Surreal: Our Tour of Labor & Delivery

Taking a break from my scheduled posts to interrupt with a story from our most recent Childbirth class - you know, the one where we got to tour labor and delivery at the hospital.

*Note: this is a LONG post so settle in with your coffee, soda, tea, water and sit for a spell*

We have been looking forward to this class since the beginning (well I have, gotta see my surroundings and get comfy with them to feel even more comfortable with what will take place in them).

After racing to class on Monday night, we learned all about pain medications and coping techniques and relaxation and massage - basically all the ways to work with your body (and your birth partner) to make the experience as best as it can be.

More thoughts on medications later.

And then we all took a walk across the hospital to the Labor& Delivery unit.

WOW...WHAT SOME NICE DIGGS! Like seriously! So pristine and clean and CALM, (maybe we caught them at a good time), but doors to labor rooms were closed (hmm must be good soundproofing, shew), I didn't' hear any screaming or see any barf or anything. Nurses were at their stations patiently looking over computer monitors, said hi to us and waved (ahh, the 'tour o'saurs'). And they had a free room available and all set up for the next patient!

So we got to go in there - it happened to be the one room with the labor tub (like a whirlpool with jets, only to be used in labor - not delivery - and is first come first served - sidenote: I do not plan on laboring in a tub).

The room was big and spacious - seriously, I was shocked at all the room you get! I guess it's good for the pacing and whatnot right :) There was a TV, a hospital bed (birthing bed actually because half the bed comes off and either gets put to the side or drops down under for the birth), goes into a variety of positions and seems decent (no, I did not lie on it).

There is a HUGE bathroom with a nice shower in it too! (ahhh a shower will be nice afterwards assuming I am allowed to move) :)

And our teacher showed us the monitoring belts that they may or may not use on the patients (depending on how everyone is dealing with the labor). One to monitor the contractions (J will become VERY familiar with the contraction graph/counter thing, we've been told the huz's love it), and one to monitor the baby's heartbeat (music to our ears).

Oh and they have a warming bed to the side that is all prepped for the baby - as in, a blanket is in it, an aspirator, a hat, and a diaper - like all laid out, at-the-ready! I LOVED that part! LOVED! It's like all set out like how you set your clothes out the night before school so you're not late! I got sidetracked looking at the warming bed in awe of the preparation :)

Then we moseyed (and I say moseyed because we're talking 12+ preggos walking the halls) down the hall and past a the postpartum rooms. They looked nice too - we didn't stop in one but we all peeked into a couple of empty ones. Smaller than the labor/delivery/recovery room, but decent and had dim lighting which was nice (the ldr rooms had dimmers too).

Then we checked out the nursery - and on our way we saw a 6 HOUR old baby being rolled into her Mommy's postpartum room! 6 HOURS OLD! And alert as could be, chillin' in her swaddle :)

Saw 3 wee babies in the nursery also chillin' in their swaddles, not crying, but either sleeping or just looking around sucking on their soothie pacis!

This is the part where J looks at me with tears in his eyes (yes, I said it, shhh don't tell him I told you, but I want to remember it so I'm writing it)...and says "wow, this is where we'll meet our baby!" Yep, it sure is!

I told him the next morning how surreal it all feels at this stage of the game (well really the whole time since September 14 when we got the positive test.

We have learned about our baby through videos, books, classes, ultrasounds, doctor's questions, hospital visits, and the last straw is to finally meet the little guy. Wow. I can't believe that my body is going to go through a whole birth! A WHOLE BIRTH! Life has miracles and this surely is one of them!