Hope for All- chapter 34
"Alright everyone! Now that we have our introductions out of the way, let's get started!" said Rose as she handed out some more informational pamphlets. Tony kept glancing over towards the two women sitting next to them, Mary and Kathleen. He thought Kathleen looked familiar but couldn't place where he knew her. He shook his head and tried to focus back on the class to learn as much as possible to help Angela.
Rose began to discuss the changes to a woman's body during the third trimester. She spoke about the increased frequency of urination due to the baby's placement against the bladder, increases in leg cramps, swelling of the ankles and hands as well as hot flashes due to the baby radiating body heat. Tony let out a slight groan when she mentioned the decrease of the sex drive as the pregnancy progresses, causing Angela to let out a muffled laugh. Tony was jotting down as much as he could possibly write about- everything from stretch marks to back aches to Braxton-Hicks contractions.
"I remember those Braxton-Hicks contractions. Some of them are no joke!" laughed Angela.
"Excuse me Rose! How do we know which are actual contractions and these Braxton-Hicks ones?" asked Tony.
"Good question! So Braxton-Hicks contractions are like a practice run for actual labor. There is no real pattern and overall they are mild cramp-like feelings. They do not get stronger over time and are usually localized in the lower abdomen. Real contractions start in the back and move to the abdomen and get stronger and more frequent as time goes on" she said.
"Thank you Rose! You have any of those Angela and we head are heading to the hospital!" he said as Angela just rolled her eyes.
"So moving on…" Rose said as she continued to discuss the changes to the woman's body and then the changes to the fetus. The parents were all in awe of the changes to the fetuses during this time. Even a few of the fathers had to wipe away some tears in their eyes.
"Okay I think it's time for a fifteen minute break! Feel free to use the restrooms and finish off the snacks we have over there!" said Rose as she broke the group for the break.
"Thank goodness, my bladder is about to explode!" laughed Mary.
"Mine too! I'll follow you over to the bathrooms! Tony, would you get me a refill on my water?" asked Angela.
"Sure sweetheart!" he said as he helped her up and headed over to the snack table.
"You're Tony Micelli right? I'm Kathleen Sawyer. You go to Ridgemont right?" she asked as she filled two glasses of water.
"I knew you looked familiar! Yes I'm Tony! We were in the same American History class right?" he asked.
"Wasn't that final a real beast? I thought I failed for sure leaving that test!" she laughed.
"I know! It was ridiculous but at least it's over! Are you taking classes over the summer?" he asked.
"No… with my brother-in-law being away, I don't know how much I will need to be around for Mary. My guess is a lot, especially once the baby gets here. My schedule for work is pretty flexible as I waitress at a local restaurant near my apartment so I can be there for when she needs me. I'll have to make it up all next year but it will be worth it!" she said.
"I hear you! I've packed my summer schedule so I'll have a light fall class load to be there for Angela and the babies. It will mean a packed second semester. I need some more core classes to take so between the summer and spring semesters, I'm hoping to get them all in. I've gotta take an art history class too, which I'm dreading. Thankfully I was able to get it in this summer instead of next spring. Who wants to spend the time looking through all those slides and memorizing all those dates!" he laughed.
"I'm stuck with that class spring semester! I've got some good contacts for a study group if you are interested" she said.
"Sure! Thanks!" he said as Mary and Angela came back over. The four engaged in conversation before Rose called the group back over to resume the class.
"Alright everyone! Now we are going to go over getting your body ready for birth as well as what you will need to pack for you, for your partner and baby" said Rose as she started the class again. She talked about some of the signs that labor is pending such as nesting, as well as some of the physical signs. She also discussed the three stages of labor and gave details of the process to the group. Tony couldn't take notes fast enough and kept a list of questions to ask Mary.
"Okay! Now for the what to pack! I am going to pass out lists for what we recommend you bring for each of you, including your husbands and partners. One of the biggest mistakes fathers make is not staying hydrated and having snacks while your wife or partner is in labor. You should make sure you pack enough snacks to keep you going. However, I would strongly recommend stepping out of the room while eating since your partner won't be allowed anything other than ice chips!" laughed Rose.
"How could you possibly think about eating when your wife is in labor? If you go without food and water, so will I…" whispered Tony to Angela.
"Tony… labor can take hours or even days… I will be fine but you will need something in you so you don't get dehydrated or pass out. I'll pack you snacks okay?" she said as she grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Alright Angela… if you say so… I'll do it but it doesn't mean I'm going to like it!" he laughed.
"Alright everyone! For the last part of our class today, we are going to learn some breathing techniques to help with the pain of labor. These Lamaze techniques will help you focus to control your breathing. If everyone can get up and come over here to the mats. Please help your partners down to the floor and support them by sitting directly behind them"said Rose as the couples headed over to the mats.
"Good luck getting us back up!" laughed Mary as Kathleen tried to help her down to the mat. Tony saw her struggle and went to help them. Angela tried to push away an annoyed feeling that arose inside of her as she watched Tony helping them. There was something about Kathleen that rubbed Angela the wrong way, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. She literally shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts and tried to focus on getting down on the mat.
