In My Shoes

As we are getting closer to our due date, we are trying to get everything done which includes a Pre-admission Clinic and Prenatal classes. We just recently completed both of those and I just wanted to share a few experiences. We had a regular doctor appointment on Wednesday, September 29 and then our Pre-admission clinic in the evening. We got a tour of the hospital and filled out as much paperwork as we could ahead of time. Then on Thursday evening we had our first Prenatal class. From Friday to Sunday we were at Camp Evergreen with the senior youth for a retreat. It was an amazing weekend! Because we were at camp we missed our Saturday Prenatal class so we had made arrangements to meet on Monday morning to go over what they had talked about. Our final class was on Tuesday evening. On Thursday, we found out that the guys would have a chance to try on the 'Empathy Belly' during the Saturday class. I made Dylan promise that if we still had a chance on Monday or Tuesday that he would give it a try. Trust me, it took a lot more work than you would think!! We went through our Monday meeting without a word being mentioned about the 'Belly'. Well little did Dylan know but I had found out from our instructor that they would get the chance on Tuesday because there were some others who never got to try it either!! Here he had thought he had managed to wiggle out of the deal until we showed up for class on Tuesday. Te he!! So to explain a little more about this belly.... It comes complete as the 'Pregnant Body'. First of all, they had something like a back brace strapped TIGHT around the lungs to give the feeling of not being able to breath. Then they put on the suit. The belly part is filled with warm water. Then they have two weighted balls put into pockets to simulate the knees, feet, elbows, hands, whatever you want to imagine them to be. There is a 'bladder' that attaches with velcro onto the inside which is to be placed over your own bladder. After everything is in place, they tighten the suit up and add a shirt. So, for a few minutes, Dylan got to see what it is like to be in my shoes! All he had to say was that it was very uncomfortable!