Kyle and I went to all day childbirth class yesterday, and I must say that I wasn't really looking forward to it. I didn't enjoy the one I took several years ago when I was pregnant with Jaidyn, and didn't find it helpful at all. But this one was a totally different experience! Our teacher was amazing. You could tell that that woman was 100% dedicated to pregnant women, their spouses, and little babies! She had a heart of gold, and is pretty much willing to help anyone in need, no matter what time of the day or night it is. There aren't many people like that. Most people do what they do to get a paycheck, and if it's not between the hours of 9 and 5, they really don't want to be bothered. She isn't like that. I can't remember how many times she said "if you forget something that we learned about, just email me or call me and I will go through it with you again." "If you need me when you're in labor, call me and I'll be there in 3 seconds flat." We aren't actually delivering at that hospital, so it won't be much use to us, but it's still very cool that her attitude is the way that it is!
Anywho, there were 8 couples there, and we actually recognized one couple from church, which was neat. First was the introduction and welcome from our teacher. She over-viewed what the day would be like for us. Then we discussed paperwork and birth plans. Going over birth plans was particularly interesting for me. We put our birthing plan together last week, but after seeing some of SB hospitals policies, I was able to make a list of things that I need to talk to our hospital about. That way, we wont have problems with our birth plan when we get to the hospital. For instance, at SB, no one is allowed in the delivery room for an hour after the baby has been delivered. It's super important to us that Jaidyn come in as soon as our baby is born, so that she can meet her new brother, so we will have to see what our hospitals policy on this is. Also, at SB, you can't take pictures during labor, this is also something that we wish to do. In short, we have lots to check out about the hospital we are delivering at! So it was good that I was able to make a list of questions.
We then discussed the signs of labor vs. false labor. Then we got to do some floor work. I should mention that by this point, had already had to run to the bathroom at least 5 times.
Our first floor work session involved us learning how to do "slow deep breathing". It involved us breathing while our partner did different types of massages on us to help ease our pain. Kyle and I really struggled with this. Just picture this: "You aren't listening to what she's saying! You're leaning on me too hard! You aren't doing it right! You're doing it too quickly!" It was a mess, and it was at that moment that I was so grateful that we came to class. If we hadn't realized how badly we were going to communicate with each other during this time, and walked into childbirth blindly, I guarantee you we would end up being at each others throats that day. It would be ugly. Kyle was trying so hard, he really was, and I feel terrible for being so hard on him. I'm not a super touchy-feely person to begin with, especially not in front of other people, so I think all the intimacy of him massaging me and occasionally giving me a sweet kiss totally freaked me out. I suck :/ Anyways, I'm glad that we were able to figure out what I like and what I don't like, so that on the day we deliver our baby boy, things wont be such a mess. Our second floor session went much better after we were able to talk about the first session in private, but I will talk about that later!
After floor-work came the tour. Because Kyle and I aren't delivering at that hospital, we got to go to lunch early and skip the tour, which is what we needed. We needed to just get away and talk about the horrible floor work session that we had just completed. We went to The Stadium since we had extra time and ate a nice, yummy meal. We talked a lot, and by the time we got back to class, we were feeling a little better about things.
After lunch we talked about some safety concerns, such as how you shouldn't draw much attention to the fact that you have a new baby, such as signs in your yard, balloons on your mailbox, and announcements in the paper. She talked about how this is how baby snatchers so easily figure out where new little babies are living. That part definitely freaked us out, but it was good info to have.
Next up, we talked about medicated birth. Kyle and I have been reading books and trying to get ourselves ready for an all natural birth, so I tried to block a lot of this out of my mind. When you are trying to go all natural, you like to pretend that drugs aren't an option, because the more you sit there and think about them, the more likely you are to want them when that pain kicks in. We are basically trying to reprogram our brains.
Here are (some) of my reasonings for wanting to go natural:
1. God designed us to have babies. He didn't design us to have babies using drugs, and he certainly didn't design it to be a totally pain-free experience. Thanks Eve! ;) That doesn't mean I think you are a bad person if you use medication during childbirth (I did with my first), it's just important to me to at least attempt to do it the way that (I feel) God intended for it to be done. I know that He has given each woman the power to do it, and I want to use that power that he has given me to bring my baby into this world with no drugs.
