Packing the hospital bag
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
29 weeks, 3 days pregnant
You know, I am a little surprised I haven’t already packed my hospital bag. It is just the kind of insanely O.C. thing I would expect from myself.
I have, however, been thinking a lot about what to bring. Here’s my current packing list:
Clothes:
- Really cute kneesocks. What a good idea! I’m sure your legs get cold in those icky hospital gowns. Plus, having funky socks might make me feel a little more … human?
- Comfy nightgowns? I have heard mixed reactions about the hospital gowns. Some people say to definitely bring your own, and others say you don’t want to ruin your own nightgowns from all the, ah, horrible bleeding. Maybe a black, stretchy nursing-style one?
- Cozy bathrobe? Mine are all pale pink … perhaps the horrible, horrible bleeding will ruin them? Hmmm. Maybe not.
- Maternity underwear? Yeah, I know I’ll probably be wearing those gross disposable ones (along with the ginormous giving-me-nightmares-already pads), but I’ll pack a few black pairs just in case.
- Nursing bras. I don’t have them yet, but apparently you sleep in them, like, the whole time you’re nursing? I hope they’re comfortable.
- Stretchy yoga pants and T-shirts. You know, in case I feel like getting dressed at some point during the hs. Maybe. And I’ll want to wear clothes for the ride home.
Toiletries:
- Make-up. This is a must-have, for sure. I get sickly pale very easily, and lose all colour in my cheeks and lips, so I’m going to look like hell after delivering a freaking baby. I’m packing blush, pinkish-neutral lipstick, concealer, and waterproof eyeliner and mascara. Even if I can’t move, I will get someone to dust some blush across my cheeks. I don’t want to scare Baby Boy.
- Shampoo and conditioner. If the hospital stuff is anything like the hotel stuff, I don’t want any part of it. I thought about maybe using dry shampoo (Little Sis swears by it), but realized that my post-labour hair might be super-gross from, uh, sweating. Eek! Labour!
- Toothbrush/toothpaste/deodorant, etc. All the basics — in a small bag to keep in the bathroom. Do I get my own bathroom? Wait, do I get my own room? Must look into that!
- Eau Thermale mister. A quick spritz feels so nice and fresh on your face.
Electronics:
- Digital video camera and battery-charging cord thingy. No, I don’t want the birth recorded. But I do want video footage of Baby Boy, when he’s all new and red and wrinklesome.
- Digital camera and battery-charger wall thingy: Photos are more easily editable than videos. But I still want to have blush on, please.
- BlackBerry and charging cord. For texting, Facebook-updating, Tweeting, etc. I know hospitals are weird about cell phones … does that include the maternity ward, or is that just in X-ray departments and stuff? I NEED MY PHONE.
- Laptop and charging cord. I heard some hospitals have wireless internet. Hmmm. All the better to upload baby photos to Facebook with!
- iPod, iPod dock/charging station, earbuds. I don’t feel particularly compelled to listen to music during labour, but I might like it afterwards — to drown out hospital sounds like I try to sleep. I wonder if my hospital will have an in-room stereo with an iPod dock. Somehow I don’t think we’re that fancy.
Baby stuff:
- Carseat and car-docking-thing. Because we want to take him home.
- Coming-home outfit (newborn). Because he might be teeny.
- Coming-home outfit (0-3 months). Because he might be ginormous.
- Stretchy baby hat. Because I can’t wait to put one on him.
- Baby blanky. Because it … might be cold in May/June?
- Nursing pillow. Because I need the nurses to help me practice!
Random stuff:
- Gym shorts and a T-shirt for Darling Husband. The hospital’s overview video said that “partners must wear pajamas to sleep” about fifty-million times. Seriously. I guess they get a lot of dads in boxers, wandering the halls.
- Snacks. For Darling Husband, but I will steal these, too.
- Sudoku puzzle books and pens. A nice quiet activity if he’s bored.
- My pillow. I might hate the hospital pillows. I usually hate hotel pillows.
- Gifts for doctors and nurses. I only know about this from reading about it. In a book I read, they gave expensive bottles of wine and champagne. But on a blog I read, they gave homemade bars. What’s the norm?
What do you think? What am I missing? What could I leave at home? Oh, and when do people have these totally packed — a month before your due date? Later?
Not Me Monday: Presents edition
Monday, March 22, 2010
29 weeks, 1 day pregnant
- I did not come home from my baby shower and arrange all of my lovely gifts in a pile on the living room carpet — with a very gleeful me in the middle
- I did not proceed to immediately begin taking things out of the packaging and cutting off tags, in a flurry of eagerness
- I did not wash two loads of baby-stuff laundry, because I was so excited to put the mattress and cover and sheets on the crib
- I was not unreasonably sad when I lifted the dripping mattress cover from the washer and read the words “Hang to dry” — dashing my hopes of making up the crib that night
- I am not DYING to go home tonight, after work, and dive into the pile of sweet Baby Boy outfits (and begin the process of cutting off tags, washing, drying and folding them).
- I totally don’t expect to wash and re-wash everything several times before Baby Boy comes, because it’s all so damn cute
Welcome to Week 30
Sunday, March 21, 2010
29 weeks pregnant … now in Week 30!
Can you believe we have officially reached the thirties??? Wow, wow, wow.