"Angela! Wait let me help you!" said Tony as he came back to her side and helped her down to the mat. She accepted his help… it always amazed her that whenever he touched her, whether it was a hug, a snuggle on the sofa or helping her get up or down, his physical presence had an automatic calming effect on her. Any negative feelings towards Kathleen melted away as soon as she was sitting on the mat, her back up against Tony's front.
"Okay everyone, try and get as comfortable as possible. When contractions first start, you will begin with a slow, deep breath in through your nose, then pause and exhale through your mouth. Upon exhaling, focus on relaxing a body part such as your feet, arms or neck. Let's practice! Inhale! Exhale! Good!" she said as she watched all the women practice the deep breathing.
"Ok for active labor, the breathing techniques change slightly. Begin with a deep breath, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Maintain a slow pattern of breathing, relaxing your shoulders. Once the contractions intensify, your pattern of breathing changes to a panting in and out through the mouth, one breath each second. After the contraction passes, breath back in through the nose and out the mouth. Okay let's practice!" said Rose.
Tony was practicing right along side Angela, which was a mixture of annoyance and cuteness all combined into one.
"Tony, you don't need to practice yourself you know… actually, on second thought, keep going…" said Angela with a slight chuckle as she continued to practice the breathing pattern.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.
"Relax Tony! Im just kidding!" she said as she leaned back and gave him a quick kiss.
"Very good everyone! Okay let's move on to the breathing during the transition stage. As a reminder, this is the stage right before baby makes his or her appearance! You start with a deep breath and focus on a specific object- it can be anything you choose. Some people use sonogram photos, little figurines, etc. Focus on the object and breath in and out five to ten breaths every five seconds followed by a long breath out on the fifth breath using the sounds hee and hoo. Once the contraction has subsided, take a long relaxing breath. Okay let's practice again!" said Rose.
The couples all practiced, followed by some massages designed to help relax the mothers as well as ease the pain of childbirth. Rose continued the discussion, talking about the moment the baby would start to make its way into the world- the need to push, the famous ring of fire when the baby was ready to be born and the techniques of effective pushing. All the the faces in the room had collective looks of sheer terror as she described in the process.
"Now next class, we will go into more details and signs of pre-labor as well as the process of bringing the baby into the world! Now who has questions!" asked Rose.
Tony naturally jumped at the chance to ask his laundry list of questions, much to Angela's dismay. However, he was cutoff by Mary.
"Rose! What does it mean when your water breaks?" she asked with some panic in her voice.
"When your water breaks, that means labor has begun. At that time, it is recommended you head for the hospital…" said Rose.
"Well that's good to know because my water just broke!" she shouted. All eyes, including Rose's, stared in her direction for a few moments, taking time to process her words before all chaos seemed to ensue.
"Wait you still have six weeks! It's too soon!" shouted Kathleen, a sense of panic in her voice very evident.
"I don't think the baby knows that!" said Rose and she helped Kathleen help Mary off the floor and back into a chair. A strong contraction gripped Mary as she cried out in pain. Tony helped Angela up off the floor as she went to sit down next to Mary, holding her hand.
"You've got this Mary! Remember what we just learned about the breathing! I'll count with you okay! Focus on my voice okay…" instructed Angela as she counted and went through the breathing techniques while Kathleen and Tony just stood around like two deer caught in the headlights. After the contraction ended, Mary was able to catch her breath and thanked Angela. It was decided that an ambulance would be the safest way to transport her to the hospital due to intensity of the labor. By the time the paramedics arrived, her contractions were less than five minutes apart. The group wished her well as Kathleen headed to her car to follow them to the hospital.
"Geeze… what are the odds of a women going into labor at a child birth class!" said one of the fathers.
"Believe it or not, it happens about once a year! Usually there's time to get themselves to the hospital, but something told me it was best to be on the safe side and call the paramedics" said Rose.
"How dangerous is it for the baby to be born so early?" asked Angela as she rubbed her belly. She couldn't help but worry about the twins coming early and what that would mean for their health and safety.
"Thirty four weeks is still early and will probably require a stay in the NICU, but the baby is quite well developed by that stage. Within a few weeks, the baby should be well enough to go home" said Rose.
Tony and Angela both gave each other worried looks as Tony reached over and placed his hand on her stomach. He leaned in and gave her a kiss before they grabbed their belongings and headed to the car. Once inside the car, Angela turned to Tony.
"Tony… what… what happens if they are born too early? I can't even imagine something wrong with one or both of them. To have them stay in the NICU with tubes and machines… it scares me so much!" she said as she burst into tears.
"Oh sweetheart it scares me too. Thinking about anything bad happening to them or to you scares me more than anything in the world. We just have to hold on to hope that everything is going to be alright for all of you. Right now, we have to make sure your blood pressure is okay, which once we get home, is going to be my top priority. You and I can cuddle up in bed for the day until I need to get some work done. Maybe I'll even draw you a bath later on if you feel up to it! It's going to be okay Angela! I love you all so much!" he said as he reached over and gave her a kiss and a hug.
"Okay Tony. Somehow hearing you say that helps calm my nerves… thank you" she said as she wiped away the remaining tears.
"C'mon Angela… let's go home…" said Tony as he put the car in drive and took them all home.