Pregnancy "gym"

Dear little soul

What did you think of the zwangerschapsgym session last night? I find it a strange thing.
I have signed up for a series of 10 meetings, each lasting an hour, at the organisation through which I'll be getting post-natal care in the house (8 hours a day for 8 days! amazing - more about that later). The "gym" course is free! So being half Dutch, of course I enrolled.

It involves 14 of us sitting in a room, either on mats, or on chairs, in a circle (very Dutch!) and the class is led by an instructor. She is a former gym instructor, and is now a kraamverzorgster (post-natal nurse) and pregnancy gym teacher. She has four kids, all grown up and she's pretty funny.

The first lesson was a bit of an administrative bungle, though, and back then I felt, a bit of a waste of time.
Because the list of attendees had gone missing, we had to tell her our names, professions due dates and where we hoped to give birth (at home or in a poli-kliniek). No one opted for home, and I think I'm the only one who's seriously considering it. That was weird. Also weird was that almost everyone has a role in healthcare - doctors, nurses, social workers. I was the only freelancer in a creative profession and the only person not wearing 'proper' gym gear (just leggings and a tunic and some high top street sneakers).
Going around the circle took about 45 minutes. After that we only had enough time to learn what pelvic floor muscle exercises are (in Dutch, bekkenbodemspieren oefeningen - almost as hard to do as they are to say).

At the second class, last night - me clad in some other leggings and a big jumper which isn't technically a sweatshirt or gym hoodie - we spent about 3 minutes doing some cardio. I could have done those exercises in heels and a pencil skirt! The rest of the time we were told things we could probably find out in a book. But I'm not showing the right attitude! What have I learnt that's really interesting over the last two sessions?

1. When you have to pee, don't push! Don't push hard to get every last drop out. All your pelvic floor muscles should really be doing when you pee, is relax. We need to learn to strengthen and relax our pelvic floor muscles so that they will spring back into shape after giving birth. Thanks to my dear friend and surrogate sister (also yoga teacher), I've gotten into the habit of doing 4 minutes of pelvic floor muscle exercises every morning as part of my 30 minute yoga/meditation session. So, while I was amused at the confused expressions on some of my classmates' faces as they tried to identify which muscles we're supposed to be clenching and releasing, I had been doing mine throughout the class. Okay, I'll say it - I felt smug.
2. If pregnant, sleep if possible on your left side. That's because most babies are head down, and facing the right side of the mother. That way when you lie on your left side, the baby is being supported by the surface of the bed and cradled in your tummy. Also, if you are suffering from indigestion or heartburn, you feel the symptoms less if sleeping on your left side - something to do with valves and esophegal sphincters.
3. We were taught how to sit down on chairs and get out of them, and how to get in and out of a car. Handy tips to learn before you get too big to find out the hard way that you've been doing it the wrong way. And good ways to sit or lie on the ground or in bed.

But that's it for now. I suppose these classes are about sharing hopes and fears about being first time mothers (for 70% of us in the class), and to be part of a community of mums-to-be. If only we dwelt a bit longer after class to have a chat - there are so few chances to feel a click.

I wonder what we'll learn of value in the next session, little soul?

Love, your Soul Mama.