Prenatal Classes
I have taught prenatal classes on and off for years and have attended a fair number as well, both as a pregnant mom and as a doula. I have always taught with the belief that expectant parents should come to classes with at least a working knowledge of pregnancy and birth found in Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn or a similar book. Then I teach from that point, providing classes that go beyond the basics, allowing personal growth in both mother and father which will give them both skills from which to build on through their labour and parenting experience.

Given that, it continues to astound me that instructors believe they can actually teach what a mother needs in as few as one or two classes. A friend of mine just attended a weekend series held by the local health unit (as part of her certification requirements) and came away shaking her head. Everything covered could easily have been learned from one of the many birth books out there... and most of the books did a better job. I am not saying the nurses are bad teachers, they are amazing women who are constrained both by time and restrictions placed on them by their supervisors and local doctors. They do a great job with what they are given.

More intriguing to me is independent instructors who have the time, resources and lack of supervisory constraints who teach the same way. Where they could be covering important information not found elsewhere (and any experience doula or educator truly knows what I mean when it comes to the vital importance of fetal positioning and mental preparation for childbirth), they instead resort to the droll basics such as labour progression, cervical dilation and what to bring to the hospital. This is the most basic of information and in covering this the instructor is leaving no room for the stuff parents seek out independent instructors for... how to truly experience labour on their own terms. Today I was looking at the online class outline of a doula (who is also teaching classes) and informed consent wasn't even covered - nothing is more important as a basis for childbirth education!

To prove my point, the Lloydminster Doula Association's last Parent Education Night was such a success, I can't wait to see the growth of future Nights. One expectant mother came away from that single night saying she learned more in those two hours than she had during her entire four week prenatal class series. If that isn't a testament to providing knowledge beyond the basics, I don't know what is. You go LDA!!