Did anyone go through labour without classes?

[NewEP]

I can't get on a prenatal class to save my life. Had to change from a MLU to a hospital at 22 weeks and couldn't get on his hospital ante-natal class. Can't afford NCT and am a bit clueless about childbirth...

Can anyone give me any positive stories re childbirth without having had classes?

Also curious to know the best things your birth partner did to support you?

Thanks!

Did one antenatal class run by nhs(missed the other cos I was being monitored in hospital). Internet was more use.

Dh helped by: not telling me how to do it and by counting me through contractions. Every time one started, he'd tell me when to breathe the gas an air, then tell me when it was getting to the worst bit, so I knew I could stand it. I think he spent a couple of hours doing that, but felt like minutes to me.

Read 'The Positive Birth Book' by Milli Hill

No classes here. I felt really strong and positive about labour and didn't want to be around other people's values/anxieties about it. I have spent years listening to other women though and felt that set me in good stead-also knew I knew how to listen to my body (learned the hard way-long story). In the end delivery was different from what I'd hoped but was actually brilliant, went amazingly well with what in hindsight was a complex presentation. Partly down to Mumsnet and the general wisdom to have an epidural if you end up with syntocinon (induction)-it meant I could deliver vaginally what could very quickly have become a crash C section under general.

Obviously MN comes with a major health warning-negative stories are probably over-represented as those are the people who need to talk! But I found it really useful.

I didn’t go to any. Can’t really put my finger on why, but I just felt uncomfortable with the idea. I did loads of reading and the extent of my birth plan was ‘delayed cord clamping if possible’.

I think labour’s a bit like the weather. You might have an idea what it’s going to be like, and you can pack an umbrella if rain is forecast. It might help, but if it floods then you’re fucked until they send the boats!

I had a home water birth. Pretty long, but fine.

Had none and have had three DC. It’s nothing you can’t find out in a book, from your midwife or on the internet.

I didn't do classes with either of my pregnancies. Had induction both times and just went with it.

Not really sure what a class can teach you tbh. Every single birth is so different.

Thanks everyone. This is so reassuring to read. I have learnt so much from reading online and in books. I did wonder what the class would possibly be able to teach me that I don't already know... thanks all!

Effectively, when I had twins - although I went to NHS antenatal classes, none of what they said ever applied to a twin birth. Whenever I asked questions, they just said:

"But you are having twins, that is different!"

I suspect they thought I would have a c section, when in fact the labour was so quick, it was over in 2 hours with just gas and air! However, I had 6 midwives, three standing down each side, and 5 doctors in the room, including one between my legs - its quite different from a singleton birth!

@NewEP I think Baby Centre have some online antenatal classes you can watch and there's bound to be stuff on you tube.

I had a single class at 36weeks which just went through options but was mostly guidance in where to look online for other resources. Best advice I would give is look up what you can but trust your instincts - when I was in labour at home they kept fobbing me off saying that I didn't need to come in as I hadn't been in labour long and the contractions weren't regular enough, I told them in no uncertain terms we were coming there and then and I was 9cm when I arrived so I'm glad I followed my instincts!

We signed up for an NCT course - really wasn't our thing and we only went to the first couple of classes.

DC1 arrived no real problem (although I can relate to the PP thinking the gas and air didn't work!). I can remember with DC2 being rushed along the corridor to the delivery suite, with the midwife saying 'pant', and me saying 'I don't know how to'. Baby arrived within 80 minutes of being induced though.

I'm sure you'll be fine - there is so much more information now than there was years ago, when I'm sure classes were a major source of information.