Post by sarahck on Oct 3, 2017 12:21:07 GMT -5
Opener – I like the baby names opener in the Facilitator’s Guide.
In the Facilitator’s Guide for this session:
I also like to do the "Birth Plan Tango" if we haven't gotten to it in Session 5 or 6. For each of the labor decisions listed below, assign those who want the first option to stand in one area of the room (i.e. “next to this door”) and those who want the other option to stand in another area of the room (i.e. “next to the mat”). One by one, ask each group why they chose that option. See if anyone wants to change options after hearing both sides explain their reasons. For each decision, choose different areas of the room from the one before, so that everyone gets to move around a lot (hence the "tango"). And again, make sure everyone knows that all these options are OK, there is no right or wrong choice.
We have a Lactation Consultant from the hospital come for the first ½ hour of this session. The LCs like to do it because they love to do outreach. They discuss the patients' opinions of the pros and cons of breastfeeding – because there are both and we want to acknowledge and discuss that.
Then we often play “The Price is Right.” We have a list and some pictures of common baby care things like diaper genies, baby gyms, a crib, etc. We give all the participants one of these cute things and one at a time have them guess the cost of each thing at Walmart.com. We use “Price is Right Rules” – the winner is the one who gets closest to the actual price without going over. As we play, we discuss whether or not you really need these items, whether they have to be new or can be bought used, etc.
At the end of this session, we give out Halo Sleep Sacks to everyone. These are very popular gifts, and we get them pretty cheaply through the hospital pricing. We use this moment to discuss the safe sleep recommendations. Unfortunately, there is often someone in the group that has known someone who had a baby that died of SIDS or suffocation, so we can discuss how devastating that is and why it’s worth it to do everything possible to protect your baby. We also discuss that it’s often other caregivers who use unsafe sleep practices because the rules have changes since the last time they cared for a baby (grandparents especially), so it’s important that they know the rules.
I have printed out the attached 2 pictures and pass them around. Most of the sessions I’ve attended, everyone agrees that the unsafe sleep picture is really what we always wanted for our precious babies. And, the safe sleep picture looks like a poor, neglected, unloved child in its bare crib with no cushy comforts. And we discuss how the big baby stores are FULL of stuff that you shouldn’t buy because they’re not safe (the unsafe sleep picture came straight from Babies R Us webpage, y’all).
In the Facilitator’s Guide for this session:
- Decisions for after the baby is born – Looks awesome.
- Agree-Disagree questions for “Caring for your baby” – I’m not as much of a fan of this, because they are right and wrong questions. This puts us in an uncomfortable position of having to tell people their beliefs are wrong, which can seem confrontational and disrespectful. I am a bigger fan of using open-ended questions. Plus, some of the statements on there are confusing double negatives.
- Discussions about circumcision and siblings – Very helpful! Unfortunately they both leave out ½ the group on average. But that doesn’t mean those discussions aren’t worth having.
- Pediatric care – We don’t usually have a pediatrician come in, but I think a discussion about “When to worry” or “When should I call” or “When should I go to the hospital” is VERY helpful.
I also like to do the "Birth Plan Tango" if we haven't gotten to it in Session 5 or 6. For each of the labor decisions listed below, assign those who want the first option to stand in one area of the room (i.e. “next to this door”) and those who want the other option to stand in another area of the room (i.e. “next to the mat”). One by one, ask each group why they chose that option. See if anyone wants to change options after hearing both sides explain their reasons. For each decision, choose different areas of the room from the one before, so that everyone gets to move around a lot (hence the "tango"). And again, make sure everyone knows that all these options are OK, there is no right or wrong choice.
- I want to have my baby as soon as possible vs. I want to go all 40 weeks to my due date
- I want to be induced so I know when my baby will be born vs I want to let labor start on its own
- I want to have a whole group of people in the hospital room with me (partner, friends, sisters, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and neighbors) vs I just want one person there that I can depend on
- I plan to head to the hospital as soon as I feel my first contraction vs I plan to stay at home as long as possible before I go to the hospital
- I have a plan for all the things I will do to cope with labor vs I have no plan for any comfort measures during labor
- I plan to get an epidural as soon as I walk in the door of the hospital vs I plan to not get any epidural at all
- I plan to have a vaginal birth vs I plan to have a c-section
- I want my baby skin-to-skin with me as soon as they’re born vs I want my baby to be cleaned up before I hold them
- I hope to breastfeed as soon as possible after delivery vs I want to take a break first
We have a Lactation Consultant from the hospital come for the first ½ hour of this session. The LCs like to do it because they love to do outreach. They discuss the patients' opinions of the pros and cons of breastfeeding – because there are both and we want to acknowledge and discuss that.
Then we often play “The Price is Right.” We have a list and some pictures of common baby care things like diaper genies, baby gyms, a crib, etc. We give all the participants one of these cute things and one at a time have them guess the cost of each thing at Walmart.com. We use “Price is Right Rules” – the winner is the one who gets closest to the actual price without going over. As we play, we discuss whether or not you really need these items, whether they have to be new or can be bought used, etc.
At the end of this session, we give out Halo Sleep Sacks to everyone. These are very popular gifts, and we get them pretty cheaply through the hospital pricing. We use this moment to discuss the safe sleep recommendations. Unfortunately, there is often someone in the group that has known someone who had a baby that died of SIDS or suffocation, so we can discuss how devastating that is and why it’s worth it to do everything possible to protect your baby. We also discuss that it’s often other caregivers who use unsafe sleep practices because the rules have changes since the last time they cared for a baby (grandparents especially), so it’s important that they know the rules.
I have printed out the attached 2 pictures and pass them around. Most of the sessions I’ve attended, everyone agrees that the unsafe sleep picture is really what we always wanted for our precious babies. And, the safe sleep picture looks like a poor, neglected, unloved child in its bare crib with no cushy comforts. And we discuss how the big baby stores are FULL of stuff that you shouldn’t buy because they’re not safe (the unsafe sleep picture came straight from Babies R Us webpage, y’all).
