Finally, Some Chivalry

In a pregnancy first this evening, a college student on the bus gave up his seat for me, the pregnant person. I would like to say that this was not the highlight of the night's birth preparation class, but I was underwhelmed by the lack of practical information passed along in the two and a half hours of tonight's course. Much of the anatomical information was a repeat performance of the last session, a presentation not even on the level of one of my basic classes in the first year of Chiropractic school.

Add to that, the feeling of isolation, when everyone who came with a partner (husband, friend or otherwise) gave massages and I sat by myself, looking sad and well...alone. I do not regret having entered into pregnancy as a potential single parent, I enjoy every day of this pregnancy; but tonight emphasized for me the lack of a "sure thing," my not knowing that I have any one person I can count on to be with me and support me at the birth itself.

My parents will come when they can, from America. There are several friends who have committed half-way ie the "would love to be there" for me, assuming of course my birth does not fall out on a major Jewish holiday, or at an otherwise inconvenient time for them or their families. Duh: I am due to give birth sometime between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, so any way you slice it, the timing is likely to be "inconvenient."

I suppose I could take on a Doula, I am not yet sold on the idea. I suppose also that these feelings prepare me for the time when my baby has arrived and may very well be truly alone in the practical and emotional aspects of her care. Either way, I don't want to go to another birth class in which there is massage and intimate couples belly dancing (I kid you not), and I am standing on the side like a wall flower.