Saturday, May 30, 2009

Getting Educated

We had our pre-admission appointment at the hospital last week, which meant we could start signing up for baby classes. I didn't realize that having a baby required getting a degree, but I suppose that's a good thing. I mean, they make you get licensed to drive a car and get married, you should have some sort of paperwork saying you're qualified to take the kid home, right?

So we're going to be doing one session each of infant CPR, infant care, and breastfeeding, then four weeks of childbirth. Now, I would have thought that infant care would have required more time than childbirth, since you spend considerably more time dealing with an infant than you do actually birthing it, but whatever. I'm also not sure why we have to bring FIVE bed pillows to the first two sessions of childbirth. Seriously? I'm not sure we have five bed pillows... I've heard a rumor that when you get to the class where the anesthesiologist talks about drug options they actually show you the epi needle. I told Greg to be on the lookout for that one and to make sure I cover my eyes. There's some things I do not need time to contemplate, like the size of that needle!

4 comments:

Sandi said...

When you get to the hospital and you're screaming in pain, that needle won't be near as frightening. Whoever invented the epidural did a good day's work. It makes childbirth much easier than anything you learn in breathing class.

From the Doghouse said...

When Sweet Pea was born, right after the epi kicked in my wife looked at me and said "If it's a boy, we're finding out who invented this and naming it after him."

She also doesn't remember saying this.

The Davidson's: Lynn, Chris, Park, and Dalt said...

The size of the needle is why I didn't have one!! My fear of a needle...especially in my back! A needle in my back...oooouuuucccchhhh!!! I'd rather suffer a little more. It was nice getting the demerol though. I've just heard stories... about epidurals... and I have scoliosis so I didn't trust the needle to go the correct way. I know...I'm CRAZY!!!!

Allison said...

Yeah, I'm with Sandi. By the time I was dilated to 6, I didn't care if they stuck a rusty railroad spike in my back as long as it made me numb. =)