Birth and Beginnings - Week 1

Last night was the first of our Birthing Classes, "Birth and Beginnings", offered by Forsyth Medical Center. I really (and I mean REALLY) didn't want to take a class in the beginning of my pregnancy, hated the thought of it (all the stupid breathing techniques and how epidurals are the from the devil) but it grew on me and by my second trimester I had convinced myself that taking a birthing class was a good idea and that it would be fun. I probably would not have come to this conclusion by myself but my good friend LeeAnn (who is pregnant and due a week after I am) took the initiative that I lack to find the class, schedule and how to sign up for it; all the necessities. We decided to take the same class, which was a relief to Jordan because he would have another guy (Chuck) in the class to goof off with. If you knew them both, then you would know how scary this thought is. They tend to distract each other and get each other in trouble. Putting two boys with ADHD together is always an iffy thing. Also in the class is LeeAnn's Coworker Anna and her husband James, who are very sweet and fun people.

So last night was the first of the 5 week classes. We parked across from the hospital at LeeAnn's work and walked over so that we wouldn't have to pay for parking (we would have been more inclined to pay for parking with the impending rain clouds overhead if we had had some cash, but we didn't...). We got into the room where the class takes place and went over to the information table to take care all of the necessities (sign-in form, name tags, information packets, etc.). I was picking up one of each form and got to the one labeled "Prenatal Yoga." Hmmm.... As you all very well know, I am NOT an exercising girl. My exercise regiment includes walking from my teller window to the bathroom and back again one million times a day. So I quietly put the paper back down on the stack, I mean let's be realistic.

We went over to the tables and sat down and talked until the teacher came into the room. I kept trying to look at her (Jordan's big head was in the way) and when I finally got a good look, I quickly turned away. I was thinking the very worst. See, I know this lady. She is one of my members at work and I was thinking that there is no way I was going to learn anything with her. She is very spacey and I really can't see her in this profession. I looked at LeeAnn with a slightly pathetic face as I explained that I thought I knew the teacher (I probably completely freaked her out about how horrible this class was going to be). But I knew that I had to face the facts, so I slowed turned around to face her again, knowing she would recognize me. This time she spotted me and grinned really big and waved. I feel bad now for thinking such horrible things because she is a really nice lady, but I really didn't think she had the capability to teach a class of any kind.

The class started and teacher lady is really not a bad teacher. Her voice is slightly annoying to me but I was able to overlook that for the most part. We went over the 3 stages of labor, certain breathing techniques, what to remember to tell the doctor if our water breaks, certain hospital procedures (like the fact that if we were to have parked in the hospital parking lot, she could have just stamped our receipt and we wouldn't have had to pay for it...would've been nice to know before we got to the class...), and a lot of stuff that I know I am forgetting (baby brain). Then we watched a video on the three stages of labor which thoroughly scared most of the people in the room (most of all Jordan) even though it was very tame compared to the horrific labor and delivery scenes I was conjuring up in my head. It was still enough to remind why I should be scared of this process. Maybe this class was a bad idea...ignorance is bliss right? I wasn't nearly as scared before the class as I am now, but that could be because I wouldn't let myself think about it. But even now with all of my fretting over giving birth and the horror delivery stories floating around in my head, I can still look at a tiny, little baby and feel peaceful and smile (this is obviously not a screaming, tiny, little baby, because that triggers a whole new round of terrors in my mind.) I just have to remember what this journey will result in and my whole world is fine. I cannot wait to hold this little girl in my arms and sing lullabies to her and stare into her beautiful eyes and hold her tiny little hands and feet.

ANYWAY, the class went well and I'm looking forward to the rest of our meetings, especially class #4 where the partners learn massage techniques!! There were (of course) lots of laughs provided by Chuck and Jordan (whom we definitely had to separate). When we were walking out of the hospital we saw that it was raining a good steady rain. This was not good since our cars were parked several blocks away. So the boys were sent to get the cars in the rain while Anna, LeeAnn and I talked about pregnancy things and maternity clothes. It was a fun night, but a late one. I wish the class was a little eariler but it's only for a few more weeks.

Only 2 more months to go and I can feel her growing bigger inside me by the minute (not literally but it feels that way). I wonder what she will look like, since Jordan and I have such different features. Will she have my nose or his, blue eyes or brown, dark complexion or rosy pale with freckles, blond hair or dark brown or any at all for the first two years. And what about her personality? Will she be a take charge, outgoing, social butterfly or a shy, reserved, blushing little thing? So many questions! And if God allows, very soon (probably much too soon) I will have my answers. Please pray for the health of my little one. I don't have any weird intuitive feelings that anything is wrong with her health, but I think it's normal to worry. How can you not worry over something that you love so much? How can I love someone so much that I haven't even seen yet? As scared as I am of all of the millions of things that are going to happen/change in the next few months, I am way more excited. I just pray that she is healthy.

Lord, Please give us a healthy baby. In Jesus' name, Amen.