Sunday, February 27, 2011

last week of work

Hello last week.....I have waited for you for some time now and you have finally arrived!!

Every step forward is a step closer to this baby arriving. I was 37 weeks this weekend. Technically 3 to go. I wonder if babies live by technical standards?? I saw my midwife last Wednesday and she gave the impression I may go early. I have always thought that or secretly hoped for it. At each visit she checks the baby by feeling my stomach and is able to feel where the head is, back and feet to have a perfect idea of where the baby is positioned. She also measures me to see how many inches I am and checks the heart beat and my blood pressure. This is all tracked and I have been sitting on a great curve throughout. This past appointment she rechecked everything as I was out of the normal. The head had dropped a lot, and was sitting where it would at 38 weeks ( I was 36.3), my blood pressure was slightly lower than normal and my stomach had not adjusted.
I have been feeling a lot of pressure in my groin the last week or so and can feel how much she has dropped. I have also had more intense braxton hicks the last few weeks. I have been having this very slightly for months, but the last few weeks have been intense and more noticeable. I have always had the idea she will come on the 10th, so only time will tell. I see my midwife again tomorrow for another quick check up. I don't think much has changed in 5 days, but you never know.

I need a few more days at work to pass things over, but then I am happy with any day she is ready. It would be nice to have at least one Monday to sleep in and not go to work, but I can deal with a sweet new baby as well.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

seems soon to call it a wrap!

I had my last doula appointment yesterday. It seems too early to be wrapping up the loose ends before labor. We went over the final birth plan and discussed all the details for my wishes the day of. I signed off on the paperwork for her to be apart of my delivery and discussed how the actual "main event" will go down. With the way the world works, it is not a 100% guarantee she will be there, so my husband and I still have our homework to finish. Pending a cold, or life itself, we may have to be the support each other needs. I don't doubt we would be fine, but I like to be prepared. My normal way of prepping for any real test is cramming, and not knowing the test date makes it near impossible. I have been forced to study a little at a time, all the time.

My birth plan is finished, positions have been discussed, the addition of my giant yoga ball has been added to the hospital bags, and massage techniques are on the table to try out over the next few weeks. I am down to the increased use of positive affirmations to mentally prepare my self. The soul and body and well prepared, now the mind is on its last lap.

I think I will miss the reading I have been doing after the baby is here. I have spent months and months filling myself with every opinion out there, gaining a very vast knowledge on my options for birth. I went to bed last night, happy again that I am not going the doctor route for this pregnancy. I always shine a lot brighter when I have choices and options.

Cheers to the start of 36 weeks.

*** although I missed a few blogs the last while, I have been 100% baby focused. Having my husband home has been the worlds greatest treat. I have been taking full advantage of our couple time together and enjoying the last weeks of just us.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

baby daddy

My husband is finally home, which is why I missed my usual weekend post.

It has been a whirlwind catch up of a million baby things in order to have us both feel prepared. As much as we talked about things everyday and we shared over skype, I forget he missed out on most baby items coming into this house and therefore has not had time to adjust to how it works and where it all lives.

Overwhelmed with passing over our house, storage space, and time to someone who is not even here yet, we made a to do list to help organize the chaos. Our list is a good start to ensure things get done and a possible prioritizing of a few of them will make sleep easier at night.

TO Do before the little girl arrives:
- pack hospital bag ....seems easy enough, and there are list everywhere, but it has been a work in progress for 3 weeks now.
- tour the hospital...again, just a stop in when we drive by, and we drive by every time we go to town, but no time seems like a good time. I had toured it before it opened, but my husband hasn't been in yet and needs the comfort level before we go for the big event.
- wash the cloth diapers....again, it is just a load of laundry, but the hot water needs to be turned on to the washer and that job seems to be staling this job.
- install car seat base in vehicles.....I think we are both unsure how to do it all perfectly, so we are hesitant.
- sign up for EI....apparently there is a lot of paperwork behind having a child, especially if you want to be paid while off.
- check into a Dr. and daycare.....ALREADY? apparently yes....and worse than yes, the daycare may trump the Dr. in priority as they are harder to get into. Imagine signing someone up who doesn't exist yet for daycare they won't use for more than a year from now - bizarraro world!