Carol and I started attending Bradley classes on January 8, 2004, where we learned about diet, exercise, and breathing. We had homework every week, reading, massage, breathing, tracking Carol’s food consumption for sufficient protein. She was most definitely tired of eating eggs (for protein) by the end of her pregnancy.
I don’t want to get into talking at length about Bradley, except to say:
1. It’s not Lamaze, and
2. It was very useful in informing us about the birth process, and it felt as though we were taking control of much of the process.
One of the exercises we were to do was to come up with a birth plan, which certainly would not have occurred to me independent of the class. Ours is here.
At some point in February, there was a baby shower, arranged by Carol’s sister-in-law Tracy and others. Later, on a snowy St. Patrick’s Day, my office got together and bought me a wonderful baby carriage; Carol was in on the secret, and drove downtown to share in the festivities.
We were also busy emptying the room that would become the nursery. It had become a storage area for all sorts of things we didn’t know what to do with.
2/3/04- Little Soul “has been very active lately. Normally, [Carol] notices on her drive to work and drive home, but now she notices early in the morning, last night while we watched TV, much of the time.”
In the Bradley class, we learn about doulas. A doula is advocate for the parents before, during and after the birth.
Carol goes to her ob/gyn with a discussion of the birth plan, though without the actual sheet. She feels that the doctor is just placating her, something we talk about with our doula, Maureen.
Carol and I go back to the practice, and talk to a different doctor about items on the birth plan. He said, several times, “We could do that, if you remind me.” Finally, he declared: “What you probably want is a midwife.”
A midwife? Can we DO that? Moreover, can we change practices with Carol 8 months pregnant?
We can and we do. Carol and I go to see a midwife, who is in a practice affiliated with a doctor in mid-March, which goes well. We make another appointment to see the doctor. That’s scheduled for March 26…
Now, for the Adventures of Buckethead!
and here’s her alter ego:
(For the record, she put the pail on her own head, without assistance or encouragement.)