So me and Ryan decided ( Ryan was told to😜) to do antenatal classes with Doula dee in Letterkenny. I know you get free antenatal classes in Ireland through the hospital but since my experience with Avery’s birth I felt like I needed something more than a refresher antenatal class. I wanted time with someone I felt like I could trust and that was on the same page as me and someone that could teach me coping skills for birth and also teach my partner how he can support me. When I heard that Deirdre was doing antenatal classes I knew she was the right person to help put my mind at ease.
So the classes were split into three topics
- Breastfeeding
- Babywearing
- Birth
The first night we went it was the topic breastfeeding and even though I was breastfeeding Avery, it was a great reminder as to how get your breastfeeding journey started with a newborn. I took great confidence in knowing Deirdre was a breastfeeding counselor so I knew I was getting good informed information. We watched videos on women latching their newborns, we looked at different positions to hold the baby in to feed and we talked about our concerns and any queries we had about breastfeeding. Deirdre also had with her wee life like babies which we used to role play feeding positions and of coarse snuggle 😍😍
The second class was baby wearing 🙌 Baby wearing really is a life saver especially now that I have a toddler and a newborn! I’m so grateful for this class as I didn’t have to spend hours on YouTube learning how to use carriers and wraps like I did with Avery, this time I was confident and just got stuck into babywearing once Norah arrived. One thing I love about Deirdre is that she spent so much time making sure myself and Ryan actually learned how to use the slings. She didn’t go to fast or anything and she didn’t mind explaining everything a thousand times like I needed 😂 We talked about what slings we would like to use and we settled on the ring sling. Deirdre had the babies with her again so we really got to practice and get those baby wearing cuddles! This class was great for Ryan too and Deirdre spent as much time helping him as she did with me although Ryan picked things up quicker than I did 🙈 That night we went home and got a ring sling online!
The last class 😭 we went to was the most valuable one to me personally as I was so anxious about the birth. To be honest this class was like therapy for me. I’ll always remember it. When I had Avery I felt a lack of control over my body and my labor. So one of my goals from these classes was to learn coping skills. When we walked into Deirdre’s room she had it set up with a bed and birthing balls and I thought I would panic but everything felt really calm and relaxing. I felt emotional at the thought of birth and we talked with Deirdre about Avery’s birth and what we would like to achieve from this birth ( apart from the baby obviously 🤣) . Then we got stuck into role playing labor. I had back labor with Avery so I knew I would want to use the ball again during this birth. So I got on the ball and leaned against the bed and Deirdre talked me threw breathing techniques and how to get comfortable on the ball. She then taught Ryan how to massage my back during a contraction and how to do counter pressure! I think this class was most valuable for Ryan too because he really learned how to get hands on and support me. We all know that birthing partner’s can say they feel useless during labor or don’t know what to do well send them to Deirdre’s class and they’ll soon learn. Me and Ryan learned how to be a team and how to communicate to each other about what I needed during contractions. We also talked about how labor actually works as in how the contractions effect your body and cervix and I learned to not fear the contractions and that they are bringing me closer to meeting Norah. Deirdre had loads of visual props that she used to show us how labor worked which was so helpful. She explained about the mind and body connection and how stress, dehydration and environment can affect the progress of your labor. She explained a lot of things that made me have loads of “so that’s why that happened” moments about why Avery’s birth went the way it did and how I could make this birth positive.
My favorite part of this class even though the entire class was amazing was the birth labyrinth. Haha I know your thinking what ? Well when me and Ryan came to the birthing class before we started anything Deirdre had a big massive maze like drawing on the floor and she asked us to walk together through it to the center and back out again. Now it looks like a maze but it isn’t as it only has one path in and out. As we walked to the center of it she asked us to think about the labor. I was so shocked at how negative I expected this labor to be. I visualized all the negatives that I felt with Avery’s labor. Once we got to the center she asked us to walk back thinking of how things would be after the birth which again I just thought of all the negatives that happened with breastfeeding and such with Avery. I was very surprised to find how this drawing on the floor could really effect me. So fast forward to the end of the class and the last thing Deirdre asked us to do was to walk threw the birth labyrinth again. This time I walked to the center and back and all I thought about was what Deirdre had taught us. The coping skills for the contractions and how labor is bringing me closer to meeting my baby. I get emotional even thinking about it. It really was like therapy. Deirdre helped me put a negative birth experience behind me and plan for a positive one and actually feel excited and positive about it ❤
I signed up for Deirdre’s classes feeling scared, alone in my thoughts about the “impending doom” of my next birth BUT I left those classes feeling in control and EMPOWERED and positive about the birth. I felt equipped with the skills I learned and I felt a connection and a trust with Ryan that we were on the same page and were a birthing team.
My labor experience with my second child is proof that taking the time to prepare for your labor and birth is extremely important and can change how your labor progresses and how you experience it. With my second birth i was able to use all of the skills I learned with Deirdre to stay at home and labor as long as I could and I look back on that experience as a positive and CONTROLLED labor. I can’t wait to experience that again. I had Deirdre in my head the entire labor and it kept me in control and relaxed. I started contracting at 7.30 am on the 9th February and Norah was born at 4pm. I managed to stay at home until 36 minutes before she born! I arrived at the hospital 8cm. Maybe I was a bit too relaxed 🙈 But thanks to Deirdre’s antenatal classes I was able to achieve my birth goals.
Boobs&Brunches 