I know what you’re probably thinking. Didn’t I just post about week 37? I was kinda behind with that one. This post, however, is on time.
What’s there to say really?
I’m uncomfortable. Real clothes sucks. All I want to do is wear PJs all day long. And do anything but sit. Sitting is not at all comfortable. Standing or lying down is fine. Although it takes me half an hour to get from one position to the other. Now I know what women feel like during the last few weeks when they just want to be done with pregnancy. Let’s freakin’ get things going already!!
Can you tell I’m ready?
The nursery is ready, too. 100% good to go. We have everything we need. It’s all washed/set up.
Seems like the little man is the only one who hasn’t gotten the memo. Hey hippie junior – it’s cool, things are good on the outside, come on out and play.
I’m currently up 19 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, but it feels like much more. My appetite is on and off. Sometimes I am super hungry, even though I’ve just finished a meal. And sometimes I feel so full that the idea of food is revolting. It’s definitely one of those extremes though. I don’t seem to have normal days of eating anymore. And my reflux issues have resurfaced even though I’m still on the same antacid regimen. Almost all food is now aggravating. And drinking large volumes of liquid is a definite no-no. Same with leaning over after eating. I really think my esophagus (and the sphincter) have given up on me.
GI wise I’m just hanging on, knowing that eventually things will return to “normal” (which is not a real normal in my case, but rather an abnormal that I can work with). I feel bad for my bowels because they are probably totally squished and displaced, but I’d much rather have a big healthy baby than a comfortable digestive system. Of all the times I hate my guts, this is not one of them. But, yes, I’ll be excited to get GI things back in order post-partum.
As per recommendations in my last pregnancy post, I made a list of things we still needed to grab for the hospital bag. So that way Kyle can just refer to that, rather than have me try to focus my attention elsewhere during contractions. I have zero idea what that will be like, but I’m guessing it’s not going to be fun (so the more I plan ahead, the less there will be to contribute to the chaos). Most of the stuff is food related because all the other crap is ready.
Here’s what we have packed so far:
- two cameras (one with a video recorder)
- camera battery chargers
- iPhone charger cord
- some toiletries (chapstick, hair tie, face/body wipes, oil)
- pediatrician info & birth certificate form (already filled out)
- rough birth plan
- gum
- robe
- sports bras & nursing bra
- lots of underwear
- two changes of clothes for Kyle
- car seat
- newborn onesie, socks, & hat
- swaddle blanket
And here’s what we still need:
- food
- vigilant eats cereal cup (it’s awesome because you just add water)
- granola/oatmeal packets
- dr mcdougall’s instant soup (the ramen ones are basically healthy cup-o-noodles)
- kind/clif bars
- baggies of trail mix, roasted nuts
- rice cakes w artisana nut butter packets
- hummus & veg
- PB&J
- mini almond breeze carton
- tea
- going home outfit (t-shirt & yoga pants)
- toiletries (toothbrush, face wash, face lotion, shampoo & conditioner)
I’m guessing you can pick out which items are for me and which are for Kyle. Most of the food is for him. I’m not too worried if we only get a portion of it (I listed a lot so that he’d have ideas/options when he’s going through the pantry/fridge). Let’s be honest, the hospital has food (you can order it like room service). I know both the patient and cafeteria menus backwards and forwards because it’s the same place I work as a nurse! We aren’t going to starve.
The going home outfit isn’t packed yet because it includes my comfy yoga pants that I still wear all the time. They are basically the only comfortable pants I own right now so I’m really really hoping my water doesn’t break while I’m wearing them. I should probably just suck it up and buy another pair, but I’m too cheap. Is there any chance I’ll have time to do a quick load of laundry after my water breaks?? [I think I know the answer to that] Pretty sure Old Navy has inexpensive lounge pants that’ll do the trick. I should just get some extras now.
So what else do I need? The hospital will give me a few diapers (if we need them on the ride home or something) right? I kinda figured the same with pads (for me). Any other baby items? Nursing stuff?
