Birthing Class and Softball

This past weekend, we had our Birthing Class at Spring Valley Hospital, where we plan on delivering. We chose Spring Valley because it is the only hospital in the Las Vegas area that has a Level III NICU, and although we are hoping not to have to use it, it is obviously an excellent selling point. Also, one of my co-workers is a night shift nurse in the nursery and promised that if we chose to deliver at that hospital, she would be the one to prick Mia in the heel for her blood tests, and that she would do it really nicely. The class was great, it was taught by a Labor and Delivery nurse who has been in L&D for 30 years. She also was really laid back and funny. Something I think I would appreciate while I am trying to get through contractions.

We learned that Las Vegas is a medically-conversative town, as far as Labor and Deliver goes anyway, meaning the Doctors and Hospitals are not-so-supportive of sticking by Birth Plans. So if anything is going wrong, there is a pretty good chance of delivering via C-section, or of being given hormones in the event that labor doesn't progress as rapidly as they would like it to. That is not great news, but at least we know what to expect if things aren't going smoothly. There were quite a few couples in the class, and I got the reassurance that I didn't have as big a tummy as some ladies who have the same due date as I do, although I still think my face is above-average in puffiness.

As part of our class, we got a tour of the entire maternity section of the hospital, including the delivery rooms, the recovery rooms, the C-section rooms, and all three nurseries. Everything looks lovely, and actually quite small, so we won't feel like we're in any kind of factory. As long at the babies are born healthy, they are not required to be in the nursery for any more than a couple of hours for their tests and their bath. It's nice to know that Mia will be able to be with us for the majority of time in her first few hours of life. It was great to take the class, and Brian and I definitely learned a lot more than we would have from  just reading the baby books. The nurse-instructor made us promise not to get induced just because we were uncomfortable at 39 weeks, but I crossed my fingers behind my back while making that one. 6 weeks to go!

On a totally unrelated note, Brian decided to join his Bank's softball league. Their first practice was last night, and I went along for the ride (with a folding lawn chair and my Kindle in tow). Brian seemed to have an excellent time playing, and I had an excellent time watching. The next morning, Brian confessed that his arm was a bit painful, and I reassured him that many of the other players were complaining of similar ailments while they were at bat. One had jammed her finger, another twisted his wrist, another his ankle. This is exactly what you get when you bring a bunch of 25+ year old bankers together and ask them to do what they all did at 17 years old, haha. I can't make too much fun, I am sure I would be in exactly the same situation if I had been playing. Next week, the games begin and I will bring a camera. Brian declined my offer to make t-shirts for the team so that they would all match... too bad.