Week 29, Day 6 (What else did you get for Xmas?)

We had our second antenatal visit this week, and I have to admit, we got right up the instructors nose with our misbehaviour.

It wasn't deliberate, but it seems if Wayne is bored, he's just as likely as his wife not to take things terribly seriously, and looks to liven things up with irreverent humour. We weren't really BAD, we just thought the games were banal and trivial. Look, if you're put in a group of pregnant women and asked to collectively list the things you expect from your support people, wouldn't YOU put at the very top "obedience"?

And wouldn't the last thing you wrote down be "an apology"?

Oh, really? You wouldn't? Well good on ya, you're a better person than me ;-)

I think if I said to my long suffering hubby "Hon, I think these classes are a waste of time, let's stay home instead" he'd leap up and kiss me soundly. However.. although I am inclined that way, I will persevere because I'm getting the odd bit and piece out of it each week that proves worthy. Besides, if I don't go, I just know I'll miss something important.

Btw, before I forget: the Xmas comment comes from the realisation over the last week that a frightening amount of women are giving birth at around the same time, in our not exactly densely populated region. Just in the antenatal class, and among my clients, and sporting acquaintances, there are more than 30 women due between mid September and the end of October.

Many are planning on either having their baby at Lincoln, or recovering there.

Lincoln has seven beds.

Do you see a problem?

The law of reasonableness dictates that I cannot possibly have met every pregnant woman in the district who is due about the same time as me. In fact, if I've met 20% of them, I'd be surprised.

Taking out the ones who are home-birthing, there's still a big traffic jam on the horizon.

Now add in to the equation the info we're getting from the classes AND from pregnant friends that Chch Womens starts asking you when you're checking out after three hours (yes, 3), and after 12 they apparently throw you out (or damn near) unless you're very ill or had a caesarian, in which case you might be granted another 24 hours.

Ye gods little apples and buckets of jellyfish!

Apparently Lincoln's about as rude these days, and they start asking you when you're going home after the first day.

I used to think the old method of chucking women out on the third day (often the day your milk comes in with a lovely dose of post-natal depression for good measure) was barbaric. If my information is correct (and frighteningly, I'm hearing it everywhere), the bad old days were in fact far more lenient and supportive. Just how the (very rude word) do they expect first time Mums, or Mums with problems, or babies with problems, to bounce out into the big scary world with so little support?

Bugger having the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.. the damn thing pushes you over the cliff first, then runs you over after you hit the bottom.

Yeah, I'm scared. I was unreasonably hoping/expecting that the day after the birth would be spent making sure baby is okay, and ditto me. Maybe both of us seeing a doctor? Stitches checked, tests taken, evaluation and appraisal, with any necessary interventions taken, and advice given.

I really did hope that we'd get at least three days in, so that I had my routine (esp breastfeeding) down to some kind of manageable state, comforted in the knowledge that experienced medical help was overseeing my attempts and would correct me before I did anything wrong.

Then, feeling a bit recovered and a trifle more confident and less overwhelmed, head on home with my baby to carry on our routines in our own environment.

Hmmmphf! Well you know what "thought" did!

Our last line of information is our midwife, who hasn't said anything about this to us so far, but then, that's understandable. We see her again on Monday night before our 3rd class, and I've got a bucketload of questions for her. We already know that I'd probably have to transfer from Chch to Lincoln after the birth, but honestly, if both visits are so short and begrudging, perhaps I'm better off coming straight home?

Oh, and Helen? Stuff the students. How about fixing the health system? The rest of us vote too...

Sorry to be so grumpy folks.. had a rotten night. Went out for a very nice meal with our riding club, where Wayne and I were presented with nice thank you gifts and kind words, but baby decided to stop me from eating my expensive meal by kicking me violently in the stomach all night. I did get the food down (mostly) but it took ages and ruined the mood. Then at 1am (after being asleep for an hour or so), I was woken with a very severe apnoea attack, and the only way I could get breathing again was to be overcome with a coughing fit. Which led to spectacular eviction of all stomach contents pd-damn-q, and the realisation that there was significant blood present.

Turns out that I'd had a very bad nose bleed, which had run down my throat and closed my airway, triggering the apnoea-like reaction. Strong coughing always makes me chunder, so that was a by-product. There is nothing quite like scrubbing down the bathroom at 1.15am, nekkid, cold and ill, because the alternative doesn't bear thinking about.

Then returning to bed (after thoroughly cleaning ones teeth!!) to have your hubby wake slightly and murmur, "Evry'ing-alright?' He thought I was just then coming to bed for the first time that night!

I have no idea how the hell he slept through all of that, but he did. I hope his son sleeps just as soundly (but today isn't giving much sign of it, LOL.. at least I know he's none the worse for his mother's rotten night).