Childbirth Classes

Wesley and I have attended two of six in a series of childbirth classes. We go on Tuesday nights. Our classmates are an interesting hodgepodge of people and our teacher is stellar. She is a mother of four and an obviously very experienced labor and delivery nurse. Her knowledge is extensive and she discusses things in a way that are easy for everyone to understand but not patronizing.

Our first class was basic anatomy and physiology. Wesley and I didn't get much new information out of that one but we did get a good review of when to call the MD and when to go to the hospital. It was the second class that I really enjoyed and felt like we both learned something. We discussed the stages of labor and the different aspects and needs for each. We talked about different comfort measures and what emotions and reactions we can both expect to have during the delivery.

Chalayne, our instructor, also showed us a video with real births. The video was very edited to only show these women breathing calmly and looking peaceful as they endured contractions and birth. I call BS, but whatever. I am proud (though not surprised) to say that Wesley didn't bat an eye. The guy next to him, however, turned three shades of green and slipped down in his seat a little. In fact, he got woozy at a line drawing of the vagina that Chalayne drew on the marker board. That man has a looong day ahead of him in the not-so-distant future!

Chalayne sent us home with a few worksheets to spark discussion about how each of us deals with stress and discomfort and what Wesley can do to help me through the birth. We went to our local Greek restaurant Apollo Flame and had dinner while going through the worksheets after class. It was a great discussion that I think not only helped us prepare for the birth but helped us learn more about each other. I really enjoyed our conversation and I think it helped us both feel a little more at ease in a time when we are both feeling exhausted from the challenges and stressors of this pregnancy.

I am looking forward to class tomorrow night and what we may learn from it not just about the delivery but about ourselves and our marriage. I hope that every pregnant couple out there gets the chance to attend such a useful childbirth class.