Why Changing Birth Culture is Important for Our Sons as well as Our Daughters

My son loves books.  When we are at the library I try to preview most of what we check out, but sometimes books surprise me.  Recently, I checked out a book my son asked for that I thought was a standard book about welcoming a new baby into the family.  It turned out to be a very realistic and well done book (Hello Baby) about what a homebirth is like for young children.  The story is honest and simple and the illustrations are beautiful and specific without being too scary or overwhelming for the very young.  In fact, my son was fascinated by them.  The book actually brought about one of the coolest conversations I have ever had about birth with anyone.  After explaining that the illustration of the baby crowning was not the mama "pooping" out the baby, although I let him know I could understand why he would think that from the angle of the picture, I explained to him that a mother pushes a baby out of her vagina.  Instead of being repulsed or shutting down when he heard that word  (the way almost every male has reacted my entire life especially in a context about birth),  he was awestruck.  "That's why mamas have vaginas and not penises?  God makes them able to grow babies AND makes a way for the babies to get out into the world?  That is so AWESOME."

I forget sometimes what a new culture I am working to build for my sons, but moments like this remind me of why I am so dedicated to it.  No matter what he learns from the culture at large as he gets older, no one will ever be able to take away the honest, frank wonder and respect he felt for women that first moment when he realized how a baby is really born and why women are designed differently from men.  It's not because women and their reproductive organs are "yucky" or "impolite."  It's not because they are just mysteriously "different" just to confuse men.  It's because women have to be biologically different for us to procreate.  It is what we are designed to do. My son knows from the start that women are designed to birth babies and that a woman birthing is awe inspiring.  Imagine how he will feel about the woman who may one day birth his child.  Imagine how he will feel about being a birth partner if his initial memory is always one of wonder and not disgust or fear.  How much more prepared is he to be a good birth partner than most of our male partners were initially just starting from a place of understanding and respect rather than from ignorance and fear?  One day, he can look forward to his child's birth not only to meet the child, but also to see the wonder of his child's mother as a capable birther.  He doesn't need to be overwhelmed by any feelings that he does not "belong" there or that birth is scary or a secret that was never shared with him.  He can know what many of us didn't know until we were preparing to birth our children:  women are made to birth and birth may be powerful and life changing, but it  is also beautiful.

Changing birth options and birth choices may be couched in our understanding of women's rights and we may fight for best practices for our daughters to experience birth in a supportive, understanding, and safer environment, but we are also changing things for our sons who will one day support and love our daughters.  If I can teach my sons to be able to say the word "vagina" without giggling and to think of birth as natural and wonderful and I can teach my sons that breasts are made for breastfeeding first and sexuality as an additional, lovely bonus, I am normalizing birth and breastfeeding for men and women and creating a more supportive culture for women and men.  That's an awesome thing in and of itself.

Thanks for Reading,
Shawna

one and done

My husband and I are young. I'm 30 and he's 32. So I say the following with the caveat that there is plenty of time should we change our minds. But I don't think we will.

See, before having kids I was always so sure that two would be our perfect number. Now, now I think that what we have shouldn't be messed with. I can't even fathom adding another person into the mix.

Before Gwen, there was such intense longing for a baby. Now, I feel no need for a second child, no desire to upset our balance, no longing to go through the baby stages again. I feel content with Gwen, complete as our unit.

Sure, in the back of my mind there is a little voice that whispers of the relationship I have with my brother, Ethan, and our amazing bond. A little part of me feels badly "denying" Gwen that relationship. I wonder if I'm forcing her to miss out on a great relationship and a ton of memories? Denying her future kids the pleasure of Aunts and Uncles? Making things harder for her when Trav and I get old and she has to deal with us on her own?

But who is to say that a sibling would be any of those things to her?

If we did have another, I'm positive the love would be there. I'm sure that I would take my first glances at the little one that had grown in my womb and feel nothing but amazement. I would wonder how we ever considered not doing it.

But would we be able to do less of certain things? Less of the traveling we want to do with Gwen? Less one-on-one? And its silly, but I worry what if I don't love the second one as much? Or worse, what if I love it more?

