Mahnikuh

Thanks, everyone. It's so nice to have input from experienced people before I make this decision! :)

Hey Everyone, I'm a new pre-nursing student and I'm taking my first prereq this summer. I want to take A & P 1 because I'm starting a new job as a childbirth educator in the fall (don't want to take A & P while I'm starting a new job). My advisor advised me to take nutrition so I wouldn't rush learning the foundational information taught in A & P. (Summer classes are taught over 10 weeks rather than 16). Do you guys think it is harmful to take A & P in a condensed amount of time? I'd love any feedback or opinions you have. (I posted this same message somewhere else on the boards... I'm hoping more people will see it as a new thread.. so sorry if it's a repeat for anyone! Thanks, Monica

Hey Everyone, I'm a brand new pre-nursing student. I am taking my very first class this summer. I've got a bachelor's degree already in Speech Pathology, all I need to take are the nursing prerequisites (A&P 1&2, Nutrition, Microbiology, and Pathophysiology). I can take anatomy or nutrition over a 10 week period. My advisor advised me not to take anatomy over the 10 week period because it is a very foundational course and I should not rush through it. I really would like to take it this summer because I have 2 wonderful, trustworthy babysitters lined up (I have a 1 year old and a 2 year old) and I will be starting a job as a childbirth educator in the fall. (I don't want to take A & P 1 while I'm starting a new job). Do you all feel it would be harmful to take A & P in a condensed amount of time? What is the most difficult part of A & P and how much do you use the information taught in this course in your jobs? I really want to make an "A" and I want to make a wise decision here. Thanks for your input and opinions! Monica

Thanks for the info! Very helpful!

Porterwoman, where did you go to nursing school? I live in NC too...

RNMommy, what's the point of a fundus check? (I know they're medically necessary, I just want to be able to explain why). Also, teaching the Moms to do the fundus checks themselves a feasible possibility? i.e., let her do the more aggressive pushing and let the RN just check once for whatever you're looking for?

This is very helpful! Thank you!

Hi all, I'm new to the boards. I'm a newly certified childbirth educator and I'm not an RN (I'd love to go to nursing school, but I'm waiting until my two children are a little older to start taking classes... another story for another time...) I'm wondering what you, as L&D nurses (or doulas or anyone who has experience in this area!), would like your patients to learn in childbirth class. What is the most valuable information your patients need in labor, in your opinions? What are common areas of misunderstanding and what seems to shock your patients most? Thanks for any input!

BETSRN, what's the advantage of going through ICEA and/or Lamaze? Just wondering. (I'll need new recertification next year, I'd go through a different organization if I felt like I'd learn more).

Hi all, I was recently certified as a childbirth educator through ACBE. I took the BABE course mentioned in the above post and I loved it! My favorite thing about the BABE course was the interactive ways we learned to teach childbirth subjects. My instructor was so big on getting the parents involved in the class rather than lecture style. (I said this already on another thread but I'll say it again.....) She told us to teach post partum by putting a bunch of different objects in a gym bag. Each person had to take out an object and say how it related to PP. She put the PP "undies" in the bag, a nursing bra, she even put a plastic banana in there (encouraging Moms and their partners to have healthy snacks that need no preparation in the early weeks of pregnancy.... nursing Moms can keep snacks where they nurse their baby). Anyway, I loved the BABE course and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be a certified childbirth educator.

I'm new to the boards too. I recently got my childbirth certification through the Academy of Childbirth Educators - acbe.com I had a wonderful experience going through the certification process. I took a weekend course that covered a ton of valuable material. Learning a lot of information in a condensed amount of time can be a bit treacherous. I loved it though - the instructor was very warm and had a lot of creative ideas about getting the information across. She was very into getting the Moms and partners involved in the class. i.e., to teach the post partum class, she passed a gym bag around. Each person took something out of the bag and had to say how they thought it'd be used in post partum. She put ice packs, the "underwear" you see in post partum, the big pads, even condoms in the bag. Loved it!