Lamaze Class

Tuesday night we attended our first childbirth class. It was a Lamaze class (www.lamaze.org), held by a certified Lamaze instructor in her home. We were there with 3 other couples- two first-time parents and the other couple on their third. The teacher was wonderful! She's almost 60, but the youngest most peppy 60-yr-old out there! She's been teaching Lamaze for a VERY long time and is really dedicated and really believes in the method. Tuesday night was mostly an introduction of sorts, we talked about the method of Lamaze (it's not just "breathing") and also a quick rundown of the phases of labor. My DH told me afterward he learned more about childbirth in those 2 hours than he has in the past 6 months! He's also coming to understand *why* I want to have a med-free childbirth, and is fully supportive of us switching to an OB who is more commited to having a low-intervention birth and also of hiring a doula. I am very excited! :-)

Yesterday, after getting a recommendation, I called a new OB and set up an informational interview. I've heard he's very low-intervention, stepping in only when medically necessary, and a really pleasant doctor to work with. DH and I have just felt really pushed aside by our current OB, we barely get the time of day from her when we see her. Hopefully this transition will go smoothly.

I've been reading several books on childbirth- The Birth Book by Dr. Sears, Birthing from Within by Pam England, and now the Lamaze book she just gave us (I don't remember the name!). I want to get Natural Childbirth, the Bradley Way next, hopefully the library has it! These are great books, and I recommend them to anyone who will be having a baby anytime, ever.

I've never been the type of person to use the word "empowered" because it always sounded so feminist to me, but I have to admit that Tuesday night was the first time I think I've ever felt truly empowered. It's nice to be reminded that childbirth IS a natural thing- women have been doing it for thousands of years! My body was MADE to be a host to this baby while she is forming and preparing to enter the world, and my body was built to birth her and then feed her. And birth is not such a terrible, horrible experience, otherwise why would women continue giving birth? Because the outcome is worth it!