Saturday, February 28, 2009

Prepared Childbirth Class



Last Saturday Shaun and I went to a Prepared Childbirth Class. I'm not sure you can ever really be prepared for childbirth but it's good to have as much information as possible. I was secretly hoping to find out some fabulous secret to giving birth and maybe I really didn't have to squeeze him out of you know where. No such luck! Unless you have a C-section and that didn't look all that great either.

Are bodies are amazing and I have to keep telling myself that I can do this. My body does know how to do this and I will be able to walk again after it's all done, Maybe not right away because I'm not messing around and I'll be getting an epidural. I'm not interested in thinking I can do this without pain meds.

I really enjoyed the class and found that it did in power me but it also scared me. I mean they showed us forceps, If those things don't look like something out of a horror movie, I don't know what would.

I thought it was a really good class for Shaun to get a lot of information he didn't know or probably never wanted to know but you need a good partner to go through labor and it was great on showing us all sorts of things that might help. Also noting that everything could change in the middle of labor so the partner should adjust and try something new. It was great to try out things and tell Shaun what I thought I might like and things I would not like.
At one point in the class they had us lie down on yoga mats, They turned off the lights and had glowing candles. They wanted your partner to help you with breathing exercises that we had learned. They put on this soothing relaxation tape and that's when I lost it!! I got the laughing giggles so bad.
I found it so funny to first be lying down on a hard ground with my big belly which was not comfortable and I have Shaun next to me saying, "one, two, three, whew" with a lady on the tape saying, " You are at peace, You are at peace.....
I just starting having a giggling fit. Good thing we were in the dark. I covered my mouth and tears just starting streaming down my eyes I was laughing so hard. Shaun starts laughing with me and we squeezed each others hands and tried to calm down from our laughing fit, quietly in the dark room with the lady on the tape. You are at peace.....
There's something not peaceful about laying on the hard ground with a big belly after watching video's of women in labor who did not look like they were at peace at all and having Shaun next to me counting the breathing exercises. I just found it all so funny.
Once I calmed down and really begun to try and relax it wasn't so bad. The relaxation tape with the lights out and candles did seem helpful.

They had us write down what our fear was about labor. I wrote that the pain and being too much of a wimp was my fear and Shaun wrote that his biggest fear was that it would last along time and he would have to watch me suffer for so long.
Hopefully the epidural will help with my fear and Shaun's fear of my suffering and that I will not be in labor for a horribly long time.
I'm glad we went to the class and Shaun and I did find it really helpful and we got a lot of good information.

Also, Something really funny the nurse told us. We were talking about having a birthing plan. The nurse told us that one lady had a 15 page birthing plan with instructions that everyone had to refer to the baby as peaches. How ridiculous! (ha, ha, ha) Some people are so bizarre.
Shaun thought that was hilarious and thinks we should come up with something like that just to be funny. I told him that when I'm in the middle of labor I'm not sure funny ridiculous baby names are going to be funny to me. We better pass on that.


You can also bring in music if you like. Shaun and I thought some nice soothing music with also some kick butt music. We were thinking about themed music from some kick butt movies like:

"Your the best around" From the Karate Kid. Shaun and I sing this all the time. It's really cheesy and that's why we think it's so funny. It's our new theme song. Kicking butt with Mr. Miyagi. We've got to rent that movie and watch it again. It will probably be more like a comedy now.

"The eye of the tiger" From rocky. Nothing like pushing a baby out with some kick butt music.

"Highway to the danger zone" Top Gun. Or just the whole Top Gun sound track.

If you can think of some more hyped up music to help me push Max out. Let me Know:)

For your viewing pleasure:

"Your the best around" From the Kirate Kid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fWvub_WBho

"Eye of the Tiger" Rocky
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/352067/rocky_iv_eye_of_the_tiger/


"Highway to the danger zone" Top Gun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8rZWw9HE7o


Are you pumped up now!! OH YEAH!!







4 comments:

Kat M said...

How exciting to go to the class. It for sure makes things seem more real. I hope all goes well. I LOVE my epidurals!! I have done it 3 ways...with an epidural, without (OUCH!), and csection. I LOVED the epidural ones!!

Kelley M. said...

Amm - I'm dying!!!!!! The forceps?!?!??! ahahahahahahahah
Poor Max, the tools they have to use if he decides to make things difficult, hahaha. Which he WON'T, he's going to be a PERFECT angel!
And then the Top Gun soundtrack - hahahahahahahah - I'm picturing those pics we got of Shaun in Rocky Point a couple years ago, doing his Tom Cruise impressions when you were laughing SO hard. hahahhahhah AAAAAAAHHHHHHHh hahahaha. Sorry, this just struck me so funny tonight. Maybe I should print a poster size of that out & then you could hang it somewhere in your delivery room WITH the music playing - wouldn't that be motivation enough!?!
Love you & can't wait to meet Max, even if he has bruised ears from being pulled out with FORCEPS :)
kel xoxox

EmileeandJonny said...

I never did the classes but personally I think most of the stuff they teach you is bogus! Seriously when you are in that much pain I don't think breathing certain ways helps! What helps is getting that epidural RIGHT away and not let it run out!!! Also, we used the vacuum. I actually was begging them to use it to help me out. My pushing part of labor was way long (which included my epi running out) therefore I wanted him out as fast as possible. I've heard the vacuum is statistically better to use than the forcepts- anyway, Jarom was fine. He had a little circle suction cup mark on his head for a few days (sad I know). But really, if you need to use it, it's ok! Good luck with everything I can't wait to find out how it goes for you!

Chelle! said...

Ammie, you are hilarious!!! I can picture you two laughing hysterically!!! Thanks for making me laugh!!!