C-Section Class

Well, that was... interesting. First we were shown a video, which was pretty damn upsetting and hard to take, and then we were given a little talk covering the main points of interest. Except that the midwife giving the talk, one of the two who routinely assists at scheduled c-sections in that hospital, apparently had stage fright. She was possibly the most inarticulate teacher I have ever encoutered. She was entirely unable to coherently or concisely answer a question, and frequently - this is why I think she had stage fright - broke into giggles. Even her prepared information, the standard talk, was badly put together, vague, and missing huge chunks.

But we saw the video, which made me cry but not panic, and then there was supposed to be a walking tour of the wards we were going to need. I couldn't do the walking tour, of course, so I sat in a corridor while Rob and the group did it. I only tagged along to see the recovery room, about which I was concerned (the one I ended up in after my first operation was pretty scary).

Rob saw the place where I'll have to wait before the operation; it's actually an individual room, which is a huge relief, as it means that if I need to cry my panic out I will be in a position to. My other ops I waited for in an open ward, which made my panic very embarrassing and public. There's one individual room and one bed on an open ward for post-section recovery, too, so I should be able to argue for the individual room when I go for the pre-op clerking. If I do end up having flashbacks and panic attacks, they are likely to be less severe if I'm not trying to suppress them. ("Deal with" is not synonymous with "suppress".)

So it was worth going just to get that worry off my mind.

Childcare: the bane of the SAHM

We have someone to watch Linnea on Monday afternoon.

Nothing on Tuesday, which is awkward because she can't come to the morning appointment.
The reliable teenager all day Tuesday.

Someone all day Wednesday.

Definitely two hours' relief on Thursday afternoon.

Nothing at allAlison in the morning on Friday, but my mother arrives Friday night so I might be able to recover over the weekend if I have to push too hard. Plus, Nicki may be in a position to help a bit, perhaps. She's due back from Prague soon and might be a bit recovered by then.

I never, ever foresaw that the most difficult thing to organise as a stay at home mother would be childcare. Never.

And I miss her so much! At least she's only gone two whole days this week.

When Baby Runs

If you ordered a copy in this post, I have probably tried there to let you know where to send how much money.

I have a few extra if anyone else would like some.

Whistle while you work

OK, we've already worked on the pregnancy playlist.

Now I need a c-section playlist. The poor confused midwife today did mention that we can bring our own music or they often play muzak at one unless one objects.

I really want "I've got you under my skin," of course, but I don't have a copy.

And I do somewhere have "Alive and Kicking," thanks to the inimitable Simon Barrett when I was pregnant with Linnea. I wonder where it is?

I think Bill Hicks' "Little Miracle" sketch might get us actually thrown out of theatre, so perhaps I'd better skip it.

I like Vega's "Small Blue Thing" because it has always seemed to me to be about a child, or by a child, and it would remind me of Linnea, which would be nice.

Dominion/Mother Russia seems temptingly inappropriate. Also Frenzy with Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Mother's Little Helper (Stones). I will NOT take anything from RHPS however much I want to.

"You're my best friend" by Queen, and the waltz we had at our wedding, are definite possibilities, mind you.

I also like "Fat Bottomed Girls" but think I'd like it less half-naked in a room full of strangers.

Guns'N'Roses Sweet Child of Mine?

I should stop now. What do you think?

ETA: Mack the Knife - Eartha Kitt version? we have another but I forget who.