From an AP standpoint, would I be able to parent the way I wanted with a very attached little girl, and a newborn in need of much attention? Would I get touched out that much sooner? Would have have the "gas" to get me through 3 more years of breastfeeding if that's what the babe decided? I would have patience enough for Gwen and a second, when sometimes I feel I don't have enough patience for just my almost 3 year old? Would I be able to find and keep a balance in my life, between being the hands on Mama I love being while still being a wife and sometimes just Meegs? Something I'm really just getting a handle on now?

Recently, I visited with a friend and her newborn baby boy. I adore babies, I really do, and I loved every second of holding and snuggling with the grumpy little old man. But it really hit me at that moment, as much as I loved holding and snuggling this baby... I am happy not to do it again. I don't want sleepless nights and crying that I'm not sure how to fix. I don't want the helplessness. I don't.

We remind ourselves that decisions at this point don't have to be infinitely binding. That my brother and I are close as can be at 7 years apart. But at this point we've given away all the baby clothes. We've started giving away all the gear. And eventually, "not deciding" will be a decision.


How many kids do you have? If you have one, will you have more? Why or why not? If you have more then one, how did you know having number two (etc) was what was right for you? 

Victoria's Birth

As promised, here is the birth story of my third child, born in April of this year. 

I was 22 weeks pregnant with my third child when my midwife told me that she would be retiring effective a few weeks before my due date. “Just give me another month,” she said. “I know I can get coverage in time to be able to deliver your baby.”

I live in New York, where certified nurse midwives (CNMs) can’t attend births in hospitals without a written agreement for backup with a licensed OB/Gyn. My due date was in mid-April, and my midwife was retiring at the end of March. She was hopeful that she could get someone to agree to cover her just for my birth, even though technically she would be retired. But there was no way I was going to wait a month to see if she could get coverage, and then making it even more difficult for me to find an alternative if she couldn’t. At the time, I adored my midwife and I was so upset that I would have to switch care, especially in the middle of my pregnancy.

As it turns out, my former midwife did me a favor. Never one to sit on things, I started calling midwifery practices as soon as I left her office, going in and out of a corner Starbucks to protect myself from the drizzling rain that chilly evening. I was incredibly fortunate to get a slot with a group of midwives I had considered with my previous pregnancy, and after the orientation, I knew I had made the right decision.

Being with this group of midwives meant that I would have a chance to deliver at the ever popular, and notoriously difficult to get into, Birthing Center within St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital. It was an amazing opportunity to finally have the birth I was hoping for, and one I would not have had with my former midwife (she was attending births at another hospital).

I tend to think that location is not as important as your support system. I think if you trust your birth attendant, for the most part the location comes second, though it also matters, of course (there are always exceptions). I knew a fair amount about this group of midwives from researching their practice and as I got to know each of them, I felt a great sense of relief and trust that they would be my advocates no matter where I ended up giving birth. Now that the Birthing Center had been dangled in my face, however, I wanted in.

This is a birth story, not a midwife recommendation, but I cannot write about this experience without discussing the fantastic care I received from this group. They advocate for, and trust, women. I commented to my husband after each visit what incredible listeners each of the midwives were and how comforting their advice always was. I was never rushed, never felt disrespected or stupid for asking any question, and my concerns were always addressed. Not a hand was placed on me without asking my permission—I was treated like an intelligent adult and my opinions and instincts concerning my pregnancy mattered.

It occurs to me that all of the above should be the standard—the fact that it was a new experience for me speaks to how much in need of improvement our medical system is, in particular our maternity care.  After years of “hand on the door” treatment, after the birth of my son, which left me emotionally and physically broken, after feeling essentially dumped by my former midwife—the type of care I received this time around was honestly something I had never expected.

Getting ready for this birth had meant I had to reconcile my feelings about my last birth. Though wonderful and life changing in its own right, it was also extremely stressful. Having your water break in the car somewhere in Manhattan while your husband is cursing at pedestrians is not exactly peaceful. This time my hope was to have a natural birth, but also a peaceful one, where I could appreciate the sensations and emotions. I knew I wanted to sit on a birthing ball and labor in water for as long as possible. I had bought a birthing gown, had a relaxation CD loaded into my iPod, had plenty of snacks, a picture of my kids to use as a focal point, good smelling lotion for massages—I was ready.

As I said in my previous birth story, each of my pregnancies and births has taught me something, and this one was no different. My darling Victoria took her time coming, making my pregnancy with her the longest and testing my limits and patience (both of which are very short).  She was in position for a good two weeks, moving down and pressing on my pelvis, making me feel like she was going to drop out any minute.

