Yesterday we took an 8-hour childbirth prep class at Swedish Hospital. Ultimately I am very glad that we took it because I learned a lot, but there are just a lot of things where I am a firm believer that ignorance is bliss. While the whole birth process is a miracle, I do honestly wish one day the baby just “magically” appeared as I have no desire to actually see anything or feel anything, other than the baby once it is delivered. We got to watch all these wonderful video’s of women going through the whole experience and given that I have to look away at any of the medical scenes while watching House or Greys Anatomy, you can just imagine how much I loved watching the whole birthing experience.
The class taught us all about good breathing techniques, and how many women find vocalizing through breathing a helpful technique … basically moaning as you breath. Um, I couldn’t do it. And I don’t think I would be able to do it in labor. I am much more likely to pull together a very colorful string of obscenities to mutter at Jeremy for putting me in this position in the first place, but that is likely the extent to which I would take it. :-)
Thankfully we sat next to some normal people in our class (hey, it is Seattle … you never know what you get). In fact, they were telling us about all the crazies in their earlier classes. The other gal at our table was one week away from her due date. She got up to leave about 3/4 of the way through the class, but came over to me and said, “My contractions are now consistently five minutes apart. I am going home to get my bag and my husband and going to the hospital.” Fingers crossed that she is doing well!
Jeremy and I keep going back and forth on the epidural … I know that I want one if the pain becomes unbearable, he is afraid of the potential dangers/side effects of that. There is a higher rate of needing to use the vacuum and forceps with an epidural because it is harder to push when you are numb. I agreed that I will go as long as I can without one, but that I still get to reserve the right to get one. Watching the birth where the mom got the epidural was much easier than watching the natural labors … um, I choose that experience. And I also know that a c-section is a last resort … open to it if we absolutely need it, but man, there is lot more trauma to the mom’s body with that one.
We also drove past the front of the hospital, so we at least know where it is now … we were laughing a few weeks ago that neither of us knew how to get there easily if I went into early labor. Good to know we are prepared ;-)
The baby continues to go through growth spurts, as I am getting more and more uncomfortable every day. I seem to have different periods of time where it shoves up into my ribs for awhile, then it finally drops back down. And the amount of activity is crazy – there is a little acrobat in there (or a prize fighter), as it is trying push outward on me a lot. It got to the point that one night I dreamed that the baby literally just came out of the top of my stomach – no blood, no pain, just “ooo- that looks like an arm sticking out of my belly!” and “Are those little legs and feet that are coming out of my belly?” to the baby sitting in my lap. We were driving and I promptly screamed to Jeremy to get to the hospital. Ahhh, all the crazy dreams while pregnant (though giving birth in that manner sounds much more appealing).
Okay, off to help Jeremy install the closet organizer we got for the baby’s room and to keep up a continuous supply of alcohol coming to him (as apparently that is the only way Mark got through installing it in his house). Happy February 1st!