Childbirth Class Recommendations?

My husband and I went to Good Shepard Hospital for child birth classes, they were excellent! We had an instructor named Amy and she was really "open" to all questions and just made class interesting and enjoyable to be there!

I had a c-section, emergency c-section, had to be in the hospital for 5 days. If you have a c-section, the hard thing is getting out of bed the first time but from there on, it's "mind" over " matter". It gets easier everytime!

We did the childbirth classes at Mercy Provena Hospital in Aurora even though I delivered at Rush Copley. The classes at Mercy are free. I think they still are. I know they offer weekend classes.

We took the week night class there last April and I highly recommend it. Not only was it fun to be around other preggo couples, the class was hands on and the instructor was nice and lively and answered all of our questions not covered in class. The class included a tour which I was also looking forward too. Overall, it helped so that I could picture the tools they used on me when I delivered, and things to do to calm myself naturally. He learned ways to be of assistance during the labor part, so it was good for both of us. Really it helped to ease my nerves of delivering my first baby there too. Oh, and I feel I had a wonderful experience delivering at CDH and I plan to deliver baby #2 there, whenever that may be. My labor nurse whom I was with up until I had an emergency c-section (the sweetest girl ever) actually came up a few days later to meet our baby boy and see how I was doing...so sweet I tell you! Good luck J.!!

if you're interested in natural childbirth, research the bradley method. they have a website and list instructors in the area and you can call and see when the classes are offered. each instructor is different. i went through one in downers grove and she was great, beth schuller. good luck and enjoy the ride!

Hi J.,

Check out bradleybirth.com. It's the best natural childbirth method out there, and it's really detailed about all of the things you're interested in learning. I was able to have my daughter naturally, unmedicated in a hospital setting, and now that I'm pregnant again, I'll be using it to have the next one at home in November.

The website lists instructors in your area, and it may list the times and days they have the classes too. My instructor was Deb Lawrence in Streamwood, but she does the classes on Tuesday nights, I think.

Good luck with your search and your labor and birth!

My husband and I really got a lot out of the Bradley classes we attended. They were in-depth, lasting 10 weeks for an hour and a half (I think) each week. Sylvia Gaenzle (not sure I spelled the last name right) was our instructor and we actually hired her as our doula for our first child. We were able to achieve a natural, unmedicated birth (with the exception of a teeny-tiny bit of pitocin) even after 22 hours of labor (from the time my water broke). It seems like we were much more informed than we would have been had we taken a hospital class instead...based on what my friends have experienced. I highly recommend the Bradley method! In addition, I think it really helped set the stage for our second child...I was able to labor at home for most of it and went to the hospital at 8 cm. and had Lukas after 2 hours.
Good luck!!

K.

My husband and I took the childbirth classes at the hospital we knew we were delivering at, Sherman in Elgin. They covered all the things you were asking about, as well as relaxation techniques and massage! They were great for my husband, too. He relucantly went at first, but was very happy he did once I went into labor and delivery. I'm sure the ones at CDH are good, too. Not sure about any Sunday classes, but if he could miss a graduate class (I know that's not easy, you can do a one day class on a Saturday.

The Bradley Method is awesome, if you're looking to go the natural route. I wound up having to have a c-section because my baby was breech, but I really enjoyed the classes and I think they helped us to ask the right questions, when things started to go "wrong".

My instructor was Effie Barnett-Marsten. She was great, and she teaches on Sunday afternoons.

http://www.bradleybirth.com/ndweb.asp?ID=B617

I took the Great Expectations class and also delivered at Central DuPage. The class was fun and I felt like I learned everything I wanted to know about the delivery. The breathing techniques that were taught and practiced in the class really helped me get through natural child birth (along with my hubby's support). Also, the tour of the delivery place was really helpful for me. It made me more relaxed when I came to have my baby because it was a familiar place and I knew exactly where I was going. If you take classes somewhere else, I think you can still take the tour separately at CDH if your interested.

Hi J.! I am a labor doula and know alot of people that do childbirth classes. Are you looking for a hospital based one, or something like Bradley? I have taken Lamaze 2 times for my pregnancy and then took it for my cert. for becoming a doula. I also took bradley classes for my cert. for becoming a doula. I did not have to take both, but I wanted to becaues I wanted to be very well rounded. There is also Imagery birthing, hypnobirthing and all. What are you interested in? I can help you if you want in finding one that will fit your needs. I became pregnant when I was doing Bradley and it helped so much. You can pm me and let me know.

S. Bailey CLD
Aurora
www.tendermomentsdoula.com

We took that class through CDH. If you do take that, it pretty much covers all the stuff you're interested in. Enjoy the time being pregnant and get some rest before babay arrives:)