Last childbirth class... :)

Yesterday was our last childbirth class. This was a bittersweet moment for me. Childbirth class was rough, mostly because it threw the realities of what was happening right in front of my face. It means that my little one is getting closer and closer, but it also means that I will actually have to go through labor and delivery in the near future.

Here's the shocking part--looking back, I am glad that we went to childbirth class. I really am. Last night, one of the teachers asked "Who feels better than they did when they came to the first class?" and my hand shot up. Randy gave me a sideways glance and whispered, "Really?" And I said (slightly surprised myself) "Yes."

It's true--I am still scared absolutely shitless of what is going to happen in that room. BUT, I was made to do this--literally. This is what I was created to do, to birth children. It still consistently amazing me what my body, which I spent a lot of my time pre-baby cursing for having too fat, too short legs, too small boobs (I miss you guys!), and 350 other things that weren't "right" about me. But, who knew that my body could do everything that it has already done. In 8 months it took a part of me and a part of Randy and made it into a 4(ish) pound little baby boy. How amazing is that? My body is doing about 100 things right now to get ready for this baby and I don't even know it. For example, we talked about breastfeeding in class yesterday and did you know that when a baby is placed skin-to-skin with it's mother after birth one breast can change temperature to regulate the temperature of the baby? That's completely amazing. Also, my body not only produces this child, but it also provides all the nourishment he needs for potentially the first year of his life.

There are a few things that my "teacher" has said throughout class that have been really helpful to me...
- Your body knows what to do; if you let it.
- She firmly believes that you grow what you can birth.
- You were meant to do this--your body was made to do this.
- Labor is cool (though painful); placentas are cool; breastfeeding is cool. It is all difficult and challenging and can have ups and downs, but it's all possible.

That's kind of empowering isn't it?