We're almost down to 4 WEEKS before Baby's due date! Can you believe that?! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?! I don't know why, but I feel so unprepared this time around! I feel so busy and swamped with the two that we have that I'm definitely feeling more than uneasy about how the adjustment will go with the addition of a third! We first heard that the transition was the same as going from one to two kids, but now I just keep hearing how extremely DIFFICULT it is for the first several months! So please, can anyone share some hopeful honesty or tips to make it easier??
I'm also feeling a bit stressed about delivery and all the details surrounding that. The timing with Kevin's work schedule, arrangements for the kids (WHO can be our on-call people, day and night until my parents can get here), the weather (seeing that we've had some MASSIVE snow lately!), and labor itself knowing this time we need to hurry to the hospital to avoid another surprise home delivery! I know God has it already planned out, every single detail, but it's just hard to rest in the unknown.
Pregnancy-wise I'm feeling very good. Sleeping well through the night. (for now!) Earlier in pregnancy I woke up nearly every night to pee almost precisely at 2am, but now I must be so exhausted that once I'm asleep I'm out until morning. And it takes so much effort to roll over at all that I just don't even move. I've had much fewer leg cramps than my last two pregnancies, probably less than a handful total, and that's good. There's nothing like having to hop out of bed in the middle of the night to walk out a cramp that ends up lingering for days. I only have mild heartburn sometimes, and no swelling or anything. But I'm definitely reaching the point where I'm just ready to not be pregnant any more. The huffs and puffs of trying to reach something, the extremely awkward baby movement, and the frustration of not being able to find a comfortable way to sit on the couch. I can't complain though, because pregnancy has been VERY good to me! It's just a bit hard for any woman, and I'm ready to reach the end and meet our baby!
So with that, here is my final to-do list as we prepare for this sweet baby boy:
* Finish hospital pre-registration forms.
* Make arrangements for where kids are going to stay.
*Pack kids' overnight bag.
*Rearrange van and install infant car seat.
*Clean up and prepare guest room. I never reaaally cleaned it after having our windows installed. So it's still super dusty and needs the bedding washed, even though I continue to keep clean folded laundry on there ALL the time now.
*Stock up cupboards and freezer with meals.
*Sew curtains for Eli's room. (I finally found fabric to make matching curtains for his second window!)
*Sew nursing cover blanket.
*Make a list for my hospital bag.
* Figure out snow plow something or other to make sure we can get out of lane if there's snow that week!
*Try on nursing bras again and decide whether to return or keep.
*Purchase Hannah's birthday presents, since her birthday is so soon after Baby's due date. Thanks, Amazon!
* Prepare MOPS activities for February meeting.
* Shopping List:
I'm also feeling a bit stressed about delivery and all the details surrounding that. The timing with Kevin's work schedule, arrangements for the kids (WHO can be our on-call people, day and night until my parents can get here), the weather (seeing that we've had some MASSIVE snow lately!), and labor itself knowing this time we need to hurry to the hospital to avoid another surprise home delivery! I know God has it already planned out, every single detail, but it's just hard to rest in the unknown.
Pregnancy-wise I'm feeling very good. Sleeping well through the night. (for now!) Earlier in pregnancy I woke up nearly every night to pee almost precisely at 2am, but now I must be so exhausted that once I'm asleep I'm out until morning. And it takes so much effort to roll over at all that I just don't even move. I've had much fewer leg cramps than my last two pregnancies, probably less than a handful total, and that's good. There's nothing like having to hop out of bed in the middle of the night to walk out a cramp that ends up lingering for days. I only have mild heartburn sometimes, and no swelling or anything. But I'm definitely reaching the point where I'm just ready to not be pregnant any more. The huffs and puffs of trying to reach something, the extremely awkward baby movement, and the frustration of not being able to find a comfortable way to sit on the couch. I can't complain though, because pregnancy has been VERY good to me! It's just a bit hard for any woman, and I'm ready to reach the end and meet our baby!
So with that, here is my final to-do list as we prepare for this sweet baby boy:
* Finish hospital pre-registration forms.
* Make arrangements for where kids are going to stay.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* Figure out snow plow something or other to make sure we can get out of lane if there's snow that week!
*
*
* Prepare MOPS activities for February meeting.
* Shopping List:
OxyClean and a bucket.(ahh, how I've forgotten those days...)Binkies(just in case. our old ones look gross)- Infant socks. (I cannot find the ones we had for Eli!)
Raspberry leaf tea.(Due date is the 28th, and I'll be shooting to deliver on the 25 or 26th)Nursing pads.Baby hangars.
11 comments:
I don't have any advice but should just save this post for myself! LOL! Great checklist!! (I worry too about who to leave my kids with. I have only left V overnight when I gave birth to Lance. It's def not a normal thing for us.)
You know I'll leave a comment on this post!! :)
First: I want to know what you've done to exercise. I have swelling right at the last couple of months that dissappears immediately after birth, but I'd LOVE to not have swelling-should we have more children!
