Wrapped up childbirth class at noon today! I really enjoyed the class a lot and am glad we went. Most of all because it was at OUR hospital so I could ask questions about procedures there. When you read books, it’s all kind of hypothetical, but this was very relevant to where we will be birthing. We have a hospital tour later in the summer – looking forward to seeing it all for the first time too.
Matt was the dad volunteer to try on 25 pounds of weight – broken down into baby, placenta, uterus, amniotic fluid, blood volume, water weight, fat stores…am I missing anything!? He said it made his back hurt!
Today we practiced pushing. HUGE lesson for me that you push down with your abs and not so much your lower parts, which you want to remain more relaxed to stretch and allow the baby to come out! I felt like I was a better pusher squatting and on all fours than I was on my back, but hard to tell how things might really happen when there’s a pumpkin on its way down…
We also role played a c-section team. It was scary just to practice! So was epidural administration lesson. I know both of these might be out of my control, but I am scared of both way more than I’m scared of contractions, pushing, tearing, fatigue and the other hardships of labor.
We ended with an ideal birth exercise (on the other side of these cards were the opposite situations – which is often all chance what you end up with). Although hopefully the BOY one is right!
I snacked on some string cheese and strawberries around noon and we headed over to Great Harvest after class before we went out to lunch for a debriefing. Location of choice: Beer Run!
Matt and I split a [local] bison burger – delicious!! I think I was craving red meat.
And we both enjoyed salads on the side.
Plus beer for the dad for being such a good sport in class : ) He said he enjoyed it too. Tomorrow – coincidence it’s the same weekend – we have a one-on-one session with our doula, Jen. And then later this summer: classes in baby care and breastfeeding!
Sana says
That backpack looks heavyyy, I wonder how women carry twins!!
Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See says
Oh my, I never thought about that! Judging by that backpack alone, carrying twins would be a 24/7 workout 😉
Angela @ Health, Happiness and Harmony says
I’ve never tried Bison, but have always been curious. Is the taste comparable to any other meat?
KathEats says
It’s like an 80% fat beef, but much, much leaner. Comparable to grass-fed beef in flavor
Emily Butler says
Definitely hoping you don’t have the vacuum extraction, my third (and smallest one) had to be vacuumed, she never dropped fully and I could not push her out for the life of me, of course after pushing for an hour and getting no where by that point I was okay with them going in and pulling her out haha, but my recovery was different than my first two vaginal without needing a vacuum to get them out, as far as the episotomy though, I had to have one with the vacuum, not my first two and I honestly didn’t feel it at all! You’ll be good as long as you have some sort of wish list for the delivery, yes things happen, but i think most times you get to have the birth you hoped for unless something major happens!
Allison k says
I was also scared of epidural and a section. Terrified. But…. If you start naturally…and that becomes your option, the fear takes a back seat. Having your baby in your arms becomes the only thing.
Ashlee says
I agree with this… Having just gone through it two weeks ago. I was terrified as well and I won’t lie it’s scary while you go through it but first and foremost was the safety of our little girl and you work with the cards you’ve been dealt. You are stronger than you ever thought possible in these moments. I promise.
kristen @ verbs and vignettes says
sounds really informative. here’s hoping for all the good sides of the cards. 🙂 I’m craving a real burger, too… maybe I can make do with a vegetarian swap… hahaha.
Alyssa (pb and oatmeal) says
I’m not sure about the bison burger but the bun looks really good 😉
Katie @ Peace Love and Oats says
That’s great that it was at your hospital, you know the answers you get will be correct in terms of your labor!
Annette @FitnessPerks says
That is kind of a cool game to play-the what ‘shoulds’ and what ‘probably wills’. Hah. And yes, that IS a lot of weight (all at once) to carry! WOw!
Valerie says
The sad thing about those classes at hospitals, is that they often just teach you how to be a well-behaved patient, not how to achieve your ideal birth. (I say this as a doula.)
