Birthing Classes: Everything You Need to Know to Make an Informed Decision

Should you take a birthing class? On-Line or In Person, which class is best? How much do they cost? Are they covered by insurance?

There comes a time during pregnancy when you look at your belly and you realize, “Wow. This is real.” Depending upon where you are on the roller coaster of emotions that accompany pregnancy, you might have a sense of calm excitement, or a sudden flash of anxiety. The anxiety comes from the unknown. The best way to combat it is with education.

Taking a birthing class is a good place to start, but how do you know which one is the best for you? In this article, I’ll answer the most frequently asked questions I receive about birthing classes.

What Are HypnoBirthing Classes and How Do They Differ From Other Birthing Classes?

First, it is helpful to think of a childbirth class as getting the basics in all things related to pregnancy and delivery. Good classes have one thing in common: they provide you and your birthing partner information to help prepare you for what is to come.

Knowing what to expect in childbirth means you can reduce any fear about the process and become more empowered to make informed decisions to guide you in your labor.

Most larger cities have a host of choices ranging from a quick broad overview of the stages of labor to classes that offer education on each phase of pregnancy from conception to the Golden Hour.

Most hospitals offer classes ranging from a single Saturday to a series of four-six weeks of two hour weekly classes. The HynoBirthing series of classes typically range from 12-18 hours, with a 12-hour minimum required by the HypnoBirthing Institute. As independent HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educators we can offer more hours.

I offer each couple a private session beyond the basic twelve-hour class. This private session, which lasts two-three hours, we can discuss topics a couple may need more information on, or dive deeper into a hypnosis technique taught in class, or just inject mom and her partner with a last-minute confidence booster a few weeks before birth. Some couples choose to use it for more guided practice, other couples use it to plan what will happen post-partumn.

Do I Need to Take Birthing Classes?

There is an old adage: Knowledge is power. The more you know about the birthing process and how your body is divinely designed for birthing the more prepared you will feel and the less fearful you’ll be as you approach labor.

You’ll learn what to expect in the various stages of labor and how to prepare your mind and body for labor. Your birthing companion will be taught what they can do to support you through each stage, and how they can advocate for your desired birth plan while you focus on labor.

In HypnoBirthing classes we give your birthing partner the game plan. He’ll learn everything you learn about the physiology of birth, and together, you will design the role he will play as your support person.

Unfortunately, research shows most women know what they know about childbirth from Hollywood depictions of a screaming, hysterical woman in stirrups on a metal table, most of them giving birth in emergency situations. This is not about depicting childbirth in its beauty as it unfolds, but about selling advertising. As I mentioned in this article, gentle calm, tranquil births, the kind HypnoBirthing creates, doesn’t create the drama advertisers need.

In taking a HypnoBirthing class or any birthing class that is geared toward natural birth, you’ll learn a whole new way of approaching labor and birthing.

Birthing classes will help you:

• Understand the physiological process of birth, which will help you feel more confident.
• Gain confidence in your body’s ability to give birth.
• Learn effective and natural pain management strategies.
• Create an informed and empowered partner who will know how to support you.
• HypnoBirthing classes will also prepare you to use deep relaxation, hypnosis and other comfort measures to address pain and discomfort during the last trimester and in labor.

When Should You Take Birthing Classes?

Depending upon your schedule, you can take a birthing class at any time during your pregnancy. The start of the second trimester is a great time to start a HypnoBirthing class. At this stage of pregnancy, you are typically still relatively comfortable and have good energy. It gives you plenty of time to practice the tools you learn in class and build confidence in using them. As you will learn in class, building confidence in your ability to allow your body to do what it is designed to do is very important.

There is a lot more flexibility in classes offered by a private Certified Birthing Educator than by enrolling in a hospital class.

How Much Do Birthing Classes Cost?

Whatever you pay, the information is priceless if it gives you a boost in confidence. There are a lot of expenses that come with birthing. One thing you don’t want to do is be a couple who spends more time, energy and money on vacation planning than  planning for parenthood. The investment you make in yourselves and getting started on the right foot in becoming parents.