Believe it or not, it’s only really set in that the baby is coming soon. I know we still have 10 or 11 weeks left, but I’ve only just realized that it’s getting close. Occasionally I have a burst of Omigod-we-need-to-get-all-of-the-STUFF, but I’ve been forcing myself to wait until after my shower (so I don’t buy things that I end up getting again, as gifts).
Luckily my shower is TODAY! Yay! I am so excited to see everyone — including some family members/friends that I haven’t seen in a while — and also kind of nervous about being the center of attention. I have never liked unwrapping presents in front of people, while all eyes on are me, but I’m eager to get items that will help me feel more prepared for Baby Boy.
Here’s what happening with Baby Boy this week:
Baby’s size: He’s officially a three-pounder, and measures about 17 inches long! Lengthwise, he only has 3-5 more inches to go.
Development: He might be sucking his thumb in there, and his fingers are strong enough that he could grip mine. Awww.
Appearance: His skin is smoothing out, and it gets more fat beneath the surface. I hope he’s a cute little chubber.
Weekly re-cap
(March 14 to March 20)
Symptoms: Swollen ankles, lack of focus, crazy-person hunger.
Body changes: Just … getting bigger! It really seems contained to the belly, though, which is a blessing. If I look at myself in the mirror, straight-on (and squint … a lot), I don’t even look pregnant. Then I turn to the side and WHOA!
Baby movement: Fast and furious! I can see my belly moving every day, at some point, and feel Baby Boy very regularly — ever hour or so. I’ve relaxed about the kick-count panic, which is great.
What’s new? My shoes were starting to feel tight this week, so I broke down and bought a pair of comfy-and-supportive sandals. They are not going to win me any fashion awards, but they have totally saved my feet. And the adjustable straps on them mean they can contain my feet/ankles even when the puffiness kicks in.
Belly button: Still super-small and wrinkled, but definitely still “in.” Maybe it won’t pop?
Energy level: Moderate. My new sandals have helped make walking around easier, and the weather’s gotten really nice — which means I’m less bundled-up, and can move around better.
Baby preparations: Nursery is painted. Crib is put together. Curtains, cribskirt and tie-backs are sewn. Hand-painted accents on the walls are totally done. All canvases for the walls are done and hung up proudly. Hooks and shelves are painted, and just need to be hung up.
Cravings: Vanilla milkshake — had one yesterday (by itself) for dinner, mmmm. I remember that lovely friend C did the same thing when she was pregnant, and damn, that was a good idea!
High point: Getting to show off a few nursery pics on my Facebook account, so the in-real-life friends could see how it’s going. It was great to see the responses, and feel like all the hard work was worth it!
Low point: Worrying about all of the things — big things — we still need to buy for Baby Boy’s arrival. We have the crib (a gift from mom and my uncle), but still need the dresser/changing table, the glider, the travel system (stroller/carseat), and the Playard with the bassinet (where Baby Boy will sleep for the first few months, in our room). I do have back-up plans that don’t require buying everything new, off our registry, so we’ll see what happens.
201 down, 79 (or so) left to go!
Friday, March 19, 2010
28 weeks, 5 days pregnant
Can you believe I have been pregnant for more than 200 days??? It’s actually 201 days today — and I only have 79 days left — which sounds astonishing.
Here’s a quick update of how I’m feeling and what I’m thinking, after 200+ days of being knocked up:
- I am still in love with my maternity jeans. I have heard many woman say they wanted to burn them by the time they gave birth, but I am still smitten with both of my pairs. I love that they don’t have a zipper to check, or a waist that can pinch. I love that they are so stretchy! At this point, I’m not looking forward to going back to regular jeans.
- I get sick of snacking. Everyone loves to yuk it up about pregnant women being chowhounds, but the truth is that sometimes I’m starving, but I don’t want to eat. I’m like, “Sheesh, Baby, I just ate a couple of hours ago!” Of course, I need to eat, because obviously he is hungry — and causing embarrassing hunger rumbles — so I go foraging for a yogurt or peanut-butter crackers or something. But it gets annoying.
- I analyze my weight, but I don’t really freak over it. When I look in the mirror, my face doesn’t seem fatter — yet when I look at a recent photo of my face, it looks like Chin City. I wonder if my upper arms are plumper, or if they have always been that way? It’s all kind of interesting and kind of unnerving. But it’s just part of the deal.
- I am in constant awe of my belly. I’m pretty convinced that one reason women go through second, third, nineteeth, etc. pregnancies — besides, you know, creating life — is because having “the bump” is so much fun. It’s tight and firm, so it totally erases any concerns about how flat your stomach is (or isn’t). You don’t have “fat days” where clothes don’t look right, because everything just fits cutely over the bump.
- The time goes by quickly … and slowly. Some days you feel like you’ve been pregnant forever — seriously, nine months is almost an entire year! And other days, you feel like it’s all going by so fast and you’re going to miss it so much. I find it usually feels more like the latter — whizzing by at warp-speed — except when I get stuck on my back like a turtle* … and it hurts … then pregnancy feels endless.
* Yes, like a turtle. It has happened while lying on the couch, in bed, and on the floor. And then my back seizes up and hurts like hell, and it’s almost impossible to get up. It’s awesome … and totally not embarrassing.
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