While I’d love to be entirely on top of it and leave nothing behind, I know in the worst case scenario we have friends we can call to help. And hopefully our family members won’t be too far behind.
So when is this going to happen, huh? I have been instructed by my sister about when it can’t happen. She has LASIK surgery today and will be traveling to Philly the second week of Feb, which leaves me a very specific window. As if I have any say in the matter (if I had any say I’d be in the hospital right now!).
I’ve been bouncing up and down on my exercise ball trying to get him to engage, but no luck so far. The walking doesn’t seem to be doing much either. Time to bust out the raspberry leaf tea. Other tips are welcome :) I already looked into the "maternity salad” at Caioti Pizza Cafe, but Studio City is really far away, so I’m thinking that’s probably not the best option. If anyone can figure out what’s in their magic (labor inducing) dressing, please send me a recipe!
I also recommend coconut water…it was a great rejuvenator while in labor!!!
de lurking here…having had an emergency c section many years ago, and having to pack in 5 mins at home…bring slipper socks! You can throw them out when you leave (really who wants to bring those home after being at germ filled hospital?) and yet your feet are protected when you walk a bit. There is so much going on, I guarantee anything you forget, you wont miss anyways. I had a big coffee a day after, that is all the sounded good. Good luck, very exciting!
There’s some restaurant here in Atlanta that has an eggplant parm that’s supposed to induce labor. Maybe you need to make something with eggplant!
I know this wasn’t on your list and it may sound a bit unconventional, but take a package of witch hazel pads used for hemorrhoids. Use them with the ice packs the nurses give afterwards. 🙂
So excited for you!! I like that you are bringing back-up for the cameras. That would not occur to me.
When I left the hospital, I cleared out the stuff from the cupboards and brought it home with me 😉 The nurses said they expect it, because it can’t be used with the next patient anyway! I got a ton of diapers, breast pads, disposable underwear (great during the heavy bleeding), a snot-sucker and Vaseline, pads for bleeding, a water bottle for rinsing your… area while you’re too uncomfortable to wipe (TMI?).
Also…as for STARTING labor, sex is the only proven one 🙂 But in my case, I was already in labor for about 48 hours, but stuck at 2 cm and triage wouldn’t admit me. I tried 3 times over those 48 hours, thinking for SURE I had progressed. Three 40 minute round trip car rides with contractions 3 minutes apart. That was fun. But ANYWAY… what finally did the trick was me going home, and deciding to try to relax and get a little sleep because I was exhausted. I climbed into a warm tub, and BOOM… water broke. Got to go to the hospital and stay that time! So maybe a nice bubble bath, some sparkling grape juice, candles, music? If nothing else, it’s pretty relaxing 🙂
this advise may sound strange but believe me……. after you have had the baby they will give you this paper underwear to wear because everything is kinda yucky down there (maybe tmi) anyways…. steal as much of the paper undies as possible, they are amazing and you will need them… and be happy to toss them! Good luck
Make sure to have nipple cream and pads for your bra for when your milk comes in. Just take all the pads and mesh underwear too. I bought cheap granny panties too for home. Didn’t want to wear stuff for a few weeks.
I know the last few weeks are sooo hard, but hang in there! Most babies need this time for lung maturity and such. I think one of the most awesome things about pregnancy is that the baby is the one who secretes a hormone to kick-start labour! How cool is that!
Yes! My nurses helped me build this magic trio using the big net panties (I said I wouldn’t use them but I totally did). Stack a giant pad, the ice pack, witch hazel pads, and then whatever the cream is that they give you. I know it sounds ridiculous but I did that for the first 48 hours and it really helped all the, well, damage. Hope this doesn’t scare you. You’re a nurse so I think you can handle it 😉 Oh and I guess that’s not a trio. Whatever.
It is by no means delicious, but a very overdue friend drank castor oil and her labour started a day later.
You look so beautiful! And only 19 lbs up! Wow.
In my experience the hospital provides you with a lot, including the giant maxi pads. We really overpacked so I think your list is great. Do you have any of those baby mitten things? We used those just for the first day until I worked up the courage to do his nails.
