Thirty-one weeks five days

We went to the first of the childbirth classes last night. There were three other pregnant women there, and two other partners. None of the others knew what they were having (we couldn't wait to find out!) and three of us are due within two days of each other. Two of them are quite a bit younger than me, one was about the same age. All first pregnancies. We will be attending two or three more classes now.

The two midwives presenting the class went over the actual physical processes that happen during labor and birth, and stressed the importance of activity and good position. Physically, the baby will most likely be born more quickly and easily if a woman labors in an upright position, so gravity can help the baby down the pelvis. Since the baby has to maneuver through the bones of the pelvis and past the tailbone, being upright means he won't get stuck so easily, and won't get distressed so easily.

They also recommended their preferred pain relief: laboring in water, and the use of entonox. They also said a TENS machine can work very well for some women, and if entonox isn't helping enough, meptid injection is their next step. I have been thinking about pain relief, and their first recommendations were also my first choices of pain relief. I think I would rather not have injections (whether meptid or epidural), unless I'm too exhausted to continue laboring otherwise. Obviously I would go with the lesser drug first before an epidural.

I haven't yet written down my birth plan, though this first class has cemented some ideas for me, and I feel more confident about what I would like.

In other news, I had another visit to the hospital because Franklin's movements seemed a lot more subdued and less frequent for about a 48-hour period. The midwives there advised me to buy a coke on the way in and drink it, then hooked me up to the moniter again once I was there. His heartrate was fine and since I was laid there concentrating, I felt a bit more movement. I did drink some coke--it was foul; I don't drink fizzy drinks, and I especially don't drink soda. They explained that sugar can stimulate the baby, and he did seem to perk up a bit later on in the day. Partner thought when I told him about it later that I haven't been eating as much sugar as I normally would (I hadn't eaten much fruit, for instance, or had any juice for several days). I don't know if that's it. I don't think the baby particularly needs me to eat sugar. Since then, I've felt more normal movements.

I am on official maternity leave now, have just started studying a new online course and am in the middle of another online course. It looks a bit overwhelming, but I remind myself that I have full days to study now (no job to interfere), and the baby isn't due till March; the first class finishes in May. I should be ok. I was very touched that the managers gave me a lovely bouquet and card, and nearly everyone who works with me came in and gave me good wishes on my last shift: whether it was coincidental or not, I still appreciated it.