Childbirth Choices :: Choosing Childbirth Education
Hospital-Based Education | Independent Education | Childbirth Education Organizations | TBN Childbirth Educators
Some expectant families choose to take an "independent" childbirth class. Independent education refers to childbirth education courses that are not associated with a hospital or an obstetric group, and which usually present a wider range of birth options and information than is usually presented in hospital settings. These classes can be taught by childbirth educators trained or certified by a variety of organizations, including the Bradley method, BirthWorks, ICEA, Lamaze, HypnoBirthing, HypnoBabies, or Birthing from Within (among others), and the training and certification of each educator can vary widely. Independent childbirth classes are typically smaller than hospital-based classes, allowing for more one-on-one attention and more time for questions and practice. Most independent classes also run for more hours or weeks than hospital-based classes, allowing them to cover more topics and go into more detail.
Independent courses tend to be more expensive than hospital courses because of the need to rent space, advertise, and purchase teaching materials. Independent courses are now routinely being recommended by childbirth authors and advocates such as Sheila Kitzinger for their freedom to give unbiased, evidence-based education and information to consumers.
Some independent educators also offer a range of other pregnancy and parenting classes, such as breastfeeding or early pregnancy preparation.Comprehensive course or Method course?
When you are researching a particular course or instructor you should ascertain whether they teach a comprehensive or a method course, and which is a better match to your needs.
Comprehensive and method courses vary widely, not just from each other, but also from course to course. But generally it is agreed that comprehensive courses include a wider variety of childbirth-related topics such as nutrition, health and fitness, multiple labor management techniques, drug options and alternatives, routine interventions, communication skills, postpartum and newborn care, and more. Method courses usually concentrate on teaching couples a particular method to physically and emotionally manage the experience of labor. Since this is the primary focus of method courses, they typically spend much more time exploring and practicing a labor method in class while comprehensive courses rely on students to practice more out of class. Some method courses also include additional topics such as nutrition, health and fitness, postpartum and newborn care, etc., so it is always a good idea to see a course outline or list of topics for more information on each course before choosing one.
What is your instructor’s philosophy?
If your potential instructor is certified through a professional childbirth education organization you could ask if their philosophy is in line with the philosophy of their certifying organization or, if not, how it differs. Some philosophies are more emotionally or spiritually based, while others are more matter-of-fact. Some philosophies are outcome-oriented (focused on helping women achieve a certain kind of birth—unmedicated, for example), while other philosophies are consumer-oriented, focusing on informed decision-making and accepting that a particular mode of birth is less important than how the mother feels about her birth. When selecting an independent childbirth education class, you should feel comfortable that the priorities and philosophies of the instructor match your personal needs and desires.