Reflective Practice Narrative (RPN): Pre-natal Education
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Reflective Practice Narrative (RPN): Pre-natal Education
Childbirth could be an exciting experience in which for most pregnant women and even if a woman has already a child, labor and birth process are both overwhelming and joyful. For some expectant mothers, they are seeking knowledge in order to be well-informed on what could be expected during labour and delivery. Some women may be interested in childbirth (prenatal) classes that help them prepare for labour, birth and parenthood. Historically, prenatal classes has been around for 50 years in which the objective is to prepare childbearing women to birth, teach them pain management techniques during labor, promoting healthy lifestyles, anxiety reduction and postpartum care (Walker & Worrell, 2008 and Stoll & Hall, 2012). Thus, healthcare system became the resource for support and information on women’s reproductive, and providing prenatal classes.
According to credible studies, childbirth classes demonstrate increase women’s knowledge regarding childbirth (Lee, & Holroyd, 2009). As such, childbirth classes provides informational needs for pregnant women. In analysis of my experience, the client illustrates and applies her learning from the prenatal classes she attended in which shows that she is well-informed and her needs regarding childbirth are met. During her previous two deliveries, she did not know childbirth techniques. She was anxious and shouting, and did not know how to manage her pain. She gained understanding and knowledge when she participated prenatal classes during her third pregnancy, and the effectiveness of the prenatal classes helped support her educational needs in reducing her anxiety, managing her pain and discomfort (Lee, & Holroyd, 2009). Further, she see the effectiveness of the deep breathing and relaxation exercises as she is applying it while in labour, and she is confident of not taking pain medications. Studies have shown the “benefits of prenatal classes have included increased confidence for labor and birth among women who attended prenatal classes, higher likelihood of breastfeeding, improved communication between childbearing women and decreased need for analgesic medications” (Stoll, & Hall, 2012, p. 230). Moreover, the birthing ball provides comfort for the client and helps her positioned properly as she moves back and forth. The movement of the ball as she is swaying promotes expansion of her pelvis and moves the fetus into a proper position for birth by using movement, gravity and upright positioning (Weiss, 2014).
The client’s knowledge on staying calm and relax, using deep breathing, and knowledge of proper timing when to and not to push demonstrated the effectiveness of her learning from the prenatal classes which facilitated her experience of smooth labour and delivery process (Lee & Holroyd, 2009). During the delivery, the client was able to follow the attending physician in coaching her