I trust Bryan entirely to be a level-headed birth coach, but it's still fun to watch for signs of alarm hidden beneath that oh-so-cool exterior. The subtle widening of the eyes. The quick stiffening of the shoulders. The "down to business" tone that quietly permeates his voice.
Like today when, after several hours punctuated with the involuntary tightening of certain abdominal muscles, I welcomed Bryan home with the words, "I think I've been having contractions all day."
Now, before you think I've been cruel, let me clarify that I've been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions--those practice contractions that help get a mom's uterus in shape for the real event--for at least a couple of months now. At this point, Bryan's fully aware that I get them from time to time (increasingly frequently, in fact)--and also aware that they cause me no significant discomfort and can be interpreted as valuable pre-labor exercise. Thus, when I say, "I think I'm having a contraction," he knows I mean Braxton Hicks.
But it still makes him nervous (see signs above). And fairly enough. We've never been through this before, so when I'm feeling up to several BH contractions per hour over several hours of the day, we both naturally wonder, "Is this normal?"
Thankfully, tonight, our post-dinner plans centered around attending our weekly Bradley Method class, so, fairly quickly after my uncertain announcement, we were able to consult with our instructor/doula and set our nervous new dad's mind at ease.
At least for now. Next time I have them I still expect the signs: the eyes, the shoulders, the voice. A quick hand to my arm when I stop for a moment along our evening walk, and his question, "Are you all right?"
And then one day, it won't be BH contractions anymore, and I'll get to see the next stage of Dad's (hopefully/probably still muted) panic. It may not be for another five or so weeks yet, but I'm looking forward to it.
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