Stretch and Relax Class Childbirth Education Program Summary
| WK | TOPIC | WK | TOPIC |
| 1 | Choices for maternity care Hospital, Birth centre or Home? Midwife or Obstetrician? Making the biggest decisions of your pregnancy | 11 | Self-help in the opening stage of labour - the role of the hormones in labour, self-help strategies for active labour |
| 2 | Decision making and Prenatal Testing – Applying B*R*A*I*N to the prenatal screening and diagnostic testing available during pregnancy. | 12 | Self-help in the opening stage of labour - positions to maximize your ability to let go during labour; massage for labour; and other techniques for increasing your comfort |
| 3 | Pelvic Floor - the role of the pelvic floor and how to do power and endurance exercises | 13 | Interventions and complications in the opening stage of labour - what to expect when you arrive at hospital in labour; monitoring of the mother and baby during labour; how to remain active in a labour that has required interventions |
| 4 | An overview of birth - an introduction to the stages and phases of normal labour; Premature labour and birth - the danger signs and choices for premature birth | 14 | Interventions and complications in the opening stage of labour - drugs for pain relief in labour; and fetal distress |
| 5 | Elective Caesarean Section - reasons for choosing a caesarean birth; what to expect and its advantages and disadvantages for the mother and baby, includes choices for breech birth |
15 | The birthing stage of labour - what your body and baby do |
| 6 | Induction of labour - reasons for choosing an induction; what to expect; the advantages and disadvantages for the mother and baby and alternatives to induction if you’re overdue | 16 | Partners’ night - the role of the hormones in labour; self-help strategies for the opening stage of labour; problem solving using positioning during labour; massage and touch; and other techniques for increasing your comfort. How you and your partner might respond in the birthing stage of labour: the role of the partner in the birthing stage of labour; and self-help strategies for the birthing stage of labour. |
| 7 | The thinning and softening stage of labour - what your body and baby do | 17 | Self-help strategies for the birthing stage of labour - prenatal perineal massage and other strategies for supporting the perineum
Interventions/complications during the birthing stage of labour - Episiotomy: what it is and how to avoid requiring it |
| 8 | Partners’ night - how to communicate with your caregiver so that you can make informed choices; maximising the pelvis for a shorter labour; how you and your partner might respond in the thinning and softening stage of labour: the role of the partner in early labour; self-help strategies for the thinning and softening stage of labour including a practice contraction activity. | 18 | Interventions/complications during the birthing stage of labour - forceps and vacuum assisted birth: what it is; the advantages & disadvantages of each for the mother and baby; and how to avoid requiring either. Local anaesthetics - how they are used and the advantages and disadvantages for the mother and baby.
Birthing the placenta - what your body does and how you might respond |
| 9 | The opening stage of labour - what your body and baby do | 19 | Self-help strategies for birthing the placenta - using positioning and hormones
Interventions/complications during the birthing of the placenta - the use of artificial hormones; post-partum haemorrhage; and retained placenta. |
| 10 | Self-help in the openning stage of labour - how you might respond in the opening stage of labour; identifying and overcoming fears about labour and birth | 20 | Partners’ Night - review of learning about labour and birth; planning the class reunion; and end of cycle party. |
This program is subject to change without notice
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