I had “pre-labor” symptoms from week 35 on. Then, I had almost two weeks of prodromal labor. I woke up every night around 3 a.m. with intense back pain and pressure, and would get a few good contractions that always made me think, “This is it.” No such luck. For an impatient control freak, this was a lesson. I was on an emotional roller coaster, up and down, up and down. Excitement, then disappointment. Incredible anticipation and elation, then restlessness.

Then there was the looming clock, the silent alarm imposed on my pregnancy by the almighty powers that be at the Birthing Center. The rule was, if you go over 40 weeks, 6 days, you automatically move to the regular Labor & Delivery floor. There are obviously many opinions on this matter, and my opinion is that this was the worst rule ever.

Many could chime in and say how ridiculous and wrong it is to have this sort of rule, and I would tend to agree with that. However, I’m sure the hospital has its reasons for instituting it, and whether I agree with it or not, I knew this going in, and I knew there would be no way around it. As a midwife whose blog I follow once said, “You buy the hospital ticket, you go for the hospital ride.” One note, since I’ve named the facility, this had absolutely nothing to do with the Birthing Center itself, nor its staff, nor the environment. It was wonderful.

My hope is that talking about this aspect of my experience will not overshadow my birth or the great facility that the SLR Birthing Center is. Risk out rules and all, they provide something that for many women like me is an opportunity to have the best of both worlds—birth without intervention with medical equipment and personnel close by.

Thankfully, the word “induction” was never even uttered by my midwives, and they had no problem with the pregnancy continuing so long as both baby and I were healthy. This time limit for the Birthing Center did, however, have a profound effect on my mental state (and that is the number one reason I oppose this rule). As the days passed and I got closer and closer to the “deadline,” I started to feel depressed. Once again, not good enough for the medical establishment. What was wrong with me that I couldn’t give birth within their parameters? Why wasn’t this baby coming already?

Then I got angry. There was nothing at all wrong with me. In fact, I decided, even if I did go into labor in time, I would show them and refuse to enter the Birthing Center! Besides, I reasoned that even if I did make it in time, the Birthing Center could be full, or closed. There was no guarantee I would make it in anyway. I would choose L&D and take control of my own destiny. No one was going to tell me where to birth, damn it.

On the morning of April 16^th, at 40 weeks, 5 days, I woke up at 3:30 a.m. with the same backache, the same sporadic contractions. Here we go, I thought. Another sleepless night.

Only this time, after I had a snack and laid down on the couch around an hour later, I felt what I knew was a very real contraction.  About 15 minutes later I felt another, and then another 13 minutes after that. I woke up my husband and we timed a few together. Around 5:30 a.m. we called the midwife, and she called back with good news: the Birthing Center was open and awaiting our arrival. And of course, that’s exactly where we went.

Though I obviously was there for my births, they were all surreal, each for different reasons. With my son I was on various drugs and barely aware of what was happening. With my first daughter I had back labor and felt like I had one 45 minute continuous contraction. This time it seemed that I was actually going to get what I had hoped for, in the place I had wanted to be in for so long. I slowly got dressed, still in disbelief that it was happening. My husband picked up my mom and she stayed with our older kids. I woke my son and told him we were going to the hospital and gave my daughter a kiss as she slept.

In the car, I breathed through each contraction and chatted happily with my husband in between. Contractions were every seven minutes now. The last time we were in the car together and I was in labor, I was screaming at the top of my lungs and my husband was driving on sidewalks and running red lights.

We got to the hospital, parked the car, and up in the elevator we went. I couldn’t help but feel as if this was my first time—and in many ways it was. It was the first time I deliberately walked of my own accord into the place where I was to give birth. It was the first time I felt conscious, sane, and aware of what was happening. It was the first time that I was excited and full of anticipation, and I knew what the general progression of things was going to be.

We got to the labor floor and there was the sign, with an arrow: “Birthing Center.” Just seeing it now in my head brings tears to my eyes. We were here, we were going in, and I was going to have my baby in my arms soon. I don’t think I can adequately describe the sweet feeling of “knowing” that comes only from having this experience more than once.

