Do you really need to take a childbirth education class?
We skipped the class before our first child was born, and I did regret it later!
However, we discovered a great class on DVD before our second child was born.
Now I recommend Laugh and Learn About Childbirth to all my friends. Here’s why…
Will a DVD ever replace a real childbirth class?
No, not for your first birth.
But we found the Laugh and Learn DVD a great refresher course.
It would also be helpful if your partner could not attend the hospital class with you.
How does a DVD compare to a hospital birth class?
You should take the preparing for childbirth class if possible. Even if you don’t learn all the breathing techniques, you will learn about your particular hospital’s procedures.
Needless to say, a class is the way to go if you want to explore a natural method like Bradley or hypnobirthing.
What makes Laugh and Learn About Childbirth better than other DVDs?
It’s footage from an actual childbirth class–and it’s long. It took us a few nights to watch the entire DVD.
Here’s a summary of what each childbirth DVD covers, including short video clips you can watch online.
Yes, it is dated! I think it must have been filmed in the 1990’s and transferred to DVD a few years ago. The hair and clothes are funny.
Instructor Sheri Bayles is gifted with a great sense of humor. She answers basic childbirth questions in a fair and non-biased manner.
She doesn’t assume you’ll go straight for an epidural, but she does prepare you for what to happen in a C-section and beyond.
Even though I had been through birth before, I still didn’t understand what it meant to be:
- "so many centimeters dilated"
- "cervix this much effaced"
- "at this station"
Laugh and Learn About Childbirth made it clear to me.
I’ll probably check out this DVD from the library again soon. It’s never too late to be prepared!
