Birthing Class

Yesterday Jebo and I (and Gianna of course) had our first child birth class. It was held at our doctors office and all of the other couples in the class were also patients that go to the clinic, and are having babies within weeks of our due date. The classes will be conducted for 2 hours, once a week, for the next 6 weeks. They even include a hospital tour.

At the beginning of the class, we all introduced ourselves and said a little bit about our lives. All of the couples, like us, are first time parents and clueless for the most part of all the things we need to know about delivering a baby. After hearing everyone speak, it became clear that all of the women in the class were scared and all of the husbands were nervous.

When it was my turn to speak, I said "I don't think I'm as scared as the rest of you are. (insert laugh here). We were created to be able to do this, and SO many women have done it before us. Even 12 year olds can do it!" Everyone laughed, and it hopefully helped calm some of them down, even if it only lasted a moment.

After introductions, the instructor started explaining all kinds of medical terms to us, and giving us a run down of the hospital we will give birth at. We found out that Alexandria hospital has an Natal Intensive Care Unit (or NICU) if there were to be any complications, which there WONT be.

We also found out that after birth, the babies are secured with an arm band and a leg band, and only Jebo and I will have the same band, and only the two of us will be permitted to remove the baby from the room they normally keep all the babies in. They even secure a chip on the end of the babys umbilical cord, and if the baby gets too close to the holding room doors, the alarm sounds. (They take the chip off when we take the baby home.)

While were giving birth we get to have 4 other people in the Labor and Delivery room with us. No children under 12 years old are even permitted on the birthing floor of the hospital, because they carry too many germs. I guess it's a good thing that Gab will be in Fredricksburg on Summer Break, then. We'll just have to hose him down when he comes home to get all the germs off of him. Haha!

I know Jebo and I will be super protective of anyone touching Gianna unless they are clean and their hands/arms have been scrubbed. I guess that's a normal practice before you touch ANY newborn, since they are so prone to illness once they are exposed to the world.

The instructor also put a big emphasis on us mothers drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. I already exceed that amount, as I am ALWAYS thirsty for water. It will also help to drink a lot of water during the hot and humid Virginia days when swelling is possible.

Hopefully Gianna makes her appearance around 37 weeks, so it will be towards the end of June and it wont be too hot out yet. I know she will come when God is ready for her to come, but I'll still put my "end of June" prayer request in. =) They say for first time moms, only 20% of babies come before their due date, and 80% come after. C'mon Gianna! Be in the 20% for Mommy & Daddy, m'kay?

Towards the end of the class we watched a birthing video, and everyone was quiet until the video SHOWED a baby popping out of a vagina. I think for most of them, it was the first time watching something like that. All of them men were wide-eyed, and all of the women were whispering to their husbands and vice-versa. Jebo and I were just looking at each other laughing. This is our first birth also, so we'll see how he does in the delivery room. He thinks he's going to pass out, but I think he will pull through it when he realizes he has to keep me strong and help me get our daughter into the world safely and hopefully, quickly!

Sooooooooo excited!!!