Lamaze and Breastfeeding Classes

Because neither Zane or I had gone through labor before, we decided to take a Lamaze class to inform and better prepare us for the next big day of our lives. We had decided that we would try a non-medicated labor, with Zane as my "coach" since I (Nany) really had no idea what level of pain I would be in, and I wanted to do it as naturally as possible, for me and our baby. We took a Lamaze class through LDS Hospital (actually held at Alta View in Sandy) with an RN called Kalita. We LOVED the class and our teacher! We learned SO much, and were able to get a better idea of what was ahead of us. We were also taught about medicated labors, and Kalita put NO pressure on which kind of birth one should have. Just the pros and cons of both. In fact, she had gone through both experiences herself, and had loved both for different reasons. According to Wikipedia, "The Lamaze technique, often referred to as Lamaze is a prepared childbirth technique developed in the 1940s by French obstetrician Dr. Fernand Lamaze as an alternative to the use of medical intervention during childbirth." "The goal of Lamaze is to increase a mother's confidence in her ability to give birth; classes help them understand how to cope with pain in ways that both facilitate labor and promote comfort, including focused breathing, movement and massage." We were so happy we took this class. I HIGHLY recommend it to all pregnant women, regardless of what kind of labor you would like to have. Even though labor ended up being A WHOLE LOT harder than we had anticipated, it helped us be so much more prepared with our breathing, massaging techniques, and pain control techniques. We also decided that we would breastfeed our baby for at least the first year. Once again, the breastfeeding class (that Kalita taught at LDS Hospital), was very helpful, even though there really is nothing that compares to the "real" experience. What I loved too, was the instruction book she gave me to which I will be able to refer with our future babies, because I am sure my experiences will be different with every child. The day after I gave birth (even though I could barely walk), Zane and I went to another breastfeeding class at the hospital for moms who had just given birth. THAT was extremely helpful, because I had started to breastfeed and I was able to ask questions, raise concerns, and talk about my experience firsthand. We were grateful for the opportunities we had to be able to prepare ourselves for this incredible experience, for excellent teachers, great health insurance, and top notch facilities.