Class, Hospital Tour, Reality Check
July 30, 2003 - 10:59 a.m.
Last night we took the hospital tour. It was eye-opening, and a little exciting. We first went to Triage, which is basically just one room with four beds separated by a sheet and one 24 hour nurse who gets to decide if you will be admitted or not. Then we saw the patient kitche, stocked with food and goodies for mom and partner ONLY and ONLY during labor. We saw the lounge, where the rest of the family can hang out. Thankfully it isn't too close to any of the rooms. Then we went down to an operating room to see where they do C-sections and recovery, It was sterile and brightly lit and just plain SCARY, complete with the wooshing doors and scrubs and straps and instruments.
After that they took us to our birthing suite. It was as big as I remembered it to be, with a nice sized pull-out couch and a complete stereo-TV-VCR system. The bed seemed smaller, and much less comfortable, as it was just a slab with a thin foam mattress on top of it and the break-away lower half. The bathroom was what really got me. This whole time I am dreaming of spending a good amount of labor in the "whirlpool" as they call it, but when I looked in all I saw was this midevil looking tub, smaller than my own, with a mildewed curtain and enough bars and handles for a nursing home. It was SCARY. For one thing I have issues with shower curtains. They are disgusting in all forms. I'm the kind of person that needs doors, a walk-in, or a shower large enough that the blasted thing will never come close enough to touch me. This tub actually made me claustrophobic. I couldn't sit in it without the extra 30 lbs, let alone hugely pregnant and laboring!!! The lighting in there was harsh, the floor cold and the tile was mildewed as well. I don't even remember seeing the rest of the bathroom, which was large enough for my tastes....but the image of the tub is still in my mind. That's ok, I just hope to stay home while in labor as long as possible. My tub isn't the greatest either (who the heck thought PLASTIC was a good material for a tub?) but it's MINE. And there are no geriatric braces or hinderances to scare me with.
Back in the classroom, we talked about C-sections, Post-pardum and ways to get labor going. I was surprised that she brought up the Castor-oil cocktail and the nipple stimulation, but she did. There are also some accupressure points and herbs brought up. None of them were negatively discussed. I figured I would ask my doctor if it would be alright to try the castor oil after the first time she strips my membranes, which will be September 9th.
In any case, I am trying not to get my hopes up for that being the day I go into labor, as it may very well be another 2 weeks before I have her, but I will be doing any and all preparations that I can before that day. Meaning, food will be frozen, the laundry done, house spotless, bags packed. I'll also try to walk as much as I possibly can in those last few weeks to keep things going in case they do start, maybe I will even mow the lawn!
All I know is now I am at the end of a very long road and I just never pictured what it would be like to be here. I did't think I would have the chance. All this preparation, all this obsessing, it means nothing but to keep my mind off the fact that I am here, there's no going back. There's no need to go back. Life is going to change, is changing, and none of this can be undone.
Thank god.
32 week appointment
July 29, 2003 - 4:27 p.m.
Had my OB appt today. It was a good one, kinda. I got a lot of my questions answered, though not all of them, as I had a list and she let me get right down to the last one before interupting and having me get up on the table for the exam. The baby was head down, thank goodness, she wasn't anywhere near engaged yet.
I've made my peace with the fact that my doc won't be the one at the delivery. I'll end up with a resident, I hate residents, but so be it. All that really mattered to me was that they will not let me go over due. I have been wanting to hear that from day 30 of this pregnancy. She said they actually want her to come early - so my dream of September 10th might come true. Starting at 38 weeks she will strip my membranes (YEEEOWCH) and hopefully that starts labor progressing. We'll also start the NST's then too.
I gained 3 whole pounds in the last 2 weeks and this she's upset about. She says I am not excersizing enough even though I am walking almost 3 miles a day (albeit slowly) just to control my sugars. My sugars have been fabulous though, so I only have to test 3 times a day instead of 6.
That's about it for now. I am off to eat my last meal of guilt before I subject myself to even more rigourous dieting. I have a long way to go and I don't want to jeopardize any bit of it.
Pictures, and update
July 29, 2003 - 12:08 p.m.
Last night I took the pictures of the closet and the finished nursery. I'm not happy with the way the pictures turned out - they just don't do it justice. Part of it is my camera - and part of it is the angle but oh well.
