Hello and welcome back to BabyNames.co.uk.
I know I am meant to be revisiting Ana‘s pregnancy in this series but I wanted to share a little news from the present. Our baby did her first roll-over today! It was during nappy off time, which may have helped. We were elated, as was she. So much so, that once on her belly, she looked up, grinned and urinated everywhere.
Now back to the pregnancy.
Ana and I had forgotten about booking an antenatal class so naturally, it was my fault.
On researching classes, I found most were for six weeks! I wanted a crash course. Sure, the term alone suggests an accident but that’s how Ana and I ended up in this beautiful mess. I made the executive decision (after asking Ana’s permission) and booked a weekend course.
We arrived at the course and found one of the other couples had brought along a third party, which they called their ‘support person’. They had decided to seek external help, relieving the male of a primary role and generating much-needed confidence in the new mother-to-be. So much so, that she sat texting for most of the day.
I honestly wanted to be part of the birthing process, but as the ‘support person’? How much help could I be? I’m like a backseat driver, who doesn’t know the way, but insists on giving direction. Then throw a pregnant woman into the mix. It’s a car crash waiting to happen.
The course was a brief overview of what to expect around labour day, along with handy tips and tricks.
One of the handy tips and tricks discussed is used to help ‘turn’ the baby, should the occasion arise. She asked the pregnant woman to be on her hands and knees whilst the partner used a scarf to “jiggle the baby” by repeatedly pulling left, then right (akin to the technique used to dry ones back). “This is how we got in this mess,” I said to Ana jokingly as I straddled her, to which one lady replied “Ha”, only to follow up with a trump. She blamed the pregnancy, but if that’s all it takes I couldn’t help thinking her partner may wish to stay at the top of the bed on the day.
Throughout the day the tutor covered an array of topics, from fannies to finances, from pain-relief to placentas (did you know you can get the placenta to take away?). I can’t speak for us both, but on finishing the course I definitely left feeling more in-the-know. Even if the tutor did make me hold a fake breast and feed a doll, it didn’t matter, I enjoyed spending the day with Ana.
Fact(ish) attack!
It is believed that Louis XIV commanded the construction of a viewing table so that he could have a better view of the birth of one of his mistress’s children. This also gave birth to the use of stirrups.
Louis XIV is also remembered for the quote: “Every time I appoint someone to a (vacant) position, I make a hundred unhappy and one ungrateful.”
Perhaps even he saw the error of his ways.
