33.5 weeks - Breastfeeding Class

Well, we finally had our class on breastfeeding last night (it was rescheduled from May).  I was so glad to go, but I have to admit - the whole idea of BFing scares me a little bit.  As I told my friend N via e-mail, I screwed up "cooking" Sudden.ly Salad.  Before you think, "Ha, she's joking, that's mildly humorous" - no, I'm not joking.  I truly and honestly put the flavored mixture in the boiling water.  How am I prepared for feeding an entire human with my own breast if I can't make something akin to mac and cheese?

The class was good, though.  There was a lot more time with the lactation consultant convincing about the benefits of breastfeeding than was probably necessary, since we all were there and had paid to learn.  I may have been a little more sensitive to this than I would normally have been, though - I was in a ton of pain.  I had been hoping to go back to work for a couple hours at a time for a couple of days a week here before too long, but this may have made me realize that I'm possibly not quite ready for that. 

Anyway, here are the highlights:

1.  There were some ugly babies and breasts on that video.  I hate saying that, but it's true.  There was one baby who had fur all over it - not in the way that it was just a hairy baby, but more like it looked like it was part gorilla.  My husband said on the way home, "There were only, like, three good boobs in that whole video."  I didn't stop to ask if he meant three pair, or three total.  If just three total - what happened to the other one of that pair?

2.  We were supposed to bring dolls, but only a couple of us did.  Our doll wasn't very big, so I felt a little lacking - especially when we walked in and the other couple who brought one had a doll that weighed at least 15 lbs.  Ours ended up being a lot more ideal for the class, but I felt dwarved.

3.  Cheryl of Cheryllookingforward had told me that they had a pillow shaped like a breast in her BFing class, but it was a really curious sight to behold in person.  I kept wondering what company specializes in the design and production of pillows shaped like breasts.  There was even a little pull cord that she used to invert the nipple - it was bizarre.  I wonder if you can get those pillows in a size that would work on your bed?

4.  Again probably because I was in pain, but there was one guy I wanted to smother with the boob pillow.  It sounds bad to say this, but he was kind of the suck-up (he laughed at everything the LC said, even if it wasn't funny).  What bugged me, though, is that he kept taking the class (which was already running way past time) off-topic.  At one point the LC mentioned how breast milk will naturally immunize your baby against certain things, and he shoots up his hand to ask if this means that they won't need to vaccinate.  I inwardly groaned, waiting for the fireworks to start.  The nurse just kind of looked at him and gently explained that breast milk doesn't immunize your child against, say, polio, but more like the common cold.  So, he asked the question again, should we vaccinate.  This was neither the time nor the place for that debate.  Luckily, she just gave him a short answer and said to ask their pediatrician.

It may sound as if I didn't get a lot out of the class, but I truly did - I just kept myself entertained, too.  One of the good things I found out for sure (I'd already been pretty sure, but not 100%) was that our health insurance pays for a breast pump.  We just get a prescription from our OB, and take it to the pharmacy in the hospital - they have Med.ela backpacks, which is what I wanted anyway.  I called the insurance company today, and they verified that not only have I met my deductible for the year, but have almost hit my out-of-pocket max (yay?).  Most we should have to pay for things (besides the copay) from here on out is around $60. 

I also will apparently be doing a lot of the "football hold," since we'll be doing a C-section.  My husband, a huge football fan, found endless amusement in this.  :)  Anyway - OB check-up tomorrow (just a manual exam).  Let's hope for no more dilation!