Our precious little bundle of joy isn't even born yet and already I feel like I'm drowning in the undertow of our baby's schedule demands. Today we have another doctor's appointment, but the real fun was last night when I had the pleasure of assisting Jillian in our first birthing class. What a treat.
Our instructor is a lady who is probably best described as 'quirky.' If you've ever seen Molly Shannon's character on Saturday Night Live of Mary Katherine Gallagher, that's what we're dealing with. She is very open, not afraid to discuss any topic, and has a 'I do yoga 4x a week and drive a volvo' hippieness to her. Which is great because it provides some unintentional comedy to the events.
But, dear Lord, I was not prepared for the things that were discussed in this class. There are 8 couples taking the class, and I was SHOCKED at some of the info being shared with complete strangers. Two, not one, but TWO couples told stories about the wife's breasts. I looked at Jill with bewilderment. However, that I was to find out, was just the appetizer.
I realize this topic may not be totally PG-rated and the terms I heard last night are nothing new to this audience, but I learned more about the female reproductive system last night than I ever knew in my previous 30 years. By the tenth poster I told Jillian it was making me kind of queasy. And it wasn't that I'm immature and couldn't handle the adult vocabulary being thrown around, it just seemed like overkill. Of course, I'm probably not their prime focus, Jillian is more so, but when she started showing pictures of where you would cut for an episiotomy, I felt a few flutters. Follow that up with talk of babies sometimes pooping within the amniotic sac and that's WAY too much information for this common man. Help?
Leaving the class I do have a new found respect for the birthing process. How the female body contracts, contorts, expands, and loosens during the childbirth process is a fascinating thing. Seeing what the baby has to go through in order to fit between the pubic bone and your tail bone is quite astonishing. There were only a few breathing exercises, but we've been promised next week to use the birthing balls. That sounds fun. And be sure to check back after week 4 where we watch actual video of a C-section, non-epidural birth, and a birth on an epidural. I might need Jill to support me during that week.
Our instructor is a lady who is probably best described as 'quirky.' If you've ever seen Molly Shannon's character on Saturday Night Live of Mary Katherine Gallagher, that's what we're dealing with. She is very open, not afraid to discuss any topic, and has a 'I do yoga 4x a week and drive a volvo' hippieness to her. Which is great because it provides some unintentional comedy to the events.
But, dear Lord, I was not prepared for the things that were discussed in this class. There are 8 couples taking the class, and I was SHOCKED at some of the info being shared with complete strangers. Two, not one, but TWO couples told stories about the wife's breasts. I looked at Jill with bewilderment. However, that I was to find out, was just the appetizer.
I realize this topic may not be totally PG-rated and the terms I heard last night are nothing new to this audience, but I learned more about the female reproductive system last night than I ever knew in my previous 30 years. By the tenth poster I told Jillian it was making me kind of queasy. And it wasn't that I'm immature and couldn't handle the adult vocabulary being thrown around, it just seemed like overkill. Of course, I'm probably not their prime focus, Jillian is more so, but when she started showing pictures of where you would cut for an episiotomy, I felt a few flutters. Follow that up with talk of babies sometimes pooping within the amniotic sac and that's WAY too much information for this common man. Help?
Leaving the class I do have a new found respect for the birthing process. How the female body contracts, contorts, expands, and loosens during the childbirth process is a fascinating thing. Seeing what the baby has to go through in order to fit between the pubic bone and your tail bone is quite astonishing. There were only a few breathing exercises, but we've been promised next week to use the birthing balls. That sounds fun. And be sure to check back after week 4 where we watch actual video of a C-section, non-epidural birth, and a birth on an epidural. I might need Jill to support me during that week.
1 comment:
Steve and I attended the Body World 3 exhibit at the STL Science Center last weekend. If you get an opportunity, you should make an effort to see it.
If you do not know, it features human cadavers that have been plasticized and posed in exhibit to explain how the human body works. Although I have seen human skeletons before, this was the first time I saw them with the muscle structures and vital organs attached (somewhat different from photo images I have seen). One area of the exhibit showed human development using embryos and fetuses from 1 week to 36 weeks. Another area showed the actual differences between healthy organs and those with disease. The human body is truly amazing and I know you appreciate all that you are learning in these classes.
Looking forward to seeing you next weekend. Love, Mom
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