So after I completely redesigned the closet and we ripped out all the shoddy "shelving", (wish I had before pictures) we then had ahard time finding the right equipment to go in there. Finally picked up this organizer:
And then finished it all off with a hanging organizer from Target and some Little Tykes drawers. There are also two large bins in there, one for books and one for toys. Still plenty of room for other stuff!
And I took some more pictures of the finished nursery. I could really use some wall hangings but that's the low side of my priority list. I haven't hung the curtains or the rods, but again, not the top of my list.
I didn't get belly shots but it is just as well since I dropped a Sharpie on my belly yesterday and had blue marks all over my shirt. Hopefully tomorrow.
Our 4th birthing class is tonight. I did bring my books this time. We have a different instructor, I am going to miss our Wendy! Especially since the instructor we have tonight has been described to me as a "flake" and is "flighty". Oh joy. Hopefully tonight is the hospital tour. I want Tim to see how cool our birthing suites are, and I want to see the nursery and the nurses and all that.
Not really sure what else to expect.
On the sugar side, things have been going GREAT. I actually made Oreo pudding last night and ate it for dinner, along with some broccoli and red peppers and strawberries. I felt like my sugar would blow through the roof but it was an even 90. And I had Cracklin' Oat Bran for breakfast this morning and another half pint of strawberries and I came out at 80. So for lunch today I had a power-protien sandwich and quite a good portion of the Oreo Pudding.
Nesting-wise: I'm down to a few loads of laundry to do and a pile of paperwork to go through before my house it tip-top from top to bottom. I want Tim to get a Rug Doctor for all of our carpets before baby comes....and to baby proof the cabinets in the bathrooms and kitchen. A few more trips to Target and I should be set..
8 Months!
July 28, 2003 - 1:08 p.m.
I'm finally 8 months pregnant! Baby Boo has been moving like crazy the past two days. Her sleep cycles are getting less spaced apart. She's not kicking/punching much, just squirming around and stretching out a lot. Now when I feel stuff, it's both high and low at the same time. I wish she would just get into the go position - I am terrified that I'll bei n labor with a transverse baby!
BUT - I think she's almost ready to come. I thought for sure we were going to have her on Friday - Tim and I ran some errands and as soon as we got home the BH's started. It was pretty consistant to the point that I thought I would have to start timing them. It was really uncomfortable, but it only hurt occasionally. I was drinking water and trying to rest, but every time I stood up it would happen again. Baby was in an odd position, I think that had a lot to do with it. I think she was lying with her feet to my back and her head out - my belly was elongated and much farther out than it has ever been. By the time I went to bed that night she had settled into a better position. I did hear some crackling coming from inside there - so did Tim - and I was hoping all her hijinx wouldn't break my water. I kept thinking, as long as my water doesn't break, we can keep her in there! Two girls that I know that were due AFTER me have already had their babies!
If I remember correctly, this is the 2nd Friday in a row that I've had labor thoughts....
Saturday we FINALLY finished her room. The closet was the major project of the weekend, and I am OH SO PROUD of how it turned out. I just keep going in there and looking at it with all the little clothes all folded and in their place. It has to be the coolest kid's closet ever. I do need to get some wall decorations, there are only a couple of things up right now and it looks bare.
I guess I can't say the room is 100% done - I still haven't made or hung the curtains. But I DO have the curtain rods! I am not in a rush on the curtains because they aren't absolutely essential. I just know I should get them done now because I won't be able to once she's here. It's a simple swag-on-top with panels below design, but it will take some doing since I need to alternate between the yellow fabric and navy fabric. Once that is done the room will look complete.
I will take some pictures tonight and post them up tomorrow morning. Make sure you ooh and ahh over my closet - I designed it myself and went through hell to get it to turn out the way it did. I suppose I should explain that the people who built our house were a bunch of idiots who couldn't find a stud and had rigged that closet together with about 800 nails (in drywall!) and 2x4'. It was so rednecked in there it hurt to look at it. SO now we have everything in there with plenty of room for MORE STUFF!!!
I have packed and repacked the diaper bag - tonight I will unpack my bag and repack it as well. Just to refresh my memory as to wht is in there, reprioritize the contents and make sure it's all there.
This is the fun part.....
I started to doubt myself this weekend - I was feeling so sick, tired and weak all weekend and I doubted that I could handle labor on my own. I really hope that I buck up and get my hardcore attitude back, I need all the confidence in the world to do this!!!
New belly shot coming tomorrow.