Lamaze- Day 3 and back to reality

Yesterday was the last day of my training. Most of the day was spent reviewing other people's presentations on short topics. I did "The Labor Bag"- what to bring to the hospital. I filled a bag with items one may need in labor and that had the others in the group take stuff out of the bag and see what the item is, and why we would need it in labor. I got good feedback, which was exciting because I was really nervous. We spoke about writing a course design/curriculum and what we had gained from the class. We also took each other's cards so we could be in touch and network.
Now it's back to reality- scheduling doctor's appointments and CPSE reviews. Getting ready for Y's surgery. Laundry. Dinner. The wonders of being a stay at home mom. Except now I have a lot of homework to do- like reading a 700 page study guide to prepare for the exam.

Lamaze- Day 2

There is so much I want to post but, honestly, I am just too tired. Two full 8-5 days of a workshop will do that to you. It is far from boring but it is just hard to sit, and I keep moving around, shifting positions.
Some highlights of today were- making choices about our ideal birth and then thinking about how we would feel is 1 or 2 or 10 of the things we wanted did not happen.
We spoke about breastfeeding and its advantages. About postpartum issues and time management. We discussed different positions for labor as well as the Fear-Pain-Tension theory.
Tomorrow we all have to present a topic for 5 minutes. I am doing "The Labor Bag" and have my goodies all packed and ready to go.
I am sorry if this is not so coherent. if you are wondering why I am not making sense, just reread the first sentence on my being really tired...I feel like I am learning a lot in this course but I also realize that I have a lot more work to do. Write my own course design/curriculum. Go through the Lamaze Study Guide. Study for the exam. It seems that this will be a long term project. The next time the exam will be given is in october and I hope to be ready to take it by then. I guess we will see.
Tomorrow is day three. It is odd for me to be out of the house and away from my kids all day. Everyone is doing fine thanks to my husband, in laws and a few great babysitters. It is helpful to know everyone is taken care of, so I can just relax and take in as much information as possible.

Lamaze- Day 1

Bright and early at 8 am I made my way to the first day of my three day childbirth educator traning. We spent a while getting to know each other and everyone has a story to tell about how they became involved in the birth comunity. What is interesting is that of the 16 attendees, 4 of us were Orthodox Jews. We quickly connected and talked shop about communities and other things we have in common. It's a fun game called jewish geography we all like to play.
The teacher of this course, Teri Shilling, is a wonderful woman who has made it her mission to, and I quote, "stomp out boring childbirth ed". Check out her website- Passion for Birth. She comes equipped with lots of fun props and games to make the learning interactive and interesting.
Some of the things we covered today was, ways to keep your classes interesting, things to keep in mind about attention span and retention. We discussed that the goal of education is to affect a change, to give people new information that may or may not make them reevaluate certain assumptions they have. We spoke of the importance of confidence in childbirth (vs fear and tension).
We also covered the Six Healthy Birth Practices that are the key philosophy of Lamaze. They really deserve a post (or 2) of its own but in short, they are:
1) Let labor begin on its own
2) Walk, move around and change positions during Labor
3) Bring a loved one, friend or doula for continuous support
4) Avoid interventions that are not medically necessary
5) Avoid giving birth on your back and follow your body's urges to push
6) Keep mother and baby together - It's best for mother, baby and breastfeeding
For more information about these practices and other interesting tidbits check out Lamaze.
Stay tuned for updates on the workshop.

Lamaze, here I come

I officially registered for the Lamaze childbirth educator course I will be taking in May. It's three full days from 8 to 5. My older two will be in school most of the time, but I have yet to figure out what to do with Baby M. I also cannot imagine sitting for so long. It's been a while since I have been in school. The truth is, this will be a very interactive and it is unlikely that I will be just sitting and listening most of the time. There will be peer teaching and other group activities.
I am very excited for this opportunity. I think it will add another layer of experise to working with my doula clients, as well as a new service I can offer potential clients. It is also an opportunity to edcuate pregnant women and their partners, to help give them the information they need to make the choices that are right for them.
The amount of material is a bit overwhelming. The Official Lamaze Study Guide is about 700 pages or something crazy like that. I have a lot to learn. That's a good thing though. Make sure my brain gets used every once in a while.