But I hope you found it helpful! Also, it makes total sense you felt more comfortable even practicing pushing on all 4s it is SO MUCH HARDER to push on your back. And always remember, you have the right to refuse procedures that don’t make you comfortable. Hospitals so often try to scare parents in order to get them to consent to procedures that really just make things easier for the hospital staff, rather than what’s best for you and the baby.
KathEats says
Our instructor was actually a doula, so I think her approach was much more open than usual. The class was pretty basic (as expected) so it met my expectations though. We talked mostly about how birth happens and the stages and not very much about interventions and hospital stuff.
Amber says
Many of the nurses at the hospital ARE doulas in addition to their medical backgrounds. I’m glad you had a good experience.
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
I love that they had to try on 25 lbs of weight and see what that feels like! Great role-play exercise!
Try to think good thoughts, nothing negative, clean and clear and pure energy, just trust in your body and your baby and know you have done what you can and the rest is largely out of your control. But if I was a betting woman, I’d say you are going to have the birth you want to have 🙂
Lace @ Real Food Quest says
What is the purple veg(?) on the side of the bison burger?
KathEats says
Slaw!
j3nn says
That’s great that you enjoyed your class! Soon it won’t be practice, it will be show time!! 😀
That burger… OMG. Yum x infinity
Allison says
I never understand why people are scared of epidurals. It is uncomfortable for about a minute and then, sweet relief. I loved being free from the agony I was feeling – in tears from – so I could enjoy the birth experience. The needle is not that big of deal.
Amanda says
You are very lucky. Matt is such a good sport for putting on the back pack! That burger looks delicious– I’ve been wanting to try a bison burger, but I’m afraid it might be taste gamey? What are your thoughts on how it compares to just a regular beef burger?
KathEats says
It’s wonderful – and better than a lean bean burger in my opinion
Diane says
I’m not sure about pushing from your abs…you seriously need to just pretend to are, um… going #2. That is what my doctor told me, and push both of my kids out quickly.
KathEats says
That’s what i’ve heard, but I always thought it was more lower focused. Perhaps it will all make more sense when I have something ….er…someone to push against? I’m glad to have a few perspectives though
Diane says
It will make more sense when it is happening, especially if you don’t have an epidural. The first time I had an epidural and it took a minute to figure out how to do it since I could barely feel anything. Second time I didn’t have an epidural and I knew what to do.
Alicia @culinarybliss says
honestly? your body knows exactly what to do! My body pushed for me, and I eventually (with the help of my doula) got the hang of pushing with it. There’s a learning curve, for sure.
Nancy says
I ended up with a c-section with our twins — the epidural was so easy! It only took a few moments and I never felt the injection, and had no negative aftereffects either. I hope you get the birth experience you hope for! But I love how they’re prepping you for everything.
Tiffany says
Looks like you had a great and informative weekend. Thank you so much for sharing all of the baby info. Its nice to learn all this information for when I am ready to have a baby.
Is there a specific brand of greek yogurt that you buy? I’ve tried Fage 2% and it taste like cream and is very thick. But I usually buy the Trader Joe’s 2% because its much cheaper but it lacks the thickness of Fage.
Also, I usually buy 2% because I think a little fat is good and it makes the product better. But I’ve noticed many people opt for 0%. From the perspective of an RD which would you buy?
Thanks Kath! Hope your weekend is going well 🙂
KathEats says
I buy Oikos and Siggi’s because they are organic and from grass-fed cows. Siggi’s comes in both fat free and 2% and the flavors are very low in sugar, but it’s also expensive. I buy the big tubs of Oikos plain that is 0%. Ideally I’d have low-fat yogurt, but since that’s not an option for the plain Oikos, the 0% tub it is.
Andrea says
I so wish that they had a 2% plain Stonyfield Oikos!
Lindsay says
Fell in LOVE with Bison when we loved in CO, and I’m falling for all your bebe posts too…We are far from trying yet, but it’s good to see your journey…as I find it all scary/horrifying at the moment! Not sure if I’ll ever really be ready, might just have to leap!
Cait's Plate says
Interesting about the pushing! I definitely never knew that either.
That burger looks amazing!
