Pregnant Lady in Tears

And, no, it wasn't me. It was one of my classmates at prenatal yoga. Alison, our instructor, likes to lead off with a half-hour discussion on a pregnancy-related topic. This week, she talked about perineal massage. A what now? A perineal massage. That's when you or your partner, with the aid of olive oil or some other lubricant, start massaging down there (about six weeks before the due date). It's meant to lessen the risk of tearing during delivery, or having to get an episiotomy. You work your thumb around the area in a "U." I know it sounds a little unpleasant, but the woman next to me really didn't take it too well. She was in tears. She explained that she's a bit squeamish. Oh dear. I hope she toughens up a bit before she's due.

Speaking of the women one meets in these prenatal classes, they seem a bit under-informed. Even the women who are 6, 7, 8 months along, seem like they have a lot of catching up to do. One woman who looked like she was nearly at the end hadn't heard of birth plans. Maybe it's having Liz set an example for me or it's my close reading of Misconceptions by Naomi Wolf, but I feel well-versed on pregnancy matters. I'm especially grateful to Naomi Wolf (as militant as she is) for articulating all the injustices a pregnant woman and a woman with a small child face all the time -- injustices that are often never put right or difficult to address unless addressed early on. For example, the division of labour in the household. Even the most modern, sensitive fellows will let household and childrearing responsibilities fall along "traditional" gender lines. Another example, if you're not vigilant, you just might come out of your delivery feeling like you've been "processed" by the hospital and its staff. You need to make sure your partner really knows how to advocate for you and your baby. Anyway, for those of you out there who are wondering: an essential read for pregnancy -- Misconceptions.