Class Review...

...now that AR is here and I think back to my labor/delivery and breastfeeding, I think back to the classes we took at the hospital and how "helpful they were." Being a first time mom, I would've taken them just because that's what you're "supposed" to do and I had no clue what I was getting into.

Child Birth Class
The tour of the hospital was great and let us know what to expect but you could get this for free separately. However, I never left either rooms we were in except to walk once before I was in labor. Matt got to go out and about and see things. For real, I never knew we had a sign outside our room that said, "No latex" until someone mentioned it when they walked in to visit.

We got great information about laboring positions, C-sections, etc...Maybe because I was induced and sent straight to the hospital but I didn't have to watch for contractions to know when to go to the hospital and my water broke at the hospital. I was never dialated so I went fast from 0-4 so I barely had any time to do laboring positions.

Post-pregnancy only a few things were covered NOT things that are uncomfortable and miserable i.e. hemorroids and how much your butt will hurt or how horrible coughing is the first couple weeks.

They did tell us what tests would be run on the baby so that was a benefit to know what to expect.

Breastfeeding
I had done enough reading and some breastfeeding was covered in the childbirth class so everything covered in this class was really a review. I was more interested in taking this class to learn about pumping and storing. However, once I started pumping, I'd totally forgotten everything so it was like learning everything all over again. The one nice thing about this class was we got a sample of lanolin (a little sample bottle goes a LONG way) and a book on breastfeeding.

I had wanted to take a newborn care class, which some stuff was covered in our childbirth class. However, not taking it, and having to already take her temperature rectally, I feel like we're doing okay and I think I probably would still do what I do now...Google everything, ask my momma friends or call my sister crying. :)

In summary, I still probably would have taken the classes. However, I don't think they were necessary other than to put my mind at ease and it was helpful for Matt. Since I'm the reader/researcher, this kind of forced him to hear/learn things as well.

Random Notes for Today
*It was nice and cool this morning so I took AR on a walk. My neighbor stopped to look at her and as I started to walk off, she said, "You know your shorts are on backwards, right?" Oops! Guess I'm getting the hang of motherhood appropriately, huh?
*Breastfeeding is going pretty well and I'm pumping a lot. I actually think I'm overproducing because my boobs feel so HUGE. I know breastfeeding is supposed to reduce the risk of breast cancer but I feel like my breasts are so manhandled between nursing, pumping and Matt pinching my nipple to see milk come out (sorry if that's TMI but I know you all have curious husbands who probably do the same).
*Baby wipe containers once they're empty have so many uses! So far, we've used them to store the bags of frozen breast milk, seems to work so well so far.

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It is Tuesday, right?

Thanks Sha and H for the onesie!