Breath In, Hold It, Hold It.... Push!!!

As the title suggest, I'm going to talk about antenatal class. You see, I was just telling one of my blog reader (Joey, that's you! :D) of my opinions on antenatal class which I attended Jan-Feb this year, almost 2 mths before I was due (FYI, I delivered in early March 09).

The antenatal class (or some called it prenatal class or parentcraft class) that I attended was held at Subang Jaya Medical Center (now called Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya). We chose the classes on every Friday instead of Saturday due to the following reasons:

1. Friday classes less ppl, means not so packed (cos normally couples wouldn't want to rush to the class after work on Friday)

2. Attending classes on Friday means I get to relax on weekends. I mean, already I'm working (then...) 5 days a week, then I gotta attend classes on my weekends?! So, might as well cramp everything into weekdays and get it done with.

3. Because Friday classes start at 7.30pm, I requested from my supervisor to allow me to leave office 6pm sharp (my office hours then was 9am-6pm). You might be thinking, I'm not leaving earlier, why need to inform supervisor lah?! Well, in my previous line of work (which is IT by the way), most of the time, users are only free after 6pm and somehow, that's also when the end of day issues cropped up... so, instead of disappearing 6pm sharp and giving ppl impression I couldn't be bothered with all the production issues and entertaining users, I really need to go off at 6pm sharp from my workplace and hope they understand this will only happen for 4 Fridays as long as I'm attending the antenatal classes.

So anyway, how I ended up with this class? It was a last minute decision thing... at first we thought, "Aiya... why be bothered with learning all this? Ppl have been telling us, learn all sorts of thing then when deliver baby time mind goes blank...wasted..." I still remember telling my hubby, "Huh, learn breathing and have to pretend to give birth wan wor!!" But last minute, we decided, what the heck, just go and learn lah... at least can say we tried! So, in January this year, I was surfing the Net looking for all hospitals near my area which conducts this type of classes. Found some:

- Tungshin in KL: A bit far, but I like this hospital as my mother was hospitalised here 2 years ago and I have confidence in the staff and facilities here. Wrote an email asking them when are they having their next antenatal class since their website did not show the schedule and got a reply a day after that they only have 1 class in a year, which was in May... which by then my son would've already been few months old... too bad... So, Tungshin, OUT!

- Kelana Jaya Medical Center: Called them, even email them... but service abit slow... by the time they revert to me, I've already signed up with SJMC... So, KJMC, OUT!

- Damansara Specialist Center: Their classes already started 2 weeks ago... and since I'm already in my 7mth pregnancy, the staff said I can still sign up but I will miss the first 2 classes. So, D'sara Specialist Center, OUT!

- Sunway Hosp: Classes also have started and by the time they revert to me, I've already signed up with SJMC... So, Sunway Hosp, OUT!

- SJMC: I wrote an email to inquire and received the following reply with the antenatal program outline (Our Pre-Natal Classes consists of 4 sessions. Once a week for 4 weeks, which means it stretches out through a month (4 consecutive Fridays or 4 consecutive Saturdays, starting on the first Friday or the first Saturday of the month). The cost for the 4 sessions is RM310/= per couple and is conducted by trained midwives who specializes in parentcraft education. Ideally participants should start the Pre-Natal Classes two-and-a-half months before the expected date of delivery. ) Lucky thing they still accept my registration although I was 2 mth shy from my due date.

We have missed the 1st class on the 1st Friday in January but we were assured that we can repeat the 1st class again in February. Below are the outline of what we learned in the antenatal class (I copied this from the antenatal program outline emailed to me by the SJMC staff):

Class #1
- Recognizing Deviations from Normal Progression in Pregnancy (This is more for info and good to know...)
- Preparation for Parenthood (This is more for info and good to know...)
- Ante-Natal Exercise and Relaxation Technique (This is more for info and good to know...)

Class#2
- Baby Layette (This is actually where we learn baby care like how to bath & swaddle baby etc)
- Benefits of & Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (This is where we learn how to and different techniques & benefits in breastfeeding your baby)
- Signs of Labour (Errmmm... not much help really since I don't even realised I'm having contractions until I was about to go to hospital where I was originally supposed to admit to be induced but ended delivering Ben naturally since already started contractions! :P)
- Things to Bring to Hospital (Stupid me... attended the class and yet I only brought ONE clothes for Ben.. and it was quite big sized also... stupid me...)

Class#3
- Tour of Labour Suite (Interesting but too bad, I didn't deliver at SJMC but it was an experience cos you get the idea on the condition of the place you are going to deliver at...)
- Father's Role during Labour and Delivery (Really really helpful!)
- Stages of Normal Labour and Delivery (This is more for info and good to know...)
- Pain Management (Helps alot since I don't go for epidural and too late to get Pethidine... it was in this lesson that my hubby gets to have fun pinching my arm cos the trainer wants us to know the different level of pains during the contractions stages...So, the trainer went and pinch each of the hubby's arm, giving them an idea how to pinch their wife later when the trainer go through each stages of contractions... whoa... hubby was smiling all the way when we had this exercise! Bugger!)
- Breathing Technique of Stage 1 & 2 (Helpful! I remember one funny incident where at one point all the pregnant ladies had to sit on the floor and leaned back to their hubbies and my hubby went "Oopffhhhfh" when I lean at him... now he know what it feels like carrying extra 11kg on your body! Revenge! :P)

Class#4
- Care and Support for Mothers during Puerperium (Helpful as well since we are doing our own DIY confinement)
- Meeting the Needs of the Newborn (Helpful as well since we are doing our own DIY confinement)

Personally, I think attending this antenatal classes was one of the best decision we made as it really helps in our confidence when we did our own DIY confinement, in terms of baby care and knowing we are doing the right things and doing it right... it also helps cement our decision on breastfeeding and giving birth naturally and also opting for the appropriate pain relief method (in my case is Entonox which is gas and air)

Also, as this antenatal classes was actually done by this company called Jenlia Maternal Services (they also do postnatal home visits and we even bought their book on Asian Parenting), we decided to hire them for the postnatal home visits just to check we are doing everything correctly.

And yeah... back to the part where ppl tell me "learn all sorts of thing then when deliver baby time mind goes blank...wasted" - hehehe... it is true! Well for me anyway! But thank God, my hubby attended all the classes with me and has good memory! Probably he was scared at his wife turning into Cyclops (read on why I'm saying this in my previous post on my "Supernatural Childbirth" blog post)

It was my dear hubby who asked the doctor whether I can use the Entonox when I was not allowed to take Pethidine (too late and risky).

It was my dear hubby who remembered the breathing techniques when I wasted the first push by screaming away all my energies instead of focusing on pushing Ben out...

So, although the antenatal classes might be wasted for me since I don't remember anything at the brink of life and death (life for Ben and maybe possible death for hubby since I'm turning into Cyclops :P) luckily hubby remembered! That's all that matters right? So, I'm really glad with our decision to attend the classes! :D

So pregnant mums to be, please consider this option! And do it fast, don't be like me, looking for the class at last minute! :P Have fun learning and cherish the experience! :)