Class 1)

Last night was our first of seven ‘Birth and Parenting Classes’, here is the program for each class:
1 Pre Natal Exercises
* Relaxation Technique for use in Labour

2. First & Second Stage of Labour
* Breathing Techniques
* Managing Backache Labour
* Giving Birth

3. Ante Natal Care & Preparation
* Introductions & Expectations
* Car Restraints
* When to come to Hospital
* Why prepare for Birth

4. Normal Labour and Tour
* Anatomy & Physiology of Pregnancy & Labour
* Stages of Labour
* Coping Mechanisms – Self Help & Medical Assistance
* Birth Video
* Pain Relief

5. Variations in Labour
* Unexpected outcomes
* Epidural Video
* Tour of Labour Ward
* Interventions in Labour

6. Newborn
* Breast Feeding
* Baby Bathing
* Baby Care

7. Going home
* Parenting & Coping Mechanisms
* Vaccination & Vitamin K
* Community support
* SIDS
* Circumcision
* Revision of Labour

There were 14 couples present last night all for their first child; it was nice to see so many big baby bellies in one room. There were ladies further along the pregnancy path and others that were roughly around the same time frame as me. Tim and I did notice that I had the smallest baby bellies, I was not the smallest women there nor the largest, but my Baby bump in comparison was and is quite small.

I’m sure that by the end of the Classes I will have had an information overload and perhaps even have the same things reiterated over and over. But last night I learnt that there were 3 stages of labour, the first is expected to last an average of 8 to 12 hours, the second to average 1 to 2 hours and the third about 20 minutes. The first is where your cervix dilates, the second is the actual birth and the third is the placenta.

We learnt some great exercises that will help prepare for labour and afterwards, things like the Pelvic Floor exercise, pelvic tilting exercise and abdominal tensing exercises. There were some relaxation techniques taught and we were encouraged to try them during the day whilst at work.

I had no real expectations of the class and got a lot out of it, even if it was hearing the complaints for other women with sore backs, legs, arms, feet and so on. I looked to Tim and was just amazed at how well I was going in comparison.

I did feel very lucky, honoured, privileged that I had made it far enough in this pregnancy to be able to attend these classes. This morning Bobim just felt so much more real and not a fantasy dream.