Our First Series is in Full Swing!

Looking at my last post, I realize I need to post all the great suggestions I got from people on what makes a good Bradley teacher.

But that will have to wait. I'm just here to give an update on how our Bradley series is going. We are two weeks into the twelve-week series. Casey is teaching with me (we had not planned to do that every time, but it has worked out well, and I really think he adds a dimension that is helpful for the coaches, so we'll probably stick with it).

We have 2 couples for this first class, and though we are allowed to have four times that amount, I am so grateful to have ANYONE at all! It is my goal to transfer information and confidence enough that our students will finish the series ready to take on the challenge of giving birth naturally and glad that they took the class.

So far, the classes have gone well. I could stand to be a little better at teaching, but that will come with time and familiarity with the lesson plans. Between preparing the lessons and doing the evaluations after class, I feel as though I am not doing much besides Bradley and my usual duties during the week (which I'm not saying is small--just that I'm not finding time for much outside that). One of my biggest struggles is that there is no way I can fit the entirity of the lesson in two hours, and it is hard to decide exactly what topics I should try to cover in more detail. It's all important stuff, but it's very important that we stay punctual. After all, these are prego women and their hubbies on a work night.

One fortunate side effect of having these weekly classes is that our home stays company-ready much better than when we were having people over less regularly. I have a feeling my hubby will become a big proponent of my teaching a series constantly throughout the year for this reason. He does love a clean house.

This week, we are looking at pregnancy, and it just so happens that I got my Birth Atlas and Growing Uterus Charts today. These will come in handy when talking about fertilization and the changes mom's body goes through in the months of pregnancy. I am so pleased with these charts. If you want a good deal on these things, contact me. I just saved $100 or more.

My pelvis should arrive by class 4 (also a great deal, as pelvises go), and I am excited to start using this priceless visual aid. I hope it will be a powerful tool to show the practicality behind things like not lying on your back in labor, that the bony structure is not a fixed unit, but a combination of bone and cartilage that moves and flexes, how walking helps open the inlet of the pelvis, and how changing position even in the pushing stage helps the baby make important turns and movements. The pelvis model helps me understand these things better, and I hope to use it often in class to demonstrate a host of things.