• Careers
  • Education
  • Research
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search
Close Search
  •   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Location
  • Find A Specialty
  • Schedule An Appointment
  • Pay A Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Thinkstockphotos 472336810 Newborn Feet

Childbirth Classes: What Should I Expect?

Mar 20, 2017 |
By Paige Entwisle
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

Childbirth classes are an important step along your path to parenthood. Don’t let the opportunity to fully prepare for birth slip by.

Generally, the best time to begin your childbirth class is 28-32 weeks of pregnancy. This means signing up for classes a month or more before to ensure your class doesn’t fill up. Different classes may cover different topics, but here is what you should expect:

Your instructor will usually cover labor and birth from the start to the delivery of the placenta.

In detail, your instructor will describe the thinning and opening of the cervix, the three stages of labor, and delivery, including what you'll feel, when, and why. For example, very early labor contractions can be so mild and so infrequent, you may feel like you're having mild menstrual cramps every 45 minutes. Your teacher will also detail how the baby descends from the pelvis to the birth canal, and the different ways babies present themselves at birth.

During this portion of class, you may be shown a video of an actual birth (not a PG-13-rated version).

Looking for Childbirth Classes?

Click here to find a variety of Ochsner prenatal classes available in your area.

It's probably the biggest question on the mind of the first-time mom: How much will labor hurt? To answer it, childbirth classes go over everything modern medicine has to offer, like epidurals, analgesics, or narcotics, and discuss the pros and cons of each pain-relief method.

Epidurals, for instance, are very effective at blocking pain, but they can make it tougher to push out the baby. Your hospital class may also cover alternative pain-relief methods, such as breathing techniques, visualization, or massage.

Classes may also teach the basics of breastfeeding and newborn care, as well as a hospital course complete with the admissions process, policies and sometimes a hospital tour.

Some classes may teach a particular childbirth method, but many – such as the ones offered at a hospital – don't promote any particular technique. If you want to give birth without an epidural, for example, look for an instructor who spends a lot of time exploring the different natural methods of pain management.

Ultimately, when you graduate, you'll have a lot of knowledge and a big boost of confidence when your bundle of joy arrives.

Tags
childbirth

You may also be interested in:

Thinkstockphotos 458859127 Working Mom With Baby
Prevention & Wellness
Jun 30, 2015

Up All Night at the Breast Milk Buffet: A Working Mom’s Guide to Survival

Going back to work after maternity leave? Check out these survival tips from one mom who recently made the transition back.
458842749 Pregnant Woman Meeting With Nurse
Women's Health
Oct 29, 2020

How to Manage Labor Pain

If you’re about to become a new mom, you’re probably busy making preparations and getting your home ready for those first few months. But have you planned for how you will manage labor pain?
Breastfeeding mom baby breastfeed 2020 2 21 720x480 540bacec c26a 44d3 af38 836b4fe0933b
Women's Health
Sep 4, 2020

Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms

Establishing a good breastmilk supply in the beginning can make a difference in how long you are able to produce, and how much.

Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health Ochsner Health

Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637

Follow us: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Healthy living tips, delivered weekly to your inbox.

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Hello Health Seminars
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

Healthy Living Tips, Delivered Right To Your Inbox

* indicates required


Must Reads
Food and Fitness
Men’s Health
Parenting
Women’s Health

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:


Get Weekly Health Tips

Select the weekly newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition

Let us know where to send your weekly newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox every week.

Ochsner Health System
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide