real mum lessons

Hi Jack,

You have been moving ALOT lately so it reminded me to write you some notes on my real mum lessons. Your dad and I have gone to a series of three classes called preparation for birth and a class on breastfeeding for me and a boot camp for dads class for dad. We also went to an open house at the hospital to get an overall feel for what we are supposed to expect when we actually get to the hospital.

I learned alot from the breastfeeding class because as a woman, it is one of those things that you want to pretend will go smoothly for you but deep down, you think it is going to be awkward and maybe not work at all. So, the long and short of it is that you better work with me on this. I want to be able to provide you with the best nutrients possible that just happen to be produced for free in my body.

Dad's boot camp class was a little dry but he learned how to swaddle you in a blanket and got to joke around with some other guys nervous about holding a little baby in their arms that expects them to know everything and be able to do everything.

Our preparation for birth class was very informative because, unlike some classes that you end up in as an adult, we had a good teacher and we genuinely wanted to know everything she had to say. She talked very quickly and used phrases like "snot flying out of your hoo-haw" every couple of minutes. We learned about how to decide when I am in labor, when it is progressing enough to go to the hospital, and what to expect of the most intense pain I should plan to endure in my lifetime. I was hyperventilating as I watched a video of getting an epidural as they put a needle next to a womans spine, and I held my breath and then sighed when we watched a video of the moment a baby was born.

The fact that this baby was covered in a " cream cheese" substance and looked blue with a conehead- did not phase me the way that it may have at other times in my life. But I reached down, touched my stomach and then looked at your dad and started to tear up because I can't wait to meet you.

My pain management plan is the thing from the classes that is not settled. I am hoping to head to the hospital with all the plans to not use an epidural so that I do not feel the claustrophobic worry of being numbed, staying on a bed for several hours and the worry of them doing it wrong. But I also am not against using an epidural if the pain is such that I honestly don't believe I can live through it. Whatever happens- you will be there but you won't remember it.

That's enough for tonight- but I just thought you should know that I have been taking actual mum lessons and not just getting on here and blabbering about stuff.

Your dad and I spend most nights before we go to bed, side by side reading different baby books to learn more about your growth and how to prepare for you. In the next few weeks, we will change our focus forever to how to take care of you once you are here. So, in the meantime, enjoy your little area in there because it is about to get a little tighter.

Love you- mom