Why Childbirth Education Classes are Important

When my mother was a pre-teen she found blood in her underwear. Unaware of what was happening to her, she hid her underwear in fear. She thought she was dying. She told me this story as I got older so I could understand the importance behind our conversations that I was embarrassed to have. I have heard of many women her age having had similar stories as they were never taught about their menstrual cycles. Imagine not knowing that experience was physiologically normal, that you aren’t ill, and it would happen to you monthly– that would be terrifying if not traumatic. I think of this story often when teaching childbirth education classes. Women are typically taught so little about their bodies and even less about the process of birth which can leave them in fear, riddled with confusion, or expecting the worse outcomes.

Childbirth education class can help reduce unfavorable outcomes. Lamaze International article “A Key Strategy to Improve U.S. Maternal & Childbirth Outcomes” states:

Evidence-based childbirth education plays a critical role in improving birth outcomes and reducing maternal health disparities. Childbirth education empowers women and their partners to make informed birth choices and initiate birth-preference conversations with their care teams — two actions that help decrease rates of unnecessary birth procedures. (“A Key Strategy,” 1)

Classes often fill in the gaps about how our bodies work, the stages of labor (there are three main ones), options you have from pain management to maternal and child intervention. Some women think by taking a childbirth education class, they can control the outcomes and process of their births. However, this is not the case or the goal. Every birth is unpredictable, but that does not mean unsafe. Classes help inform you on how to find optimal positionings for your baby, how to know when you are going into labor, how to achieve pain management through various methods, various options that exist, and the evidence-based information on how to set new families up for success.

Who should take childbirth classes?

You don’t have to be a first-time mom to take a childbirth class, but I highly recommend it for new moms and birthing people. Childbirth education classes can also be fun! If you have a partner, encourage them to attend with you, or another support person who might be at your birth. It can be extremely important for your birth supporter to know what is normal and what is not normal when it comes to birth. This can ensure that they help support your birth wishes, understand what choices you are making and why, have better conversations with care providers, and know warning signs that can be lifesaving. I took classes prior to both of my births. It was still helpful the second time around to brush up on information, or even look deeper into categories that seemed more relevant to subsequent births.

Where can I find a class?

Classes can be found at your local hospital or birth center, online, or through private companies like mine, My Momma Village LLC. It is important to see who is teaching your class and where they received their training. Don’t assume that all classes are the same. For example, some hospital classes may be mainly tailored around getting you acquainted with the hospital settings and protocols vs how to have a vaginal birth with success.Some practitioners still require women to birth on their back even though research shows that this can be one of the most difficult ways to give birth. DiFranco and Curl’s article “Healthy Birth Practice #5: Avoid Giving Birth on Your Back and Follow Your Body’s Urge to Push” explain that “[r]esearch today indicates that most women give birth in a supine position using a directed style of pushing despite a growing body of knowledge that confirms that this has disadvantages for both mother and baby” (DiFranco 207). It can be helpful to take a class from someone who has birthed before as they can relate their real-life experience to text. There are many people qualified to teach childbirth classes from nurses to doulas, midwives to those specifically certified in childbirth education. You can find group classes, virtual classes, online courses, and private one-one classes as formats range from place to place.

Some important questions to ask when looking for a childbirth class include:

1. Where have you trained/studied?

2. Do you have training or certification specifically in childbirth education?

3. Do you believe that birth is a normal process?

4. Have you given birth before?

5. How often does the class meet?

6. How much does it cost?

7. Is your class full?

When is the best time to take a childbirth class?

I highly recommend women taking a class during the end of their 2nd trimester, around weeks 28-32. You want to go early enough in case you go into early labor, but not too early to where you can’t remember the information or are too tired to absorb the content (hello first tri!). However, if you know you want to conceive, I also recommend taking a class even before you know you are pregnant. This can give you ample time to research areas that you want to learn more about, find out about good prenatal practices and the highlights of each trimester, as well as understand more about birth so you have confidence going into birth when it is time.

My Momma Village Classes

Personally, I format my classes as one on one private classes so that new parents can feel free to ask the questions that matter most to them, or the ones they may be too embarrassed to ask in a group setting. As a Lamaze trainee, I focus on the 6 Healthy Birth Practices that have been adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO). I value evidence-based practices, empowerment of the birthing families, and viewing birth as a normal process. I seek to help parent achieve positive and empowered births. If you are interested in my classes you can book through www.mymommavillage.com . You can also find other Lamaze classes at https://my.lamaze.org/find-a-class .

In the end, you cannot go wrong with taking a class before one of the most profound moments in your life. Birth related education, whether childbirth, lactation classes, or new parent classes, will give you options and knowledge to work with. It is always better to have more choices and a better understanding of what is happening to your body and your baby.

References:

“A Key Strategy to Improve U.S. Perinatal Outcomes”. Lamaze International. Accessed April 25, 2026.

DiFranco JT, Curl M. “Healthy Birth Practice #5: Avoid Giving Birth on Your Back and Follow Your Body's Urge to Push.” J Perinat Educ. 2014 Fall;23(4):207-10. doi: 10.1891/1058-1243.23.4.207. PMID: 25411541; PMCID: PMC4235063.