Nevertheless, I have a game plan. I've written out my birth plan (see below), and decided to create an alternate persona a la Beyonce's Sasha Fierce. This woman is like Michelle Duggar (of 19 kids and counting), a baby making pro. She's an athlete with a high tolerance for pain and a get'er done attitude. The plan is to channel this alter ego when contractions come on and breeze through labor (no eye rolls please). I've yet to name this baby popping wiz and suggestions are welcome.
In addition to writing my birth plan, creating a birthing persona, packing my hospital bag and going for routine checkups every 2-3 weeks, Rob and I signed up for a prenatal class to help us prepare for baby's arrival. The National Childbirth Trust (known as NCT) is the UK's largest charity for parents. They run prenatal and postnatal classes and provide a ton of useful information and resources to parents and parents-to-be. The cost is on a sliding scale based on income so pretty much everyone expecting their first child in London signs up. They assign you to a class based on your due date and postcode so you know the people in class with you live nearby and are due within a few weeks of one another. They also emphasize the importance of networking with the other expecting parents as much as they give tips on labor and parenting.
When we went to our first class we were expecting to be the only foreigners - how wrong we were. Of the 7 couples, there were people from Sweden, Canada, France, Switzerland, Nigeria, another Rob from the US and a couple who moved back to London from Australia about the same time we moved here. They are all 30-something, worldly, professionals who are easy to get along with. My favorite part of the class was when we split into groups of men and women and were told to write a list of ways in which the men could support us women. While the men's list had mostly concrete suggestions for easing labor i.e. massages and encouraging words, the women used the opportunity to tell our men how they should support us in life in general i.e. don't wait for us to tell you to do something, if you see something needs to get done just do it and don't always offer solutions, often we know the solutions we just need to vent about the situation.
My least favorite part of the class was the 2.5 hour breastfeeding session. In my opinion it was intimidating, overwhelming and a bit militant. When I asked the woman how I should prepare for the baby to be fed if I had a wedding or event to attend after the birth she said I should take the baby with me. Clearly it was implied in the question that I would not be taking the baby with me and I needed advice on pumping. Her views on breastfeeding came across as extreme and she made pumping out to be time-consuming, difficult and not ideal. Rob didn't perceive her the way I did so it is entirely possible that my own insecurities about breastfeeding made me extra sensitive. I whole-heartedly want to and intend to breastfeed but I would also like to maintain some semblance of my former independent self and I left the class feeling like my sole purpose for the next 6 months will be as a human food dispenser. I'm not going to stress about it until the time comes and then I will figure out what works best for me and baby girl.
Last night we met up with the other couples for dinner at a local pub where they serve things like bangers and mash, steak and ale pie, and fish and chips. Next week Rob will go out with the boys to - where else- another pub and the girls will be meeting up for brunch.
Otherwise, as far as pregnancy goes, all is well. Thanks in great part to the cool weather I haven't had any swelling and I've been really active. I haven't felt any Braxton Hicks (practice contractions), and aside from getting up to pee 5 times a night, I sleep comfortably. My mom arrives a week from Friday and at that point I will be all systems go for baby's arrival. I can't wait to see her face (which I'm convinced will look like a mini Rob) and to introduce her to all of you!
For my pregnant friends (amazing how less than a year ago I had none and now I have 3...that I know of) below is my birth plan and hospital bag packing list.
Hospital Bag (Bag is misleading- should read Hospital Suitcases)
For labor For after birth
- Phone/phone charger 20 newborn diapers
- laptop with Seinfeld DVDs breast pads
- lotion for massages lots of granny panties
- journal to write down my thoughts maxi pads
- Snacks toothbrush/toothpaste
- Chapstick shampoo/conditioner/hairbrush/dryer/facewash
- Birth Plan camera
- Slippers and slipper socks boppy pillow for breastfeeding
- Arnica- pills for internal bruising nursing bras
- nightgowns car seat
- towel
- comfy clothes to wear home
- onesie, gown, baby hat
- outer layer for baby
- baby blanket
- keepsake book
- champagne (it is a birthday!)
When I was expecting Samu, every day I watched about 2 or 3 deliveries, hoping it would help, but nope, I was still as scared after watching about, let's see...maybe 100 ..?!
ReplyDeleteNo. 1 - I completely relate to every word in paragraph one.
ReplyDeleteNo. 2 - my wish/goal is to breastfeed and to introduce the bottle around about 4 months.
No. 3 - I love the bond they encouraged for the women and the men at the class.
No. 4 - I had never heard of Arnica????