Wow. We have totally hit the jackpot when it comes to our childbirth class situation. I just spoke with the Bradley Method instructor that our midwife refers all her clients to, and she is AWESOME!

She usually has about 3 classes full of couples going on at any given time, but she has decided to slow down a little and take a breather for a few months. She has offered to give us PRIVATE CLASSES during her time of reprieve.....so basically, DH and I get to set a weekly day and time that's convenient for us, as long as it jives with her schedule. She lives about 45 minutes to an hour from us and normally holds her classes in the town where we see our midwife, which is almost 2 hours away from us. She is willing to meet with us in the city where my husband works, which is just a 30 minute drive for us. AND GET THIS: She loves working with my midwife and for her clients, she only charges $100 !!!!....and that's for the full 8-12 week course (it's really 12 weeks, but she likes to combine a few of the sessions if she can) AND that includes the cost of a $25 book. So, she's only making $75 on the deal.

A friend of mine and her husband just went through 12 weeks of Bradley classes w/ a different instructor and paid A LOT more. Their instructor charges $200, but they had to pay $300 because they couldn't make it to some of the sessions and had to receive a few private classes.

My midwife is familiar with both instructors and assured me that the instructor we're using is the best of the best and, in her opinion, is better in some ways than my friend's instructor. (I certainly won't be sharing that info w/ my friend!)

Here's the BEST part: If DH and I are comfortable with our instructor and feel that we would like her to attend the birth to help DH in his role as my "coach", and also be a sort of Doula, working along side him, she will do it at NO EXTRA CHARGE. She said she doesn't do that for everyone, but for my midwife's clients, she will do practically anything. She explained that this is her hobby and passion. It's not her main source of income, so she doesn't do it for the money.....she just LOVES helping couples become informed about childbirth and is passionate about making the birth atmosphere a positive one for both of the parents.

Of course, I would not feel right about NOT paying her for her presence at the birth. I don't know where the money will come from, but I'd like to give her an extra hundred dollars or two if she does come to the birth....even though I know she's probably worth WAY more than that - many Doulas charge $600 or more!

Here's an encouraging little statistic taken from the Bradley website: "Of over 200,000 Bradley®-trained couples nationwide, over 86% of them have had spontaneous, unmedicated vaginal births."
That makes me feel really good.

Right now, our tenative schedule is to start meeting every Thursday evening around 6 or 6:30 at the beginning of February at a building that just happens to be a few blocks from where DH works. Of course, I will have to check w/ DH to make sure this is okay, but the instructor told me to call if that doesn't work for us and we will figure out a different time.

I'm excited!!!!!!!!

Katherine K., I hope you found an opening in the birthing class of your choice. How's that going for you?

Labels: childbirth classes, labor/birth