been to no classes. am panicking now.

[kentDee]

Hi. Im now 35 weeks pg and have not made it to any parent classes yet. We were due to go tonight but dp didnt get back in time. Im worried incase I go into labour and wont know how to breath or what position is best etc. Is anyone else in the same boat? Im so disorganised about classes and things.

at the end of the day the classes dont make ur labour any easier. Mine just told me to relax and walk about as much as possible! lol! They did a walk of the hospital which was a total waste of time because when i went in i was in a totally different bit. I think what i'm trying to say is dont panick there not that great! lol xxxx
p.s you'll be fine - honest!

Thanks pinkyp. I think I would feel a bit more happier if I made it to at least one just for piece of mind. There is one on next wed I just hope baby doesnt come out beforehand!

Didn't go to one of my classes as I couldn't get to them. I still remembered to breath (I have watched Holby City a lot), and all was fine. The classes aren't that important as everyone is different and when you are in labour all that goes straight out of you head anyway.

I SO don't get the breathing - how old are you? Surely you know how to breathe?
I went to an NHS one, wasn't interested in the technical stuff - wanted to meet some local pg people.

I never had one class. You wont know whats your best postion till your in labour, you will just follow your instinct.

I understand about the breathing buts its just a case of taking deep regular breaths, your midwife will show you.

Don't panic, you'll be fine

the mw will tell you when to breathe/push etc. i never went to a class and was fine.

classes werent offered to me in either of my pregnancies. i went to a thing where we were shown around the hospital the delivery suite etc and pain relief options were discussed but breathing was never mentioned

I went to classes and am now sitting here having no idea if I'm in labour or not

seriously a chat with your m/w or doctor and/or read on mumsnet re labour process/pain relief option will prob give you as much info as any class. I only went to make friends

The most important thing about having a baby - which no-one tries to teach you anything about IMO - is what happens after you've had one!

Don't worry. (I assume you've done lots of reading/surfing the net/scouring the boards on MN?) The midwives will give you guidance, especially if you ask for their help, and your body will actually take over to a degree.

Why not ask your friends or other MNetters for their top tips for surviving labour?

Mine would be to try and deliver upright - either standing or squatting - and let gravity be your friend.

Oh, and the other one would be to relax as much as you can. The baby has to come out one way or the other!

Good luck

I only ever went to half a class when I was pregnant with my first, and I got taken away during that as I went into prem labour,and then when it was stopped, I was asked not to return as I had scared all the women there!!.

I was fine,.......the midwives were fantastic, and kept me calm (ish) thro-out!

I did go to classes with my second, but more for the social side, and TBH, I found that all that they 'taught' us pretty much goes out the window anyway when you are screaming for gas&air and telling you husband "you are never to touch me again, do you have any idea what you have done to me, you try birthing a bowling ball thro your penis, it hurts that effing much......."

.

do not worry.....you will be fine, and the baby will come whether or not you know how to breathe or not.

I found ds's labour much much much easier than dd's, because I had been to ante-natal yoga which taught me breathing techniques (had already worked out how to breathe normally ).
Basically when a contraction comes and strengthens, you breathe in quickly and then breathe out slowly. So in for the count of 3 and out for 6 (or in for 2, out for 4, basically the outward breath twice as long as the inward breath).
It might be worth looking for an active birth book. I think the one I read was by Janet Balkasas????. Was excellent.
Another yoga thing I learned was to keep moving, almost having a circuit going. So 5 mins of leaning on wall, rocking hips. 5 mins on ball. 5 mins of pacing. Whatever really. Timings to suit you. It means that you can concentrate on the next thing, and know that you are keeping upright and mobile and you don't feel so fixed to the bed. Made big difference.

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I went to 2 lots of classes and breathing was never mentioned - no midwife ever explained it to me before or during labour, either

if it's your first it's quite likely to be late rather than early! I hope you can make the class next week, if it'll put your mind at rest
it's nice to meet other soon to be parents too

but you could get a book and read about positions and breathing from that if you like - or the NCT does some good leaflets - you could phone them?

Don't worry about missing classes re the labour. What I would say though is if you have the opportunity to attend classes which offer a breast feeding discussion component and follow up support, if you're interested in breast feeding, do make an effort to sort THIS out if you can. But as others have said, you'll manage fine following your instinct during the birth...

I would ask friends to show you how they breathed etc in labour.

My midwife did not tell me a thing (useless bint). She was merely there to check the monitors...

No-one mentioned breathing or positions or anything much really in my (NHS) classes.

Loads of experts on here, so post all your questions and get the info you need

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You don't need childbirth classes. Your body knows how to give birth, if you're just allowed some freedom and some privacy in labour to relax and do what feels right.

Just try to remember: you are a mammal and give birth like a mammal.

Mooing, lowing, groaning, sighing.... swaying your body, being with someone who makes you feel safe, relaxing and not fighting the overwhelming bodily sensations (especially not the one that feels like you need to have the biggest crap in the world, but is actually your baby pressing against your back passage as he or she is being born).

Avoiding too much talking, contact with strangers, bright lights, interference and intellectual stimulation,

Breathing: keep it deep, keep it slow, keep it going.

If you think along those lines you can't go far wrong.

wow there is some good advice here :-) at our antenatal class at the hospital they said 'we don't teach breathing everyone knows how to breathe' my friend said try breathing in and hissing out on the 'outbreath' and recently when i felt panicky i tried it and it really helped. The info on Mumsnet is invaluable....

"my friend said try breathing in and hissing out on the 'outbreath' and recently when i felt panicky i tried it and it really helped."

Yes - this is really good. I narrow my throat on the outbreath so I sound like Darth Vader! This controls the outbreath and makes it slower and longer.

Or you can blow the breath out (blowing away the pain) through gently pursed lips (keep mouth as soft as possible), which has the same effect.

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You know what Pruners though - most people I know who went to NCT classes (and I know LOADS) did all that informed choice stuff but the only ones who managed to circumvent stupid unhelpful protocols in hospital and get out without having loads of intervention were STILL those who a) took in a doula or a bolshy female friend/mum/sister b) had homebirths or c) were lucky enough to get into a good birth centre where they were looked after by a shit hot midwife.

It's a rare first time mum and dad who have the confidence to ask for and get what they want on a normal consultant led unit.

Same with breastfeeding. The majority of bf babies at my local hospital are unnecessarily supplemented with formula before leaving hospital. I'd say that one couple in 20 will stand up to junior paeds, unsupportive neonatal nurses, midwives and say 'I don't want my baby to have formula - we need to find another way'.

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The most useful thing I learnt was about optimal positioning. DD was in the best position ever until I went into Labour and she flipped around to be back to back. I remembered all the techniques and she turned herself again before I had to push.

If you google it there is loads of helpful stuff.