Last night I found myself playing tug of war with my sleepy husband; we were engaged in one of those totally absurd pregnancy moments, the how-to-put-the-”G”-shaped-pregancy-pillowcase-back-on-the-pillow endeavor. After many grunts, giggles, and exasperated sighs, we succeeded, but only after cursing the Snoogle company for such an apparent design flaw... can’t they just put a zipper along the hemline of the pillow? Sometimes I wonder if part of the challenges ubiquitous in baby gear are there simply to remind you of the real challenges that come with parenting. So you can’t figure out how in the world you’re going to assemble that high chair? Wait till you’re on zero-sleep night number 3. Swaddling got you stumped? Wait till your two year-old vomits all over you as you both are stepping out the door, you already 15 minutes late for work. I think Nietzsche is still alive and designing Snoogle pillowcase for this very reason.
Since this episdode is entitled, “Adventures in Pregnancy,” I’ll give you another. Just went to our childbirth education class weekend before last. I arrived expecting to leave anxious, but I couldn’t have been more relaxed upon leaving, if only for one reason: the anxiety level in the participants around us made me feel like a regular octo-mom. Oh the questions that were asked! I suppose it was the demographic: you show me northwest DC, and I’ll show you some over 30 (and up) power-elite mommies-to-be. The questions that came up involved every possible pregnancy hot-topic, most starting with “I’ve done research on...” and “my doula says....” and so on. Of course that space was exactly the space to ask those and any other questions (I’ve heard that you pay to place yourself on a waiting list to pre-reserve a room, is that true? What happens if you have a personality conflict with your L&D nurse? I’ve done research on epidurals, and among the risk factors is that it can literally fry your baby’s brain (last one more of a dare-to-engage than a question). It’s just that I think I learned more about the patient demographics of my hospital in my birth class than I did about birth. It’s all good though; my husband learned about the art of counterpressure, and I got free donuts.
