are more worried about "feeding" ourselves and other people than we are about educating our mind and becoming better. People just want what is fast, easy, and now instead of working hard and learning a new way for the future.
You might wonder what this has to do with babies, birth, and families. Well, years ago babies were born at home by midwives for generations and centuries. In the 1900's that changed as babies started to be birthed in hospitals with OBGYN's. Birth changed from a natural event to something to be controlled by the medical community. Currently, so many families accept the medicalization of childbirth. Sprinkle that acceptance with fear and the push for women to have a voice and a choice. For many women, that choice seems to be either 1) a scheduled, safe, pain-free medical procedure or 2) an unscheduled risky natural birth. Because childbirth has been medicalized, fear and perceived risk have been amplified even though evidence indicates that birth is a simple and safe process.
The childbearing years are often a first exposure to the health-care system and a lifetime of decision making. How are parents to learn to navigate the hospital system and culture? Trial and error does not seem to work very well. One option is to have newly pregnant couples take a class to learn about their new choices and options. Childbirth education can empower families to be better consumers of their future health care and have a significant long-term impact on their family.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime
In the 80's and 90's about 70% or pregnant moms took a childbirth class. In 2014 they found that only about 37% or pregnant couples were taking a childbirth class. Why the big drop and how will that affect us? I think it is due to the fact that before the internet you could only learn about child birth and watch labor videos through a physical childbirth education class. Now, with Youtube, TV, and blogs, everyone is an expert. Right? We now have such a variety of information at our fingertips. The only problem parents now have is knowing what is the truth and if just watching videos is enough to prepare women for birth. The good thing about an updated class is that they can give you tools to navigate the hospital system and get the birth that you desire.
Does it matter which class you take? Actually, the research said,"No." Lamaze states that a good class should “empower women to make informed choices in health care, to assume responsibility for their health, and to trust their inner wisdom.” Here are some other research you might not know about childbirth classes. Women who take a childbirth class have a threefold higher likelihood of a successful normal vaginal delivery. So a simple class can increase your chance of a better birth? That's amazing! 78% of women who took a class felt more confident in their ability to give birth. 70% claimed they had a better communication with their maternity care providers. Plus, 54% reported greater trust in their care providers and hospitals (60%). From a study in California they found that childbirth class takers were 25% more likely to have a vaginal delivery than women who didn’t take a class. Also, women who had a birth plan were almost twice as likely to avoid a C-section and the benefit wasn’t just for first-time moms – it was present for all women. Attending a childbirth class is such a simple easy thing to do and can affect your birth and healthcare for a lifetime.
Does that make you want to improve your birth stats by taking a childbirth class? Then, check out the options in Nashville. Also, we offer some amazing options for those who want a convenient online class or a private one in their home. Click here to start your journey.
Research about Childbirth Classes: