All about birth preparation classes & their health insurance coverage

If you’re like me and came of age in the late 90s, you may remember famous TV shows like Friends or Mad About You showing birth preparation class that mostly focused on frantic fathers, uncomfortable and very pregnant mothers, and a very strange breathing technique to get you through contractions. Birth preparation classes, sometimes called prenatal or childbirth classes and preparación del parto in Spanish, are educational sessions designed to prepare expectant parents for labor, delivery, and those first few exhausting months of parenthood. These classes cover a wide range of topics, from preparing a hospital bag to infant CPR, to help parents feel more informed and confident as they approach the birth of their child. And, no, no Lamaze breathing was taught in my classes.

What are prenatal classes, and what do they cover?

As your pregnancy progresses, you may consider a prenatal class prior to labor and delivery to walk you through the big task ahead of you. These classes are typically led by trained childbirth educators - nurses, midwives, or doulas - and can be undergone in-person, online, or through self-paced formats. They provide a supportive environment where parents can ask questions, share concerns, and connect with other expectant parents.

What topics are covered in prenatal classes?

While content can vary, below are the most common topics that you may encounter can be broadly placed into five categories:

Understanding the Stages of Labor and Delivery:

• Stages of Labor: Explanation of the different stages of labor, what to expect during each stage, and the progression from early labor to active labor and delivery.
• Signs of Labor: Information on how to recognize the signs of labor (and, no, it’s not just your water breaking!)and when to go to the hospital or birth center.
• Creating a Birth Plan: Guidance on creating a birth plan that outlines yours and your partners’ preferences for labor and delivery, which should also include pain management options and interventions.

Pain Management During Labor:

• Natural Pain Relief Techniques: Techniques such as breathing exercises, relaxation methods, visualization, and various labor positions.
• Medical Pain Relief Options: Information on epidurals, spinal blocks, and other medical pain relief methods, including their benefits and potential risks.

Medical Interventions:

• Induction: When and why labor might be induced, and the methods used.
• Cesarean Section (C-section): Explanation of why a C-section might be necessary, the procedure itself, and recovery.
• Assisted Delivery: Information on the use of forceps, vacuum extraction, and other interventions.

Caring for your newborn:

• Immediate Post-Birth Care: What happens in the hours immediately after birth, including skin-to-skin contact, the Apgar score, and initial health checks.
• Breastfeeding: Basics of breastfeeding, including techniques, common challenges, and resources for support.
• Newborn Health and Safety: Bathing, diapering, swaddling, and understanding newborn cues (hint: it’s all new and all confusing).
  
  

Caring for Yourself, Postpartum:

• Physical Recovery: Information on the physical recovery process after birth for the mother, including managing postpartum bleeding, perineal care, and healing from a C-section.
• Emotional Well-being: Addressing the emotional changes and challenges that can occur after childbirth, such as baby blues and postpartum depression.
  
  

Most will also feature the partner’s very important role in supporting the birthing parent during labor and delivery. It’s worth noting that each of the aforementioned topics are not exclusive to the birthing partner.

Does my insurance cover prenatal classes?

In Spain, your healthcare coverage under the social security system depends largely on your autonomous community. You can inquire with your healthcare professional, such as an OB-GYN or a midwife, about the availability of classes in your healthcare center or nearest hospital and whether they offer hospital tours and post-natal first aid courses. In general, these courses are free of charge if you are on the social security healthcare regime.

You may also choose to use your private healthcare for access to prenatal classes. In this case, you can ask about coverage levels or even choose services à la carte. Caser’s Inicia plan, for example, gives you affordable access to specialists and pre-natal testing and scans with a co-pay or low costs for additional coverage. It’s a great plan for a healthy person looking to start family, with both IUD contraceptive placement included as well as birth preparation packages.

If you already benefit from Caser’s wide range of benefits under your healthcare plan, you can consider adding pregnancy care to your existing coverage. This full-range care program will take care of you both before and during your pregnancy, and indeed into the “fourth” trimester as you heal. The maternity coverage add-on will not only give you access to a shorter and more intimate birthing class that is more adapted to your individual needs, but also assist in other ways, depending on your coverage level.

For example, Activa, Integral and Prestigio plans will allow you to undergo infertility treatment, allow for postpartum care in your home or give you access to additional hormone and chromosome testing. All plans include a full list of local, specialized healthcare professionals, birth preparation classes, coverage during labor and delivery and pelvic floor rehabilitation – much more than you’d receive in the public, social security system. What’s more, private hospitals tend to give you earlier access to professionals and private rooms during labor and recovery, and having insurance can help keep infertility treatment costs lower.

You can contact an agent or calculate your health insurance plan online.

Remember that a pregnancy supplement has a nine-month wait period without copays in most cases, so you may have to pay for some if you have not yet reached the periodo de carencia. These minimum coverage periods depend on the type of service you would like to have access to.

My experience with birth preparation classes

When I was pregnant with my first, I began the prenatal classes in my local health center about 10 weeks before my due date. A trained midwife, called a matrona, led about 15 of us, all with similar due dates, through the basics listed below. Most came with a partner or at least a friend, scribbling down notes as we sat in a circle. While I was doing most of my appointments in the private healthcare system as part of my coverage with Caser’s Activa plan, the public center was more convenient for my husband’s and my schedule. After childbirth, the health center also offered infant care and emergency interventions classes, which I also opted to take.

To be totally honest, labor terrified me. I watched videos, read first-hand accounts and dog-eared books to prepare me. But the prenatal classes and hearing that everyone else was nervous bonded us – and we were soon swapping stories at the park while we watched our kids toddle around.

When I got pregnant a second time, I opted to forego the prenatal classes and instead figure out how to potty-train a two-year old while also nursing an infant. Thankfully, I had taken and kept my notes and referred to several great pieces of literature, knowing that my coverage would allow me to make appointments with a healthcare professional and our full-coverage insurance would also mean that there were no surprises during post-midnight runs to the E.R.