Last week we started our Bradley Method birth class. For quite some time I debated between taking a class and not taking a class. In the end, (being the educational nut I am) I decided a class was worth our time.
Fit Pregnancy recently posted an article titled, Cutting Class. Seems I am in the minority with the whole childbirth class decision. Did you take a class?
So far our Bradley class has been well worth our time and effort. The first week we covered nutrition and exercise. The second week we learned about the process of pregnancy including baby’s growth from conception to birth and the coach’s role during birth. If I’ve learned anything I’ve learned these 9 months of pregnancy are when true parenting begins. My daily choices are going to greatly influence my little one’s development, growth and entrance into this world.
Nutrition is key in Bradley. I’ve been charting my nutrition each day and have been focusing on balance. Lots of veggies, grains, fruits, water and protein. I’m supposed to each so much every day! I can’t waste it on junk so I’ve pretty much cut out packaged foods which tend to lack in true nutrition.
Protein has been my biggest battle. During pregnancy, moms are supposed to eat 80-100 grams. That is alot! I’ve found a few staples that have really worked:
- Quinoa (5 grams in a 1/4 cup) … perfect pasta substitute
- Greek yogurt (14 grams/serving) … my new favorite breakfast
- Chicken (25 grams/3 ounces)
- Milk (8 grams/cup)
- Cheese (7 grams/ounce)
- Eggs (6 grams each) … french toast, hard boiled, deviled, custard
- Brown rice (6 grams/cup)
- Almonds (6 grams/1/4 cup) … cocoa roasted are amazing
- Beans (7 grams/1/2 cup) … black bean salsa, recipe coming soon
Protein is just one of the things I focus on for nutrition. I’ve also got to get in 2 servings of green, leafy vegetables, 2-3 servings of whole wheat grains, a piece (or glass) of citrus, 3 pats of butter, tons of water, salt (to taste with food to help support my increased blood volume), baked potatoes and a variety of other fruits/vegetables.
Exercise
In preparation for birth the Bradley Method teaches a number of daily “work-outs” to help build stamina and muscles necessary for a natural birth. Everyday I practice my Kegel’s, pelvic rocks (yoga’s cat and cow positions), butterfly, squats and relaxation. Yes, relaxation is my favorite one :)
Baby’s Growth and Pregnancy
There are too many extraordinary things that have happened thus far with baby so I’ll just highlight this week :) At 25 weeks our little one is 13 1/2 inches long and weighs about 1 1/2 pounds (although it wouldn’t surprise me if our baby was still measuring a bit big). Baby can now touch their toes, make a fist and they have a specific sleep schedule.
The Coach’s Role
This has been my favorite topic so far. Dominic is pretty much the star student … he is super involved, asks great questions and is on top of his homework. Not to brag, but I pretty much have the best birth partner ever :)
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we start birth classes next week. i also debated on whether to attend one or not..because sometimes I believe knowing less about the actual birth is better…so it doesn't freak me out. But i am excited to start.
I think with the increased roll of pain relieveing drugs, momma's are skipping the classes because they know they will opt for the drugs. If you are going natural, then a class is a great idea. I took a birthing class through the hospital, but ended up with an emergency c-section, so I didn't really get to "use" what I learned.
WOW I didn't know that these classes covered so much! I never took any classes with my pregnancies. This info would have been great to have though!Oh & by the way, I gave you an award: <a href="http://wedonthaveitalltogether.blogspot.com/2010/07/blog-awards.htmlhttp://wedonthaveitalltogether.blogspot.com/2010/… />Have a great weekend!
I am super proud of you both:) I don't think you can ever have too much education….use what fits for you, don't feel guilty about what you can't do, and file the rest away for future reference! xoxo
We took a 2 hour class at our hospital on natural birthing, dealing with the pool and positions and stuff. It was actually really good for how short it was. As a compulsive researcher I didn't learn anything, but it was nice to meet some people and practice the positions. Oh, and our teacher mad the dads give the moms mini massages! haha!I did listen to the hypnobabies tracks leading up to pregnancy, though. Loved them! I definitely didn't have the "pain-free" birth that some hypnomamas have, but it helped, especially with the pain leading up to labor.
We're taking Bradley classes as well and our instructor for our class is also a family friend & our doula! I love the classes! :)p.s. Do you know what you're having yet?
We decided not to find out the gender so it will be a surprise for us all come October :)