It’s Lauren’s Favorite [Birth] Things!
My absolute favorite birth things are a loving, confident partner and a loving, respectful, and skilled provider. My hope is that you have or manage to find both. Lauren’s Favorite Birth Things necessarily focuses on birth things anyone can get–at least in some form. In the spirit of Oprah’s favorite things, these are the best uses of your hard-earned cash money to make birth easier and more pleasurable.
A Good Birth Class
cost $200-$600
Of course, my absolute favorite birth thing has to be a good, independent prenatal education class. Birth, being a big deal (name something that’s a bigger deal!), is worth some time and preparation before your find yourself doing it.
A class can and likely will change how you birth and especially how you feel about it.
Unless you feel strongly that you don’t want to ‘feel anything’ and would rather the professionals make all the decisions for you, you need a birth class.
Benefits of a Birth Class
- You don’t actually have any options if you don’t know what your options are.
- Knowing ahead of time what typically happens is calming.
- Partners are prepared to be useful and supportive.
- Connect with other parents.
- Get personal questions answered. Googling is not always the safest, fastest, or most accurate.
- Be aware of the questions you will be asked and choices you’ll have.
- Identify and practice comfort techniques that soothe you.
- Know what’s normal and what’s unusual.
- Help choosing the best provider for the birth you want.
- Insider knowledge on local resources and professionals.
- Learn techniques that calm the body and help birth progress.
- Time set aside to focus on each other and the baby.
Getting Birth Class Cheap
If you have access to a quality birth class in your area, you should spent the money on it. Besides basic survival needs, I can’t think of a better use of your money. I do realize I am biased. You will remember the birth of your child forever. It will change you, guaranteed.
The memories and changes are likely to be more positive if you feel ready for it, able, and good about your choices. If you feel that you’re able to participate. What is money for if not for this?
If you are making choices between survival costs and birth class, here are some ideas.
- Contact an instructor and ask if she does any payment plans, bartering, or discounts. I do!
- Take an online class, which can be less expensive.
- Get a birth class workbook.
- Read a good stack of books/blogs and watch birth videos. The library always has at least a few titles. Do beware some videos may be alarming, scary, etc. This is not what you need in pregnancy. You need honest accounting and positive stories. You don’t like when people tell you their horror stories, and you wouldn’t go look for details about every accident if you were planning to sky dive.