We got in our room, I changed into my birthing gown (whereupon my midwife told me I looked like a goddess—bless her! I truly felt like one.), and sat for the blood test and fetal monitoring. Twenty minutes flew by, and I got on the birthing ball for a while. While I was on the ball, a woman I can describe only as the Best Nurse in Creation came in and after a pleasant chat suggested I get up and walk (contractions had spaced out just a bit). My husband and I went out to the blissfully quiet and private hall and walked. My midwives changed shifts but both ended up staying around, chatting with me about my birthing gown between contractions.

Best Nurse in Creation filled the jacuzzi tub, and then began the most awesome part of my labor. If you are reading this and considering laboring in water, consider no longer. It. Is. The. Best. I would do it a thousand times over. I labored in that tub, with my husband at my side, with the jets providing the utmost support and relief, for two hours. I don’t know how the nurse and midwife knew it was what we wanted because we never specified it, but they gave us privacy to labor, only coming in to intermittedly check the baby’s heartbeat and to see how we were doing.

I ate and drank to my heart’s content. I continued to be happy, relaxed, and in a positive state of mind, bowing my head and giving in to the flow of each contraction, making the sounds my body led me to make and visualizing opening and having my baby in my arms (though every time I did the latter I started to cry, interrupting my zen state). Contractions are likened to waves, and rightly so. Each one would start off low, then heighten and reach a crescendo before retreating and leaving me in an almost meditative state.

Once my “birthing sounds,” as they called them, started to get intense, my midwife came in and said we should probably check and see what’s happening, and then I’d either walk around or get back in the tub. Getting up and out of the water was like being pulled from a dream. But I was already nine centimeters dilated, and after two more hard contractions on the bed, I was ready to push my baby out. I remembered the sensations of the baby moving down from the birth of my first daughter, and I knew she would be here soon.

I pushed four times for only eight minutes—but it felt like an eternity! My husband said my face turned purple and broken capillaries would later confirm his observation. The physical sensations were at their most intense at this point and I was reacting to them. My midwife kept telling me to stop clenching my legs because I was holding the baby in and I said, “I can’t!” That’s when Best Nurse in Creation said, “Yes you can! Do it now!” And I did.

And then there was my baby, slimy and gooey like the others, looking exactly like her brother did seven years before. And I cried harder than I ever had at seeing my squirmy little one, another soul to love, another life to cherish. She was so beautiful and small and quite simply a miracle.

I’m still somewhat in disbelief that it happened this way. I’m indescribably grateful and I feel so lucky. Not that my body did what it was designed to do, mind you—I’m thankful to have had a healthy pregnancy that resulted in a healthy baby, and getting the birth I hoped for is the icing on the cake. After my first high-intervention birth, I felt like I had gotten robbed of the most amazing and miraculous human experience. And after having two intervention and drug free births, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I wish more women would look upon labor and birth as a gift rather than as a cross we have to bear. As difficult as it can get, as intense as the physical sensations can be, for me it has been an immense privilege—to be able to communicate with my baby before she ever made a sound outside my womb.

Will we have another child? People are already asking. As we were getting ready to leave the hospital I was sad because I didn’t want to leave my birth behind. I knew I wanted to write about it as soon as possible, to be able to process it and remember the details. I almost want to have another baby so that I could get to relish just one more birth.

Time will tell. But if we start on this journey again, it will be a blessing and an honor once more. In the meantime, I look at my new little love and I thank her for giving me a sense of completeness that I never knew was possible.

How Our Homebirth Saved Christmas

Growing up, Christmas was my favorite holiday. My family, thankfully, never emphasized the commercial aspect. We simply enjoyed spending time together and exchanging heartfelt gifts. Since I got married, the holidays have been increasingly stressful. With double the family, our time is spent rushing hurriedly from one gathering to another, staying for long enough to make an appearance. Adding kids to the mix made it increasingly difficult. The stress was hard on the kids, and I felt guilty for putting them through the ringer each year. I had come to dread the entire month of December. This year, I received a special gift--one that caused me to slow down and reconsider what's really important.

On Christmas day, I was 36 weeks, 5 days pregnant. I woke up feeling a little pressure down low, but didn't think anything of it. I am a firm believer in letting a baby come when he's ready, and had bookmarked a link about why at least 39 weeks of pregnancy is better for baby. I planned to share it when people started asking, "Have you had that baby yet?!" By about 10 that morning, I knew that I would have no need to share it. It took a few more hours to convince myself and my labor support that this was the real deal.

