Second Childbirth Class

Monday night, we had our second of childbirth classes. This is the one I was most looking forward to/anxious about - labor and delivery. First things first I suppose - and I am really going to try to not offend anyone. This is all my own opinion, and I might come out of labor with differing opinions. I'm not judging and each woman should have the birth she wants, whether that's medication free, or not. 

Please be respectful of my opinion.

I really would love a natural birth. Talking to other women, my mom and my mother-in-law who have all had natural births, aside from my husband's birth - emergency c-section, the cord was wrapped tightly around his neck, and my brother's birth - my mom was pressured into taking some medication through her IV, but just talking to her about the differences between my birth and my brother's birth is eye opening. I really want to experience womanhood in the raw state. And as a Christian, it might be a lame excuse, but God's punishment to women was to bear children through painful childbirth. It's one thing to do things to alleviate pain naturally, but another to take pain medication to make it go away. That's my opinion. Even when talking to Mr. Skinny's family, both of his aunt's have told me I'll change my mind because it was the worst pain they've ever felt, and I'm sure it was. My mom hasn't said that though, and neither has my mother-in-law. Neither of them have looked at is as painful, but necessary to deliver a baby. That's they way that I'm looking at it, too. 

I've always wanted to be a mom, and I knew that there was pain necessary to give birth, but I've never been caught up in that or nervous about it. Even before I started researching options, I know my body can do this, it was made to do it. I want to feel my daughter coming out and I want to be 100% completely present with her right away, and I want her to be there with me too, not groggy or sleepy. I want to feel when to push, and not have a doctor or nurse tell me when to push by looking at a machine. 

Let me say this, too. Technology is wonderful. I know plenty of babies who's lives were saved - including my husband's - if it hadn't been for our medical technology, and I know that I very well could be one of those people whose lives or baby's life is saved. I also think that women have the right to know what their bodies are capable of, and should be treated that birth is a normal process of life rather than a disease or sickness. 

I'll be writing a more thorough plan, hopefully, once I write up my birth plan. 

Anyways, we went into our class armed with questions. Seriously, I had like 50 questions written down. Most of them were about things I've read or research I've done, and I wanted to know how the hospital felt about them. Since I don't have one doctor that I go to, but a bunch (16 doctors and 3 midwives), I wanted to know that the standard procedures were for the hospital. And how normal, healthy labor and deliveries go. 

Once they explained the stages of labor and basic information, we watched a movie that just really showed the labor and delivery process. I was surprised that the video didn't mention pain medication at all. The nurses did, but it was a very neutral explanation. In the video though, they showed women laboring in a tub, with a birthing ball and they showed different laboring positions. Since the nurse hadn't brought up any of these options, I asked. The main nurse is mostly a C-section nurse, but the other nurse stepped in to answer my questions. She said depending on how labor is going, you can be detached from the fetal monitoring and walk around, take a shower, whatever you feel you need to be comfortable in labor. This answer totally relaxed me. I know that they're going to stick an IV in me right away, and last class they mentioned about the monitoring system and I was nervous that I would be stuck laying on the bed for my entire labor. They also told me that you can deliver in a number of positions as long as baby is healthy and okay. I was pretty excited about this, too. 

Mr. Skinny and I came home and talked about our decisions a bit more. I haven't mentioned this on here, but we read the book "Husband Coached Childbirth" which is the basis for the Bradley childbirth classes if you've ever heard of them. It's a 12 week class teaching mom and "coach" how to deal with labor and delivery. I am very excited about this, I think it's really helped Mr. Skinny and I talk about things that we wouldn't talk about normally, and I know that he's been paying attention is going to be an amazing support in labor for me. I am fully confident that he's going to be able to encourage me and support me throughout my labor.

I also read a book called "Natural Hospital Birth" and loved this book as well. Mr. Skinny isn't comfortable having a home birth, which is understandable and because our insurance pays 100% of maternity, I understand his reasons behind his decision and I understand his apprehensions. So I told him that I need him there then, and I need his support during labor, and we agreed on that. Between these two books, I learned a ton and really feel prepared to conquer labor. 

So, instead of a summary of our second class, you got a part one of my labor wishes. Hope you don't mind. Next week I'll have a summary, hopefully, of our final childbirth class and in the next few months expect a more detailed birth plan, if you're interested!

Tell me:

Would you be interested in a detailed birth plan?

Do/did you have a birth plan? Did it work out for you?