Labor rehearsal

Today, we had our 10th birth class! Yah. We just have one more to go. The actual number of classes maybe has been less than 10, because some weeks we put together two different classes, but we are officially on our tenth class!

Today, the big focus was doing a 30 minute labor rehearsal. During the rehearsal Alayna and Rachael, our fabulous doula, helped coach me through practice contractions. For the first 5 minutes we practiced with me walking around the house. For the next 5 minutes we practiced with me sitting (clothed) on the toilet. For the next 10 minutes we practiced with me on the ground and for the rest of the time, I was using the birth ball.

Our teacher had a video that would say when the contraction started, and they were a minute long with two minutes between contractions. For those of you that have not heard of labor math, that does not mean 2 + 1 = 3. That means 2 - 1 = 1. As in, I received one minute of break (or 45 seconds, or 30 seconds for a longer contraction) between contractions.

Alayna and Rachael did an amazing job of helping me in all sorts of different positions, helping me get relaxed, working with my breathing etc. I think the labor rehearsal was really neat and all of these things make me feel more relaxed and confident about the birth in general.

This was actually the second time that all three of us had tried a labor rehearsal. We tried a mini one with just 2-3 contractions at home a few weeks ago, but it was much better to do it at the birth class today. I didn't feel so self-conscious about it, probably because it was the second time all three of us had done a rehearsal together.

On a different note, I've been having lots of braxton-hicks. Sometimes they are achy in my back and sometimes I feel pressure, but they are normally fairly fine. I get them frequently when I stand up and walk, but sometimes when I am sitting up in bed too. I've been sitting a lot more at school!

I am excited to meet our daughter, but I am happy to wait till she is a bit more ready. Our HMO said that by 35 weeks they won't stop labor if it starts. I'm sure, though, that my body is just practicing and getting warmed up. It's good, though, to practice my relaxation and breathing techniques!