Birthing Class #4

Today was our last class. We talked about caring for the baby. We had little baby mannequins and a basket full of typical products used to care for the baby. The instructor asked how many people had never changed a diaper. I was the only one in the class that raised my hand -- due to my defiant retort to any of my siblings wanting me to change a diaper that I would never do it until I have to. Well now I have to, apparently...

Those baby head washer bristle brushes are awesome. I could just sit there stroking them all day. They need to make a full body version. Just sayin'.

I wiped the mannequin (front to back!!!), changed the diaper, and yes, even swaddled it. I'm the best swaddler of any swaddler that has ever swaddled.

We talked about circumcision. Some of the couples having a boy asked a few questions. I was interested in the topic, so I asked how long after birth they do the circumcision. In spite of what Kyla will tell you (and what I jokingly said on the car ride home), I did not forget that we are having a girl. I was just ... interested.

Seriously.

Birthing Class #3

Today we talked about the actual birth of the baby. We also discussed the whys and hows of C-sections. I could barely stay awake.

Prenatal Doctor's Appointment #7

The regular doctor was out sick, so we saw a physician's assistant instead. Jaedyn's heart rate continues to be on track.

Pregnancy Scare #3

Kyla experience severe abdominal cramping for 2.5 hours. We didn't go to the emergency room, but Kyla asked the doctor about it on her next visit. No problems, just stuff stretching.

Birthing Class #2

Today we got a little more in depth about what actually happens during labor and how to handle it. It was Valentine's Day, and the instructor brought goodies!

Birthing Class #1

Today we started our birthing classes. There will be one a week for four weeks, each 2.5 hrs long. We decided to do the one that the hospital offers. Kyla had also been interested in a 'no meds' hippy dippy birthing class. After talking with some people that had gone through the former, she found out that it discusses the both meds and no-meds option and doesn't necessarily promote one over the other. While a natural birth is our goal, we also recognize that it is safest to have modern medicine readily available should the need arise. We are not interested in having to drive to a separate location should something go wrong during labor.

Side note: we watched "The Business of Being Born" a couple years ago. It was interesting, but I still have nightmares of Ricki Lake naked in a tub giving birth. Shudder.

There are 8 couples in our class. We started with the customary awkward ice breaker. I hate the ones where you have interview your neighbor and introduce them. I'd rather just freaking introduce myself. The couple we 'interviewed' wanted to just exchange pieces of paper instead of being interviewed. Sigh. Ice-breaker fail.

I found it interesting that exactly half the class was south Asian (Indian or Sri Lankan), whereas Austin apparently has only about 2% of those ethnicities. <racist comment>We chalked it up to the hospital's location, which is smack dab in the middle of several large IT headquarters.</racist comment> In all seriousness, though, every single one of them had a tech job (ok, maybe one of them was doctor or something). So there.

Also among the notables was a former NFL player that sat right across from me. I only mention this guy because I could tell that he found this whole class as hilarious as I did, and we exchanged many an awkward glance when something was said that screamed out for a snide comment to be made, but we knew we had to bite our tongues and let it go. And how many of those cases there were! I mean, that I got through these classes without going through fits of laughter is nothing short of a miracle. Moving on ...

The first class dealt mostly with the basic stages of labor. At the end, we did a breathing and relaxation exercise, which basically meant we turned down the lights and listened to some new age music overdubbed with an annoying British woman's voice telling us about the state of our consciousness. My favorite was when she literally paused for a full second mid-word. "You are now slipping into a state of nothing----------------ness." I just about lost it.

Prenatal Doctor's Appointment #6

Had a blood test for disease screening (CBC, HIV, and glucose). Jaedyn kicked the doctor when getting her heart rate checked out. She's feisty! Heart rate and size are average. Jaedyn is mainly to the left with limbs facing to the right, which is why Kyla feels the most movement there. Jaedyn was extra wiggly for the rest of the day because of the sugar from the glucose test.