This week Claire and I attended our first antenatal classes at Pindara Private Hospital on the Gold Coast. We technically had the choice of doing the antenatal classes over a single weekend or five two hour sessions spilt over five weeks. Even though we booked in for the antenatal classes months ago, we had no option of doing the weekend course as the were already booked out. It turns out that September is the busiest baby delivery month in the year, so all related services are pressed for resources.

While I knew the basic information we were going to cover at the antenatal classes, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. The instructor for our courses is a nurse working at Pindara and she did a great job in keeping things flowing well. To break the ice a little, everyone had to introduce themselves, what they do for a living, when they are due and the sex of their child if they knew it.

Some observations from the first session:

• Claire and I were the youngest in our class, the average age would have been closer to 35
• Everyone in our class were first timers, though I guess that is to be expected
• Normally the majority of couples had found out the sex of their baby. Our group were completely the opposite with only two couples finding out the sex.
• Normally there are a bunch of women have c-sections, there was only one in our group and I don’t think it was by choice.
• A room full of pregnant women really is a beautiful sight.
• Intesting that some women respond to the hormones by it actually levelling out their moodiness, where as others is had made the more moody.
• The overwhelming good thing about the pregnacy among everyone was being able to feel a baby moving inside.

The next class should be pretty interesting as well, as we get right into the nitty gritty of child birth – so to speak!