2. My first childbirth experience wasn't what I wanted it to be. I thought it was, until not too long ago. I thought it was great because I didn't feel a thing after I got that epidural, and I was able to literally lay back and relax. But when I look back on the birth of Jaidyn, I remember how out of it I was. I could barely fill out the information for her birth certificate after she was born. I was drugged up on something they put in my IV (I have no clue even to this day what it was), and then completely numb from the epidural. I wasn't myself in the first moments that Jaidyn and I got to spend together. I was a loopy mess instead. And I had a terrible time pushing. Not feeling anything means that you don't get that urge to push. It took me two and a half hours to push her out, and after she was finally here, my body was exhausted. I was exhausted, drugged up, and loopy. Not how you want to be when you meet the most amazing person in the world for the first time.
3. I know that I can handle the pain. Since reading these books and going to class, I realize that I was already in transition by the time I got my epidural with Jaidyn. I was somewhere beyond 6 cm (because I was at 6 already when I got to the hospital, and it took forever to get the epidural) and throwing up like crazy. What do those two things tell you? You're in transition baby, and it isn't long now until that beautiful angel is in your arms! I had no idea though that I was already experiencing the worst part of it. I was so uneducated about childbirth, and no one told me. Had I known, I surely could have stuck it out a little bit longer. I kick myself about it now, but I had no idea then.
4. I want what's best for my baby. I'm pretty sure that Jaidyn was as loopy and drugged up as me when we first met. I want mommy and baby to both be alert when we get to meet each other for the first time. This moment is so important to me! I also don't want drugs to interfere with breastfeeding. This is also so very important to me, and I want him to have the best shot at breastfeeding properly, without drugs effecting his ability to do so.
Now again, I don't think you are bad for using medication during birth. I don't care what you choose to do with your own birthing experience, but this one is mine, and I want it to be the experience that I am dreaming of. I know that things could happen that could alter our all natural plan. We could be induced, we could have a c-section, I could have a horrible, long, drawn-out labor and beg for an epidural, but right now, this is my plan. And because this is my plan, that is what I'm going to work towards.
Whoa did I get off topic! After medication, we talked about inductions, augmentations, and the technology available to use during delivery these days. For the most part, I tried to block this part out of my mind too. All except for the natural ways to induce your labor. Being induced is currently one of my biggest fears. Since I have GD, we have to make sure that baby boy doesn't get too big. If he is bigger than 6 lbs at our 36 week appointment, we have to start talking inductions, so I have been praying and praying that he will stay small enough so we wont have to be induced (you could add this to your prayer list if you'd like:)). I don't want pitocin anywhere near me. I will try other natural means of induction, but please please please God no pitocin!!
After these talks came our second round of floor work. This time went much, much better. We worked on breathing again, as well as some positions to use during labor. This is the time of the day when my husband got to get up in front of the class and give a demonstration on how to use the birthing ball. It was hilarious! And, we got a free stuffed bear out of it, which Jaidyn was more than happy to take off our hands when we got home! We also got to learn some good positions to push in, as well as some positions to use to encourage baby to drop or to turn it they are in there face up. This next one is one of the exercises I found particularly interesting. Kyle and I sit down facing one another. I find my focal point and start to breath. He then places his hand on a muscle in my neck and starts to squeeze. This causes pain, which is our practice contraction. He slowly increases the pressure until we've reached the peek of the "contraction" and then he begins to slowly release. I liked this one, because it causes you pain which makes it more real, and then you can practice breathing through the pain. I think we will be practicing this one a lot.
We ended the class by discussing postpartum (the part that I am dreading the most. My recovery with Jaidyn was terrible!) and received some certificates. She played a youtube video (Derek Redmond video with the song You Raise Me Up) to show our birthing companions just how very important they all are. Needless to say, the whole room was in tears by the end of it. If you haven't watched it, you should. Seriously, I probably cried 4 or 5 times that day. I get so emotional about things. Every time I watched a baby being born that day, and look into it's mommy's eyes for the first time, the waterworks turned on. It really is such a beautiful thing. Something that only God could have created. I am so looking forward to the moment when my baby boy and I look into each others eyes for the first time. It will be magical :)
So, after 7 hours and about 15 trips to the bathroom, our day was over, and I was actually kind of sad. The teacher was so great, that I didn't want to leave her! I really enjoyed the class, and felt like we both learned a lot. I was happy to get home to my little girl and a newly painted nursery though :) Everyone should go to childbirth classes at SB, even if you aren't delivering there! I promise you that you will enjoy it!
Here is the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Yn4b9iClE
P.S. I don't know why some words in this entry are hyperlinked, but I find it very annoying. Sorry about that, but I'm not sure how to fix it!
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