Last night we had our first prenatal class (or antenatal class, as they call it around here). It was fun! I couldn't take pictures (because that would be weird in such an intimate setting), but I can describe what it was like.
Jim and I walked/waddled over to our instructor Ruth's house, where we found other people walking/waddling along, looking for her elusive house number. Eventually we all arrived on her doorstep, en mass. Ruth is very enthusiastic and holistic and we all gathered in her living room, which was decorated with various anatomical posters of babies in wombs and dilating cervixes. She enthusiastically bounced on her yoga ball and took us through a few meditative exercises which involved strategies for decreasing labor pain. Then she thoroughly freaked us out by showing us lots of pictures of naked women in excruciating labor pain. We were supposed to come up with strategies for the partner to help with the labor pain. Jim and I both came up with a good strategy: DRUGS!!!
After all the scary pictures of labor, we got on to the actual baby and what happens to him/her once he/she is born. There is a big push for skin to skin contact and not having the baby taken away immediately for weighing and there is a lot of focus on being assertive about things in the hospital. AND it was also emphasized that the Dad should change the first diaper, which is the one filled with the gross, black/green muconium poop that the baby has stored up in utero. Jim is mentally preparing himself for this fun filled task.
We're also thinking about hiring a Doula, who will be a constant and reassuring presence for us and will help take some of the "coaching" pressure off of Jim. If we find someone, she would get to know us before the birth, be on call for a couple of weeks before and after the due date, be there for the birth and also come after the baby is born to help us with things like learning how to bathe the baby and to cook us meals and give us a little bit of a break until our Moms get here! It's like having a mother figure around (who you have to pay) and who will help be a voice for us during the hospital part of things.
Anyway, we thought our first class was really interesting and enjoyed meeting other first time baby couples from around our neighborhood. We both definitely learned a lot of new things last night and I think we'll be better prepared for the unknown once it finally gets here!
