Well we were neither ostracised nor lynched by the group, which I took to be a good sign. Perhaps last weeks misdemeanours are, if not forgiven, forgotten.
Last night we learned at which point in the labour process it's appropriate to call an ambulance and when you should just press speed dial 1 to get your midwife (an important distinction as if you aren't established they'll send you home again!). We also discussed what you should pack in your hospital bag - this should include a picnic for your birthing partner/s. I remember calling home when Little Sis went into labour with Niece 1 to see how she was, to learn that Marmee was baking a cake "for Jonathan - he'll get hungry". The answer to most Elwick scenarios (good, bad or other) is tea and cake - Marmee, think my husband is hoping for a victoria sponge or coffee cake!
We also did our first labour massage and breathing exercises. This was a tad odd; not something you really want to do in a church hall with 15 other people. Luckily there's a dimmer switch so the dusky light meant it wasn't quite as awkward as it could have been. Mine & hubbalina's breathing has never been entirely synchronised; he's quick and shallow (smoker, tsk tsk), mine is slow and deep. Still, this fact now firmly established (marriage is a constant learning curve) we will add breathing practice and back massage to our nightly to do list which already includes the quite hilarious perineum massage. The first time we tried it I laughed so hard I cried. With the SPD it's not easy, nor entirely comfortable, spreading your legs, but if it reduces the chances only a teensy bit of cutting or tearing then I, for one, am all for it.
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
NCT Class Number 1
As I mentioned in my previous post, last week was our first NCT class. Even though we still haven't managed to move, we decided to take the classes in the Berko area in the vain hope we might be Hertfordshire residents by the time we have a toddler.
We faced the prospect of our first meeting with some sense of trepidation. We'd heard extreme stories from friends and colleagues; from those who nicknamed it the nazi child birth trust, to those who promised we'd make friends for life. Truthfully I was just hoping the other couples would be relatively normal with a reasonable sense of humour. And, from first impressions, this is what we have got, though what others think of us Griffiths ... I'm unsure.
There is an inherent weirdness to the classes in that you are defined entirely by your bump. I cannot tell you the vocations or any other such 'normal' info that you would usually elicit from such a gathering. Much like any course the first ice breaker exercise was telling the group something about yourselves, which also involved A4 paper and marker pens. You had to give your names (pretty easy) and say when your baby is due (again, straightforward) and then provide two 'interesting' facts about your baby...This was actually quite difficult - what can you say about your unborn baby who is currently cocooned away from you for 9 months? We were at the furthest edge of the circle so had to wait our turn patiently whilst we learned the sexes of many of the other bumps, as well as those that had short legs, long legs and seemingly inadequate torsos. Clearly the Archway scanners are inferior to the Herts ones as we had no such info to impart. Plus we don't know the sex of bump yet. So we (I) opted for comedy factoids: 1) baby g has alien tendencies (see previous post) and 2) it will be an Evertonian. Fact 2 was met with stunned silence, followed by question from Course Leader as to whether or not we'd already bought bump a kit. Categorically not. Hmmm. As husband psstd in my ear 'told you not to go with that one'.
I'm also a tad concerned that I might have come across as a bit dismissive of one of the other lady's situations and thereby cast myself as the outspoken member of the group. Situation 1: there is a breech bump in the group. We were discussing ways you can help baby move into the right position. I found myself saying that I'd always slept on my left and my baby is on my left (i.e. where ideally it should be) which I fear came across as smug to the struggling lady who looked like this is greatly concerning her. Situation 2: to try and atone for Situation 1 in a wider discussion about breech births I added to the chatter that my mum had given birth to a breech baby naturally. And that she was the first of a pair of twins. And that they were over 8lbs. Each. This was meant to be reassuring. But again, I think I came off as mostly smug. Oh dear.
So tomorrow night will try to bite my tongue in vain hope of recovering from last week's performance and the ladies can see I'm not a bitch, rather someone with, seemingly, poor social graces, but a good heart. Well, you can but hope.
We faced the prospect of our first meeting with some sense of trepidation. We'd heard extreme stories from friends and colleagues; from those who nicknamed it the nazi child birth trust, to those who promised we'd make friends for life. Truthfully I was just hoping the other couples would be relatively normal with a reasonable sense of humour. And, from first impressions, this is what we have got, though what others think of us Griffiths ... I'm unsure.