The costs of classes depend upon your location and the provider. For example:
• HypnoBirthing classes in Sacramento cost an average of $395.00
• A five-hour birthing essentials class costs $125.00
• A class offered by your hospital may be free or low fee, covered by your hospital insurance.

Which brings us to the next frequently asked question:

Are Birthing Classes Covered by Insurance?

Childbirth classes are not generally covered by health insurance, though you can check with your individual provider to get specifics. However, some flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA) will partially cover birthing classes. I offer statements of payment for parents who wish to seek reimbursement from their FSA for childbirth classes.

Where Can I Find Childbirth Classes Near Me?

Now that we have Google, it is quite easy to find a childbirth educator near you. Search “Childbirth classes near me” and local childbirth educators will populate in the search page.

More and more when you search “Childbirth classes near me” on-line childbirth classes will come up near the top of the query.

There are pros and cons to taking childbirth classes on-line. I usually get a dozen or so panic calls each year from a mom who opted for an on-line hypnobirth class and now doubts whether she is fully prepared for birth.

One of the biggest drawbacks to using on on-line platform for birth hypnosis is if you have never done hypnosis or relaxation breathing techniques you may practice them incorrectly. The whole key to practice is perfect practice makes perfect delivery.

Initially, for some moms, an on-line hypnobirth class may seem like a time saver, or a money saver. Then, when the doubt about whether they are doing the techniques correctly sets in they have no support. The feedback we receive from instructor observation in a class creates more confidence in what we are doing. When we have early modification of incorrect techniques we can go on to create constructive habits of practice. 

I started offering a three-session support class for those partners needing more support after taking an on-line hypnosis for childbirth class.

Can I Take the Class My Hospital Offers?

In most cases, if you are wanting to have a natural birth, I do not recommend you take just the hospital class. It is best to align yourself with an instructor specifically trained in the methods you want to use to support your natural birth. Make sure these are evidence-based methods utilizing the most current research in what is best practice for mom and baby.

Here’s a thought: Most hospital courses teach parents how to be good patients and focus little on teaching them to be empowered birthers. Hospital courses are designed to make sure you understand interventions, not options.

While Sacramento area hospitals vary in their c-section rates, and tout some of the lowest rates in the State, parents are patients and prepped accordingly in the childbirth classes.

The World Health Organization says that the ideal rate for c- sections is between 10-15%. Some Sacramento area hospitals have c-section rates meeting these standards.

I encourage my parents to take courses provided by the hospital where they will birth. However, there is a caveat to their enrollment. I ask them to take a hospital birthing class only after they have completed the HypnoBirthing series of classes.

This approach provides them with a solid background in evidence-based practices from our hypnobirthing class and an array of options of best practices that are available in birthing. This way they are better prepared to ask informed questions during their classes.
Then, after they take their classes and hospital tour I like to talk with them again to dehypnotize them from some of the information they were given that might instill doubt and fear in the ability of a woman to birth instinctually.

I have a good friend who is an instructor in one of our local hospital classes and she says she can always tell when a HypnoBirthing couple is in the group because of the great quality of their questions.

My HypnoBirthing parents often come back to class and report they were the only couple who didn’t have that “deer in the headlights” look of fear throughout the class.

Taking a class from the hospital where you will be birthing will give you an introduction to the culture of the hospital. This can be invaluable intel when it comes to what you can expect in support of executing your birth plan.

What Birthing Classes Are Right for Me?

Cue the picture of Alice in Wonderland standing before the Cheshire cat. “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”

You need to consider what type of child birthing course will help you to have the birth you desire. Also, many people need to take into consideration their work schedule, the days and times classes are given. If you don’t have a few weeks to devote to learning what you need to know, then you are going to take an entirely different course of birth education than if can devote a few hours a week for five or six weeks.
Most people need to consider expense. Most HypnoBirthing instructors will work with a payment plan because they understand all the added expenses coming your way as you prepare for childbirth.

The best way to determine which class is right for you is to research. Call the instructor of the childbirth class you are interested in taking and have a discussion with them. Find out a little more about the birthing class curriculum than what might be on the website. More importantly, find out if this instructor feels warm, compassionate, is qualified and knowledgeable with certifications in the methods they teach. This is the basis for a right fit.