Childbirth Classes – Week 1

Monday night began our first week in childbirth classes. The classes are held at 7pm and go for 2 hours. There are six classes in total. 7 if I decide to attend the breast-feeding class. I’m still on the fence on this issue (please no one hunt me down and tell me what a horrible person I am for even considering not breastfeeding).

Anyway the night was full of information. From labor and delivery expectations to diagrams of the baby as it grows we saw lots of pictures and got a whole new perspective on what it means to have a baby growing in your belly. We took in more facts than we could possibly remember! The nurse running our class was funny, upbeat and very positive. Jer was dreading the movie, but it turned out to be just fine! He didn’t even turn green! I was proud!

After the movie, we learned two breathing techniques. It was something both Jeremy and I were unprepared for and honestly a little nervous about doing in front of 20 other people. I think Jeremy is nervous about coaching me in general because he's not sure what to expect, but he did great. Like everything else we’ve done our lives, it’s a challenge and always bonds us in new ways. We learned about cleansing breaths and two ways to keep my breathing slow and steady while I’m having contractions. By the time we left Jer was counting my breaths and timing pretend contractions - they last anywhere from 45 to 90 seconds. Let me tell you it doesn't seem like a long time until someone times and counts the breaths you take. Try it! It seems like forever! The nurse gave great tips on things to say to laboring moms. I think I’ll be in good hands with Jer as my coach and the nurses at Saint Anthony’s to take care of us both! We left at 9pm on the nose. Jer was quiet for a little while on the way home. I think it hit both of us just what a miracle it is, and just how much work it’s going to be. When we left I was feeling more excited and more prepared for everything ahead of us in the next several weeks! Wish us luck on week 2!