Childbirth Classes

So, last night was our first childbirth class. We are the last ones due in the class, with most everyone else due in June and July. It was nice not to feel be the biggest, fat pregnant woman in the room. Registering early made me feel like I was at least on top of something, for a change; although, it will probably mean that we’ll forget everything by the time Baby arrives! I was OK with the birthing experience, pain options, stations, transitions, phases, etc. – until last night. All that talk about pain, degrees of pain, intensity of pain, frequency of pain and the generally overdose of pain that we will experience was too much reality for me. Things better left unsaid. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. From the experience, I learned that, while typically I believe knowledge is power, sometimes ignorance can be powerful bliss. I was most surprised when Dennis told me that he’s been looking up child birthing videos and pictures on the Internet so he won’t be too freaked out by all the blood and gore of the “blessed” event. Brave man, if you ask me. These are pictures I don’t want to see. I don’t want to see “it all” when it happens, so I don’t need to know what “it all” looked like for someone else! Frankly, I’m looking forward to the future class sessions on diapering, holding baby and how to help reduce colic. Childbirth – well, that’s in the hand of my doctor, and whatever she thinks is best is what I’ll do. She’s the one with all the medical degrees and experience. I’m just the delivery woman in the whole ordeal. Part of me was fascinated at how much control the nurse/instructor and parents believe they’re actually going to have during childbirth. Roll with the punches, I say. Rather than focus on all the futility, trust that your body and doctor will get you through it, and in the end, our beautiful baby will be here snuggled deep into our arms…