Class
We finally were able to get a childbirth class in! We did a private session with our doula and she packed in tons of information and mental preparation for childbirth and after Sarah Graves is here. Mom and Aaron were with me so that we all have similar ideas and they have an idea of their role during labor and birth.
We practiced some of the pain coping techniques described in Birthing from Within. You practice them while holding a handful of ice to simulate the discomfort of a contraction. You would be surprised how uncomfortable holding a handful of ice can be! I am sort of impressed by how some of the techniques using mental focus seemed to work. I am not good at visualizing or meditating, so I wasn't sure I would be able to use them well, but they actually seemed to help.
I'm sure there is tons more that we could practice and learn about childbirth, but I think we have some good ideas of what to expect and some ways to cope with it. Plus, we'll have Pam there with us in labor to remind us of the parts that we are forgetting!
We practiced some of the pain coping techniques described in Birthing from Within. You practice them while holding a handful of ice to simulate the discomfort of a contraction. You would be surprised how uncomfortable holding a handful of ice can be! I am sort of impressed by how some of the techniques using mental focus seemed to work. I am not good at visualizing or meditating, so I wasn't sure I would be able to use them well, but they actually seemed to help.
I'm sure there is tons more that we could practice and learn about childbirth, but I think we have some good ideas of what to expect and some ways to cope with it. Plus, we'll have Pam there with us in labor to remind us of the parts that we are forgetting!
Comments