Baton Rouge Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Started L&D Classes
I started taking my Bradley Method classes this Saturday, it's a 12 week course preparing you for natural childbirth, and prepares dad to be a "coach." So far, I like it. I came in a week last so I really did two classes in one on Saturday, but I think they'll be beneficial. I will do more reviews along the way if anyone is interested in natural childbirth.
The woman that teaches the class is also a doula, and she and I clicked right off the bat, so I am going to talk to her some more about hiring her as my doula. It's about time for me to hire one, but I have been putting it off. I am glad I did, because I think she and I will be a good fit.
Just wanted to share, not sure how many of you care about childbirth classes, haha 
Re: Started L&D Classes
Please let me know what you think. i have a friend back home who used to be a bradley method teacher and I am still debating on taking classes or just reading and talking to her.
what other classes are you planning on taking?
Really, I am focusing just on the Bradley classes. They pretty much cover everything that the hospital classes cover - from nutrition during pregnancy all the way through breast feeding after the birth.
I will be going to La Leche League meetings though, although I am not sure if that is technically considered a "class." I guess it could be though.
I would really like to join some groups, I know my SIL found them very helpful. But I don't know where to start.
llli.org is for La Leche League. I only have one group near me, and haven't gone yet, so I am not sure how they will be. My SIL goes to a group in Atlanta and loves it. I will let you know what I think after I go to the first meeting.
You're in a bigger area, so you'd probably have more choices of groups. So, you could always try a couple and see how you feel during the meetings.
If you're up to reading, there are three good books I have read/in the process of reading.
1. The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer. I read this one at the beginning of my pregnancy, and will read parts of it again towards the very end. It is very helpful, and very knowledgeable.
2. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin. She is one of the leading midwifes in the United States, and has lots of really good birth stories, and lots of good information. There are some graphic pictures, so sometimes it's not so pretty, but overall a good read.
3. The Womanyly Art of Breastfeeding. I have only just started this book, but it is a La Leche League published book. Good so far.
I think the key to having a successful natural birth is being knowledgeable and prepared. These book have made me knowledgeable (very much so) about normal-used procedures in the LDR that are supposed to be intervention only. Now the Bradley classes are helping me become prepared. I am getting so pumped about having a natural birth, I never thought it would make me feel like this - it gets me feeling very energetic.
I heard this was a good book.
I am very interested in your updates! We are taking a labor class in Jan that is focused on natural births but it's only like 2 days so it must not be the same thing.
Bradley Classes aren't hospital sponsored, you have to find an instructor. My instructor charged us $300 for the 12 classes. I thought it was high at first, but having gone to the first class, and seeing how supportive and encouraging the group is, it was well worth it to me.
The hospital where I will be at didn't have any natural child birth classes, if they did I would probably take it to see how the hospital staff felt about natural birth.
The birth center we're using had us go through a class already. but I have heard that Ina gaskin is like the guru for midwives and her book is their Bible. I believe someone gave me the breast feeding book, with Ziggy, but I haven't pulled anything back out since we moved. I guess I need to do that.
I feel pretty up to date on the natural birth procedures. What to expect, what can go wrong etc. Since I can't take pain medicine I am feeling (perhaps too much) confidant about the pain aspect. In fact that's the part that "scares" (not really the right term) me the least. Having something go wrong, or failure to progress, having to go to the hospital are my biggest hang ups. The good thing about failure to progress is that at the birth center they wait 24 hours for FTP, before they send you to the hospital.
I also want to make sure I am properly informed but I have a tendency to become overly informed, but not know the practical applications.
That she is. Her book is a good read.