Last Thursday, August 5, was the first day of prenatal class. There are four sessions – every Thursday in August. So far we’ve learned about:

• Anatomy and physiology terminology
• Nutrition/exercise
• Stages of labor, medications, breathing techniques, interventions, C-sections
• Hospital admission procedures
• Post-delivery care

Next week we’re doing car seat safety, newborn care, and taking a tour of the hospital.

So far the class has been both informative and painful. Informative because it’s info we didn’t know. I feel reassured by how nice the hospital is, how I’ll get my own room with a rocking chair and shower, how I’ll be able to walk around and won’t be confined to the bed… TV doesn’t pain a pretty picture of labor. However, it’s been painful because there are some stupid people who ask really stupid questions, and then the nurse instructor only answers those questions. I ask questions like:

• “Does doing the perineal massage really help avoid an episiotomy?” {Her response was something like “when a doctor does that it usually causes tearing,” which wasn’t my question. I was asking about doing the massage daily prior to labor…}
• “If the baby’s lungs aren’t developed but the baby is large for its age, why not leave the baby in there?” {Her response: “Women with diabetes have babies that get too big too soon.”}

It’s all good though. Getting our $40 worth.