Sibley- childbirth class

[Anonymous]

I'm signed up for the one-day intensive labor and birth class at Sibley, but have somehow managed to lose the letter from them with all the logistical information. (Can I blame pregnancy brain?!)

Does anyone know where in Sibley the class is held? And what do we need to bring? (I seem to recall something about a pillow and blanket). Any suggestions on where to park?

The class is this Saturday, so any help is appreciated -- when I call them, no one ever picks up....

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm signed up for the one-day intensive labor and birth class at Sibley, but have somehow managed to lose the letter from them with all the logistical information. (Can I blame pregnancy brain?!)

Does anyone know where in Sibley the class is held? And what do we need to bring? (I seem to recall something about a pillow and blanket). Any suggestions on where to park?

The class is this Saturday, so any help is appreciated -- when I call them, no one ever picks up....

Thanks!

or
OMG don't waste your time. It is utterly useless for anyone who has spent more than 5 seconds reading or watching anything on tv about childbirth. The tour is the only semi-worthwhile portion, so go if you'd like to do that, but then leave. Otherwise, like me, you will have to listen to annoying husbands ask questions about how often women can work out during pregnancy (his wife was like 37 weeks pregnant and no one gave a shit) and food allergies in small children. The teacher rambles on for hours about other irrelevant stuff. Trust me, when you re pregnant, esp if you are still working, you would be better off doing something restful on a Saturday. I can't recall where exactly it was, but the people at the front desk can tell you. Seriously though, it was pointless and only made me feel more tired and irritated. You will be ready for childbirth without this, trust me. And, if you aren't, nothing in this class will help you. Don't worry, you'll rise to the challenge when the day comes!

[Anonymous]

wow ... quite a ringing endorsement. did anyone have GOOD experiences in this class? i'm supposed to take it in december.

[Anonymous]

Um..I'm also supposed to take the class at Sibley in November and would like to hear other opinions. Is it worth registering somewhere else for a different course? Even though my husband and I are pretty low key, we were counting on some amount of class preparation so as not to feel so overwhelmed by the whole process.

[Anonymous]

i'm pp. just start tivoing those discovery health shows on childbirth and watch them when you have time. i'm serious. they make you watch basically the same thing in class and i had already seen like 50-100 shows on it. if you are on this board, you probably read up on it too. you will be fine. the class is like taking a driving class without a car--what are you really going to learn? stick with the discovery health channel.

[Anonymous]

I just finished the month long childbirth class at Sibley and thought it was really helpful and would definitely recommend it. This is my first child and I knew very little about the whole birthing process before taking the class. Trinia was my instructor and she did a great job of keeping the class interesting and on track. The class not only helped me decide on a "birth plan" but also gave me information on what I could expect if I needed a c-section or some other intervention. My husband and I now feel much more confident and informed about what we can expect during labor and after. Another benefit was we got to meet other soon to be parents who are all going through the same thing we are and this made me feel a lot better about any nervousness I felt about labor etc.

[Anonymous]

I did the one day class at Sibley, and I think it was worthwhile. Nothing can really prepare you for the experience, but the class makes somethings tangible (probes, monitors, etc) and therefore less scary.

I think we had to bring a quilt and a pillow, but they have different people teaching the class so YMMV. we also got a lot of handdouts, so bring something to carry it all in. I would call up the registration number to confirm room and other requirements.

[Anonymous]

A complete waste of time and money . When the time comes u will know what to do believe me.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Wow, not quite the response I was expecting to a logistics question! Interesting feedback, and I suspect that I'll find some useful, and some not so useful. (Frankly, I haven't been focusing on labor and birth, so I figure this is a good way to get my "head in the game.") In any event, it is expensive and we've prepaid, so we'll go.

Back to my original question -- I haven't been to Sibley before. Is there just one main entrance we go in, and can then find our way to the class? Or are classes held in a separate building? As I mentioned before, I can't get anyone to pick up on Sibley's registration line.

And since it looks like we'll be getting a tropical downpour from Hanna on Saturday, I'd prefer not to wander around at 36 weeks pregnant!

Thanks in advance.

[jsmarkarian]

OP, the class is typically held on the first floor in the "back" right by the nursing home (if you know where that is). When you get to the front desk at Sibley, they will have someone direct you to the right place. You will basically be walking straight past the front desk toward the back. No worries, the hospital is small and people are friendly. Someone will help you find it! Plus you'll probably see a bunch of other pregnant moms heading in the same direction. Follow the bellies!

[Anonymous]

OP - we took the one-day Saturday class a few weeks ago. It was held in Renaissance Rooms 1 and 2, which are on the first floor of the Renaissance building. We parked in the regular visitor's parking lot, walked in through the main entrance to the hospital, and followed the signs to the Renaissance building. Generally, you walk towards the back of the hospital and take an elevator down from floor 4 (which is where you entered the main hospital) to floor 1 of the Renaissance building. (The hospital is built on a hill.) Everything is well sign-posted. After the fact, we realized that there seems to be parking specifically for the Renaissance building, and an entrance to the outside right outside the room where the class is held. If you can, park in that parking lot. It will make your walk much shorter.

As for what to bring... they suggest a pillows and a blanket. There is some on-the-floor stuff, and that's what that is for. Neither the pillow nor the blanket is essential though. (I forgot the blanket, and it was no big deal.)

FWIW, we found the class helpful - especially for my husband, who has been in total denial about labor and delivery and has read next to nothing.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP here -- thanks very much! I'll report back with feedback, for those who are weighing whether or not to take it.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I also had a great experience with the weekly class (4 sessions over a month) with Trina as the instructor. I felt like it was a good mental transition for having my first baby and also learned a lot.

[Anonymous]

my husband and i found the intensive saturday class useful. we are reading books and educating ourselves, so much of the information wasn't exactly new. the other couples were fairly well informed, so there were thoughtful questions and interesting points of views shared. that was the useful part: having others going through the same thing and talking about concerns/ fears, plus having the professional there to answer your questions! you'll need the pillow and blanket for partner work on breathing and pain management techniques. our class was moved at the last minute, so check with the admissions desk. a continental breakfast and snacks were provided, but lunch is on your own. we eat in the cafeteria...not bad. hopefully, you will have a pleasant experience like we did. good luck!

[Anonymous]

I did the weekend class at Sibley, and I thought it was good.

It was just a more condensed, fairly specific discussion on what happens during labor and delivery. What you should expect. A few of the more common complications. How epidurals work. How/why they do monitoring, etc.

I think we skipped out after lunch on Sunday, because what they were concentrating on didn't interest me. But I found it comforting just to see the different devices (they show you an epidural, explain how it goes in, etc.), and have a fairly accurate and balanced discussion on pain management techniques. To be certain, you are getting the "medical establishment" view (which some may not think is very "balanced"), but it was balanced in the sense that they tell you the known pros and cons to different pain management techniques. Some might say they "push" the epidurals. I wouldn't say they pushed anything, but I think most people felt (by the end of the class) that epidurals were the best option.