Childbirth Classes

Hi everyone,

I was hoping to get some input from the moms here. I am currently 30 weeks and we are expecting are our little boy with CDH in June. Thomas is our first child and I would like to take a child birth class. I am concerned that the typical child birth classes are not going to responsive to our needs. I know that our experience will not be typical. I am also worried that I will have to sit through a class that is just another reminder that I will likely not have be able to hold my baby and have skin to skin time, breastfeed, etc. I plan on speaking with my OB the next time I see her, but I would love to hear if any moms on here have an experiences or advice that might be helpful. I am certainly griefing the fact that nothing about this pregnancy has been normal and I am worried that taking a class will just make things more difficult.

Many thanks,
Megan

Hello Megan, the forums are pretty silent these days. The majority of our parents post over on Facebook in our closed private support groups. I wish these forums were still active, there is a good deal of information in them, but our parents wanted the support group on FB. Here is that link if you have not yet joined, https://www.facebook.com/groups/cdhsupport/.

If your doctor is letting you have a vaginal birth try at it, then I think a birthing class would be a good idea. These classes are meant for the birthing process and you gain helpful hints from the class to try during labor and delivery. There will be more people in your birthing room than normal checking on you and the baby, but so many women have amazing births. The only difference is when baby is delivered, then that is where it changes. Some women are able to have a quick skin to skin contact with their baby, but most the baby will be immediately taken to the side and intubated. Things move so quickly after baby arrives, so if you or your husband wants to cut the cord, tell them that is what you want.

As for the skin to skin time, this will happen in the NICU, it may happen at a different time but it will happen. If you still want to breastfeed, still pump and feed your baby breast milk. Once they are able to start feeding, definitely tell them you want to try breastfeeding. Some babies are just not able too, but filling the bottle with breast milk is a good start for them.

What will be hard during the class is knowing that everybody around you has healthy babies and they take that for granted.

The only aspect that you won't know until the time is here, is how the baby will handle the labor. Things can change from there, but a birthing class is something most new moms take and I think you would gain some helpful advice to give birth, how to manage the pain with drugs, etc. This is a beautiful time to give birth and don't let CDH take that from your. You created this beautiful life and cherish every moment.

Hope you will join us over in the group to ask! If you want me to ask and get feedback to read, let me know. Please know anything you post in the groups does not show up in family and friends newsfeeds.