I’m so excited for you! Are you going to post about the birth, do you think? I love birth stories!
Yes to the paper net underwear! We took everything from the hospital that wasn’t tied down.
Sorry for hijacking your comments. I wish I could do the birth again 😛
Almost there! I obviously have no advice, but just know it will be over with soon! I’m sure that’s obvious to you already;) So excited for you!
My baby was a week overdue (finally born the day they were going to induce if I didn’t get on it naturally) and I had been sent home from the hospital once already – we had tried everything: the walking, the sex, all the ideas for getting labor started. Then, after I was sent home I had lunch at a thai restaurant and ordered the “angry dish” – the spiciest tofu and veg they had on the menu. Yep, that did it! (Or it was just time, whatever. I still had a 24 hour labor). So, maybe try spicy food and just hope for the best with the acid reflux? (And oh, I remember how bad that was!! I swear that even plain water gave me reflux! I claimed I ate more tums than anything else during my pregnancy!).
im going to have a mimosa the size of my head afterward i get home (probably not, but just humor me).
you KNOW i love your comments. im a poll-the-audience type so the more info the better 🙂
i plan on taking every single thing i can grab from the hospital. and since its the same one i work at, im hoping theyll be extra generous. mesh undies are so hot right now!
i have both. did you like the disposable pads or the reusable ones better? right now i have the medela cream and disposable pads, but i was looking into ones i could wash and reuse (more green and economical).
hes in control from day one…oh the things you realize once you become a parent…
Love red raspberry leaf tea. What did it for me was being on my feet all day long, dinner out (corned beef & kraut) and a few late night games of kinect volleyball. Water broke at 4:23 am, I was 4 days overdue.
Oh, and I lived in maxi dresses & flip flops the last 3 wks! No waistbands and super comfy. So excited for you!!
its just as miraculous to me too – it could very well be off though because i never actually knew my prep-pregnancy weight. its what the MD had on file, so i went with it. the house is a no scale zone.
ill probably get around to doing a birth story just because i use the blog as a journal / place to keep track of all these memories. plus people seem to LOVE pregnancy posts 🙂
im mostly just trying to sort out how im going to announce his birth and name without making it searchable. i want to maintain his privacy so i have to think of what to call him when i (inevitably) talk about him here. but i would like to share his name at least once. if you have any ideas, lemme know.
i told my sister shes in charge of posting the announcement so itll go up somewhat timely even if im not doing blog stuff for a while after birth (because i anticipate not having much time for anything once he enters the world).
ha, i love it. the angry dish did the trick!
blech. i really dislike the taste of the raspberry leaf tea. i basically have to force it down. maxi dresses are the best. so glad they exist!
i was really hoping it wouldnt come to that…ive heard its quite miserable. but hey, if the time comes, the time comes 🙂
youre the second person who’s said eggplant, so maybe ill add that dish to next week’s meal plan. babaganoush here i come!!
oooo, good call brooke! thanks!
thanks lisa!!
I went through the same thing about not wanting his name searchable but wanting to share it on the blog. At the end of the birth story, I posted a photo of the birth announcement (last name removed). That way readers saw his name but because it was an image, it is not searchable. The rest of the time, as you know, I just refer to him by his initial. If people mention his full name in the comments, I edit it down to his initial. Maybe something like that will work for you? Do you have a name yet?! 🙂
I use the disposable ones but I would like to try the washable ones. At first you may want to use disposable because you leak a lot as your body tries to regulate itself. It is very wasteful though. My little one is 4 months and hopefully I’ll continue to breastfeed for 8 more months. Let me know if you try the washable ones. I don’t know anyone that has.
