Wondering about La Maze...?

Hi all,

I am almost 6 mos along at the moment and just curious as to whether I should try to take La Maze classes or not... are they worth it? I am not planning on doing a 100% natural birth as this will be my first, and I'm not sure how it will go for me or my husband, pain-wise, or time-wise. My mom had 3 very easy pregnancies and deliveries; I'm the first of her three daughters to be pregnant (thus first grandchild on both sides!); my in-laws said that they liked La Maze because even though they had 2 (very early!) preemies and they missed all but the first class they took, the breathing exercises they learned there helped, and it helped my FIL to know what MIL was going through... my own parents didn't do La Maze so don't have an opinion either way (My mom also says she had no symptoms with any of her 3 pregnancies; nor did she have any cravings. lol, lucky!). Also, I only know one person my age who took La Maze (and she ended up having a C-section) so I don't have very many other people to ask! So, I thought I'd toss this out there and see what kind of experiences y'all have had w/La Maze, whether you felt it was worth it, or a waste of time since you had pain meds and an epidural. I'm not terribly panicked over the idea of giving birth because I trust my body's capabilities for the most part (we were made for giving birth after all), but I just wonder if La Maze might help my DH & I become even more secure w/the process and make us more of a childbirth "team" (though we already are a pretty good team!), or if it's pointless. Our hospital does offer free one-time childbirth classes, but they're only about 3 hrs long, and that's definitely something we plan on doing (however it's not La Maze); and the only La Maze class I know of in our area-- Cedar Rapids-- does cost money.

Anyways, you can probably tell just how much I'm going back and forth on this, so I'm hoping to get some new perspectives on the whole La Maze topic!

I personally wanted as much information as I could get while I was pregnant. Some people don't have this same reaction, so this may affect your decision. Lamaze class was useful for us because it gave us information about what typically happens in labor, and how to deal with issues such as back labor, etc. It also gave us resources such as lists of items you might want to pack in your bag, information on what types of medications are available when you are in labor, and more. By the way, there are circumstances in which you might not be able to have the drugs you are planning on, so it is important not to count on them completely.

If you're not planning on having a doula present for your labor, I particularly recommend the Lamaze class. Your partner may pick up some tips to help you throughout your labor. You will also meet other couples in your same "situation" that you might bond with. Your Lamaze teacher is also a great resource for information and support before and after the birth. I had a good Lamaze experience and would strongly recommend it, especially to first time mothers.

Definitely take La Maze. We took the weekend La Maze class at St Lukes in Cedar Rapids. Well worth the money spent even if you do not plan to use much of the breathing techniques. It really helps to learn what to expect (and how to be prepared for the unexpected.) Lots of things can go differently than planned and having several different pain/stress relief techiniques is really a godsend. With my 1st, they gave me pitocin and some other drug which I hated. The breathing really helped during the last pushing phase. With my 2nd, I didn't have any drugs and just used the La Maze. Much preferred it the second way. With the La Maze breathing I was able to be more alert and more aware of what is going on around me. THe baby was also more aleart after birth which helped get breastfeeding off to a better start. Also spent more time laboring in the comfort of my own home that I would have been able to do without the La Maze. Again, spend the money, the peace of mind before and during labor is well worth the cost.