We had our first antenatal class this week - in fact we have begun a five week course. I am keen to get into things and this first session was quite interesting.
There are about 7 or 8 other couples and I was surprised to find that most (perhaps all) at least look about the same age as Emma and I. Since I was young, I have have this strange feeling that people are older and more experienced that me, that I am always the young one (E would say that's because I should act my age!), but when I take a second, stop and look around, it is usually not the case, and I (or we in this case) are generally normal; most people feel underprepared or anxious.
We discussed (or we all listened b/c no one ever speaks much at first meetings - only if you are trying really hard to make a good impression - and there were a few of those) some physiological and anatomical stuff - fascinating. Then how to know when you are in 'labour' and the difference b/w 'normal labour' and 'labour labour'. I couldn't help thinking that Mark Latham and Steve Bracks could have taken something away from that discussion. We also discussed when to come to the hospital and how long you can safely leave contractions etc. I even learned what a contraction actually is!
When our teacher (N) was almost finished explaining the labour process, i remember feeling VERY tired and worn out just listening to the whole thing. Somewhere b/w conception and now, the whole process of actually having the baby had become less real to me - somehow - don't ask me how, I realise that's quite strange. I guess I have been very busy and Emma too and with the new house and getting all the baby stuff together and blah, blah, I had kind of figured that in the end we would have this baby living with us. The whole part about getting our little son out of the womb hadn't figured to large in the equation.
In someways I'm really concerned for Emma. We both know that it's going to be tough on her. So there is a whole series of unknowns or what ifs ... Of course, I realise that thinking or talking like this doesn't help, so the other part of me hopes that we can do all we can now to make the whole process as problem free as possible. I hesitate to say 'pain-free' b/c I guess childbirth is not really meant to be pain-free - but at the same time, common, let's be realistic, we all want to be able to sit down and enjoy some semblance of bladder control.
I guess the otherside of this whole issue for me is Emma herself. She is one amasing person. I love her with all my heart. She is it. There is no one else. She is amasingly tough and tenacious - she just keeps going and going. She can tough it out when others fall behind and out of the race. She will be a fantastic mother. She is General Pain!
