A couple of weeks ago I panicked. I hadn't signed up for any classes or hospital tours yet. 1. I didn't realize there even were classes to sign up for except lamaze and 2. I thought you just called the hospital and said "I'd like to schedule a tour." Umm no, it doesn't work like that.
I asked my doctor about setting up a hospital tour and he gave me a brochure with some info and a number to call. Funny thing is he had given me that brochure months prior and probably encouraged me to look at the classes available then, but I wasn't listening. Either that or I thought I have plenty of time for that and then promptly forgot all about it. So that night I sat down and looked at the brochure and there was a link to the Christ Hospital's website of all the classes available. I got online and lo and behold there were tons of classes we could take. The only problem being a lot of them were already booked because they are only offered once a month or once every other month. I was quickly running out of weeks and scolded myself for not booking anything months ago.
I scheduled an infant CPR course and hospital tour at Christ Auburn on March 23rd, a Breastfeeding course for March 7th and a Birthing Basics course for March 9th, both at Christ Liberty. There were no tour slots available for the Liberty campus but the Birthing class said it included a tour of the facility. The only course I couldn't sign up for that I wanted to due to availability was a Baby Basics class that is basically like babies for dumbies and how to survive the first year. I think it would have been very beneficial, but I suppose we'll just have to rely on instinct and help from friends and family.
For any new mommas out there I HIGHLY recommend both the Breastfeeding and Birthing Basics classes. The Breastfeeding course was so much more than just "this is how to breastfeed". I took several pages of notes. Not everyone breastfeeds and that is totally fine - no mom shaming from me. I'm hoping to be able to breastfeed both girls for the first year without supplementing with formula. Maybe in a year I'll have a good laugh at how I thought that would be possible or maybe in a year I'll be glad I was bound and determined to do it and I'll be able to say I was successful.
The course covered when your milk comes in, how it changes, how the latch should be, things you should and should not feel (i.e. pain = bad), engorgement, supply issues, what to look for in diapers, feeding schedules, how and when to use the breast pump, feeding positions, and the list goes on. I was feeling super uneasy about it in general but now I feel like I have some extra tools to help me navigate the scary new world of breastfeeding.
Pretty much from the day I learned we were having twins I've said I was going to do a scheduled c-section. Around 26 weeks I started to waiver in that decision as the fear of major abdomen surgery was starting to sink in and I was learning more about the recovery process and thinking that perhaps I should give vaginal birth a try. At my 28 week ultra sound both babies were head down. I asked my doctor if I was dumb not to even consider a vaginal birth. He said there is no right or wrong choice but that I would have to be prepared for the real possibility of baby A coming out without issue and then Baby B doing flips once there was more room for her to move and potentially having to do a c-section to get her out. I absolutely did not want to end up doing both but started to think that maybe I should try. So I signed up for the Birthing Class to be more informed about vaginal birth because I hadn't read anything on it, hadn't attended any lamaze classes, hadn't thought about labor signs at all really because I was kind of just assuming I wouldn't have any with a scheduled c-section weeks before 40 weeks.
Then at my 32 week ultra sound the tech said both babies were breech. My doctor said there isn't enough space in my womb for them to both flip so I'd have to do a c-section. Upon hearing this news I wasn't disappointed. I was more relieved, like I didn't have to make the choice now so I didn't have to feel guilty one way or the other. We had already paid for the Birthing class so we still went. I'm glad we went because a lot of the class was focused on pre-labor and labor symptoms, many of which I hadn't considered or didn't know enough about. I'm 34 weeks now and on Monday my doctor said he wants to get me to 36 weeks but we'll probably schedule the c-section for week 36 (instead of week 38) so chances are very good I won't experience most of the pre-labor symptoms, but I still feel comfort knowing I have the knowledge now of what those signs would be.
There was only one other couple in the Birthing class and they said they may end up doing a c-section too so the teacher spent a little more time than she normally would talking about c-section delivery and the recovery process. It's still major surgery and it's still kind of scary to think about but I'm more at ease now having learned more about the process.
I met with my sister-in-law this past Saturday and picked her brain on all things c-section and recovery. She graciously answered all my questions and further put my mind at ease. Will recovery be difficult, especially with two babies to care for? Yes. But do I feel more prepared now? Absolutely, yes. And I know I have the support of friends and family who will be here to help in those first few weeks when I'm healing and not as mobile as I'd like to be.
So if you're pregnant and on the edge about taking any courses I'd encourage you to do it. You learn so much more in a class setting where you can ask questions than you do from just reading out of a book or article online about the topics.
