Postpartum courses

introduction

Midwives, hospitals, birthing centers and many other institutions offer a variety of courses for young parents.

Some of the courses are very useful and can take a lot of the load off the shoulders, especially for new parents, by showing them that they are not the only ones and that a bit of overwhelming at the beginning is quite normal.

Some other courses are more likely to stir up panic or are more geared towards the parents' wallet.

What postnatal courses are there?

Young parents shouldn't think that they are worse parents just because they attend fewer classes than others. The courses should help the parents to arrive in their new phase of life with the child and should not be a stress factor. There are postnatal training courses for mothers with midwives or physiotherapists.

Both parents can attend first aid courses for newborns and children and also take part in diaper changing courses. For the baby there is baby swimming, osteopathy, massages and much more. Joint fitness courses or relaxation courses for parents and children are also offered.

There are also courses that aim to strengthen the parent-child bond or teach parents how to use slings correctly.

All infancy, with all experiences and hurdles, is housed in courses, but only some courses are really helpful for young parents.

For more general information on this topic, see: Puerperium

How useful is a postgraduate course?

While pregnancy is a natural process, it is also associated with many changes in the mother's body. After giving birth, mothers should also take care of themselves and their own bodies, not just their newborn.

After the birth, the uterus recedes within a few hours and is then barely palpable, but the body needs a few months until everything is back in balance.

This regression is encouraged in regression courses under physiotherapeutic supervision. This can be done about six weeks after the birth because the body still needs rest beforehand.

Pelvic floor training stabilizes the muscular parts of the pelvis that were stretched during birth.This prevents the slight incontinence that many mothers experience when coughing or exercising. Through various sports exercises, the organs return to their place of origin and the pregnancy belly recedes.

Many courses end with relaxation exercises. However, these courses cannot promote hormonal regression. Post-training courses are very helpful, especially for the pelvic floor muscles, but not a must, as some exercises can be done independently.

Conclusion: Restoring the tone of the pelvic floor muscles is one of the most important tasks after childbirth. Because the quality of life of the newly-born mother is significantly better, a regression course can only be recommended.

You can read detailed information on this subject: Postnatal exercise

First aid courses for newborns

Both midwives and aid organizations offer special first aid courses for newborns. Fortunately, serious emergencies involving otherwise healthy infants are very rare, but when they do occur all the more dramatic for everyone involved.

Children are not little adults and infants are not little children. Many things work differently with babies and they have their own specific emergencies. In these courses, infant-specific emergencies and measures are discussed and trained. Which includes:

  • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
  • Help if swallowed
  • Febrile seizures
  • preventive measures for sudden infant death syndrome

The first aid courses for infants are a useful addition to regularly repeated first aid courses for adults. Grandparents, babysitters, siblings and other people who deal with babies should also learn the basic measures of first aid on infants and refresh them regularly. The courses can also be attended before the child is born.

Conclusion: Of course, there is not much that can be done with the medical knowledge acquired in a one-time first aid course. Nonetheless, the course brings calm to the situation and can be crucial for the child's life.

More information may also be helpful to you: First aid for the baby

Special breastfeeding and changing courses

Young parents who have their first child begin a completely new and unknown phase of life. Things that never mattered suddenly become important.

In changing courses, parents learn everyday situations with their baby. This includes changing diapers, bathing, changing and much more. In the courses, parents meet like-minded people and realize that they are not the only ones who have to learn these seemingly banal things and can exchange ideas with other parents.

The courses often start before the birth and are intended for both parents. In addition to practical exercises with baby dolls, the young parents learn a lot about breastfeeding and feeding, sleeping positions, the development of the child and preventive health measures.

Conclusion: The courses are highly recommended for first-time parents, as many fears can be relieved here and the parents can look forward to the positive aspects of their new job. The course is often no longer useful for other children, as most of the actions have already been mastered and the pediatrician or midwife can answer individual questions.

You can also find interesting information on this topic at Behavior during breastfeeding.

Swimming course - does my baby need it?

Baby swimming is one of the courses that young parents particularly like to attend. From the point at which the baby can hold its own head, parents can swim with their child for baby swimming. These courses are offered by hospitals, midwives, the DLRG and some swimming pools.

The babies develop joy in movement there and train their weak muscles, as movement in water is much easier than on land. Above all, the courses are a chance for parents to spend time with their baby and are often great fun. There the children learn neither swimming movements nor self-rescue, as they are only able to do this when they are around five years old.

The younger the child, the less long the swimming sessions can be. A quarter of an hour is enough for an infant, while older babies can stay in the water longer. Sick children should not be taken to baby swimming lessons.

During the courses, it should be ensured that the course instructor has attended training in the area at the DLRG or the DSV, as this ensures that the exercises do not overwhelm or endanger the babies.

Conclusion: Baby swimming courses are therefore not a necessary early intervention, but a nice activity that promotes the bond with the child

The following topic could also be of interest to you: Tight belly after pregnancy

Baby Massage - How Effective Is It?

Body contact is essential for the parent-child bond, especially in the first few months of life. Infants enjoy the time they spend with their parents and perceive the environment with all their senses.

A massage can set new impulses here. Massage can also help ease the symptoms of babies with gas. Baby massage is an Indian tradition and is being used more and more frequently in Germany. For fathers in particular, the baby massage is an opportunity to deepen their bond with their child.

In baby massage courses, parents learn with their own child which massage techniques are particularly suitable and the physiotherapeutic accompaniment helps to implement these techniques.

Conclusion: Parents do not normally need a course to establish physical contact with their own child. The techniques can also be learned with Internet videos, but the physiotherapeutic accompaniment can give parents security. Not all children like a massage, and the massage should not be done compulsively. The courses are offered by physiotherapists and midwives.

Read more about this under: Baby massage

Does my baby need an osteopath?

Osteopaths advise all babies to see an osteopath within the first four weeks of life, but this has no proven function.

Osteopathy is a supplement to conventional medicine and is intended to heal so-called birth trauma through manual therapy. Birth is a natural process and the baby's body is precisely geared to this stress, which is why therapy is usually not required.

Osteopaths say they can sense and treat difficulties that orthodox medical practitioners fail to discover. This is to reduce increased screaming and drinking weaknesses. Neither the check-up appointments with osteopaths nor the courses are scientifically proven and the professional title osteopath is not a protected term so that everyone can call themselves osteopath.

Most health insurances do not cover the treatments. If an osteopathic course is absolutely required, the parents should ensure that a sound education can be proven and that the exercises do not harm the child.

Conclusion: Because it is not scientifically proven, and there are other, more useful courses available, a visit to an osteopath is not absolutely necessary.

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Further general information on the subject of "postnatal courses":

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  • Abdominal muscle training after pregnancy
  • Aquafitness - a gentle full-body workout
  • Bloating in babies - what to do?
  • The baby's diet - The recommendation for infants