There is an inherent weirdness to the classes in that you are defined entirely by your bump. I cannot tell you the vocations or any other such 'normal' info that you would usually elicit from such a gathering. Much like any course the first ice breaker exercise was telling the group something about yourselves, which also involved A4 paper and marker pens. You had to give your names (pretty easy) and say when your baby is due (again, straightforward) and then provide two 'interesting' facts about your baby...This was actually quite difficult - what can you say about your unborn baby who is currently cocooned away from you for 9 months? We were at the furthest edge of the circle so had to wait our turn patiently whilst we learned the sexes of many of the other bumps, as well as those that had short legs, long legs and seemingly inadequate torsos. Clearly the Archway scanners are inferior to the Herts ones as we had no such info to impart. Plus we don't know the sex of bump yet. So we (I) opted for comedy factoids: 1) baby g has alien tendencies (see previous post) and 2) it will be an Evertonian. Fact 2 was met with stunned silence, followed by question from Course Leader as to whether or not we'd already bought bump a kit. Categorically not. Hmmm. As husband psstd in my ear 'told you not to go with that one'.
I'm also a tad concerned that I might have come across as a bit dismissive of one of the other lady's situations and thereby cast myself as the outspoken member of the group. Situation 1: there is a breech bump in the group. We were discussing ways you can help baby move into the right position. I found myself saying that I'd always slept on my left and my baby is on my left (i.e. where ideally it should be) which I fear came across as smug to the struggling lady who looked like this is greatly concerning her. Situation 2: to try and atone for Situation 1 in a wider discussion about breech births I added to the chatter that my mum had given birth to a breech baby naturally. And that she was the first of a pair of twins. And that they were over 8lbs. Each. This was meant to be reassuring. But again, I think I came off as mostly smug. Oh dear.
So tomorrow night will try to bite my tongue in vain hope of recovering from last week's performance and the ladies can see I'm not a bitch, rather someone with, seemingly, poor social graces, but a good heart. Well, you can but hope.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Physio Advice
Yesterday was a busy day in my body & baby management stakes - I started the day with physio and ended it with our first NCT class (more of which next posting - I know, I'm such a tease).
Physio was another good session, starting with the now customary realignment of my pelvis. To reassure the squeamish amongst you it's not a painful process - I don't want you imagining me on a rack being stretched ala count duckula or maid marion (never been one for scary gothic/medieval dramas so my tv references are stuck firmly in the Broom Cupboard). Rather I lay on my side pushing against my physio with my thigh, which she then counterbalances by squeezing my hip joint and pelvis together 20 times (anatomy another weak point so this may not be accurate, but it's the best description you'll get from me I'm afraid). We repeat this three times, recheck my pelvis and if necessary repeat the whole process again.
My left side is my problem area so my physio has recommended trying to ensure my posture is symmetrical as possible, which it turns out is harder than you think, now I am consciously trying to be straight as a post I realise that I do subconsciously lean slightly to the left. She also suggested I try lying on my right hand side in bed. This is going to be much harder as I habitually am a bed lefty - it also involves changing sides with my husband after 12 and a half years so I can still tumble out to go to the loo, reach my rennies and glass of water without needing to turn over in the middle of the night. I realise there may be a slight irony here as hubby is a left handed whereas I am right handed, we will just have to see where this crazy experiment takes us and how profound an effect it has on our marriage.
Physio was another good session, starting with the now customary realignment of my pelvis. To reassure the squeamish amongst you it's not a painful process - I don't want you imagining me on a rack being stretched ala count duckula or maid marion (never been one for scary gothic/medieval dramas so my tv references are stuck firmly in the Broom Cupboard). Rather I lay on my side pushing against my physio with my thigh, which she then counterbalances by squeezing my hip joint and pelvis together 20 times (anatomy another weak point so this may not be accurate, but it's the best description you'll get from me I'm afraid). We repeat this three times, recheck my pelvis and if necessary repeat the whole process again.
My left side is my problem area so my physio has recommended trying to ensure my posture is symmetrical as possible, which it turns out is harder than you think, now I am consciously trying to be straight as a post I realise that I do subconsciously lean slightly to the left. She also suggested I try lying on my right hand side in bed. This is going to be much harder as I habitually am a bed lefty - it also involves changing sides with my husband after 12 and a half years so I can still tumble out to go to the loo, reach my rennies and glass of water without needing to turn over in the middle of the night. I realise there may be a slight irony here as hubby is a left handed whereas I am right handed, we will just have to see where this crazy experiment takes us and how profound an effect it has on our marriage.
Thursday, 5 August 2010
Guest Blogger
Today I'm a guest blogger for Tea Devotee. Crazy Lady trusted me to talk to her readers ... http://teadevotee.com/2010/08/05/guest-post-introducing-the-london-literary-ladies/
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