Newborn Basics Class
So this is our second class we took. It was at the hospital, and it was a 2 and a half hour class. It was supposed to be about infant growth and stimulation and safety and things like that. This class costed us $10 for a "family" or really for the pair of us.
They ended up calling the class "Parenting 101" when we were there rather than "Newborn Basics". Apparently pretty much the same thing. It really was more like simple parenting information than anything. Most of the information I knew, and had experience with for my nephew. I did learn a few things, but the majority of what I learned was differences between what they told my sister at her hospital, and specifics about this hospital's labor and delivery. The basic newborn care stuff I already knew most of it. Oh and the class ended a little early and was only about 2 hours long, rather than 2 and a half.
So some things I already knew about that they taught:
*How to bath a baby, what supplies you need for bathing, not to give them an actual bath until after the umbilical cord falls off, etc.
*Pros and cons to breastfeeding vs bottle feeding, etc.
*Correct ways to burp baby.
*How to diaper baby, etc.
And here are some things I learned that I did not know, or that were specific to this hospital:
*While driving, the handle on the infant car seat should be DOWN. I thought it was fine being up.
*Swaddling: I already knew how to swaddle, because of my nephew, but this hospital is a little more particular on HOW to swaddle and they want it much tighter.
*Kangaoo Care: Apparently immediately after giving birth, the baby is placed on my chest to cut the umbilical cord (as usual), however they will then wipe her off, on me still, and they will wrap her up with me in a stretchy band, skin to skin, immediately for the first hour. I am still a little confused on this and need to ask more questions next class, but I don't quite understand then when they will weigh her and give her the shots and so on. Plus I always thought they wanted you to breastfeed in the first 15 minutes, which won't be possible with her wrapped up that way with me. And unfortunately that's gonna mean everyone else is gonna have to wait to hold her for a while. I just wanna make sure James is second to hold her before anyone else.
*They no longer want you to use alcohol wipes on the umbilical cord until it falls off. You just let it dry up on it's own.
*If you do not have a pediatrician picked when going into labor, they will select one for you and then you can change it later. I've looked into a couple, but I'm not really sure how I can get one set up BEFORE the baby is here.
*If breastfeeding you will have to go see the pediatrician in the first 3-5 days of babies life, where as bottle fed babies can wait a week or two to go.
*The five S's to soothe a crying newborn that is not hungry, wet, etc. Swaddling, Side or Stomach (holding them on their side or stomach), Shushing (telling them shhh in their ear at the level they are crying or giving them some sort of white noise), Swinging (or jiggling them around), and Sucking (giving them a finger, breast, or pacifier to suck on). Apparently if you do a couple or all of these things, baby will stop crying. This will come in handy if it actually works!
In the class there was 8 other people besides James and I. 3 other couples, and then one pregnant girl and her mother because her boyfriend/husband couldn't get off work. They had snacks and water even. They gave us a big booklet about parenthood, plus some baby silverware with the hospital logo on them, plus a sample pack of breast pads, and a temperature card thing for baths. Most of the class was shown on like power point with explanation, and then we had a 35 minute video to watch. We also got to demonstrate burping and swaddling with our baby dolls they had for us. Even the husbands/boyfriends had to do it.
So this class was worth the $10. It was not completely boring. I did learn a few things. Our next class is tonight, our breastfeeding class. Then we have a maternity tour the day after the baby shower, and then two childbirth classes middle of november and we are done with classes. There will be a new post about the breastfeeding class tomorrow.
They ended up calling the class "Parenting 101" when we were there rather than "Newborn Basics". Apparently pretty much the same thing. It really was more like simple parenting information than anything. Most of the information I knew, and had experience with for my nephew. I did learn a few things, but the majority of what I learned was differences between what they told my sister at her hospital, and specifics about this hospital's labor and delivery. The basic newborn care stuff I already knew most of it. Oh and the class ended a little early and was only about 2 hours long, rather than 2 and a half.
So some things I already knew about that they taught:
*How to bath a baby, what supplies you need for bathing, not to give them an actual bath until after the umbilical cord falls off, etc.
*Pros and cons to breastfeeding vs bottle feeding, etc.
*Correct ways to burp baby.
*How to diaper baby, etc.
And here are some things I learned that I did not know, or that were specific to this hospital:
*While driving, the handle on the infant car seat should be DOWN. I thought it was fine being up.
*Swaddling: I already knew how to swaddle, because of my nephew, but this hospital is a little more particular on HOW to swaddle and they want it much tighter.
*Kangaoo Care: Apparently immediately after giving birth, the baby is placed on my chest to cut the umbilical cord (as usual), however they will then wipe her off, on me still, and they will wrap her up with me in a stretchy band, skin to skin, immediately for the first hour. I am still a little confused on this and need to ask more questions next class, but I don't quite understand then when they will weigh her and give her the shots and so on. Plus I always thought they wanted you to breastfeed in the first 15 minutes, which won't be possible with her wrapped up that way with me. And unfortunately that's gonna mean everyone else is gonna have to wait to hold her for a while. I just wanna make sure James is second to hold her before anyone else.
*They no longer want you to use alcohol wipes on the umbilical cord until it falls off. You just let it dry up on it's own.
*If you do not have a pediatrician picked when going into labor, they will select one for you and then you can change it later. I've looked into a couple, but I'm not really sure how I can get one set up BEFORE the baby is here.
*If breastfeeding you will have to go see the pediatrician in the first 3-5 days of babies life, where as bottle fed babies can wait a week or two to go.
*The five S's to soothe a crying newborn that is not hungry, wet, etc. Swaddling, Side or Stomach (holding them on their side or stomach), Shushing (telling them shhh in their ear at the level they are crying or giving them some sort of white noise), Swinging (or jiggling them around), and Sucking (giving them a finger, breast, or pacifier to suck on). Apparently if you do a couple or all of these things, baby will stop crying. This will come in handy if it actually works!
In the class there was 8 other people besides James and I. 3 other couples, and then one pregnant girl and her mother because her boyfriend/husband couldn't get off work. They had snacks and water even. They gave us a big booklet about parenthood, plus some baby silverware with the hospital logo on them, plus a sample pack of breast pads, and a temperature card thing for baths. Most of the class was shown on like power point with explanation, and then we had a 35 minute video to watch. We also got to demonstrate burping and swaddling with our baby dolls they had for us. Even the husbands/boyfriends had to do it.
So this class was worth the $10. It was not completely boring. I did learn a few things. Our next class is tonight, our breastfeeding class. Then we have a maternity tour the day after the baby shower, and then two childbirth classes middle of november and we are done with classes. There will be a new post about the breastfeeding class tomorrow.
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