Antenatal Class :S

[Bee7]

I went to my first antenatal class this week and i'm really not sure what i made of it. It was a labour and pain relief class and i was adamant that i wanted to go and 'prepare' myself. The midwife presenting it was great and it definitely was informative, but some of it was seriously graphic and i left feeling very overwhelmed. They passed around all sorts of labour inducing instruments (like the hook used to break your waters) and we watched a video of cihldbirth which i cringed most of the way through.

I know this probably sounds really immature, but i just can't help thinking that ignorance might be bliss. Everyones labour is different so i shouldn't really scare myself weeks in advance by thinking about things that may not even happen. Surely i'll learn all i need to know when it happens to me? I was going to go to a breastfeeding/babycare class which i guess could be useful but i can't really bring myself to go back there just yet lol. Anyone else felt the same about antenatal classes? xx

P.s. can i also add that along with my class, i also watched OBEM the same night so i may have simply had an information overload lol. Either way i didn't get much sleep that night! x

 

[poppypd]

I wasn't personally ready to watch OBEM until about 36 weeks pregnant. I have since become a bit obsessed with watching birth things. Everyone is different and some people will like to just be told about procedures as they need to be done. I think I'm a bit more of a control freak in that I like to know about things as much in advance so nothing shocks me.
I think OBEM was a bit full on for the emotions this week! I think anyone would be scared at that let alone us pregnant ladies!

I found I had to switch off occasionally in antenatal class, but more because she spoke so nicely about the intensity of the feelings to see your baby for the first time etc...and I kept wanting to cry!

 

[winnie89]

i'm not going to attend any, the nearest class they can get me in is on the 7th march and i'm due on the 26th, and it's up in dudley (about 6 miles away from me) what if i go into labour in the middle of nowhere i'm screwed then! the thing is i can read as much as possible and as long as mark is supporting me i dont really need to go because i know he's going to want the best for me xxx

 

[Sleepy sue]

Hi Hun def go to the bf class, if you want to bf you want to give it your best shot and gaining all the info is the way to do it!!

Personally as much as videos etc are scary they show a positive outcome and to me that's the part to focus on. I'd rather have the knowledge of all these instruments etc so I don't freak out at the time xx

 

[l_maclean]

I'd say definitely go to breast feeding class. Mis information in this area is rife. I was quite surprised by some of the info at mine - like in norway the idea that some people physically can't due to latch/lack of milk is non existant (our mw did training there) but we all know folk here who've been 'unable to' - (sorry not meant to be a dig at anyone) - but the more support you can get the better.

Sounds like you maybe had info overload. Xxx