Childbirth Class

We spent most of yesterday in our childbirth class with eight other expecting women! The class was actually taught by one of the RN's who works on the labor and delivery floor at Mount Carmel East where I will be delivering (apparently it was my Dr. who asked her to start teaching these classes). It was nice to learn about what to expect at the hospital, and it's what I appreciated most about the class. It sounds like they work hard to accomodate one's delivery expectations, while also reminding us to stay open-minded and flexible. Everyone's goal is a healthy baby and mom. We also learned and practiced some breathing techniques to control the pain of the contractions, and Brian learned how to take care of me while I go through them! This will be the one time I actually get him to give me massages! We got to see all the different kinds of cords I could potentially have hanging out of me, as well as the epidural needle, and Brian has decided that he's glad he just gets to be the "support." We also watched a video that showed 3 different births, but honestly I have seen almost as much from watching the birthing shows on the Discovery channel. Brian and I got the biggest surprise and laugh when our instructor pulled out the GIGANTIC maxi pad that I will be so lucky to wear after I give birth. Brian thought the disposable panties that go over the pad were especially "hot." I honestly could not believe how big this thing was, and wondered why they didn't just puts tabs on the sides like they do baby diapers to help keep it in place. It was funny to watch all of the men in the class curl up into their own fetal positions when the instructor explained to us how a baby boy is circumcised. Brian and I were also entertained by the young girl next to us who seemed overly concerend about her tatoo being cut into if she ended up with a C-section. All in all, it was nice day and several of the questions I'd had about the delivery aspect were answered. Mount Carmel also has two delivery rooms with tubs, which is something I could definitely see myself relaxing in, so I will be talking to my Dr. about this at the next appointment!