Today Brandon and I attended the Preparing for Childbirth class through Kaiser. The class covered the basics of what we need to know about childbirth and techniques to help relax during labor. We began the class by performing introductions which included names, due dates, baby's gender, pain management preference, and our thoughts on what "birth" means to us. There were 17 couples in the class. Among them, 9 were having boys and 8 girls. There were three categories for the medication preferences: Those who definitely planned to have an epidural (5), those who didn't want medication (6) and those who were undecided (6). We were surprised there were fewer women planning to have an epidural than those who planned to go unmedicated. I was in the undecided category which consisted of women who plan to see how they handle childbirth before deciding on whether to request an epidural.
After introductions we watched a video on the stages of labor. It discussed what to expect during each stage and how to tell that your labor is progressing. There was so much information to take in. I am glad that we were given handouts of the slides and other resource materials to help us remember everything once the time comes. The one thing I do remember is that we should call the hospital to let them know we are on our way when contractions are one-minute long, three to five-minutes apart, for 1-2 hours or if my water breaks, whichever comes first.
The discussion of labor lead into the coaches/spouses role during the labor process. Because we are going through this on our own with our families being so far away, Brandon and I are really going to have to work together. It's exciting for us but scary at the same time. We keep joking that Baylee will be my doula (birthing coach), however I don't think she will actually be of much assistance being that she's a dog and all. She'll have to sit this one out and wait on the sidelines at home. I know Brandon is a little nervous about helping me get through labor but I know he will do an excellent job and there is nobody else that I would want by my side more than him.
The most entertaining part of the morning was when Brandon got into a debate with the instructor about why they always say that the cervix is fully dilated at 10 centimeters, no matter the size of the woman. The instructor said that it was one of those things like everyone having two feet and two eyes, it is just 10 centimeters for everyone. He told her that her argument was illogical and said that while everyone has two feet, they're certainly not all the same size. She then went on to say that the measurement was not an exact science, but more of a feel from the healthcare provider who was examining the cervix. He stopped debating, but wasn't at all satisfied with the explanation.
The second half of the day covered epidurals and analgesics, cesarean sections, and relaxation techniques. The majority of the information for epidurals and analgesics I had already learned in the Pain Management class I took last month. There are pros and cons to getting an epidural. One of the biggest cons for me is being restricted to the bed. I would like to have the option to get up and move while I am in labor and once the epidural is administered you are not allowed to do so. Another con, although not medically proven, is the chance that the epidural can slow the progression of labor thus extending the time I will be in labor. I am keeping my stance of going in with an open mind and making a decision about medication at an appropriate time should I deem it necessary.
We ended with an instructional session on breathing techniques and positions to help cope with labor pain. It was an interactive lesson as we passed around cards with pictures and performed the different positions as if we were actually in labor and having contractions. I can imagine how some of the positions might be helpful, however some of the positions seemed downright awkward or uncomfortable. My favorite positions were the ones that involved Brandon massaging my hands, back, or feet. That may change of course once I find myself in actual labor.
We may not have learned everything we need to know about childbirth in a one day class but I am glad we went. The class got us thinking about how we will handle certain situations and what we can do to better prepare ourselves. Now my main focus for these next few weeks is to determine what relaxation method will work best for me so I can begin to practice and prepare myself for the big day!
No comments:
Post a Comment