27w6d - Prepared Childbirth Class #2

We had our second class last night. It's kind of a funny class, because it's taught from a module. They have a series of CDs with videos and cartoons in it. The cartoons are animations of different parts of the growing and birthing process. The videos are actual people in the labor and delivery process.

The people in the videos are all unattractive, which we found funny. This is why it's so important for Hollywood actors to look good, because it's just not as fun to watch average- to unattractive-looking people on a big screen. Hubby-poo and I had a good laugh about that last week and again this week (understanding full well that we are not what you would describe as Hollywood attractive).

Anyway, last week we saw the people prior to going to the hospital and in different phases of the laboring process - sitting on birthing balls, soaking in the tub, etc. There were a few interviews and some demonstrations of the dads massaging the moms-to-be. I expected more of the same with last night's class, since it focused on specifics of relaxation during L&D.

Well, somebody should have prepared me. Or maybe I should have figured it out. But there was a LOT more in the video. They started to show the different phases of labor. And they had these women in different positions to ease the process. The positions were not flattering, to say the least. At one point I thought, 'wow, these camera guys aren't very careful', because there would be a glimpse of side-butt or ungroomed lady parts in view. It was a lot of information.

But once they got to the birthing part of the labor process, well, I realized that these ladies knew that their parts were going to be on the video. Because they showed EVERYTHING! And let me tell you, it was nothing like the cartoon! I knew what to expect from all of the reading I had been doing, but this was different. These were real women, with their real babies coming out of them. It was disturbing. And surreal. And seemed really, really painful!

All of the women in the video had natural births, which is what I intend to do (although, I am reserving the right to change my mind). So that was really good to see. Even if it did scare the bejesus out of me (even more than I am scared of the whole process), it didn't make me not want to do it. In fact, it made me want a mirror at the end of the bed so I can see the magic happen (although, I don't expect most of the labor to be on my back / sitting up. But I do expect the pushing part to happen then).

On an unrelated note, I wonder what it is about childbirth class that turns guys into douchebags. Not Hubby-poo, of course, But there are a few guys in my class who are just sort of, well, that guy. Maybe they are like that all the time, but their wives are really nice and friendly and don't seem the type to be married to that guy. I am guessing that the ultra-feminine nature of the class is what did it. But there were a few jokes about hormones and a few other things that I did not find amusing or appropriate.

Anyway, tonight is Breastfeeding class. Hubby-poo and I are both going to that one as well. I suspect he might be one of only a few dads there. But he is looking forward to it. I plan to nurse, and needs to understand how to support me. Since this is completely foreign territory to both of us, we need some prep-work.