Yesterday Ryan and I spent 7 hours is a prepared childbirth education class at the hospital. It was SUPER informative and very, very educational as a first time parent.

We learned about:

•  the different stages of labor and the different types of contractions that are associated with each stage
• the proper breathing techniques (aka lamaze) to use during each stage and with different types of contractions
• various birthing options that are available at the hospital
• how the labor process progresses at each stage
• physical and emotional expectations for each labor stage
• pain management options available, how they are administered and their effects
• And, my personal favorite…labor is not an illness and so I shouldn’t have a love affair with the hospital bed during my labor   (that is unless I have an epidural and am unable to get out of the bed)

I also want to mention that I am glad that I never saw a “miracle of life” video before yesterday. Maybe it took on a whole new reality being pregnant, but I think it might have scared me away from becoming a Mom…some times ignorance is bliss

I feel like I have great tools to be much more prepared and confidant to tackle the labor process with relaxation and focus. The class has even casued me to evaluate my decision to have an epidural (SHOCK!). I felt like I really understood the breathing techniques and was able to use them when we practiced (although the greatest pain I felt was Ryan pushing down really hard on my thigh). I know it will be really challenging to stay focused on staying relaxed when the contractions are coming, especially during the transitional stage of labor, BUT, I think that I could do it. I am going to take this week to really think through my options and make a committed decision. I’ll keep you posted