Summer School!

We started our prenatal classes a couple of weeks ago, beginning with Prepared Childbirth- when to go to the hospital, how to breathe in labor, etc.- followed by Infant & Child Safety and CPR, and Breastfeeding.

There are only 4 couples in our Prepared Childbirth class, and it's taught by one of the L&D nurses at the hospital, so it will be nice to see a familiar face when we actually have the baby. So far, we've learned a lot in the class, but being that I plan on having an epidural and there's a good chance of a c-section, there's a good portion I won't need to use (which is great, since I can barely remember this morning, much less things someone tried to teach me weeks ago).

Safety and CPR was the one class we both really felt was a must. Since I'm not allowed to strain myself, I couldn't do the chest compressions, but I was able to practice everything else. I'm pretty confident that if (big IF) I remain calm I could actually properly administer CPR or help a choking baby/child. There was another couple there who forced their parents and siblings to attend in order for them to be allowed to babysit. For real! So, I had the absurdity of that to amuse me for a few minutes as we were all introducing ourselves.

Breastfeeding. Now I'm no prude, but I'd have gotten just as much out of the class had I seen a good 10 less breasts. Yeah, I know, it's natural...blah blah blah. I just don't need to see roughly 40 minutes of zoom lens videography to get the idea, and I'm pretty sure that if you're running into issues so severe that you're wishing you'd seen more of this in your class, then you're already on the phone with a lactation consultant or calling a nurse to your room. So, as much as I was tired of seeing it, I'm guessing my sentiment was shared to an even greater degree by the 5 fathers-to-be in the room (including mine). Regardless, there was a lot of good information, and a fancy folder with crooked photocopies of things to take home. I like free, fancy folders.

This weekend had our tour of the hospital! Being that it's a new building it's all tricked out with fancy things like all private rooms that have iPod docks, DVD players, plasma TVs, beds for Dads, huge balconies on each level, extensive room service menus. Now, if I didn't have to pass a watermelon to gain access to such luxury, wouldn't that be super?! Really, it's beautiful.

One more class left, and then I'm a pro, I guess. The teacher in me wishes there were pre and post tests so I could really see how much I've learned (sadly, I'm completely serious), and little report cards so I could put mine in the baby book. Of course, I'd need instructor comments like "shows tremendous aptitude for parenting!" to really make it a worthwhile keepsake, but I guess the RNs who teach this stuff are too busy for such things. That, and we're not 12. Sigh.