What I Learned from Childbirth Class, Part 1

I do not get enough calcium or protein.

I need 5 servings a day of calcium for my twinkies. Five! I need to work on that one. I was drinking a lot of milk, but it kinda tapered off. Is that why I've been craving pizza? I usually get enough protein but we haven't bought groceries in awhile, and if we eat out, I tend to get vegetarian dishes. Must eat more meat (and peanut butter and beans and eggs)!

Even other pregnant women are amazed at twins.

I'm pretty sure I already knew this one, but it is very fascinating to be in a room full of pregnant women who still think I'm the interesting one.

I actually would like to wait on getting an epidural as long as possible.

Epidurals can slow the labor process. If you wait until your five centimeters or more, then it might not effect your labor as much.

I'm still not scared of labor.

After watching the birthing video and seeing those women in so much distress, I'm still good to go. I know it's going to hurt, but I also know that beautiful little wrinkly girls will come out of all that pain and distress. Check back with me when the actual labor starts, and then we'll discuss the fear.

Tim is a little scared of the labor.

All this time, we were thinking Tim might pass out from the upsurge of bodily fluids, but during the video, the actual birth didn't bother him so much. It was the last stage of labor that got him. So Tim and I both will have to work on deep breathing, focused relaxation, and partner encouragement. :)

I'm possibly going to look like a science experiment.

With twins, I'm going to have two fetal monitors. And since it's hard to keep up with who is who, I'm probably going to have one internal and one external monitor. Let's hope that I can still get up out of the bed with all that because...

I do not want to lie down for my entire labor.

Bed rest sucked. I am an active person. I want to walk, lean on Tim, pop a squat on a birthing ball--that kind of thing. Anything to keep gravity working in my favor for as long as I can before the girls arrive. Our instructors preached distraction from pain is the best way to get through the pain. Well, it's way harder to be distracted when you're lying down staring at the crappy tiled-ceiling above your hospital bed.