Team Effort

I'd be remiss not to relate our latest experience in parenting class. Last week we began the first of four classes entitled simply, "Childbirth." I've signed up for so many classes I don't remember what the classes are about until I get there. (Note: MTBs, don't overload on parenting stuff, especially magazines. I made the mistake of subscribing to several magazines when I found out I was pregnant, and before I knew it I was telling Tim, "EVERY TIME I turn around, there's another one in the mailbox!").

When I go to these parenting classes, to be fair, I learn something. At our latest class, the instructor began by showing us posters of how a woman's body changes during her pregnancy. All I have to say is, no wonder I'm out of breath: my diaphragm is being squished into a corner! Anyhow, the instructor taught us how to time contractions and whatnot, and added, "Discuss with your doctor at what point you should enter the hospital. During early labor, you may wish to stay home, walk around, lie down, or distract yourself until contractions are closer together."

Yeah, I can just see that.

Tim (calling home on his lunch break): "So what are you doing?"

Me: "Folding laundry, birthing your baby, and watching Oprah."

Tim: "Are you serious?!? I thought you finished all the laundry yesterday."

Is that lady kidding? I'm not going to suffer in silence while Tim carries on with his lunch! How am I going to let Tim munch his low-cal sandwich at Subway, sip his iced tea, and tell him, "No, honey, don't worry about me; I'm just dilating"? If I recall, we both got us into this mess, and you'd better believe we're both going to get us out.

So I made a mental note of the instructor's advice and hit DELETE.

But things picked up after that. We ended class with head and back massage practice. We learned techniques that will supposedly calm me during labor, and we tried them on each other. It took me a minute to quite giggling (I'm ticklish), but afterwards, we were both relaxed. The whole situation reminded me of a little fact. I leaned over and told Tim, "This is the kind of stuff that got us into this situation in the first place!" And, bet your mother's pearls, we're both going to get us out.