Birthing class and other fun things...

          Last night was our first birthing class. We had looked up directions on map quest and left in plenty of time. My recommendation is not to use map quest if you have any other method of getting directions. So after discovering the bridge was out and taking a detour, hitting some traffic along the way, and driving through a bunch of side streets in Newburyport we finally got there! We were about fifteen minutes late but we didn't feel quite as bad when another couple came in about 10 minutes after we got there. We felt much more comfortable in the house and with the group than we had expected.
          I can't believe how helpful this first class was. Almost everyone I had talked to about birthing class said that it basically did not do anything for them. It was something that every "first time parent" should participate in just to get it over with. I couldn't believe how different this was from the other classes I had heard about. The instructor was so full of excitement about birth and had so much useful information. It makes a big difference to take a class with someone that you can tell has a passion for what they are teaching. Anyway, all this to say that we learned so many useful tips for the rest of the pregnancy and labor that we are actually excited to do the rest of the classes.
          I was especially nervous about labor going the way that we would like it to with the switch in practices and doctors. I was more comfortable seeing a midwife because I felt that we were really on the same page. I wish I could say my appointment with the new doctor this morning went as well as the class did last night. We got there on time and waited an hour before the doctor ever came into the room. I don't do well with doctors anyway and the extra time to be anxious did not help anything. She spent about 10 minutes in the room and all she did was listen to the heartbeat. (We can do that with a home doppler anyway.) So by the end of the appointment I was not feeling great and not impressed. The benefit was that we were able to tour the labor and delivery rooms today. They looked okay and I was happy to be able to see what we should be expecting to walk into.
          Lately Logan has been pretty active first thing in the morning and at night. Dan is still the only one besides me that has been able to feel him. It is amazing and I am convinced he knows when it's his daddy. Almost immediately every time Dan touches my belly he starts moving around. Even if I try to feel movement from the outside, he will stop kicking. He hasn't kicked for anyone besides Dan yet. He has talked to the baby since the very beginning and I wonder if that might make a bigger difference than we might realize. Hopefully others will be able to feel him soon because it's so special but right now I think it is pretty special that he already loves his daddy so much!

Here is a 29 week picture of the baby belly...