Pre Natal Class for the unsuspecting Dad

Hi Guys

Pre Natal Class for the unsuspecting Dad

Liza and I attended the first pre-natal class in a series of Monday nights leading up to the birth of pinkfoot last night. Well….. prior to this, I have read a couple of books as well as browsed through some magazine articles which I thought have kind of informed me and prepared me for basically what to expect with our new arrival. Well – that being all good and well – lasts nights class was a real eye opener for me!!!! Not one of the books and articles, or the myriad of advice from the previously experienced parents, I think actually can prepare you for what you really have to know about being a new parent to a newborn baby??!!!

It appears that there is ever changing new technology and research which closely defines and studies the first stages of growth and development after birth and we were educated on how to handle our little newborn. With that – we were enlightened on the various stages of growth and hormonal development that the newborn will go through as well as they covered basics like what to do when bathing and caring for your new arrival. Last night’s session lasted for 2 hours and I can honestly say that it felt like 30 seconds with the incredible overload of information that was given to us – the class conducted by a super hero, world renowned mid-wife and specialist in child birth and caring for a newborn. (She is the only one in South Africa with her qualifications and a world leader, trainer and lecturer and author of two books on the subject) – Irene Bourquin - She is both an international childbirth and a post natal educator. She has vast experience running childbirth and parenting courses for many years, including in her courses is a grandparents update! Yes – even Grandparents can benefit from from this as they are not up to date on new discoveries and techniques on the subject. She also manages, in her busy life, to coordinate the Doula course (Mid wife training) in the Western Cape. So – I am confident that we are in good hands as we approach our further education in how to look after Pinkfoot before and after its arrival in our physical day to day lives.

Now – knowing that I am going to have to play an important role in the first couple of days of my child’s new life as Liza will be recovering from the caesarean section, I made a point of being extra alert and understanding what was being taught to us with special emphasis on how to hold and handle a small child (my biggest fear to date). In addition – I was alert to what was being taught to us with regards what to check for and how to treat the simple things like sticky eye, cradle cap, the umbilical cord as well as baby bath and massage techniques and routines. These topics covered as the main focus in last nights lesson.

Well……… at 2:00am this morning I woke up in cold sweat!!! I was gagging on bile vomit in my sleep and full of fear as I was having the most awful vivid dream. I think that this is possibly the worst nightmare that I have ever had. I was in a white room, standing at a white cupboard which had white towels and a white baby bath on top of it. It was just me and this minute little baby in the room and it was bath time. Liza was not there and I knew that she could not be close as she was in bed, recovering from her operation – I had the baby undressed, the water was in the bath and I was busy soaping the baby in preparation for its bath. Well – on closer examination, the baby had a severe case of cradle cap and I was trying to wash it off with baby shampoo – but nothing was happening – its one little eye was all swollen and oozing with sticky eye. I was trying to wash this out with saltwater solution and cotton wool. The baby’s face was blood red and it was screaming at me. I then noticed that the umbilical cord was swollen and starting to smell – there was some serious infection going on here and its little tummy was all inflamed!! I tried to treat this with surgical spirits. This kid did not have the time of day for me and was not happy with the way that I was handling it. I tried to massage it with body lotion gel and turned it over to massage its little back. As I picked the kid up, its legs slipped out of my hand and it fell off the counter landing on its head!!!!! It was at this point that I felt my stomach turning and churning and the bile burning my throat as I started waking up!!! Taking a huge sip from Liza’s Gaviscon bottle next to her bed calmed the acid down, a few deep breaths and a self inflicted slap to the cheek soon had me back in reality land.

The lesson…….. make sure that you are extra alert when bathing the child!!!

Until the next lesson learnt

Cheers

Walter