I would say to pack some Lanolin cream and breast pads. The Lanolin cream helps so much in the beginning, breast feeding. I breast fed my 1st daughter for a year and my 2nd daughter for almost 2 years. I did not need the cream after the first few months each time but at the begining I swear by using it after EVERY nursing session. It saved my nipples. The breast pads are helpful so you do not ruin your bras with the cream. The Lansinoh brand cream is a bit thicker and harder to get on but works better in my opinion than the Medela brand. Just my 2 cents. Good luck on the birth of your baby boy!!!!
we do. we’ve had it pretty much since we found out he was a he (although we had girl names too – they were easier i thought). we havent told anyone but our parents. did you tell family/friends or not?
putting his first and middle name in the photo is what i was thinking. im not tech savvy though, so ill have to make my sister figure it out. i dont think our last name is anywhere on the blog. my maiden name is, but i dont think that will in any way link to him…just in case he decides to run for president some day 😉 heaven forbid his mom’s blog incriminates him.
Ha! My thoughts exactly 😉
We weren’t 100% sure on his name until we saw him, so we didn’t tell anyone.
Yay! Can’t wait!
good to know. i never thought about bringing it w me to the hospital, but it makes sense. i already have the medela one, so ill just add it to the bag now. then ill look into the lansinoh brand.
i figured the same…kinda like diapers. id rather throw them away in the beginning and once i figure out the system maybe i can try the washable ones. ill let you know either way 🙂
oh man, the bath, the sparkling juice, the candles…i want that now regardless of if it brings on labor! 🙂
3 40 minute car rides sounds MISSSSERABLE!!!
Totally agree! Sex worked both times for me. Also, the second time I brought my own pads and witch hazel. I don’t know about down there, but up here in Canada our hospitals have super duper huge pads. I know it’s for the absorbency, but you can buy thinner ones that are just as absorbent, and they are much more comfortable.
Chiming in again 😉 I just wrote about this. The washable ones are so much softer, but if you are a big leaker, you really need disposable or you’re asking for an infection. I’d say try a box of disposable and see how your leakage (ha) goes.
Wow I am really acting like such a know it all. I’m sorry! This is so not me! I am just so excited for you and having just gone through this I want to share what I can because really, the whole thing is tough, and we should be able to help each other as much as possible 🙂
LOL. I think we seriously have a box of Kleenex in his nursery from the hospital. Klassy people, we are.
you really dont need to apologize lara! i swear i want to know all this stuff. i feel like a nut for asking a million questions on the blog, but hey, if it gets me the answers, its worth it. and who better to share than someone who’s in the thick of it!! id much rather get advice from a real person than try to read about it in a book and feel like a failure if things arent going exactly as they describe.
i have no issues discussing leakage or the perineal area whatsoever. kyle is so squeamish i dont know how he ended up marrying a nurse.
I add some soy milk (or almond) and honey to mine.
footie pajamas for baby are great – for over his onesie, so that he is comfortable in his carseat and not chafed by anything.
So I have nothing to add to the baby related suggestions (as someone who has never been pregnant). I would like to say congrats and good luck with all stages of the process! I was also curious why your list has Ronald Reagen written on it…?
thats the hospital’s name 🙂
Oh yes! Nipple cream a must!
Sounds like you’re ready! There is a groupon for $10/$25 worth of Kind bars you may be interested in 🙂 I’m in Palm Beach, so search that area if you can’t find it on your local groupon site!
Extra Chapstick!!!!
I can’t believe you’re so close!! And old navy is perfect for cheap sweats, I found a pair I love and bought 3…
Blogland is so strange! I don’t know you and yet I am so excited for you to meet your little man! He’ll be here and growing like a weed before you know it 🙂 Good luck these last few DAYS (hear that Baby Hippie??)
You look FANTASTIC!
One piece of advice I received from my yoga teacher while I was preggers was to sit on the floor as much as possible – cross-legged, with my hips on a low pillow if needed. It helps to open your hips to prepare for birth & believe it or not, close to the end (I barely made it 38 weeks) it was the only way I ate dinner: sitting on the floor at the coffee table!!
Also, as a side note, my due date was October 19, but I had decided early on that I wanted my son born on October 9 because it is John Lennon’s birthday. I believed it wholeheartedly through the entire pregnancy and guess whose water broke at 4am on October 9? 🙂 He was born 9 hours later, exactly as *I* had wanted!!
