When I was 14w6d we went to a free early pregnancy class which was fun and it was nice to meet other pregnant couples and to start our pregnancy learning process. The class covered the female anatomy in pregnancy, the best birthing positions and some massage techniques that can help in labour. This is Hubby wearing a 9 months pregnancy suit:
Today Hubby and I went to our 2nd couples class run by my yoga teacher. The class was really good - at the end all the men said they didn't realise how involved they would need to be at the birth!
This class was also two hours long but we went about 30 minutes over and we all would have stayed much longer! We covered what the pelvis is like before and during pregnancy and how during labour the baby moves, comes down and out (ideally and some problems that may occur). We also talked about moves that can help if the baby is back-to-back or facing the wrong way. One of the moves is the Mayan 'sifting' massage which we all practised. This involves placing a scarf under my bump and moving it back and forth, such as this:
Another thing we talked about and practised was being comfortable in labour - preparing our environment as well as ourselves. Apparently we release the hormone 'oxytocin' during labour which is responsible for contractions which are responsible for the release of our bodies natural pain relieving endorphins. What we don't want during labour is to be too anxious or scared because we release adrenaline which reduces our level of oxytocin and can can slow down or stop contractions! We also should have the lights dimmed as we want the hormone melatonin to be produced and help with the contractions. Our instructor reminded us of how cats go off and find a private, safe, dark environment to give birth in. We too are mammals and this would be the natural environment for us to give birth in, not in a hospital room with bright lights and lots of staff in and out bossing us about.
So we should feel safe and have as much privacy as we want. The lights should be dimmed and Hubby and others shouldn't talk to me during a contraction, just support me, helping me with breathing techniques and massaging. Everyone should be positive and calm - no shouting.
The main thing for us though was actually talking to each other about our ideal birth and what we want and what we should do. We haven't really talked about it before because we still consider ourselves to be in the early stages! But we should be talking about it as it is best to try and sort out your plan early and get your head around things to be prepared for all eventualities. The class has also made the pregnancy more real for us. While practising labour we looked at each other and we couldn't believe that we are actually going to have a baby, we even remembered occasionally that Marshie was with us!
We were advised to write our perfect plan and read it over and over so that it becomes our positive focus and it really could happen that way, and so here is our first basic draft:
I go into labour in the night and Hubby stays asleep and rests. I stay in bed and try and sleep for as long as I can. When I feel the need, I get up and go into the nursery and visualise our baby in the nursery. I walk around or rock in the nursing chair with just the night light on. I take a bubble bath if I feel comfortable enough. I will go to the kitchen barefoot if I am hot as I like the cold granite floor. I will have plenty to drink and have my breakfast.
When I need Hubby I will wake him. I would like to take a short walk to the shop for magazines, sweets and drinks to take with us. I will watch TV on the birthing ball. We will time the contractions and ring the hospital for advice as to when to go in but we will stay at home for as long as possible/ for as long as I am comfortable. This will help me resist pain relief and help with our privacy and comfort.
When we go to the hospital I will give birth in the birthing pool. Hubby will be in pool with me towards the end and he will pass the baby to me and tell me what sex it is. We will wait until the umbilical cord finishes pulsing and then Hubby will cut it. I will stay in the pool if I am warm enough or hubby will get out and I will pass the baby to him. Hubby will do skin to skin until I'm dry and warm on the bed ready to continue the golden hour of skin to skin. Hubby can cuddle us both.
I don't want the injection and will pass the placenta naturally. I am looking into the Vitamin K drops for baby so we haven't got a firm decision on that yet. I will be breastfeeding.
That's where we are up to at the moment. A couple of things we need to think about are what hubby won't / will say during labour, and how we are going to handle the hardest thing for hubby - denying me pain relief when I say I want it, he's too nice!
My actual birthing plan and hospital bags contents will be another post a bit later on.
The main thing we have taken away from the class is that it's all about teamwork, and we make a great team!
