Flushed Away: "Oh, Baby!"

Chapter 4: Being prepared is overwhelming

Three months of pregnancy, when Rita was starting to show more of her bump, Roddy signed up to start Lamaze class with her. "Really? This early? When I'm at the start of my second trimester?" Rita complained one morning.

"Yes, according to the pregnancy book and your mother, it is best to start Lamaze early just in case. I mean, what if our baby was born prematurely?" Roddy asked.

"Then I would let you know what's going on or the doctor will make the decision himself."

"Okay, but still, it is best to start Lamaze class early so we can be prepared for when the baby comes."

"Roddy, I have watched my mum cope with labor before multiple times. I don't think I need a lesson. Plus, you've watched Emma and Billy be born before." Rita said.

"Yes, I have, but this time, you'll be the one, giving birth and I would have to be the one to coach you while you're squeezing my hand through the pain you'll be going through. Also, we can work on a few exercises so that you'll have enough energy while you're pushing the baby out." Roddy said.

"And I will be exhausted later on once the baby's born."

"I will make sure you get plenty of rest afterwards."

"Like right now?" Rita replied.

"Well, after you have the baby, I mean." Roddy chuckled, nervously.

"I think you need practice on Lamaze more than I do and since I'm awake now, I need some coffee." Rita said, getting out of bed, leaving the room to the kitchen to fix herself some coffee while Roddy was going through the pregnancy book he had been carrying around until he found the one page, reading through it quickly before he left the bedroom to the kitchen up to his wife, who had just filled up her cup full of coffee, grabbing the cup out of her hands just when she was about to take a sip of it.

"Oh, no, you don't, I'm afraid."

"What now?"

"I hate to break this to you, but there'll be no caffeine beverages while pregnant. It'll make the baby's heart beat rapidly unless you wanna have an active little nut throughout the day when you want a nap later on." Roddy said.

"Okay, I thought you weren't suppose to have alcohol while pregnant." Rita said.

"And caffeine effects the baby in a different way. So it is best to have a healthy balanced diet of drinks and food. So luckily, I made this smoothie for you." Roddy said, holding up a glass cup that had a mix of colors of red, green, and orange, which left Rita concerned as she slowly picked the glass from her husband's hand.

"Um, okay?" She went before she slowly took a sip of her smoothie through the straw. After a long sip and making a weird look, she pulled her lips away from the straw, smacking her lips, trying to figure out the taste of her smoothie, lowering her eyebrows. "It has an interesting, but a peculiar taste. Pretty churned, too. What's in it?"

"Well, due to looking through beverages that are good for pregnancy, I put in a good mix of bananas, strawberries, kale, carrots, coconut milk, herbal tea, and kefir."

"Okay, I've never heard of that before. What's kefir?" Rita asked before taking another sip of her smoothie.

"It's a kind of milk that's pasteurized and fermented." Roddy said, before Rita spit out her smoothie, giving her husband a shocked look.

"I'm sorry. You're telling me that you put curdled milk into the smoothie? How is that even good for the baby?"

"Surprisingly, a lot of things and yeah, I know it can taste a bit sour, I'm not a huge fan of it myself, but I read that it is really good for pregnancy. Not only it'll help prevent preeclampsia and the rest of your morning sickness, but other complications, too, and that'll include saving all the trouble from getting another miscarriage. I really hope so."