Time for class!

I noticed on the NSP website that they have an in-house Childbirth & Parenting Education Program and I was very keen to take up some of the classes on offer given that we're first-timers! I checked out the timetable and was immediately drawn to the 'Early Pregnancy Class' for those between 6-14 weeks and was also impressed that this class is complimentary. I booked us in for a Saturday morning - 16th April 2011 - and looked forward to widening my knowledge past the books & websites/forums I have relied on thus far.

Saturday morning proved to be grey & rainy so the perfect time to attend a class although we ended up being a little late due to bad traffic on the motorway. I had to chuckle when we arrived though - we were the last but one couple and there were 4 name tags left - the midwife running the course looked us up & down & said "so you must be Kelly & Lee" - what a coincidence! We put her right with a smile on our faces and took our seats at the front of the class - that's the price you have to pay for being late!!

The class was 2-hours long with a brief tea-break at 11:00am. We learnt about symptoms, nutrition, hazards, travel, exercise and many other interesting topics. We also watched a fascinating video which showed how a baby grows during the 40-wk gestation period.

One thing I learnt and that I was absolutely fascinated (& also a bit grossed out) by was that in about the 2nd trimester - around 5 months - the fetus grows a fine, downy hair or fur called lanugo - it literally makes the fetus look like an old man (or a monkey as Adam said). Hope this pic doesn't gross you out too much but I had to show you what I mean:-

The even grosser part is that in the 3rd trimester the lanugo is shed from the skin and floats around in the amniotic fluid which is then swallowed by the fetus and urinated back out into its environment - lovely!!!

Anyway, enough of my scientific facts... the class was brill & we both learnt a lot - did you know you're not supposed to eat pineapple in pregnancy - can bring on early labour - or so the Pacific Islanders believe!

We were also lucky enough to meet another Pommie couple who are due the day after us and are also delivering at NSP - we had a good chat during the tea break and at the end they gave me their mobile number so we can try & co-ordinate when we go to our next class -  the Childbirth & Parenting Class - which we will attend over a course of 2 Saturdays at about the 32-week stage. It will be nice to know someone who is new to having babies in Australia & I am definitely going to text them. Maybe we'll end up being hospital buddies too!

I have to say I am really enjoying pregnancy so far & I'm keen to soak up all the knowledge & experience I can throughout the process.