The Bradley Method

Now that I'm entering my third trimester the labor process doesn't leave my brain. Instead of daydreaming about our little boy I find myself daydreaming about passing out during delivery, doctors and nurses rushing in, Justin looking confused and wondering what to do next...it's a mess! It's safe to say I'm terrified about the whole thing. Since I've switched from Kaiser to Mary Birch I do feel a little bit better. I have my first appointment with the new doc tomorrow. Anyway, I thought taking some classes might help ease the terrified feeling and make me feel more comfortable, or at least gear us up to know what to expect. My good friend Jeanna, who's also pregnant, knows I'm strongly against wanting an epidural because of all the negative things I've read about it. She suggested we take a class on the Bradley Method.  I didn't realize it was a 12 week class and I'm due in 12 weeks. So, to get us caught up, I signed Justin and I up for an intro class and then planned to go to a couple of classes a week until we were caught up.
Tuesday night was the first class. I have to say, Justin is a true champ and a more than supportive husband for sticking it out. I myself was ready to leap out the door ten minutes into it. Don't get me wrong, the woman who taught the class was very very nice, it just wasn't my speed. I was hoping to learn more about the 12 weeks of classes and instead we were pretty much just told about other people's birth stories, with a lot of unnecessary details. The two hour class ended with two videos. The first video was from 1985 and gave reasons on why ultrasounds may be bad for us. Here's my two cents on that matter...the video is 30 years old. If ultrasounds were that bad they would've stopped doing them by now. The second video was a couple's birthing experience using the Bradley Method. Here's the thing...at this point in my life I know how babies are made and I know where they come from. I don't need to watch someone else push one out. I don't think I've been that uncomfortable in a long time. Imagine 5 couples squished in a tiny room, crowded around a t.v. watching an overly helpful father with a thicker than life mustache caress his wife the entire time she's in labor (nauseating) If that wasn't enough we all watched her push the kid out. I wanted to hit the husband for her. I thought, give the poor girl some room and stop touching her hair! Anyway, it was impressive to see she didn't need an epidural. She actually made the whole process look rather easy. It was just really uncomfortable watching the video, and to add 6 other strangers into the mix, I couldn't wait to get out.
After the class Justin and I exchanged our thoughts and were both relieved to see we were on the same page. I'd still like to practice the Bradley Method, but we will be buying a book and learning it ourselves. I'm actually looking forward to that. We'll set aside a night or two a week to read the different chapters and practice the things it suggests. Hopefully that will help ease my nerves and it will help Justin feel more prepared as well.