Thursday, November 6, 2008

Childbirth Class # 3: My pregnant husband

Ahhh, just the class I've been waiting for. Guess who's turn it was to wear the Empathy Belly?!?!?!





Mary Jane strapped him in TIGHT. So tight, in fact, that the extra bladder weight wouldn't quite shimmy into its spot. She was reluctantly forced to loosen the velcro just a bit so he could get the full experience. I'm surprised I stopped laughing for long enough to take these...













It was all fun and games as he posed for his profile shot, cradling the baby. Very natural, honey--impressive.













But the sweat needed to be wiped from the brow when he had to sit indian style on the floor next to me. I asked him if he knew how I felt, and he said "Well, I mean, you never sit like this..." Um, yeah, and now you know why. Watching him get up was so dang funny. He also had to tie his shoe, at which point I think he almost asked me if I would do it for him.



And finally, we had to take a simultaneous belly pic. Excuse my extremely large grin and flat hair. I couldn't stop laughing! Looks like we're due around the same time, eh?
During class this week, we learned all about labor and delivery, and Mary Jane even had some of the tools and tricks of the trade used to help us out during our stay. One of the instruments was a long pointy plastic...thing, that made me literally shake. I'm not kidding, I started quivering. I think she saw me shaking, so she let me hold it, which did not seem to keep the shuddering at bay. A good sign of things to come on January 6th. If I'm shaking at a plastic pointy....thing, then just imagine what I'll do when they strap me to that bed, not to get up until the baby is OUT.
We then met over at the hospital for the last hour of class to tour our future home. As aforementioned, I've gone, I've seen, I've conquered, so for me I felt like waving to the nurses and saying "Hey! Long time no see! Yeah, no, I'm good, it was just vertigo. Who knew??" The tour was fabulous as we learned that the husbands are not allowed to watch the TV or eat, per our requests, during labor and delivery. She also instructed them that they may stand by our heads so as not to get any 'full-frontal' action, if you catch what I'm puttin' down.
Walking by the nursery was the most precious thing I've ever seen. The tiny brand new ones were just TO DIE FOR. And the best part was, my friend Allison who is in the class with me, actually came out of her long-standing denial and realized that she will soon (5 weeks, Allison, 5 weeks, say it with me...) have a little nugget of joy just like the ones we were looking at. She and I were the last ones standing at the nursery window, reveling in the moment she figured all this out :)
I was so worn out after the tools, the tour, and the belly, I got in bed at 8:30 and fell fast asleep. Another educational day at class, and with 2 more to go, I feel my time is drawing near!

1 comment:

Allison & Michael Godwin said...

I keep laughing at how you are the first person to point out this denial thing I am have been pulling! Looking at those red screaming infants was quite a scene! I only wish someone had taken a picture of me as the blood drained from my face watching it all.