A matter of class

This weekend, MTB and I went to the 'Labor in a Day' class offered at the hospital where we will deliver, and I have to say I was surprised. For the most part, the information presented wasn’t necessarily new or enlightening, but I was surprised that the agenda really didn’t push a specific point of view. Based on conversations with several friends who delivered at the same hospital, I expected them to really push the natural approach, but the childbirth educator was surprisingly easy-going about epidurals. Although, she was a crunchy mom herself, and she even gave birth at home with her last child, although that was purely an accident (as she explained it, she called her midwife and was told that she was entirely too chipper to be close so she should labor at home a little longer - ten minutes and 2 pushes later, her daughter was born. Yikes!), she never tried to discourage anyone from getting an epidural. The tour of L&D and the mom floor was the best part of the day, and the videos were really not that much more graphic than what they show on TLC’s A Baby Story. There were a few more boobs sans pixilation than A Baby Story, but overall, not too bad in terms of the really graphic footage.

At the end of class, we received a birth-plan template, which is really nothing more than a series of check boxes. Honestly, before this class, I had no idea what a birth-plan really is, and maybe some women prepare a 12 page narrative rather than use the template. In any case, despite what you might think after reading my post about epidurals last week, my wishes for this birth are not set in stone. Yes, I really want that epidural, and yes, I need MTB there by my side, but as far as anything else is concerned, I really want to just do what is best for the baby first and me second. Her health and safety is my top priority, and it really is that simple. I may feel differently while in the middle of a contraction, but I can’t see me caring a lot if the lights are dim or my preferred music is playing.

MTB’s take away from the class, is that we really need to practice the breathing and relaxation techniques. He knows me well enough to know that I will be stressed during labor if I can feel anything or not. I go to bed before he does, but he tucks me in every night. This usually consists of him pulling the covers around me then he lays down beside me and we talk for 30 minutes or so, and it’s always my favorite part of the day. MTB wants to start using this time to practice some of the techniques they suggested in class.

In the end, we didn’t learn much that was really new, but it did give us just a little more confidence that we can do this.