Childbirth educators
Types of childbirth classes
Making the choice
Booking in
The concept of childbirth education and learning about labour and birth first came about during the 1940's and 1950's. It was around this time that enthusiasts like Dr Grantly Dick-Read and Dr Robert Bradley (and Dr. Ferdinand Lamaze in the 1960's) who proposed their individual breathing techniques and psychological approaches for pregnant women to learn and use during their labour, with the aim of assisting them in achieving a natural birth without drugs.
Some of these earlier teachings were quite limited in their approaches (for example, 'just breathing', giving the woman minimal coping skills to call upon during labour). However, later teachings evolved, often as a result of combining two or three different past philosophies. Most contemporary face-to-face childbirth classes now draw on a range of various elements from many past philosophies. You can read more about the history of childbirth education and the various approaches
here.)
Childbirth education went on to become a vital component of the flourishing 'natural birth' movement during the late 70's and early 80's. Attending classes gained increasing acceptance as women and their partners started to question the need for a 'blanket approach' to routine medical interventions for all women. In its infancy, childbirth education aimed to bring birth 'back to basics' in an effort to humanise the experience for both mother and baby. Expectant couples wanted to take greater control over the birth of their babies, with the most notable of changes being the admission and involvement of men into the birth room, allowing them to provide physical and emotional support for their partners.
Today, antenatal classes are sought by many prospective parents for many reasons.