After being there before and after for the birth and neonate care of my sisters two boys I have a couple of general suggestions. Right now while you still can cook and freeze as many meals as possible because while breast feeding you will be ravenous. Also make sure you have a good breast pump and milk bags. Be careful with lanolin cream some babies are allergic. Also your boobs are going to engorge and look like Pamela Anderson’s just a couple days after birth when your milk comes in. Make sure you have a cabbage in the fridge ready and waiting. My sister says it is the best cold compress and helps ease he swelling because they are breast shaped. They also catch the milk as it leaks out. If I can remember more I will post again later. For now though I think that cover it.
wow! this is the 3rd cabbage suggestion! crazy! whoever discovered that was in a weird place…haha
thank you for the tips!!!
thanks lisa. i will now be eating all meals on the floor.
i have been focusing on jan 30th this whole time. maybe i should have picked an earlier date!!!
i agree. i get so giddy about various things that happen to other people ive never met. its fun though.
days! i like it!!
hahaha. i guarantee kyles on top of that.
Ha ha! Well, it’s still only 6 days away! (and get A LOT of sleep!!)
Eat spicy foods…I’m hoping for this weekend – Australia Day baby!!
Acupuncture! I was visiting my sister waiting for her to give birth and I was having back issues. Since acupuncture is ridiculously expensive, my chiropractor had told me about community acupuncture–it is a low cost affordable way to get acupuncture, but you are treated in a room with other people rather than in a private room. Anyway, I am terrified of needles and hate them but I was in pain and my sister wanted the baby OUT, so we googled it in her area and went. It worked for both of us! We found an expert who had experience in treating pregnant woman and inducing labor and we were both glad we did 🙂
Courtney
The hospital I was at made bumsicles. They just soaked pads with water and froze them. So simple but in the first day or two they were a lifesaver! you might make some up for at home?
I hope we r not all freaking you out with our suggestions, but many of them are so helpful and we r so excited to see you become a mama! It’s a great club to be in! 🙂
The other thing u might want is either flip flops or big slippers. My feet were quite swollen after I gave birth to my son and I couldn’t get my shoes on to go home! I ended up wearing my hubbies slippers home–fashion statement!
I have zero advice in this category, but just wanted to say I’ve loved your pregnancy posts! You’re so close! And you seem SO ready, it’s amazing. And you look amazing 🙂 Is it odd how excited your readers are for you??
PS-at my work, the drawer that we keep the mesh panties (for gyn surgeries) is labeled “Madonna Panties”. And I always give extras to my pts, so I’m sure your nurse will too 🙂
Second that! It was brilliant 🙂
I’ll be interested to hear how your delivery goes when the time comes! UCLA is my hospital network, so I intend to give birth there one of these days. I’ll be thinking happy baby thoughts for you!
19 lbs is Amazing and wonderful! You will thank yourself afterward. All of your readers are so excited for you. Sex and Eggplant Parmesan will do the trick. Honestly you just have to wait. It is the best most wonderful thing you could ever do. I wish I could do it once a month. The whole delivery experience is so awesome. My girls are getting big now, but I can still think back and remember things that they did in the hospital that were definitive of their personalities. It just takes a while to catch on to it. I highly recommend the breast shells (not shields). I called them robo cop boobies. They are hard plastics with small holes to allow your skin to breath. They keep your clothes and any material from touching your nipples in the super sensitive adjusting phase of nursing. You only need them for a short time, but they are a life saver. They will have them at the hospital. We wish you the very best. My guess is 6 pushes.
