Last night's childbirth class went pretty well. It wasn't nearly as long as we'd thought — it was actually from 6:30-9 p.m. Most of the information presented was stuff we knew already, but the reaffirmation provided more comfort. Meeting 20 or so other couples who were all right around the same stage of pregnancy as us was nifty, too. One of my co-workers and his wife were there.

Misty was itching for me to wear the "sympathy belly" — a sort of smock with a big weighted pouch, breasts, and bladder built in — but I was fortunate enough to avoid it. The instructor strapped it onto her victim and hitched it up like a corsett. She then dropped a bunch of laundry around the room and had him walk around and pick it up. Next, he had to lie down on a mat and try to get comfortable with one pillow under his head, another under his belly, one between his legs. Upon finally getting situated, he was instructed to roll over. The whole ordeal was terribly amusing, but I don't need to try it myself to believe that Misty has a tough time doing evreyday things — I've believed her all along, and I've tried to accommodate.

Next week: Pain relief and relaxation techniques.