There is so much to think about and do to prepare for a new baby. Nine months of pregnancy can seem like plenty of time, but it can go fast. Suddenly, the baby is here, and the to-do list goes out the window, exchanged for busy days filled with the many small demands of a tiny new person. Parents everywhere think, “What in the world did I do all day before this baby came?”
So, while there is still time to sit and focus, here are a couple of tasks to move to the top of the to-do-BEFORE-baby-arrives list. One involves acquiring a skill you hope to never use, and the other is for one you hope to use day-in and day-out for months on end.
First- learn CPR. Of course, your little one is unlikely to have a heart attack, but an obstructed airway is one of the most common reason parents to need to provide lifesaving action. A complete adult, infant, child, CPR, AED (defibrillator), and first aid class may take the better part of a Saturday, but it will provide great peace of mind – not only around a new baby, but maybe around the grandparents as well. Life tends to only get busier as children and families grow. Take a class now – ask anyone who has been around a near drowning or choking situation – it is a skill set to have readily available.
A course that includes an instructor to check your technique is highly recommended, but there are on-line and mail order versions that also impart valuable skills. Some classes provide education only, while others offer a certification. Courses can range from free, to well over $100. Check out some of the many options for CPR instruction in our community:
• American Heart Association (AHA) “Infant CPR Anytime” kit can be ordered for about $45.00. This includes an inflatable infant manikin (with extra lung for another user), DVD and more in English or Spanish – shopcpr.heart.org/courses/cpr-anytime
• Defib This, in Santa Cruz offers AHA classes – defibthis.com
• Above the Bar – Friends & Family CPR for $20-40 – abovebarcpr.com
• The American Red Cross online class starts at $37. A variety of local in-person classes are also offered. – redcross.org
• Central Fire District offers a monthly, free “bystander” CPR class. – www.centralfiresc.org/2221/CPR-Classes
• Our local family support centers, such as Circle Family Center, RC Fam/ RC | Raíces y Cariño, Full Moon Birth & Family Wellness Center, as well as local hospitals and clinics periodically offer these classes. They are often interest-driven, so asking for a class may prompt one.
Second, start learning about infant feeding before baby arrives. While many parents wait until baby is born to attend one of our community’s many feeding-support groups, many find they aren’t ready to get out of the house during those first tender weeks after birth. It can pay to get a head start on building skills while still pregnant to help things go more smoothly.
While exploring a few different options in-person while pregnant, make a list of contacts including when each feeding-support group meets, to put on the fridge for after the baby arrives for easier scheduling.
By Laura Maxson
Laura Maxson has been the director of Birth Network since 1998. She became an advocate in the early ’80s after experiencing a lack of information and choice around birth and breastfeeding. Laura has worked as a breastfeeding counselor, childbirth educator, doula, and homebirth midwife.
