Baby Classes - January 16th

Baby Class - Our hospital wants all new parents to take baby classes.  The normal baby class is a 5 week deal where you and your partner go once a week. OR they offer a one day deal where you go from 10 am to 5 pm and get it all done at one time.  It was called Xtreme Oh Baby classes.  Jim and I went and had a pretty good time.  There were the mandatory videos of course, but we really enjoyed the maternity wing tour and other little things.  For example, we are choosing to have the baby put on my chest after birth while Jim cuts the cord.  We are going to breastfeed so we do not want the baby bathed until she has gone through 2-4 breastfeedings.  We learned that the amniotic fluid tastes exactly like the colostrum.  When the baby starts to get hungry, she will suck on her fingers which will taste like the amniotic fluid so when she breastfeeds for the first few times it will taste just like her fingers.  Of course, she won't be all "icky".  The nurses wipe the baby off really well.  Also the neat thing about being at Sarah Bush is that the baby never leaves your room unless you request otherwise or if problems arise.  So if she doesn't start breathing right away on her own they will have a warmer there and tools to help start her breathing.  Of course, if the simple things don't work then they would take her to the nursery.  It was just really assuring to hear all the choices you can make.  I had no idea you could choose some of these things.  Also - for the 1st bath a lot of times the nurses come and give the bath in the nursery but you can request that they do it in your room and then the dad or whoever can help.  So a lot of times the 1st bath is actually given by family instead of nurse in the nursery.  Pretty cool.

And of course, we had to sit on the floor and do a little bit of breathing but nothing bad at all.  I was dreading it a little bit - ok a lot - but it wasn't a big deal at all.  The instructor turned the lights down really low and taught the coaches how to do different massages and then we did differen things to help the baby move "into position".  Things like swaying and different positions to lay in to maximize pelvic space.  One of the funny things the instructor said that will probably stick with me for life is that basically your mouth and your bottom work together.  If your mouth is all tense, so is your bottom and nothing is coming out.  So if you relax your mouth, deep breathe, and not tense, your bottom will do the same.  (and yes she used the word "bottom"). However, when she talked about how to NOT push when you're told not to push, she said if your mouth is busy then you're not going to be able to push.  That's when you breathe really fast and tense your mouth.  Just the way she said it and her hand motions made it pretty funny because I just reread that last part and it didn't seem near as funny.

The only other shocker was the video flashes.  You would have a woman in labor and she's pushing and everything and no big deal.  And then it is a flash to the baby crowning in all vaginal/birthing glory.  I have no problem watching these sorts of things but COME ON.... How about a sweeping shot down her body, or a disclaimer that warns you!  Keep in mind this is on a gigantic projection screen so to say that the up-close shot of "the goods" was life-size is an understatement.  And it was SO funny b/c everyone in the room winced and looked away the 1st time b/c it just took you by surprise.  Like I said, there was no warning.

Hopefully I have left you all with a fantastic visual - Lord knows it will be a very long time before I don't see that image.

=)