Lauren was absolutely amazing. My husband and I are both a bit introverted (my husband especially), but Lauren made it very easy to open up and ask questions. There were a lot of great conversations and a lot of laughter in our class. The 2.5 hour weekly class with Lauren flew by, while the hour-long weekly class we took at the hospital at the same time felt much longer. It was good to get the hospital-specific information from where we plan to deliver, but overall, I got WAAAAY more out of Lauren's class than the hospital birthing class. It also taught my husband some techniques that he could do to help me during pregnancy, and that has made him feel more involved, and helped relieve so much pregnancy-related pain. Hip squeezes are the greatest thing ever!
If you've already decided on a "natural" birth, especially outside of a hospital, this is definitely the class for you. If you are on the fence about medical interventions, know you want at least some of them, or definitely want to give birth in a hospital, this class can make you feel a little bit judged at times. Not overtly, just a general, "doctors don't really care about you" kind of vibe (full-disclosure: my husband and I are both scientists, so we are particularly sensitive to "don't trust people in white coats" attitudes). That being said, the information in the class was all scientifically accurate, backed by research, and well-cited (Lauren even makes a point to cite sources when the handbook is lacking them). The comfort/relaxation techniques, relaxed casual atmosphere, and overwhelming support definitely outweigh any downsides though.
There was one week where my husband was away, so I brought my sister to class with me instead. She is NOT a baby person, and is very squeamish about pregnancy. After attending one class with Lauren, even though we watched a C-section video, my sister said, "I felt ok through that. I think I could be in the room with you if you wanted me to. I still don't really WANT to, but I think I could do it and be ok." If nothing else, that proved to me that Lauren has magical powers that make birth less scary for everyone.
This class made me feel so much more confident and empowered about pregnancy and birth. I'm less than two weeks from my due date, and instead of being scared, I just feel ready and excited. Let's do this! read more