Well, a funny thing happened: the information completely overwhelmed me! We have a “textbook” that is guiding our class and it was just too dang much for me to take in at one time. The teacher was great and the tone of the class was completely relaxed, but I got home and was all in a tizzy (post-Law and Order, anyway). I recognize that pushing an 8-pound being through a hole that I am not yet convinced is designed for that is a big deal, but I am pretty sure that I was inappropriately freaked out. I’ve got knots in my stomach even as I write about it.
Additionally, at the end of the class we began practicing our relaxation techniques. There was some guided meditation, some breathing (which, as you know, is always a positive), some muscle tensing and relaxing, and other such activities. We were sent home with the instructions to practice in the days prior to our next class with the idea being that the more familiar we are with these techniques when actual labor occurs we will be able to call up the skills more easily. So, naturally, I am now freaking out about not being able to do the relaxation techniques correctly and thus, not having them in my arsenal when I need them. I mean, seriously, what kind of overly anxious person am I? I need to relax about my relaxation techniques! What the hell?!?!?
I also learned some anatomical stuff that explains some pain I have been having and, somehow, learning the cause has made it worse. When a woman is pregnant the hormones in her body cause all the joints to loosen so that all the necessary parts are as flexible and malleable as they need to be when the baby comes. This is particularly true of the pelvis and the pubic bone (pubis). Well, I have been having some pretty rockin’ pain in the pubic bone. I asked the teacher about it and she informed me that the bone can become so loose that the two pieces actually start to pull away from one another and the cartilage (or whatever that is) that connects the two halves. In short, my dear, sweet daughter’s exit location hurts…a lot.
In light of all this I guess there are two options. One, I can ignore the book and the practicing and hope that the doctors just cut me open and take her out. (Honestly, this option looks pretty good right now.) Or, I can take baby steps (ha! baby steps) and take things as they come, concentrating only on what we have covered in thus far in class. I guess this is the option I should go with.
Maybe I should make an appointment with the therapist too.
3 comments:
Woman. YOU CAN DO IT. You were made for it! It IS going to be hard, but you WILL be able to do it - however you do it. Whenever you feel like freaking out, just think about how TOTALLY AWESOME women are for being able not just to make a human in their bodies, but to deliver it to the world. In my humble opinion, I think this trumps any other human achievement. So take a deep breath, be scared, but always remember that YOU CAN DO IT.
And now I will step away from the megaphone.
Millions of women have given birth. And they have all been annoyed and worried at some point in the process because they have been the ones who had to do it.
But, while not knowing all the millions, the women I've known have come through it and have been grateful for the chance to deliver life. To deliver life, no small feat, that.
I love you, kid. Hang in. With God's help, iIt will work out.
Dad
read your post on class #2, glad you're feeling more relaxed...and like Rachel said, you can TOTALLY do it. I was a little freaked out going in, but afterward (and that's after 22 hours of labor and an hour of pushing), I was like huh...that wasn't bad at all - that precious little baby they hand you at the end makes everything else melt away. plus, unlike Rachel, I had the good drugs.
and the breathing - i tried practicing the official heeheehoo...but i just couldn't get the hang of doing it consistently, so I just took really deep breaths (and even in the hour before i started pushing and the good drugs stopped working because i didn't push the magic button when i was supposed to and i was having "back labor" the slow deep breaths helped a lot, and you don't need to practice those) just a thought.
hope i didn't freak you out more...it really is a wonderfully marvelous experience that you were made for - you can do it
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