A shot of castor oil worked to set my labor in motion just as my grandmother said it would! If your body is ready it works. If its not, at least you will be cleaned out 😉
i was pretty much ready for 99% of what im hearing. 🙂
fortunately (??) i learned it all in nursing school so i dealt with the horror and shock back then.
honestly those bumsicles sound so brilliant! definitely going to do that.
i suppose there are worse things than getting your system cleaned out…although ive heard castor oil is definitely not pleasant.
i guess we will see how desperate i get 😉
awww…youre too kind athena.
i think its so sweet that you can recall personality traits unique to your girls as early as those first hospital days. im so so excited. it is really cool that i get to share this with you guys. i can feel the love through the computer. its just so awesome 🙂
ps robo cop boobies are now added to the steal from the hospital list!
well im obviously biased but i think that ucla is a freakin’ world class facility. the L&D floor nurses always get the highest marks too (makes sense, since its a happy floor, as opposed to say the cardiothoracic step down…). anyway. ive had nothing but the absolute best experience so far, so ill be sure to let you know how the delivery goes 🙂
seriously elaine, i feel sooooo blessed to get to share this with you guys. and the love and support i feel back is unreal. i smile every time i get a comment. im just so excited and its awesome that others are too – the enthusiasm is truly contagious 🙂
whoa! thats definitely something to keep in mind (i actually have a acupuncturist who is in my insurance network but the wait time to get an appt is crazy long).
Also, the smell of food in the room during my labor made me nauseous. I also couldn’t stomach much of anything beside ice chips. But after the birth, I was ANIMAL hungry. It hit me all at once – probably about an hour after he was born, and I thought I was going to lose it. I just started crying, I was so hungry, that my father ran to get me food from the cafeteria while I waited for my ordered lunch!
I had a completely natural birth, including an episiotomy w/o novocaine…
Just make sure you have hemorrhoid pads waiting for you at home! LOL!
The best thing I brought to the hospital was a travel neck pillow. Sounds silly, but it made nursing in the middle of the night so much easier! Plus I couldn’t fully recline, so it helped me sleep too. Oh and an eye mask (that you chill) cut in half was way better than the soothes for the first 2 weeks of breastfeeding!
🙂 i think it’s pretty neat you’ve got so much support from people in your actual life and in your blog life!
there are so many gals at work that are expecting right now and then reading about yours – it’s all making me kind of baby crazy!
You look great! Just go with the flow from here on 🙂
That is awesome that your insurance covers acupuncture! I love it! It might be worth calling to see if they can squeeze you in or get on a cancellation list or something…
Congrats Elise! So excited for you… you look fabulous 🙂
It is so much fun reading about your pregnancy on your blog! I don’t have any firsthand experiences to give advice from, but sounds like you might want to put an extra bag in your hospital bag for all the hospital goods you can bring home with you. Can’t wait to “meet” the little hippie soon!!!
holler at your brown sister if you need anything!!!
stop all this stuff! Keep the little man inside a few more days. In additional to Marie’s instructions, you have to consider The Who concert for which your mother and I have tickets next Friday. And the Super Bowl! Geez, girl, priorities! 🙂
sorry dad – forgot about the who.
oh man, now THATS a good call kathryn. definitely adding that!
thanks 8 🙂
thanks so much michelle 🙂
awww…thats so sweet. thank you sallyann!!
my midwife had me take evening primrose oil pills at 36 weeks on for all three pregnancies. supposed to prime the cervix. some people rupture the pills and stick em up in there, but you can also just take em 🙂 perinatal massage to practice and help w/ elasticity is muy importante – i had 3 natural child births and NO tears 🙂 raspberry tea is supposed to be labor inducing, as is eggplant, spicy food, and sex (really orgasm). i have one friend who swears by a shot of castor oil in a glass of OJ. had babies w/in 24 hours twice drinking it. i couldn’t stomach it!
GREAT LUCK! You’ll do awesome!
I am laughing here at the”bumsicle” !! I wouldn’t recommend anything to try to induce labor until you go at least past your EDD. Babies are smart and usually come when they’re ready. Have you tried papaya enzymes for the heartburn?
I’m going to have to read all these comments when I have more time — looks like your readers are full of good suggestions!
