Learn more about differentiated courses for pregnant women
The arrival of a baby is a unique moment in the life of parents. The expectation that extends over nine months is celebrated with joy on the day of birth. However, for everything to go as planned on this big day, parents can start preparing well in advance.
To this end, there are a number of special courses that can help future dads and moms on this journey. With mother and baby benefits in mind, some maternities, institutions, clinics, and professionals offer classes that prepare the family so that the arrival of the new member will hold only good surprises.
The wealth of information allows first-time parents - or those who are venturing once again - to reach birth and spend the first few days with the most secure and confident baby. Women, for the most part, also often experience a calmer delivery and better recovery.
Between video classes available online and expert lectures, there are also some courses that seek to address changes in a woman's body and prepare her physically and emotionally for the arrival of the baby. Yoga classes, relaxation techniques and meeting groups are some of the options for pregnant women.
The importance of preparation
The nine months of pregnancy represent a period full of physical, psychological and emotional changes in a woman's life. All changes that occur in the female body aim to bring greater comfort and safety for mother and baby. Thus, the body changes and adapts, always improving to accommodate that new life that will be cared for a few months.
Logically, the phase is accompanied by a series of discomforts that affect pregnant women. Weight gain, different aches, sleeping discomfort, bloating and tiredness are some of the factors that top the list of complaints among future moms. In addition to the signs that the body presents, the insecurity, anxiety and fear that often accompany the experience must also be taken into consideration.
All classes taught especially for pregnant women and their partners are intended to reduce these signs and prepare parents for the news that comes with the arrival of the baby. Massages, dances, body awareness and a lot of information about pregnancy are some of the resources available to those who expect a new life.
What are the benefits of courses for pregnant women?
Being properly prepared to receive your baby can have many benefits for you and him. In addition to some studies showing that prepared mothers have a higher rate of spontaneous births and receive little or no medication during the procedure, there are many other advantages to resorting to special courses.
Among several institutions that promote the circulation of information among future moms, the American Pregnancy Association lists some reasons for attending classes for pregnant women:
- The courses provide security so that you know that your body can give birth to the baby;
- Courses are an opportunity to discuss your fears with the instructor and cooperate with other pregnant women;
- The courses educate the partner so that he can give encouragement during childbirth. Many couples report that attending pregnancy classes has strengthened their relationship;
- You know different ways to ease pain, such as massage, relaxation, breathing, and medications;
- For those planning to deliver at the hospital, a visit gives insight into childbirth and birth according to site-specific practices. Out-of-maternity classes provide additional information on cooperation, physical and emotional aspects of birth and the different types of birth.
The testimony of those who participated
The student Camila Vida was one of the many pregnant women who sought information about the stages of pregnancy and labor in a space specially reserved for this. Besides consulting books, websites and blogs that dealt with motherhood, Camila participated in some meetings of a discussion group on humanized childbirth organized by a doula in Curitiba.
The student, who met the group on the recommendation of a friend, began attending meetings when she was 15 weeks pregnant. Camila reveals that she sought this type of work because her main intention was to have a home birth. For this reason, she sought different sources of information to clarify her doubts and understand more about all the changes that would happen in her body, besides the baby's development.
In addition, at 7½ months of gestation, Camila and her husband attended a lecture given by a local maternity hospital especially for future moms and dads. The speakers were an obstetrician and a pediatrician who spoke a little about the physiology of childbirth and gave explanations about breastfeeding, among other subjects. With this course, her husband received a passport that would allow him to accompany labor.
Camila reports that it was important to have attended the courses so she would not find the hospital environment so strange and scary. Knowing the procedures that could happen and being with the husband all the time were also important factors for her.
After going through the whole experience of pregnancy, Camila Vida emphasizes that it is important to be surrounded by information and seek body awareness. In her experience, the student said doula is a professional who has all the answers and is confident of information about motherhood. However, a woman conscious of her body and interested in the phenomena of pregnancy may seek information from different sources.
Still, Camila says it was very important for her to trust her own body and instincts. Talking to the baby, telling her what she was feeling, and connecting with him was also important in her opinion to facilitate the delivery.
“Pregnancy is a process that is learned along with the baby. When you are pregnant, mother and baby are one, ”she concludes.
Differentiated courses for pregnant women
In addition to the various videos that can be found online and some lectures offered by hospitals and maternity hospitals, you can count on the help of gynecologists, obstetricians, psychologists, nurses and doulas specializing in the development of the woman's and baby's body during pregnancy. In institutes created especially to care for mothers and babies, you can answer questions, exchange experiences, and learn more about motherhood.
Learn a little more about some courses that are offered in the country
Awakening of childbirth (São Paulo)
The team of professionals teaches several courses for those who want to learn more about pregnancy, the baby and the woman's body. In the “Childbirth Workshop, ” couples learn about different types of childbirth, learn pain-relieving techniques, and dads even better understand how to play an active role in this important moment in their lives.
The space also offers childbirth preparation classes that include yoga exercises to relieve discomfort, bring relaxation and strengthen the muscles that are critical at birth.
After the baby is born, dance classes, baby music, and breastfeeding consultancy also provide a boost for first-time moms and dads.
Mater Gaia (Curitiba)
The group supports pregnancy, childbirth and conscious motherhood through meetings and workshops. Childbirth preparation workshops cover the woman's body, the types of births and exercises to help with pregnancy and delivery. All workshops have a video show to illustrate the topics covered.
The space still focuses on the practice of yoga aimed at pregnant women. Through postures, breathing exercises and meditation, pregnant women gain body awareness and better understand all the transformations that occur during pregnancy.
Gamma - Active Maternity (São Paulo)
The space hosts free weekly meetings for couples who want to learn more about pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. For those who prefer to share information through the network, there is also a virtual group of discussions so that pregnant women can exchange experiences about active and conscious motherhood.
Moms can still attend yoga classes for pregnant women and women in the postpartum period. Those who want to get ahead can also learn the techniques of shantala - an Indian massage that relieves cramps, regulates sleep and tightens the bond between mother and baby.
As a differential, partners or companions can participate in most activities together with pregnant women.
Mothers School (Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre)
As its name says, the Mothers' School is a space for those who have already received their babies and are looking for practical tips on how to take care of the little ones from the first weeks of life to the age of three.
For pregnant women, there are specific courses on breastfeeding care, the first days of the baby's life, setting up a conscious outfit and physical and emotional recovery during the postpartum period.
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It is never too much to remember that, regardless of the choices that parents make for the birth of their children, courses for pregnant women do not replace medical follow-up and examinations that need to be done periodically to ensure the health of the mother and baby. But surely they are crucial for parents to know better the child's development and to receive the baby with much more preparation and security.
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