Excitement Abounds

I meant to write a "post-birthclass" post after our class on Saturday, but time got away from me! It is now Wednesday and some information stuck and other information went in one ear and out the other.

Clint and I attended the class at a hospital about an hour away. Poor guy had a Championship Soccer game to cover in Atlanta on Friday night that had a 2 hour rain delay causing him to roll into bed at 4:20 a.m. We woke up about 7:20 for our 6 hour class. I felt SO badly for him. It is one thing to run on 3 hours of sleep but to attend a class and SIT for 6 hours with the lights off as slide shows played was a whole different thing. He was SUCH a trooper for doing that with me and staying awake the whole time! I offered to drive home and he was sound asleep within the first 5 minutes of the trip!

Anyway, back to the class! As you recall I was a little apprehensive to even take a class to begin with. I am glad I did...not over the moon glad...but still glad. Right away we introduced ourselves and told the name of our doctor along with what week we were on. I fit right in with the weeks varying from 28-34. There were two women there alone...one making it very clear that her husband was fully supportive, but had to work, the other not saying a word. There were about 6 other couples as giddy as us. There was another couple who were both 16. I got to talk to the momma several times during our bathroom breaks. She was so cute...so young, so nieve, but so cute. She was naming her baby Ava and was on bedrest already. (She got permission to go to this class) Anyway...my heart went out to her. I was glad she had her baby-faced boyfriend with her, but I just wanted to hug her! I smiled at her a lot and tried to be as engaging as I could. I in no way wanted her to think she was being "judged" or "looked down on." What a brave thing she did by showing up to that class.

They divided up the class in several sections: Pre-term Labor; Labor; Post-Partum care; Breast feeding and Infant care. I did pretty good once we got through the Pre-term labor and labor sections. If I wasn't scared before...I sure am now. I know that women do this everyday and that it will all be fine and that God will be with me all the way and on and on and on...but I can't help but feel a little scared. I knew the time would come when the reality of what is happening would sink in and it sure is starting to. We got to see the needles used for the epidural, which scared me, but didn't sway me! We got to watch a video of a woman giving birth naturally and through c-section, which scared me too! It was all very informative!

The one part that I paid the best attention to was the Pre-term Labor section. I wanted to know all the signs to look for. My life is never normal, so expecting the "my water-broke" scenario to happen is quite unlikely! I know the things to look for now and not pass off as "normal."

Surprisingly, my viewpoint on breastfeeding has changed a tad. I have not planned on breast feeding baby, until now. (please don't hurt me) Now, seeing the benefits, I plan to do it until I go back to work and seeing what happens with pumping. I am not sure exactly how a teacher would pump at the same time each day on a regular basis...but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I have not, however, joined the "la leche" group by any means!

We did get to learn how to swaddle a baby too! Clint did a good job! Now I just need to teach him how to changea diaper and we'll be good to go! ;)

As for the title about excitement...my first ever baby shower is tomorrow! The 6th grade class is throwing it for me! I am SUPER excited! THEN...THEN...THEN...Saturday is my next one, at my moms house, thrown by my sister in laws! I am SOOO excited! Other than the shower I am MOST excited about seeing my two best friends and Millie's best friend baby K! I think I have written about that 10 times on here by now...but I just can't help it!

My next post should be all about my showers and how much fun I had!

Until next time,
Sam