Do I Need Antenatal Education - Won't They Tell Me On The Day?

I have recently had a few conversations where people in class weren’t too sure whether they needed antenatal education. Thankfully they had decided they did and were in the class! (Sometimes one half of a couple had taken some persuading to come along though).

But what is always really noticeable is that they are so glad they did.

I am so pleased when people leave saying ‘That was a great class, I learnt so much’ or ‘I didn’t realise how much there was to know’, not just because I want to deliver great classes but because I want you to leave feeling like you learnt loads and that your confidence is growing and anxiety is shrinking.

The reality is that for most of us birth is a huge unknown. Until you are pregnant and preparing for birth you might know absolutely nothing about it. It isn’t something we generally learn about in the years before we have our own babies so when the time comes we suddenly embark on a pretty steep learning curve.

Whilst we want to trust the professionals looking after us during pregnancy and birth it isn’t always that simple. They are working to their professional guidelines and may be biased by experiences they have had in their career. When we consider the chance of something happening in maternity it is usually a really small % 0.0x. It can happen but it is unlikely. However if your doctor has seen it happen they could be more risk averse and be encouraging you into a particular course of action.

Maternity care is currently hitting headlines for all the wrong reasons and there are lots of things in place to improve safety and outcomes for mums and babies, but these things usually mean more medical intervention. Of course there are times where they are the best option, but there are also times where they might not be, because medical interventions come with their own set of risk factors.

Which is where your antenatal education comes in. Learning about how birth works, learning about your options and choices, knowing what alternatives there are and understanding how to navigate the system are all invaluable when it comes to making decisions about your care and having those difficult conversations if you need to.

It isn’t an easy position to be in but you are weighing up the pros and cons of each option and deciding which is right for you and your baby. No one else can make that decision for you because we will all have different perspectives. Your healthcare professionals are there to give a balanced view of your options and support your decision but in a pressured environment it doesn’t always quite work that way and you might not get all the information you needed or be able to think of the questions you want to ask.

Having a good basic understanding of how birth works and what the different interventions mean and do, can put you in a really strong position to make those choices confidently. Being able to take control of your decisions and feel confident and comfortable in your choices means that you are more likely to come away from your birth feeling positive, whatever route you took. Birth trauma often comes from feeling out of control or not feeling heard and although that can still happen when you are well prepared, it is less likely. Including your partner in the preparations will help too because a big part of their role is to advocate for you and ask the questions when you are struggling.

A good antenatal class isn’t going to tell you the way you must do things, it is there to ensure you have the information you need to make the decision that is right for you. I have done my births, made my choices and now it is your turn. I rarely talk about my births in class (unless someone directly asks!) because this isn’t about me and my choices, this is about you and yours and all that matters is that I support you. Whether you plan a caesarean, an induction or a birth in the woods, it doesn’t matter to me. I just want you to be comfortable with your choice.

Of course this isn’t what antenatal education is all about. You will also learn so many practical ways to help you through your birth and beyond.

Having coping strategies is really important for your birth. Knowing you are able to use breathing, movements and positions to help you will mean you approach your birth with more confidence, knowing you are prepared. When you are in labour is not the time to try and figure this stuff out. Hopefully you have an awesome midwife who can guide you but you might not find yourself receptive to advice at this point and trying to do something new with your breathing could be a challenge if things are getting tough.

Antenatal classes give you the opportunity to learn and practice in advance, you want things to feel natural and familiar. Practicing things like your breathing in the weeks leading up to the birth helps your body put together the anchors that will help you relax and focus.

If you choose a full antenatal course you will also learn lots of postnatal recovery, life with your baby and practical baby care. Again you might think you can figure it all out, but having some of this information in advance, with time to digest it and consider what you want to do, means you don't have to learn everything while you are recovering from birth and coping with the first days with your baby. Hopefully resulting in a much less stressful fourth trimester for everyone.

Your birth experience will stick with you for years, probably forever. As an antenatal teacher I really want it to be positive for you and I truly believe good preparation is your key. If you can’t get to classes there is lots of good information out there to research yourself. But if you can, please do. I know it costs, I know babies cost and I know maternity pay might be a worrying thought but this is definitely something worth investing in. It can even cost less than the pushchair you are dreaming about!

Need to book? Have a look at the classes I offer https://www.bethowen.uk/antenatal-classes-workshops

Beth x