I was smiling about your yoga pants dilemma… it’s so hard to prepare for things we haven’t experienced, right? I was feeling the same way about labor. I’m sure you know this because you’re a nurse, but most labors don’t begin with water breaking, and often the ‘break’ is more of a tiny leaking trickle that won’t create a big mess. And you very well COULD have time to do laundry if your labor does start with your water breaking… who knows; my labor was almost 70 hours (if you’re into reading birth stories: http://beingsarahmarie.blogspot.com/2013/01/ellen-cecilia-birth-story.html) so I probably could have done a dozen loads of laundry, hahaha. But if yoga pants are your one and only true love maybe having a backup pair is a good idea. I totally wore my yoga pants to the hospital and then back home again.
I have a good friend who is a midwife and she taught me a great trick once I was home from the hospital. At my hospital they filled a rubber glove with ice and gave me that for ice packs. Once home, my friend pulled open an infant sized disposable diaper (like opening a bag of chips, from the back of the diaper) and filled it with ice. Use it like a giant diaper pantyliner. It’s waterproof so as the ice melts, no mess. And it doubles as a pad for the mess, which there will be, as you know. 😉 Sounds crazy but it worked so well for me. I never made the witch hazel pads but everyone says to so I probably should have.
You look amazing (no surprise there) and will do great. Sending warm wishes your way, and happy baby thoughts!
Hi, saw a bit about the nursing pad convo, wanted to throw in my two cents… I used the throw aways with my first baby and the organic washable for my second. Second time around was serious heaven!!!! I never noticed how itchy and uncomfortable the disposable pads were (my sore nipples seriously thanked me.) And when I was nursing, Target has some seriously cute and comfy nursing bras : )
You are the most beautiful pregnant woman I ever saw, Elise. May God bless your family so much. I am keeping you in prayer!
My eyes are good now. I can see and can drive. I give you (and him) permission to goooo!! 🙂
But remember its good to keep him cooking, im sorry you are uncomfortable! I will bring you sushi and and some beer after and it will all be forgotten!
thanks kayla.
ive been scouting the target site. i got one of their tanks the other day.
ive also been liking the bravado ones.
awww…angela, thats the nicest comment!!! thank you so much.
this is such a helpful comment – thank you for all the tips.
very crafty with the diaper ice pack!
its so funny how everyone’s comments and experiences differ – especially from what i learned in nursing school. while i like being prepared (who doesn’t), i think my job has made me pretty good at rolling with various medical obstacles as they come along. itll be interesting to see how this character trait differs when im the patient.
since its my first im assuming labor will be long. fingers crossed ill be able to do enough of it at home that will allow me to settle and tie up the random little loose ends that remain.
gah! i hate that youre right shawnna 🙂 he will come when he’s good and ready.
never tried papaya enzymes. are they safe for pregnancy?
thank you karen!!!
i had eggplant & raspberry leaf tea last night 🙂
i hope thats a promise 🙂
and can we plan on a mimosa brunch soon after i get home from the hospital??
Yes 🙂 My midwife is the one who recommended them.
cool! thanks 🙂
Hey Elise!
I am a labor and delivery nurse, but I haven’t had kiddos yet so I can give you advice based on what I’ve seen and what my patients tell me!
First – don’t do the whole spicy food thing…I know its an old wives’ tail but it can just cause indigestion, and sometimes during labor, patients get nauseated/sick due to the stress. Just sayin, you don’t want to deal with that if your last meal had something really spicy in it….
Hot baths are a great idea- we have our labor patients take them all the time, and we call the tub the “silent-dilator”! If you aren’t planning on having an epidural, this is the next best thing (even if you are planning on an epidural – try this first!)! Try to move as much as possible – don’t stay in the bed or the baby will take even longer to make his move to the outside world!
Good luck, remember no matter what happens and how labor goes, the goal is a healthy baby and healthy momma! 🙂
thanks kaleigh!
i really appreciate the advice. spicy food has been out for a while – youre so right – the heartburn is NOT worth it. ugh. its awful.
maybe ill give a warm bath a shot. im not usually a big bath person – im weirded out by the potential for infection, but i could see it being relaxing. even if it doesnt help bring on labor, it sounds peaceful.