Also, the tour of the facility was a nice added bonus. Liberty is BEAUTIFUL. It's been open less than a year so it's no surprise it's so nice. I'm really hoping I get to deliver there (and I haven't even seen Auburn yet!)
I asked my doctor about setting up a hospital tour and he gave me a brochure with some info and a number to call. Funny thing is he had given me that brochure months prior and probably encouraged me to look at the classes available then, but I wasn't listening. Either that or I thought I have plenty of time for that and then promptly forgot all about it. So that night I sat down and looked at the brochure and there was a link to the Christ Hospital's website of all the classes available. I got online and lo and behold there were tons of classes we could take. The only problem being a lot of them were already booked because they are only offered once a month or once every other month. I was quickly running out of weeks and scolded myself for not booking anything months ago.
I scheduled an infant CPR course and hospital tour at Christ Auburn on March 23rd, a Breastfeeding course for March 7th and a Birthing Basics course for March 9th, both at Christ Liberty. There were no tour slots available for the Liberty campus but the Birthing class said it included a tour of the facility. The only course I couldn't sign up for that I wanted to due to availability was a Baby Basics class that is basically like babies for dumbies and how to survive the first year. I think it would have been very beneficial, but I suppose we'll just have to rely on instinct and help from friends and family.
For any new mommas out there I HIGHLY recommend both the Breastfeeding and Birthing Basics classes. The Breastfeeding course was so much more than just "this is how to breastfeed". I took several pages of notes. Not everyone breastfeeds and that is totally fine - no mom shaming from me. I'm hoping to be able to breastfeed both girls for the first year without supplementing with formula. Maybe in a year I'll have a good laugh at how I thought that would be possible or maybe in a year I'll be glad I was bound and determined to do it and I'll be able to say I was successful.
The course covered when your milk comes in, how it changes, how the latch should be, things you should and should not feel (i.e. pain = bad), engorgement, supply issues, what to look for in diapers, feeding schedules, how and when to use the breast pump, feeding positions, and the list goes on. I was feeling super uneasy about it in general but now I feel like I have some extra tools to help me navigate the scary new world of breastfeeding.
Pretty much from the day I learned we were having twins I've said I was going to do a scheduled c-section. Around 26 weeks I started to waiver in that decision as the fear of major abdomen surgery was starting to sink in and I was learning more about the recovery process and thinking that perhaps I should give vaginal birth a try. At my 28 week ultra sound both babies were head down. I asked my doctor if I was dumb not to even consider a vaginal birth. He said there is no right or wrong choice but that I would have to be prepared for the real possibility of baby A coming out without issue and then Baby B doing flips once there was more room for her to move and potentially having to do a c-section to get her out. I absolutely did not want to end up doing both but started to think that maybe I should try. So I signed up for the Birthing Class to be more informed about vaginal birth because I hadn't read anything on it, hadn't attended any lamaze classes, hadn't thought about labor signs at all really because I was kind of just assuming I wouldn't have any with a scheduled c-section weeks before 40 weeks.
Then at my 32 week ultra sound the tech said both babies were breech. My doctor said there isn't enough space in my womb for them to both flip so I'd have to do a c-section. Upon hearing this news I wasn't disappointed. I was more relieved, like I didn't have to make the choice now so I didn't have to feel guilty one way or the other. We had already paid for the Birthing class so we still went. I'm glad we went because a lot of the class was focused on pre-labor and labor symptoms, many of which I hadn't considered or didn't know enough about. I'm 34 weeks now and on Monday my doctor said he wants to get me to 36 weeks but we'll probably schedule the c-section for week 36 (instead of week 38) so chances are very good I won't experience most of the pre-labor symptoms, but I still feel comfort knowing I have the knowledge now of what those signs would be.
There was only one other couple in the Birthing class and they said they may end up doing a c-section too so the teacher spent a little more time than she normally would talking about c-section delivery and the recovery process. It's still major surgery and it's still kind of scary to think about but I'm more at ease now having learned more about the process.
I met with my sister-in-law this past Saturday and picked her brain on all things c-section and recovery. She graciously answered all my questions and further put my mind at ease. Will recovery be difficult, especially with two babies to care for? Yes. But do I feel more prepared now? Absolutely, yes. And I know I have the support of friends and family who will be here to help in those first few weeks when I'm healing and not as mobile as I'd like to be.
So if you're pregnant and on the edge about taking any courses I'd encourage you to do it. You learn so much more in a class setting where you can ask questions than you do from just reading out of a book or article online about the topics.
Also, the tour of the facility was a nice added bonus. Liberty is BEAUTIFUL. It's been open less than a year so it's no surprise it's so nice. I'm really hoping I get to deliver there (and I haven't even seen Auburn yet!)
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