If you drink nettle with the raspberry leaf you will most likely not have ANY pain. I drank at least a half gallon of that per day with #5 & #6 and those were my easiest, shortest, least painful-only during pushing-labors of all 7. I made the mistake of not drinking much tea this last time & it hurt...for the whole labor! I knew I was in labor-it doesn't take away the contractions, just like tightening any muscle without pain, you know what's going on.
I can say not to worry about the schedule, but really don't! My hubby had midnight shift when I was having really strong contractions with #4. God had me go into labor right before he left and he was able to call it in. I learned that God brings to the birth-he also has the right things in place for you!! Remember that should you get stuck at home-you'll have someone coming to help just like with Hannah...you've done it before and boys seem to be the easier deliveries as well as the easier pregnancies! (just from my experience as well as others I know)
God holds you in His hand...He takes care of you always! Rest in Him! :)
I love your long list of to-do! I think you'll be making up another one in a week or two of twice as many things!! :)
Don't forget to give your walking babies lotsa hugs and love...you all will feel more relaxed and chaos will turn to calm!
Life isn't more hectic...you eventually find that third arm for a child. The older ones "grow up" a little more and seize the opportunity to take responsibilities and help Mama!! So don't worry about problems that you may not even have! :) I have a bit of trouble with #7...but God has given me another sweet, calm, happy, laughing baby that is sooo easy to care for so I am able to care for the toddlers that need more attention!
More hugs and take a deep breath! Don't forget your camera/batteries! :)
Exercise? What exercise? I walked a lot for the first two kids, especially Hannah's pregnancy because i was part of a mommy's stroller class, but I've literally done NOTHING this pregnancy! With cold weather, country life, and two toddlers, I just haven't had opportunity! So I guess I'm just lucky when it comes to swelling issues!
What is nettle? And where do you get it? I'm afraid of not having any pain! I want to make sure I still know right away when labor starts so we can get things together! But at the same time, anything to make it easier sounds great to me!
As far as Kevin's schedule goes, I know I can call him at work anytime, and he'll be able to come right home. But I'd RATHER (like I have a choice, ha!) baby come at the beginning of his already-scheduled days off just so he won't have to take as many vacation days.
Thanks so much for your comment! You taking notes, Mary?
Not really any advice that you havent already gotten, but words of encouragement maybe.....God does have it planned out and I have no doubt that should it be another home labor you and Kevin and God can handle it.....I will keep you in my prayers!
Blessings
Crystal
Ok I haven't had any children so I know I'm not any help but I was curious after I read your post...what is the raspberry leaf tea for?
Katy, the raspberry leaf tea is supposed to help with labor. Make contractions more productive. Something like that. I've always tried to drink a ton of it the week of the due date, in attempts to get things going.
Nettle tea also know as Stinging Nettle is a weed that is good for you, like Dandelion Leaf is good for the liver. We get our herbs from herbalcom (dot) com ...that's rightly spelled.
Raspberry Leaf and Nettle Leaf both contain "bioavailable" calcium, magnesium and iron and B vitamins which work to calm muscle pain and therefore help contractions be more effective. Your body isn't freaking because it hurts to have contractions and can then do it's job. It doesn't make you go into labor unless you've been depleted of these minerals and baby is ready. Sorta like, when you lift weights you could be sore the next morning. That muscle is in need of those minerals. I probably should be drinking this tea since I'm really sore from my workouts!
You are really, really blessed!! I'm glad you don't have swelling problems!! Work hard to get any extra weight off...it IS true what everyone says-if you don't get it off, it's more difficult to get it off!!
I know what it's like to not go anywhere...the weather here is almost as bad as there and I really miss going out to just walk while the children play. It's just tooooo cold to do that and I am definitely not that brave!! It's gonna be in the teens this week and we're heading into our 4th week of overcast skys! The snow is beautiful, but I miss the sun...we'll probably have clear skys once the temps are regularly around 0 degrees!
Oh, the tea (or anything for that matter) won't take away the feeling of contractions-that tightening. Those 2 easy deliveries I had cramping like a cycle and they were eased into nothing when I went into the shower. If you want to read one of the birth stories, it's on my pregnancy blog. (yeah, like everything else, I'll get to putting up the other 6!)
Ok-have a good rest of the week and weekend and all days off and fun times! :)
Oh I remember feeling unprepared for the third! I don't know why but I didn't have as much to do to get ready because we already had everything that we needed, so it felt more unproductive. But you'll be ready! Don't worry, everything will fall into place! I love your list though! If I have another one I'll have to refer to this! Prayers to you over the next 4 weeks!
I just ordered several boxes of nettle leaf and raspberry leaf teas! Thanks!
I love you, sweet friend!! It is hard, at times but you will be fine! You love those kids with all you have and God will take care of the rest. I am mailing out some baby clothes tomorrow. :) Hope you enjoy them and maybe that will give you some more to do! ha!
I'll try to email you later.
(((HUGS)))
~Jules
I love you, sweet friend!! It is hard, at times but you will be fine! You love those kids with all you have and God will take care of the rest. I am mailing out some baby clothes tomorrow. :) Hope you enjoy them and maybe that will give you some more to do! ha!
I'll try to email you later.
(((HUGS)))
~Jules
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