Back to School: Birth and Parenting Class

A few weeks ago, Nate and I enrolled in Birth and Parenting Class, which we have taken to calling "Baby Class." Last night, we completed session 3 of 5, which included a tour of Fairview Ridges, the hospital where we will deliver. Standing in the labor and delivery room made it seem SO real...it actually made me a little nervous, in a good way. I felt more excited than anything. 

Baby Class has been helpful so far. The first 3 sessions focused on labor and delivery and included topics including early signs of labor, stages of labor, options for pain control (YES PLEASE), possible complications, the role of the partner, and breathing and relaxation techniques. We also watched vidoes of medicated and non-medicated births. I give all the credit in the world to moms who do it without an epidural, but seeing the difference between the two experiences affirmed my decision to have one if I end up delivering in the traditional way. The nurse who teaches our class has has 3 of her own kids and gave birth to all of them with no medications or epidural. You can tell she absolutely favors this method based on her own experiences, but she did a good job of explaining the different options and helping us balance the pro's and con's of each. The main thing she stressed is to keep an open mind because every mom and every birth is different. 

We were also given plenty of reading material to look at on our own. While the written information is good, the pictures are, well...


Just what every expectant mom needs: A bad perm and a white bodysuit.



Nate promises never to gaze at me from behind a tree branch in tight jean shorts, as long as I don't ever get a bowl cut.

In addition to the pictures, there has been no shortage of laughs during the class discussions. It's so interesting for us to watch the other couples interact and hear what they have to say. Last night the nurse held up a giant pair of foreceps and was met with dead silence until the woman next to us asked (timidly but seriously), "Do they come in any smaller sizes?" 

In an earlier class, we were separated into Mom and Dad groups and each were asked to list out both the joys and challenges of pregnancy. Under the joys, the women wrote, "Spending money on cute things." Under the challenges, the men wrote, "Spending $$." Enough said. It just goes to show that even though we are all going through the same thing, each individual experience can be entirely different.  

The first night of class, Nate and I got the giggles during the relaxation techniques. It just felt kind of awkward sitting in a dark room, breathing deeply with our arms wrapped around eachother in front of 20 other people. We made a valiant effort to control our laughter, but holding it in makes it so much worse. It's the silent kind, where your whole body shakes. By the end of the exercise, I had tears running down my cheeks and Nate's face looked like a tomato. Not wanting to be the "problem kids" in class, we successfully pulled ourselves together the last two weeks. 

Weeks 4 and 5 of class will focus on newborn care. They bring in a pediatrician to answer questions, tell you what to expect and what to watch for the first few weeks. I'll update again after those sessions to let you know how they go. 

Nate, Baby O, Shady Lady and I all wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!!! This is my very favorite holiday and I can't wait to spend lots of time with the ones we love. Nate and I are also continuing our traditional Black Friday shopping spree. The major retailers have upped the ante this year and we will be out there at midnight to get some awesome deals on gifts and of course...baby stuff! I think the midnight start will actually be easier than getting up at 4 am, as we have done the last several years in  a row. Shopping for nursery furniture is good motivation, since we only have a little over two months to go...