I’m getting an epidural and we will have nurses, do I need prenatal education?

In a word, “yes.” Having a baby is an amazing experience but it isn’t an easy experience. Even with an epidural and an amazing medical team, knowing what is happening to your body and your baby’s during labor and birth can help avoid unnecessary interventions as well as a lot of fear.

Prenatal education is not only for those who have decided to go without pain management during labor. It’s even for the woman who has decided to tattoo the word, “epidural” on her chest so even if she can’t utter the word, she can point to it.

There are very few experiences we go through in life that effect every system of our body. Between  nursing, our uterus returning back to its pre-pregnant state swiftly, our hormones switching to a lactation state and clots the size of grapes — a little education can help alleviate the fear.

Birth Boot Camp is one of the many courses that is more in depth than the hospital version of prenatal education. It’s hospital policy agnostic. Teaching what will happen to your body, your partner’s body, how to recover and rest well and what birth may look like before it’s time to head to the hospital will alleviate  fear and limit intervention.

Find a good solid course to help you and your support team have solid, realistic expectations. Early labor may be 12-18 hours at home, inductions are usually around 24 hours in the hospital before baby is born, nursing can cause tears for both mom and baby and it’s just hard.

The love you feel for your baby is unbelievable. Preparing for the labor and recovery allows you to unabashedly enjoy the baby snuggles.