Angel7 says
That bison burger looks good! We had burgers at a restaurant for dinner tonight, and they were awesome! Grass-fed beef is sooo much better than regular beef.
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Lorin says
My mom had to have a c-section with me because I was upside down. She said it wasn’t that bad and I think because you don’t have to push, it’s a little less painless…but that’s just my inference from what my mom told me about.
Kat @ Balance & Spice says
The class sounds like a wonderful way to learn. Here in Australia, I really miss bison (I used to have it whenever I could find it.) We have grass-fed lean beef, but it’s just not quite as good. I’ve heard kangaroo is interesting, though! Haven’t had it yet.
Nicole says
The epidural and C-section are two things I definitely want to avoid, too! The needle freaks me out, plus you become confined to the bed since you can’t feel anything. For a c-section, they’d have to knock me totally out- I wouldn’t be able to handle knowing that they’re cutting me open!
We had our labor/delivery class yesterday. All. Day. Ugh. But I feel better about the process and we got to tour the maternity pavilion. We definitely have a better idea now of how we want labor/delivery to happen with the caveat that things may need to change. I hope my labor/delivery works out better than it did with my mom when she had me. All these years she had me thinking she elected for the c-section when in reality her labor never progressed. Both my sister and I we over 9lbs…and so was my husband and his brother. I see a ginormous baby in my future!
penny says
An epidural isn’t bad. I had a very long labor with my first and was about to kiss the doc when he came in to give the epidural. Its just hard to hold still during contractions while getting it.
The advantage of an epidural for a long labor is that it gives you time to nap. Then they turn it down when you push and you can feel what to do. I never lost too much sensation. It still hurts.
When the time comes, you will be so focused on the healthy baby part that I imagine that you won’t care too much how the baby comes out.
Fran@ Broken Cookies Don't Count says
Lots to learn. You’re sounding well prepared.
Mary B. says
Kath, I hope your birth experience goes just the way you planned. Mine sure didnt but at the end of it all, I had my perfect baby girl. Just be sure to speak your mind about what you do and don’t want. The doctors and hospital have what they think is best already in their heads. I am glad you have so much support to help convey your wishes, even when you are…….busy 🙂 Good luck!
Melissa says
I am currently 31 weeks with 3 natural labors, assisted with midwives (and the 1st 2 labors with Douhlas) behind me and 1 to go! I thought I was doing everything right but had no knowledge of my pelvic floor (besides doing Kegels). I am doing a lot of research in this pregnancy as my pelvic floor has had issues since 1 month into this pregnancy. I am reading that in most hospitals it is typical for the woman to birth while on her back. This is really hard on the pelvic floor -like pushing up hill, when you could be pushing with gravity. Try for an upright birth if at all possible (my goal in this labor). Just thought I’d share something I didn’t know and wish I did. (all three of my previous births were on my back). Kath you love an intensive workout – well, you are going to get one but you’ll feel so invorgorated after you have completed the marathon! The first birth is the best!!! 🙂
KathEats says
I’ve been practicing my squats!
Eileen says
This may be a silly question, but I am intrigued … the bison burger is local? There are bison in VA?
KathEats says
Yeah the farm is New Frontier I think
Blaire says
Hey Kath– just curious why you do not want an episiotomy?
I really wanted one from what girlfriends had told me of their experience of tearing, but due to the craziness and not having my regular dr, one was not performed. Its been 19 months later, and still having issues from the massive tear. It tears through many layers, not just the outside, but inside and since they were not even tears, I have alot of scar tissue– so that’s why I’m pro episiotomies:)
KathEats says
Episiotomies (E’s) are no longer recommended or standard practice for most OBs. Research has shown that E’s can be more painful and be more serious cuts than tears and that they can often lead to more serious tears along the cut line – think first degree turned third. It’s like if you get a tear in a piece of fabric it’s easier to rip it completely apart with your hands. Of course there are some times when they might be necessary to get a baby out quickly, but for the most part they were a practice of the 80s. (This article summarizes some of the research: http://www.babycenter.com/0_episiotomy_165.bc)