Labor and Delivery Tour

At 34 weeks 2 days (about a week ago) hub and I took the L&D tour.

You're "supposed" to do this at the start of the 3rd trimester, since that's when babies are viable, and 28 weeks is my hospital's delivery limit. We were putting it off because we put everything baby related off.

At 32 weeks my midwife had a come to Jesus talk with me and recommended I get on taking these classes. So I have a breastfeeding class on Wednesday and we finally did our hospital tour.

We are so not ready for this.

We did the tour with another couple. They we there much earlier than us (we arrived a minute or two before start time). As they waited, they were making lists of questions for the nurse giving the tour. Hub and I were discussing how odd it was that the signs were first in English, then Russian (or some off-shoot the lettering was Cyrillic) then Spanish. We were trying to figure out the ethnic make-up of the community. No. I'm not kidding.

So eventually it's time for the tour. We head up to L&D, which is were we've had all of our ultrasounds for this pregnancy, easy enough. We met with a nice nurse who took us into one of the empty labor rooms. They are very big and comfortable looking. She went through some procedures and asked us if we had any questions. Hub and I didn't, but this other couple sure did.

How many anesthesiologists are on at any given time?
How many nurses are on duty usually? 
How many nurses per patient?
How often are both ORs in use?

On and on. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining that they asked.. I just felt like a bad parent. Is it wrong that I assume that a major L&D hospital (with a Level III NICU) in a major city can handle birthing babies? I mean, really, I'm more concerned about the things you really can't ask in front of normal people:

What's your procedure in the event of a still birth?
How many babies have you personally had die in the delivery process?
What is the anecdotal rate of birth-surprise birth defects?

You know, all the crazy BLM questions.

We kept our mouths shut, eventually joking that we were just winging it.

The nurse showed us some of their equipment, including the monitoring available to the nurses for the laboring mom's on the floor. Turns out there were two women pushing while we were there. As we were leaving to head to look at the OR, we heard one of the baby's first cry. I looked over to hub, who was as white as a sheet.

At the OR it was my turn to turn white. A healthy baby is my main goal and focus, but if I could have that AND avoid a C-section I would be pretty happy. Surgery usually takes 1.5 hours and you can't hold your baby (though dad can hold baby next to you). Let's recap- You're AWAKE in an OR for 1.5 hours while they reassemble your organs as you wait to hold your baby. No thanks. Please.

We went to the floor where we'll stay after birth, and talked about the room situation. It is what you expect and all rather boring. We went to leave, we passed the nursery, two tiny babies were hanging out in there, all wrapped up. Hub BOLTED for the doors. It was like he thought one would glom onto him and he would be stuck with it. When he was safely outside (after be scolded for running from pregnant wife by some lady) he asked "Is there something wrong with those babies? Why are they so small? UMMM that's how they come, hub.

Poor Take Two. What bad parents.


(Note from the great re-post re-read: The room that we had our L&D tour in was the MY room- the room bub was born in!)

34 Weeks: Pregnancy Meme

Bi-weekly Update:

How far along: 34 Weeks, 2 days. Holy Crow.

Baby is the size of a: Cantaloupe. I feel HUGE. Also I feel a lot of pressure and BH contractions.. I'm a little worried. A Cantaloupe is big, but not quite big enough to be born.

Total weight gain: At last update, 2 weeks ago, I was up 15 from nadir, 9-ish from start of pregnancy. Now I am up another 2pounds- . 17 from nadir, 11-ish from start, I'd like to be closer to the .5 than the 1 of the gain .5 to 1 pound a week, but what can you do?

Maternity clothes:  Even they are starting to look a little pulled. Good grief.

Stretch marks: Nope, so far my last 2 posts about impending stretch marks were false alarms.

Sleep: I've resorted to an occasional (doctor approved) 1/2 benedryl for sleep. I can't get to sleep with the restless legs. It's awful.

Best moment since last update: So many good things! Parents home, shower happened, house is progressing!

Miss anything: I saw Harpoon Winter Warmer for sale at the hockey game last night. I nearly cried.

Movement: Yes, by far the best (only) good part of pregnancy.

Food cravings: Not really... except for the afternoon I drank a quart of milk. No wonder I'm gaining weight.

Anything making you queasy or sick: yes, anything fired, rich or spicy. Also water, because it gives me heartburn. AWESOME

Have you started to show yet: Giant Baby.

Sex: 6 weeks to go (give or take) for the big reveal!!!!!

Labor signs: ummm so about that. Contractions when walking around are normal (BH), but I'm also getting increase in discharge- not bloody, but increasing. Hoping this is not the start of a slow buildup.

Belly button in or out: Still in, but shallow and stretched.

Wedding rings on or off: On, no swelling at all, knock on wood.

 

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy! and crazed. SO BUSY.

Looking forward to: Thanksgiving and 4.5 glorious days off of work. Baby related? Getting the baby's room situated, it's a mess from the shower gifts at the moment

I'm So Excited

So, we had our baby shower on Sunday. I hardly freaked out at all when we were there. I did however, freak out after.

We're having a baby... in 6 weeks. I. HAVE. SO. MUCH. TO. DO.

First the shower: It was lovely.

I am very lucky and have wonderful friends and family. They apparently aren't that awesome at RSVPing, because there were more people there than were planned for, but it was all fine in the end.

