So, appropriately enough, I spent my birthday yesterday at our first “prepared childbirth” class. It wasn’t at all what I expected. When I think childbirth, I think of the old ’70s Bill Cosby sketch with him hooting and puffing along with his wife. That and scary (er, detailed) videos of live birth!
In reality, we sat on giant beanbags and went through a booklet and some powerpoint slides. The lady running the class is also a nurse in the ward and gave us straight-up info about how everything was going to work. She also said the old (stereotypical) ways of breathing tended to make people hyperventilate. Instead she taught us about calm breathing techniques.
That really spoke to my yogic breathing knowledge. I can definitely see how those techniques would be helpful in centering yourself during the pain. However, it also makes me sad that I can’t find a prenatal yoga class to take between now and them. I’m really regretting not taking the prenatal class at the Sanctuary studio last month…but I also thought that they ended in June, not May. Boo! I’m now realizing that the exercise/stretching part would be nice, but learning some breathing/mediation techniques would be the most beneficial part.