Monday, November 12, 2007

Ways to get kicked out of a parenting prep course

Well, OK. We didn't get *kicked out*. However:

Matter-Eater Lad and I took a parenting prep class on Saturday. It seemed like not a bad idea. The class overall was fine--not overly serious, and the content was good for MEL in particular, who has never really encountered an infant before (although? Diapering a doll is really NOT AT ALL like diapering a live baby. Also, when MEL was trying to swaddle the doll, he banged the doll's head into the wall about four times. Not a good sign.). About 2/3 of the way through the 4-hour class, the instructor showed a video about how to deal with a crying baby that was really all about not shaking your baby and preventing shaken-baby syndrome. Fine so far--this is completely reasonable. I was amused that the video appeared to have been filmed in 1992, but again, no problem--I was quietly amused. The problem came when, about ten minutes into the video, the narrator mentioned that sometimes a breastfed baby cries because of what you are eating while the camera ominously zoomed in to Coke, onions and cans of beans piled on a counter. This was VERY FUNNY for some reason. In fact, most of the class laughed at it. But then I seriously *could not stop laughing*. The video had moved on to talking about the horrible things that can happen if you shake your baby. I *could not stop laughing*. It took me about ten minutes to get myself under control. If you say "never shake your baby" to me, I START LAUGHING. It's just not right. MEL and I are totally going to get ourselves kicked out of the childbirth class.

5 comments:

College Glassblower said...

CGB is highly amused and NOT AT ALL surprised...

Grendel said...

*snicker*
Don't shake them. . . it's what duct tape is for. Seriously, some kids love being taped to the wall upside down.
:)

Witty said...

Now I know what to get you for a baby gift: an infant sized hockey helmet...

Vika said...

Four times, eh? Wow.

Maybe you shouldn't have told us that. What fodder! (kidding!)

//goes off to comb more llama fiber and try to act normal//

Witty said...

You can't put the phrases "comb llama fiber" and "act normal" in the same sentence unless you actually are a llama farmer in Peru.