There was a duck theme, because I love ducks, and they really are an excellent neutral-baby item. The cake was made by the 19 year-old neighbor of a friend of mine. Seriously, it was awesome:

 

It was held in a local bar/restaurant/function space and my mom and friends did an awesome job setting up:

One of my best out of town college friends was about to make it all the way from Pennsylvania, which meant all but one of the "BU Girls" were together again- first time since my wedding! (And come to think of it, the same girl was missing then too.. Ashley- when I was getting married it was her first week of Law School and now she is a lawyer in LA)

We got so much stuff, nearly everything off our registry and a whole basket of books! The opening of everything took forever and was a little overwhelming.

My BFF from highschool's dad is a carpenter and likes to make projects. He made us this scrabble board and our guests placed blocks into baby-themed words it was adorable.

Here are a few random shots of the day:

This says "I'm adorable" so hub thought it was for him

As you can see, it was great.

I did come home and lose it. I have so much to do. So much. I just don't know how we're going to be prepared for this little one. I already feel like I am doing him or her such a disservice. We are still renovating, and our energy (really hub's energy, I have no energy) has gone to that. This is the baby's room as of right now.

I am too afraid to do laundry for the baby, to buy decor and really settle into the thought that I am going to be a mom. I KNOW I have to come to terms with it, but I'm just not there. And I need to get there.. within the next 6 weeks.

I'm so excited
I'm so scared. 
Jessie Spano.. and you thought it was going to be "and I just can't hide it"

32 Weeks: Pregnancy Meme

Bi-weekly Update:

How far along: 32 Weeks, 2 days. Somehow it just hit me that I should have only 3 of these left, 34, 36 and 38. In theory 40 is delivery day right? A girl can dream....

Baby is the size of a: Squash! I don't like eating squash AT ALL.  The Internet tells me baby should be between 2.5- 3.8 lbs... Since baby was 2.14 at week 28 I'm thinking baby is on the big side if the scale. 

Total weight gain: At last update, 2 weeks ago, I was up 14 from nadir, 8-ish from start of pregnancy. Now I am up another pound. Slow and steady. If I can keep .5 a week, I'll Ganesh about 20 total... Which is fine by me. 

Maternity clothes: You know it. 

Stretch marks: Last time was a false alarm, but I swear I saw 3 new ones consorting with a few on my hip that appeared in puberty. The are inconspicuous enough, so it's fine by me at this point. 

Sleep: What I wouldn't give for a good sleep......

Best moment since last update: I got my first baby present from the registry!! My aunt (dad's sister) sent me the Ergo carrier. I am so excited!!! 

Miss anything: Being comfortable and sex. Just putting it out there. 

Movement: Yep, a lot. Having fun with guess the body part!

Food cravings: I had buffalo chicken dip for dinner Sunday :( gross, but yummy. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still getting sick at least twice a week. 

Have you started to show yet: Starting to get comments like "you won't make it to your due date." Apparently giant baby is starting to become giant mom

Sex: 8 weeks to go (give or take) for the big reveal

Labor signs: No, but I'm going to pack a bag soon

Belly button in or out: Still in, but shallow and stretched.

Wedding rings on or off: On, no swelling at all, knock on wood.

Happy or moody most of the time: Sick, so not so happy at the moment

Looking forward to: My shower and my parents coming home from vacation. Parents are back tomorrow and shower is Sunday!!

Just a Little Bit

Just a Little Bit: Updates from around my life for your Friday afternoon.

I am starting to get excited for baby's entrance. Not just "yeah, it's exciting to have a baby on the way but.... but... but" but actually EXCITED! Every so often I have this moment where I can feel a part of the Take Two-- Back? Bum? as it presses into me and I can sort of pat baby and it hits me that this is a real baby. My real baby. The surrealness of this whole situation lifts for just an instance and I get a little glimpse of what it might have been like to do this with Blue Sunday.

Fall is here: Halloween has passed and Thanksgiving is on it's way. Take Two is coming in less than 3 months, even if I go the allowed 2 weeks overdue. I'm 9 weeks- single digits!- from due date. The weather is a little warm for it to feel like it's nearly winter, but it's coming. Last year Halloween was really hard and I was dreading the upcoming holiday season.  This year, I can't wait.. and I feel like a traitor for it.

While on traitorous thoughts: JAM is pregnant and due the first week of March. His sister (who married a good friend of ours- I think I'll call him Officer Friendly) is also pregnant and due in mid April. Last night we went to JAM's for a Reality TV themed Halloween party (Hub and I were 16 and pregnant), Officer Friendly was there and we were all talking about the impending baby boom. 3 babies in just over 3 months- the men have been friends since they were little. I found myself thinking how awesome and fun this will be- built in mom friends, play dates and parenting support. 3 couples transitioning at the same moment. Not to mention College Friend and Ray who have just welcomed little ones. Then I felt just awful. Blue Sunday would have been born at a time when we were far and away the only one's trying. Now, with an 18 month old we should just be having friends join us in the parenting world. May be we'd be looking at number 2. That wouldn't have been bad, or less fun. Just different.. right? Being happy to have friends join us in parenting doesn't mean I wouldn't have been happy if we had Blue Sunday here with us. I felt guilty anyway.


Little Bit More:

Today is the birth date of a little boy, Leo. He was freed by TFMR a year ago. His mom is now cautiously, happily expecting twin girls. Spare a thought for her today- it is so hard to mark these anniversaries. (NOTE from the great re-post: These little girls are here and thriving :) )

Just a little
Just a little bit
Little bit more
Just a little bit  
Gina G, Just a little bit