Registering for School

Just think, 6 years from now, our little baby will be registering for kindergarten. OK, never mind, I just had to throw that in to go with the "school" theme.

Baptist Hospital offers several classes for pre-natal and childbirth type education. Being that we haven't ever done this whole parenting thing before, we think it's worth a little time and money to learn stuff from people who know a lot more about it than we do. Most of the time (or at least, on TV anyway), you hear stuff about "Lamaze classes." Lamaze is apparently one of SEVERAL breathing techniques, and the classes cover more than just those type things anyway. There's a 4-session "Preparation for Childbirth", as well as single-session ones on breastfeeding and a general "expectant parents" one. There are even ones for grandparents, siblings, and sitters.

We are now in the time "window" that Baptist recommends taking the classes. You are free to take them whenever you darn well feel like it, but they discourage you from taking them too early, so you won't forget everything. But they also want you to be done with any/all classes 1 month before your due date. So now we're working on a November 10 deadline.

We'll get things kicked off with the childbirth prep classes in about 3 weeks--August 30. That will take us through late September (going once per week), and we're also taking a Saturday in September to take 2 more single-session ones. Perhaps there are some that might call this a waste of time and money, but at this point in time, neither Leah or I want to just rely on instinct or magic mother/father knowledge to get us through. Of all the births that take place day in and day out, I've never once heard of one baby coming with instructions.