Childbirth education class to be offered in Spanish

SIOUX CENTER – Spanish-speaking women haven’t had the opportunity to take childbirth education classes in their own language in the Sioux Center area before.

Registered nurse Kari Ney of Promise Community
Health Center will teach a two-session childbirth
education class for Spanish-speaking women, their
spouse or other support person with the help of
clinical assistant/interpreter Ruth Hernandez.

They do now.

Promise Community Health Center of Sioux Center will offer a two-session childbirth education class in Spanish at 6:30 p.m. on two consecutive Tuesdays, April 28 and May 5, at Central Reformed Church, 113 N. Main Ave., Sioux Center.

The class will be taught by registered nurse Kari Ney of Promise with the help of clinical assistant/interpreter Ruth Hernandez.

Ruth Hernandez will provide
interpretation services for a
childbirth education class
for Spanish speakers.

The class is free for Promise patients, but it is open to any Spanish-speaking women in the community. A $20 donation is suggested for other participants, but no one will be turned away for inability to pay. Please register in advance by Thursday, April 23, by calling Promise at 712-722-1700.

“It’s a huge need,” Ney said, noting that childbirth classes only have been offered in English in the area in the past. “It’s open for anyone who goes to any hospital. Anyone is welcome and can come.”

The class is ideal for women who are five months along or later in their pregnancy, their spouse or any other support person. Topics that will be covered during the two sessions include pregnancy, labor, comfort techniques, medical procedures, cesarean birth, newborn baby care, postpartum health and breastfeeding.

“A huge, huge topic is breastfeeding,” Ney said. “There are so many misconceptions about breastfeeding in the Hispanic community. To get that established in their language before the baby even arrives, that will provide the biggest help.”

Ney said Promise hopes to offer the childbirth education classes quarterly if they are well-received.

“That way, we will reach as many moms as we can throughout their pregnancy throughout the year,” she said.

Promise Community Health Center, headquartered in Sioux Center, is the only Federally Qualified Health Center in the far northwest corner of Iowa. To learn more, visit www.promisechc.org.