During this whole pregnancy thing, I have read the books, websites, pamphlets and I have spent a few evenings actually thinking of the process of how the baby will get here. Today, my eyes were opened. (after seeing the example of 10 cm. they could have been opened that wide.)
Our adventure this week in the Puget Sound area was at our Childbirth class. It is both Saturday and Sunday. I knew how the baby would come here. I knew it. I was not under the impression that the stork would bring it or that the actual birth would be accomplished in one 30 minute block like on any given sitcom. (way to lie to me TV). Actually watching it and listening to the tiny little Indian lady that is teaching the class, (who seriously is probably a size zero and has had 4 kids.), talk about it all I must say I am little freaked out. I know people will comment that it will be ok, and I appreciate that, but when you have heard about what actually goes on, especially for a first time mother, it is a little hard to digest.
After day one of Trauma-birth classes I have learned:
I thought I wanted to have the baby naturally with no drugs. I still do, but now it is more because I don't want somebody poking around my spinal column with a needle and a catheter to insert drugs directly in there. I really don't like the idea of having said catheter left in my body to pump the drugs into me. That part seriously freaks me out. (my sister is afraid of needles and didn't have an epidural, and I am afraid of things being left in my spine so I don't think I will be having one either. Icky!)
I think Travis will accomplish Saint hood if he puts up with me while I am in active labor. We watched a video of a real woman going through the stages of labor and she was getting short with her mom, sister and doula. She had agreed to the filming of it, and was still getting mad. (I know that regardless of how frustrated I was, I would NEVER say anything snotty if there was some strange camera man filming me. I would be too worried about how it would look after the fact.) That being said, since there will be no cameraman/men in the room with us, and I will be free to say whatever I feel like saying, I am sure that all the evil inside me will join together and come spewing out of my mouth laced with all sorts of colorful adjectives and comments.
Seriously, if Travis stays with me after this, I think the birth will be the second 'miracle' that he would have to accomplish and don't you only need three to accomplish sainthood?!
Tonight I will try to get my mind off of it for a while and enjoy the evening while everything is still in tact. :) But in the great words of Scarlett O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day!"
1 comment:
Since I recently had a baby, I can understand your fears completely. After already having a few kids, I somewhat knew what to expect this 4th time. Sometimes I think ignorance is bliss. It might be better to not know what to expect. But every experience is completely different. I'm not going to lie and say that it will be easy. Labor is difficult. I am also terrified of the epidural, but I've had it 4 times. You just have to decide if you want to endure the pain or deal with the epidural. I'm too big of a wuss to deal with labor pain the whole time. Although this time I could've done it without it because I only had the epidural for the last hour. Good luck with everything! When your perfect baby is here everything will be alright. Your brain has a strange way of blocking out some of the bad stuff so you can do it again.
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