Teach Me Your Ways, Oh Wise One

It's happening: I'm becoming an overprotective mother.

Does this mean I'm destined to be on Dance Moms: Season 12? Probably not. I'm way too lazy for that. But at 15 weeks I am already researching every ache, pain, and worst case scenario that goes along with this pregnancy. I go into every doctor's appointment (pre-scheduled or not) with AT LEAST 20 questions. And I have GOOGLE on my Android's main screen because I got tired of having to swipe to the second panel so much.

But as an analytic person with an over active imagination, asking questions and excessive research makes me feel better. For example, I was really worried about how much I was showing compared to everyone else I know. If I hadn't asked my doctor, I wouldn't have known I have a tilted uterus that can cause that. I also wouldn't have read through blog after blog of other women who are showing just as much (if not more). Turns out I'm not a complete freak, just different.

However, even with all the research and questions, and all of the experience that I have babysitting and caring for newborns and infants over the years, I still feel completely unprepared. It's like sitting in class hoping not to be called on because the teacher is asking pop questions about the reading you didn't complete last night. So, I have decided that Eric and I will benefit from a new parents class.

The problem is that it is almost impossible to find listings for current classes in the Summerville/Charleston area. And the courses I can find are for Lamaze or Bradley method only. Honestly, I don't really care about going through a class that teaches me to "breath through the pain." If women have made it through labor for thousands of years without those classes, I will too. And my prenatal yoga helps me work on pushing and deep breathing anyway. What I am concerned with is care and safety classes.

If you're wondering what I mean by that, I'm referring to diapering properly (that's more for the daddy-to-be), bathing (because I've only given a bath to babies 5 months old and up), infant CPR and Heimlich (it's been almost 5 years since I've had an infant CPR class and I don't know if Eric ever had one), and home safety (so I can encourage Eric to start keeping the toilet seat down). Yes, I am already planning for worse case scenario. I don't think that makes me crazy, but then, I am biased.

I even started looking into breastfeeding classes that they actually teach you before you give birth. But I think that's a little premature. If I can't figure it out in the hospital, I'm pretty sure they will send in an insurance provided (aka "free") lactation specialist to teach me the way.

I just hope I'm not forgetting anything while I try to find and schedule these classes...for 4 months from now.