calmbirth

Yesterday’s activity was the first day of a 2-day class in calmbirth. Might sound like a contradiction in terms, but I take it as being relative. I was pretty sure it was going to be useful but I was kind of apprehensive that it (and the other participants) might turn out to be a bit hippy-drippy too much feeling and new-agey for sceptical types like us. But on the whole it was quite practical and down-to-earth and I must admit I really enjoyed it and I felt a lot more relaxed at the end of the day. Yesterday was mostly about techniques to help stop you being afraid, tensing up your muscles and therefore feeling more pain. As such there was lots on breathing (calmly not in that huffy puffy way American TV shows always feature in labour scenes) and relaxing, and ways for increasing levels of hormones helpful for relaxation of your muscles, and visualisation (this bit I’m still not sure about). In some ways it’s a lot of stuff that’s logical or you partly know already, but I think just having some one else pointing it out and go through it all in a structured way, demonstrate things and doing this together as a couple is worth the price of admission (which wasn’t exactly cheap). Next week is apparently a lot more ‘hands-on’ so that should be interesting.

Tonight is the first part of the hospital’s childbirth education classes which I imagine will be somewhat of a contrast in vibe.