with our Doula and Childbirth Educator, Vera Kevic
Most people get pregnant and birth their baby without ever taking a class on childbirth, and without doing any formal prenatal prep at all! 90% of first-time parents will not take any prenatal classes, BUT babies will come out one way or the other. So, why is anyone bothering to pay for a class to learn about a process that has to go to completion anyway, whether your brain knows about it or not?
Doesn't my body know what to do?
Can't I just leave it up to the birth pros to do their work to deliver my baby?
The 10% of people who ARE taking a childbirth class while pregnant don't have extra guarantees that they will avoid surgical birth, they can't get guaranteed outcomes that will follow their birth plan, either. What you get with the experience of taking a class is to know what you might want and what you absolutely do not want for your birth. You can always just download a birth plan template, do some research on terminology, and fill it out yourself - much like choosing menu items for food delivery. You can. And, it might be okay. And, you can get more confidence in your choices by joining a class.
In a childbirth class, you learn all the options available in our current environments for birthing and you will develop strategies for how you are going to navigate the system to have your desired, beautiful birth. Your plan becomes your own, based on what brings you calm, takes you on the best path, and makes sense for you.
Birth plans are not one-size-fits-all. In a class, you hear all the options, the ones you want and the ones you want to avoid. You hear and see the pathways that sometimes make sense to take when you're on the path, but don't make sense to agree to ahead of needing it. You learn to trust your body, your birth team, and the process. You connect with your partner and baby to work together in completing your pregnancy. A class can also connect you to a community of parents who are doing what you're doing - an instant playgroup!
Vera Kevic, Childbirth Educator and Doula
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