A few weeks back we took a preparation class for a birth with my wife. The reason we took it again was because we got lots of recommendations from other couples. They all said: “This woman is hilarious and really good at what she does…” Oh maybe it’s time now to announce we are expecting a new child in less than 2 weeks from now :) I am even more thrilled than the first time. One might say already another baby even though what you have been through the first time during the birth. But I don’t look at it that way. Thanks to good midwifes and some extra internet digging we figured we will be fine second time.
But back to our preparation class. We sit on our chair and lecturer greeted us and we greeted her back. She starts with how important it is to not complicate when it comes to babies and how to use common sense etc. And while she was talking and lecturing in a serious tone of voice I found it so funny I almost died from keeping myself not laughing. Why I laughed so hard you might ask. This is why. She was talking about how some parents become true analysts when it comes to baby poo. How they are calling her at 10pm and talking to her about their infant’s poo colour and if she can check it up. But since she politely declines it they are stacking baby diapers for when she comes visit them. :) And she must visit families with new babies sooner or later because that’s her job. I laughed hard when she described cutting the umbilical cord. It goes like this. First father cuts the umbilical cord. And then he jumps to his spouse and says to her: “Finally you are mine again” :) But if you think hard this is really true. For nine months you couldn’t give your spouse a true hug because of the pregnancy belly and you can finally do it. Also this is the first time father says to his child that the child is one step closer to become independent by physically cutting the only physical connection the baby was attached to for nine months.
She described how men are really rare species nowadays. We used to be hunters and provide for the family. But now roles between men and women are a little if not defined at all. We do everything literally everything. This is the part where I laughed so hard… She mentioned more and more men thinks they are women. Like when she gets to a newborn baby to check up on him and at the door there is a daddy in all his glory smiling and saying to her: “We gave a birth four days ago” or “we are breastfeeding ten times today.”. Did you notice the we word there? No man has ever gave a birth to a child and at least for a perceivable future wont.
What I liked the most about this lecture was giving a birth to a child in a natural way. Natural means mother should feel safe all the time she is giving a birth. And she told in Europe Netherlands most of the women give birth at home. They also have the lowest rate of episiotomy. Germany started mimicking them. On the other hand in Italy you get epidural administration by default and you have to explicitly say you don’t want it. Italy also has the highest rate of episiotomy. All great and dandy but in our country delivering baby at home isn’t managed by medicine yet. Options are to give a birth at hospital or to go to another country which can be risky if you are expecting for the second time and usually the second times babies come to this world faster (not a rule but it usually is like that). So why did we invent epidural administration if the side effects can be quite bad. Because in 21st century human being should not feel any pain at all. Here comes the catch. Delivering naturally has it’s advantages. Woman has her own contractions, she can manage them and she can experience the only pain that won’t harm her and it’s the only pain woman doesn’t need to run from..
Last week also took another class that was more practically orientated and it was actually for daddies. We were taught how to give a masseuse for relaxing a mother and increase contractions. We were also taught how to help mother when she delivers and how to accept baby only needs its mother for a few months before baby actually starts realising there are other people present in the family too. But I already knew that and I was glad more fathers are actually realizing the first months of newborn our job is to help physically and mentally to our spouse. As I said can’t wait for a new baby to come to this beautiful world. I keep getting that warm feeling like I’m surrounded with nice heartful people :) So come on our baby we are ready for you!
As I said can’t wait for a new baby to come to this beautiful world. I keep getting that warm feeling like I’m surrounded with nice heartful people :)
So come on our baby we are ready for you!