Integrating Preparation for Early Parenting Into Childbirth Education: Part I—A Curriculum

Abstract

This curriculum framework was developed based on the assumed ability of expectant parents to comprehend early parenting information. The Parenting in Pregnancy curriculum is designed to integrate parenting information into an existing traditional childbirth education program in a framework that strengthens both types of preparation because it assists parents to generalize the use of the coping skills they are learning. This curriculum encourages childbirth educators to “insert” efficiently and effectively parenting materials into their current curricula. This parenting information provides parents with the coping mechanisms they need to attach to their newborn children and raise them in a non-judgmental environment. In the same way, childbirth education provides the opportunity for parents to problem-solve before labor and delivery. The author theorizes that the captivated childbirth education parents learning labor and delivery techniques can reuse these same techniques for effective postpartum parenting. In part II (Journal of Perinatal Education, 8(1), a study on the use of this curriculum with parents will be reported.