Baby Class 1 of 3: Baby Care & Safety

Week: 34
Last night was our first of three baby classes. Our first class was baby care & safety, which covered mostly handling, swaddling, diapering, bathing, and feeding/burping. We were joined by three other couples in the class and were due within a month of all of them. The class was in the evening from 6:30-8:45pm and was at Erlanger East (the hospital we will be delivering at). We sat for a lecture for about 1/4 of the class, watched an informational video for about 1/2 and had hands on practice with pretend babies for the remaining 1/4. We were given articles and pamphlets to take home from what was learned in class. After the class was completed, I asked if it would be possible for Andrew and I to tour the labor and delivery floor (Andrew was not able to go with me when I did). The tour last night was much more detailed than the one I received and both of us are blown away on how nice the facilities are. We can't wait to deliver there (plus, our birthing suite comes with cable TV...can you guess who is excited about that! haha I am excited about using the massaging shower!)

Things Andrew learned

• How to swaddle a baby (he is a natural!)
• Colors of poop (black, green, yellow)
• The "football" hold 

Things I learned

• Breastfeeding now recommended to be 15min for each breast per feeding. ( I was still assuming it would be every other breast each feeding.) One of the remaining two classes is specifically breastfeeding, so I am eager to learn more!
• Tummy time should start by 3 weeks of age. (I thought it was more like 6 weeks)

Something we both learned

• Newborn stomachs in size are comparable to a ping pong ball!
• Newborn, breastfed babies POOP 4-6 times a day! And a formula fed baby only POOPs about 1-2.
• So this definitely does not relate to us at all, but we found this crazy...
• If a pregnant woman is married, but her legal husband is not the father of her child, the state of TN requires that the legal be legally divorced before she can sign the biological father's name on the birth certificate. 

FUN NEWS:

I am 99% sure that the baby has officially dropped! ( I am solely basing this on the relief I feel in my lungs and chest, plus my heartburn has magically disappeared!)