Last week, Emily and I attended our first birthing class at the hospital we chose to deliver at. Going into it, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was eager to find out what it was all about. When we walked in, we were greeted with low lighting and ambient music and my immediate thought was, “Where’s the incense?” It turns out, that’s reserved for week 2!
As each couple entered the class, I couldn’t help but mentally sized them up to determine what their situation was. Most were young couples like us expecting their first bundle of joy. Then came the teenage couple that undoubtedly had an oops moment stemming from an unavoidable flash of adolescence passion. I kept a constant eye on this couple to see how they reacted with one another and to see how the guy responded to the images and mood of the class. To my surprise, the couple was very loving towards each other with the guy fully engaged.
As the class began, we were shown a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the different stages of pregnancy along with videos and illustrations of what was going on inside mommy. I have to say I learned a lot. I have read a couple of pregnancy books but learned more during this one class than the books combined.
The last half of the class was dedicated to the breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. As Emily’s labor partner, it is my job to keep her calm during labor and focused on her breathing. I have to be a steady hand when things get shaky. As a naturally panicky person, I’m the one who usually needs calming down but this time I need to be strong. How am I going to do that? I haven’t quite figured that part out yet. I once ran out of the house screaming “HELP!!!!!” when a pipe burst and our bathroom was filling with water, but when Em’s water breaks, I can’t go running for the hills.
What is going to get me through it all is my dedication to Emily and the desire to show I can be there and will be there for her always. I want my baby to see me for the first time crying from joy and not fear. And I want to be there to prove to myself I have what it takes to be a dad.
-AP
