Favorite things to teach during prenatal

FLLucinda · 01-16-2009, 06:45 AM

Hi Ladies!

What are your favorite things to teach during a prenatal?

All our clients are at different knowledge levesl but do you find there is any one thing in particular most of your clients need to hear/learn about?

doula Michele · 01-16-2009, 09:47 AM

Most like hearing what the hospital experience will be like. It makes them feel more comfortable knowing what to expect.
I am really not sure what else the like hearing. good question.

Denise77AK · 01-16-2009, 03:29 PM

What to expect and that there are options other than a hospital, or that you can birth in a hospital and still have an awesome natural birth. Also informed consent/refusals... a lot of parents dont realize that they can tell the hospital staff no.. I dont want that, or that the docs and hospital are working for them, they are paying the hospital and staff to provide them care and they really do have control over what is done to them and their babies.

earthgirl · 01-16-2009, 04:03 PM

What to expect, and comfort measures.

DL · 01-16-2009, 10:46 PM

My clients have been so diverse with their base of knowledge that it's hard for me to say what they all need to hear/learn the most. I will say that they all seem to look forward to and love the comfort measures portion, which I cover in the 2nd prenatal. Comfort measures is also my favorite to teach and demonstrate.

Radish4ever · 01-17-2009, 03:23 AM

Different positions, including demonstrations and practice!

I usually set up little "stations" for them to "labor" in and make sure to incorporate common things - we do early labor (bathtub with a book, bed with a pillow, cooking in the kitchen... lol we do class in their homes...), active labor (birth ball - sitting on it, birth ball - leaning on it, holding onto wall and rocking hips, rocking chair, on the toilet, labor dance with partner, sidelying in bed if it feels good, etc etc), and pushing (using the towel if in the laying down to sit position, sidelying, squatting, hands and knees, etc - even if they will be laboring in our very conservative hospitals...)

Anyway, they always have a good time with this and seem to appreciate actually trying it out ahead of time! It usually makes a big impression on the partner and I've been told that this exercise helps THEM to help the mom during labor when she's too focused to sometimes think of new positions!

doula Michele · 01-17-2009, 09:51 AM

I know for sure that I do not like playing games and things like that. I am also not find of getting down on the floor with my butt in the air.
I have to teach today, so in reviewing my content I realise that I like doing all of the informal questions and answers that come up during class the best.

Apple Blossom · 01-20-2009, 06:12 AM

Absolute essentials that I like to teach are:

*Comfort measures / Acupressure (helps dads to feel 'useful' and confident being hands-on)
* The role of hormones in labour and birth and the functions of the brain (neo-cortex/ mammalian brain, reptilian brain/primal brain etc)
* Fear/tension/pain cycle and the associated relaxation methods
* Penny Simkin's Three R's (Rhythm, Ritual and Relaxation).

But as others have said, each couple have different levels of understanding so it all has to be tailored to their needs