Infant care course, Part the First

[pne]

Today was the first evening of a three-part course on infant care that I wanted to take so that I wouldn't hold the baby upside-down by mistake or bathe it by dipping it into the tub while holding it by its heel for want of not knowing better (hey, it worked for Achilles, didn't it?). Stella felt confident enough from her experience with baby-sitting small children.

We were seven pairs and one single woman, who gathered on the top floor of the hospital in the room where the "Nursing Café" also takes place, apparently. There was a nurse who talked to us a little about changing a baby, clothing and unclothing it, and bathing it, in general, then demonstrated on a doll she had there, showing us how to do everything and where to hold it while doing so and what to bear in mind. (For exampe, she suggested not lifting its back up by its ankles while sliding the nappy under it as that lets much of its weight hang from its hips, but rather placing an arm under one leg and gripping the other, then gently rolling it upwards so that it's still lying mostly on its back.)

Afterwards, we all got to take turns on the two dolls she had there: taking off the clothes, bathing it in the tub, putting on a new nappy and then its clothes again, while she watched (though she said she needn't say too much as in her experience, the audience will usually correct people who do things wrong or forget things).

It was a bit short, but I think the ability to practise (even though it was a "dry run", not only because there was no water in the tub but also because the doll is more inflexible, a lot more quiet, and able to hold its own head up) was a good thing.

Next week comes nursing and feeding.

Comments

[adiekit.livejournal.com]

I need to take one of these. :)

infant care course

[pne.livejournal.com]

If it's your first child and you don't have previous experience, then I imagine it can be quite helpful!

But you've got a bit to go still... you're due 1 October, aren't you?

Hope everything is going well with you!

Re: infant care course

[adiekit.livejournal.com]

yep- a bit to go yet, however all the early parenting classes and such have been booked for months. :) i finally got a private one through the hospital. I am amazed at how many babies that are being born here. :)