Antenatal #2

A lot of you have asked many of the same questions in regards to antenatal classes so I thought I would address a few of the frequent ones here.

Antenatal classes run over 6 weeks (you can also take a 2 day intensive class) and are optional and free. You don't have to take them, although most midwives and the health care system will thoroughly encourage you to. They cover topics from pregnancy (hormones, changes, complications) to labour and birth (positions, phases, techniques, drugs, hospitals) to newborn care (breastfeeding, nappy changing, clothing, health). In our class there are only 6 couples and an instructor, there are usually about 10 couples.

You can ask questions, discuss topics and voice concerns all in a safe environment. The brilliant thing is everyone is in (almost) the same situation as you so they are probably thinking the same thing. In our group everyone is really lovely, we all seem to get on well and there is lots of laughter. Our instructor is wonderful and kind and makes a lot of (awesome) jokes.

I hope that answers some of your questions :)

Last night we focused on the different stages of labour and support. We are saving the pushing stage till next week but covered the others. I wont say too much about it, except that I am learning even more that labour is a perfectly natural and normal thing to go through for a woman and my body was made to do it.

It has surprised me how much the class endorses being at home during labour (and birth). (which is awesome).

Right at the end of the class the women and men split up and we had to make our own support super heros. We had to give them names, draw their physical characteristics and their personality characteristics. The women focused largely on the personality. We wanted gentle but strong, encouraging, listening, maternal, funny, caring sort of support person. The men came back with "Maternity Mike" and he was an all practical support person. He had the ipod, the car seat, the hot towels, parking money, he had whatever you needed. I found those differences to be slightly surprising but also fairly typical. I think the support person (typically men) have a hard job during labour. Somehow they have to know exactly what we need and want and to what degree and to see us in pain that they can do little to relieve.

I'm adding sandwhiches (not made by me) to our birth plan.

Extra for Experts: Check out this blog post by a favourite blog of mine, its her husbands account of what its like to have a baby. You can read it here!