baby classes

Last week I was so busy...I know I am not working, but I have so many classes that I have to take before Bryant's arrival. I had been working until recently, so I didn't have time to take any of the traditional baby classes until last week. I seemed that I was the only one due this month taking the classes.

I am just happy that I was able to take the classes, my sister was not as lucky. She worked until the end of tax season. She signed up to take the classes after tax season, but she was not able to take the classes. Within days of tax season ending she had to stay at the hospital two and half months before her due date because she was a high risk pregnancy. She was considered a high risk pregnancy because she had had previous miscarriages, and she was carrying twins. Everything turned out fine with my nephews, but she (and I) did not know what to do. We never babysat, changed diapers, etc. It was a huge learning curve.

Phil and I did attend the lamaze classes for several weeks. The classes were on Monday nights, so I waited until Gamma Chi finished for the semester so I could take the lamaze classes on Monday nights. We didn't know what lamaze was about, so we did not know why we would need to take 6 weeks of classes to learn how to breath. I am really happy we took the classes especially because our instructor, Maria Phillips, was so excited to teach us different techniques and answered so many of our questions. She taught us more than just how to breathe.

Last week I attended, Baby Basic class, Breastfeeding class, and took the tour of the hospital. The baby basic class was helpful, but I have been helping take care of my nephews, so changing the diapers of a doll is not the same. If it had not been for my nephews I might have believed that changing diapers would be easy.

I was not sure what to expect with the breastfeeding class, but I was hoping to receive a lot of information. My mom and my sister did not breastfeed, so I really did not know anything about it. The breastfeeding class was not about information. Most of the women that attended knew that they were going to breastfeed and for at least a year, so the class was more of a pow wow. I also felt odd, because it was the only class that Phil did not attend with me. Although, I did not want Phil to attend, because I knew that he would be like the other men in attendance in the class, i.e. not taking the class seriously.

The tour of the hospital was interesting…it was very informative to know where I was going to go, and what was going to happen. I was a little surprised that was not as hectic as it is on TV. I also expected there to be many women screaming bloody murder. However, this was not the case, there was a lady yelling/moaning/screaming (not as loud as I would have imagined), and one doctor strolling to her room (just one doctor not a team of people running to her). It actually calmed me down, especially since the head nurse giving us the tour gave us apple juice, and talked about the staff, and the rooms.

I still have another class to attend tomorrow - Labor and Delivery. Actually I also need to attend a CPR class, but that class isn't offered until August.

***Update, I am getting "fake" contractions, although they feel real and strong. I went to a doctor’s appointment today, and he is really low. This means that he can come at any time. The doctor, of course, would not give me any predictions or expectations other than he could come at any time.

Phil was really hoping that Bryant would arrive on the fourth of July, but it didn’t happen although my friend delivered a beautiful girl on the fourth of July.