Today at 2pm we headed off for our next ante-natal class which was being held in the clinic in town. We found our way there and recognised a few of the other couples who'd been at the labour class and hospital tour.
The first hour was with a women's health representative who promptly informed us that 48% of women who've had a baby will, at some point in the next 18 months have an episode of incontinence. Nice. She urged us to do our pelvic floor excercises. I only remember when I hear the words pelvic floor so did a few sets there and then. I'm doing a few now too actually!
Then we were split into groups and asked to discuss if we were 3cm dilated, where we'd be, what we'd be doing and something else I've forgotten. We decided that we'd be at home, not being far enough along yet to be admitted, possibly having a hot bath and trying to relax or sleep or eat and getting bags in the car to take in, and.... oh yes, pain relief, that was the bath and paracetamol!! I just don't see how paracetmol will cut it to be honest but this woman reckoned her friend had a natural birth with only two paracetamol the whole labour so it can be done. Hmm. One Born Every Minute does not agree!
Steve just started chatting to other couples whilst I was trying to stick to the topic at hand. He does seem to try to be antagonistic at times and say silly things. I'm worried that we'll get to the actual labour and he'll just be fatuous throughout it rather than be supportive having listened to plans and what I've said might happen as a result of these classes!
Anyway, this first hour was sort of like what we'd done last week, although a bit of relaxation was thrown in for good measure too which was ok. It's hard to relax when everyone bar Steve is joining in and he's picking at his finger nails.
The second hour was a different midwifey person who talked about bathing baby and changing nappies and such. She asked for a volunteer so up got Steve and she asked him to wrap the baby in a towel. He sort of draped it so it fell off. She then asked him to pick the baby up and he held it like a bunch of flowers and didn't support the head! It was rather funny to watch to be honest. He seems to think he knows it all, but really didn't in this case.
Mind you, had I gone up, I'd have been a bit lost too. I'm dreading bathing the baby! You can't wash the eyes with water, and you have to keep things separate, use water and cotton wool for the first 6 weeks and no product at all. She then said if baby has sticky eyes you can wash them with breast milk. I had to ask her to repeat that as I could see the other women were all imagining squirting their babies in the face with milk direct from their boobies and this midwife woman thought we were all crazy for not understanding what she was saying! Breast milk on the eyes indeed!!
She then talked about meconium and poop and cleaning a baby which was interesting but I've forgotten most of it already! My memory is really bad at the moment. She commented on your waters being green having had the meconium released inside and when she told the men that it meant baby had pooped inside you, Steve quite audibly went 'gah' and grimaced. I've told him that could happen, I know I have. He doesn't listen.
She said babies sleep on their backs now, she doesn't recommend gro-bags, light blankets and feet to the foot of the cot is fine although she did say moses baskets would be better to start with. Maybe I ought to get one. Everyone seems to think that it's better to have baby in with you to start with and I do have my John Lewis vouchers which would cover one. Ho hum.
Anyway, that was our third class. I think we're quite lucky to have this many classes as some regions seem to be very disorganised. I'm still looking forward more to the private ones though in the hope I can make some friends. I can be a bit shy to start with though so we'll see. I hope they like me!!!
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