[baby] Birth preparation course, part the sixth

[pne]

This time, we met outside the delivery rooms and had a look at one of them, as well as at the bathtub. Stella and I had seen them before, of course, but not most of the others.

The women also got to try out a kind of stool which can help give birth; it lets you get down low like into a crouch but supports you, so it's easier on the knees and thighs. (On the other hand, your pelvis is not as mobile as when you're really crouching.)

While we were in the room, one of the women had contractions; the midwife's trained eye spotted it even though she hadn't said anything :). Her due date is in ten days' time, so it's not that unusual, I suppose.

The bathtub had just been cleaned quickly since someone had given birth in it not long before :) One or two of the people were a bit squicked since there were little specks of blood in one or two places. I wasn't too bothered by it since I imagine the quick clean-down they do before letting in a group of "tourists" is not comparable to what they do to prepare the tub and room for a mother who is going to give birth there.

Afterwards, we watched two short films on video, of mothers giving birth: the first showed someone giving birth in a room, the second had two short pieces on mothers giving birth in tubs.

The tone was different since the first film was aimed at midwives and showed more exhaustion and some moaning, while the second was aimed at prospective parents and showed more of the "good" bits :) The guy in the first film was pretty exhausted, too, it seemed.

I was surprised at how quickly the child comes out once the head is through; it just seemed to pop out of the vagina.

Next time will be the last time.