By 10, I was having regular contractions--about 3-5 minutes apart--but I could talk through them. I have had pretty regular Braxton-Hicks contractions in the past, and I certainly didn't want to birth my baby so early. Plus, I didn't want to disrupt anyone's Christmas unless I was completely sure. We decided that I would rest on my side for a while and see if things continued to progress. My husband took the kids out visiting. This slowed my contractions to between 5 and 7 minutes apart. They stayed that way as long as I didn't get up. By around 6 in the evening, the family had finished their visiting and my parents were free to take our three older kids to their house.

That's when I got vertical. Anyone who tries to tell you that position is not important during labor is wrong! Assisted by gravity, my contractions went from somewhat painful and 3 or 4 minutes apart to almost unbearable and 2 minutes apart. I slumped over the birthing ball some, sat on it some, swayed and rocked a lot, and paced back and forth to the toilet over and over again. Nothing seemed to work for comfort. I decided to soak in the tub for a while to help relieve the pain. It slowed things down again, but they soon picked back up and then, whoah, did they pick up! After a day of questioning myself, I finally felt sure that I was in active labor. We called our midwife and asked her to come.

Our midwife arrived around 7:30 and determined that I was 4-5 centimeters dilated. She gave me about 30 minutes alone with my husband to work through labor, but by that point, I did not feel there was any working through it. I did not want him to touch me, and I could not hold still. Then again, it hurt too much to move. I had been through transition before, and this was it. How did I ever go through this lying in bed or strapped into a car seat? After 45 minutes or less, I was pretty sure I felt ready to push, and asked him bring the midwife into the bathroom. "Are you sure?" he asked. That's when I yelled at him (sorry, babe!). After a long day of self-doubt, I was over being questioned. I was ready!

After hearing me yell, the midwife was as sure as I was. She went straight to our bedroom and prepared for the delivery. I wanted to try squatting on a birthing stool, but it hurt too much, and I ended up lying on my side instead. I decided to try a push or two, after which my water broke. Suddenly, the pain subsided and my body could do nothing but push. It was beyond my conscious control. As our midwife turned around to ready her supplies, my husband saw our baby's head emerge and jumped quickly to catch it. Two pushes later, my youngest son was born into my husband's hands on Christmas night, right there in our own bedroom. Shortly after, we were cleaned up and snuggled into our own cozy bed.

I truly believe that our homebirth made a positive difference. The whole birth experience was so peaceful and free from drama. So far, I have seen this reflected in my little guy's calm demeanor and in my own easy recovery. It even seems to have cast a peace over the household. Best of all, my Christmas baby has turned the holiday around for me. From now on, the stress of the holidays will be overshadowed by the memory of this special Christmas night. I will remember cuddling my 8-pound bundle of hope and looking forward to the promise that his new life represents. He reminds me that what is at the very heart of Christmas--and of life itself--is love. When a child is welcomed into the world surrounded by love, he can grow to spread that love to family, friends, and maybe even to all mankind. I can't think of a better way to give him that start.

Which Childbirth Class Is Right For Me?

There are so many childbirth classes to choose from, each with their own philosophy and things to teach you.  There are hypnosis classes, classes to help control fear, classes to include your partner, and the ever present hospital based classes.  Everyone you know has opinions on the different classes, everyone has taken different classes, and choosing which one will work for you can be daunting.  Researching them can take days or weeks, and when it is time to choose a class, timing is a huge factor.

Each class is so different, it is very important to find the class that fits how you want to prepare early so you have time to take it before birth.  Just like how they are all different types, each class has a different length, anywhere from a weekend to 12 weeks to all through pregnancy.

The one piece of advice I give though, is know that in labor, please throw out anything that isn't working.  You do not have to stick the program you learn.  If it isn't working, try something else.  Your body knows what to do, and sometimes the program you pick isn't what it wants.  It's wonderful to have a plan and work with it, but some of the methods just don't work for everyone.

1.  Hospital Birthing Class

This one most know about, especially if you are birthing in the hospital.  It is taught by either a childbirth educator that works with the hospital or a nurse at the hospital.  Most are 6 weeks long, for about 1-2 hours a week.  They aren't very information intensive, but you will learn the basics about birth.  Most of the class is about hospital procedure and protocol and all the pain relief options available.  They do not spend much time on breastfeeding, and most will not give specifics about the rates of interventions at the hospital.  They will do a tour in one of the classes, which is nice to see before you go into labor, but you can do that on your own without going to this class.  The majority do not teach ways to cope with labor, which is essential when planning a natural birth.  Learning that it is possible and ways to help it along will boost your confidence in yourself, even if you end up in the heat of labor throwing it all out the window.

