Childbirth Class

Tuesday night was the first of five Childbirth Readiness classes. We met a few of the other couples in the class, and we're excited to be in the same class as our new friends Karen and Craig. They live within walking distance and are due a week before us, so I'm picturing myself calling Karen in February and saying, "Please can I come over?!"

The instructor launched right into great detail about the stages and phases of labor, complete with telling the husbands at what point their jokes stop being funny. We practiced 2- and 4-count breathing. We talked about what needs to be done before we go into labor (preregistration at hospital, appt with Anesthesiology, etc). We were told when to come to the hospital for delivery and the warning signs of labor, and that we do not need to bring our mucous plug with us.

The class was full of good information, perhaps too full as both Karen and I were a little overwhelmed and scared afterward. This thing that's making my belly so big? It has to come out. And that's precisely why I didn't read anything about labor and delivery before we got pregnant so that I wouldn't chicken out of the whole thing. And what if I can't remember how to breathe right or can't find a focal point? And what if my water breaks at Target? Or at night? How's that for a nightmare.