2.  Birthing From Within


This class, and the book, are excellent if you have any hangups from previous births or information you have received.  The class is mostly about learning to control your fears, figure them out, and move forward with your plan.  With the book, it does talk a lot about how the pain in labor is a fine line that only some women can endure, which isn't helpful at all when planning a drug free delivery.  The class is a little bit different and varies with instructors, but a lot of it is about working with the fears you have.  Fear can inhibit labor, and learning to address your fears and work with them can make your labor and birth a better experience.  The class is normally 6 weeks long, but again, varies between instructors.  If you want a class that can help you overcome past issues surrounding birth and help prepare to make your next birth better, this class is excellent.  Even if you don't want to take this class, just getting the book if you have fears to overcome can help immensely.

3.  Hypnobirthing

If you want to go the way of hypnosis in labor, this or Hypnobabies below is for you.  Hypnobirthing prepares you for a gentle birth, with minimal pushing and lots of self-hypnosis and deep relaxation exercises.  This program is based on the belief that childbirth does not have to be painful if the mother is completely prepared and completely relaxed.  I've seen this program work, but for a lot of women, labor will not be completely painless, even with total preparation.  This class is five weeks long, with classes that are 2 1/2 hours long.  You are supposed to keep practicing the hypnosis and relaxation exercises inbetween and after the classes so that you can be fully prepared.  This is a constant technique, and it does take practice to learn.  Practicing by yourself without instruction can be difficult, but if you are able to achieve this, it is worth it.

4.  Hypnobabies

This is similar to Hypnobirthing, with six week classes, but they have CDs you can listen to at home to help you completely prepare.  They also have a self-study program where you just buy the book and CDs and do this on your own time.  The best part about Hypnobabies is that you can start this early in pregnancy and completely prepare yourself all the way through.  It isn't just a class, and they have tracks specifically for a lot of situations, like cesarean preparation, turning breech babies, mothers with previous loss, and much more.  I highly recommend this program is you are going the hypnosis route.

5.  Bradley Method

This class is made to help partners become more involved in the birth of their children.  It is a 12 week course, the longest there is, and it focuses a lot on nutrition and kegels.  The best part about this class is how in depth it gets because of the amount of time you have with your instructor, and if your partner (or yourself) needs to know more about birth, this class is excellent.  Nutrition is key to a healthy pregnancy, and this class really stresses that point.  If mother is healthy, then baby is healthy, and that is key to a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

6.  Lamaze

This class isn't what is depicted on TV or the way your parents and/or grandparents say.  It isn't about breathing exercises anymore and focuses more on education.  It is a more basic class than some, but you will have 12 hours of education.  It is an evidence based course so you will learn research and evidence about each practice used, but it doesn't teach ways to truly cope with labor like other classes based on these methods.  You will learn about practices used in birth, which can be really helpful if birthing in the hospital.

7.  ICEA

This is also a more basic class, but you will learn evidence based research on everything.  You will learn how to make decisions for yourself, which is a skill necessary for birth.  Each teacher does teach a little differently, but the content is the same.  You will learn all about pregnancy and childbirth, which is great if you aren't as knowledgeable as you would want to be.

8.  CAPPA


This class is run differently depending on the teacher, but the basis is complete preparation for birth starting with a healthy pregnancy.  The instructors are trained to know a lot about birth, so even a knowledgeable person can learn things from this class.  You will learn ways to work with (and cope) with labor, the different aspects of birth, and all of it is evidence based.  The classes vary in length, but most are six weeks long.

9.  Independent Classes

There are other organizations to certify or work through, or sometimes you can find someone that teaches their own childbirth class.  Find out all you can, but they don't have a set structure for each class so no real comparison even if two teachers have the same training.  Find people that have taken these classes, and talk to the instructor about what is discussed and learned.  These classes can be better than any other depending on what you are looking for.  Sometimes these classes are offered from your doula in a weekend crash course, so you don't have to make weeks of commitments but learn with the person you are having support you in your birth.

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And please remember, no matter what class you take or what method you learn, you can throw it out if it isn't working.  Do what feels comfortable to you.