Preparing for the Birth

I had the best plans for being totally prepared in advance for my baby to be born.  I was going to have loads of home cooked meals stored in the fridge and freezer, an immaculate house, good hair, etc.  In short, everything was going to be perfect and ready before he was born.  Obviously this is real life (my real life to be more specific) and not a TV movie, so everything isn't as pristine as I had hoped for. 

However, we are ready.  I'm ready to meet my little boy.

Knowing that I'm booked in for an elective Cesarean makes preparing for the birth a little different from preparing for a "normal" delivery. 

Most pregnancy books/websites/etc. will give you helpful lists of what to pack in your hospital bags.  In my experience, all of these are focused on what women need during labor, and they're totally unhelpful if you're having a c-section.  I packed two hospital bags: one for me & one for baby.  It was actually exciting to pack them together with my husband.  Mostly we used common, sense on what to pack, but we did look up a couple of lists to make sure we weren't forgetting anything.  (Click here or here for sample hospital bag lists specifically for Cesarean births.)  As this is my 3rd section, I knew from experience to pack snacks (for both parents) and to pack normal (preferably black and baggy) not disposable maternity underwear (these tend to hit right on a c-section scar line).

There are some preparations we're being sure to do, like having my husband help me shave (way better than having a stranger dry shave you on a hospital bed).  Also trying to eat well (or at least healthy other than the tub of Ben & Jerry's we treated ourselves to) and get some rest.

Here are some resources I found on-line on preparing for a C-section:
"Preparing for a C-Section"
"A Step-by-step Guide to Preparing for Your C-Section"
"Preparing Yourself For a C-section Delivery"

Full Term & Things to Remember

Here's me full term.  Yes, I'm huge.  Yes, I'm counting down the days.

As my pregnancy days are numbered, here are some things that I want to remember about this pregnancy.

-This baby loves the sound of his daddy's voice.  He always responds perfectly on cue when my hubby talks to him.  He can be quiet all day and then start wriggling around in excitement when daddy gets home and starts talking to me.  (My husband jokes that this is probably the only time in his life when he'll listen to his dad this well, but I know it makes him happy.)

-In general I'm not overly affected by serious or weird food cravings.  At various points during this pregnancy, though, I have eaten huge amounts of fresh lychees, apple flavored rice cakes, and peanut m&m's. 

-Yes, soon I will have three kids fighting for my time and attention.  Ever since we told them, though, our girls have been very excited to have a baby in the family.  They talk a lot about the baby and what it will be like after he's born (usually including nice things they can do for him, like let him play the prince in their games or sing to him).

-This is probably the last time I'll be pregnant.  I want to remember the miracle of feeling them kick (it sounds cheesy but it is a miracle), seeing them in ultrasounds, hearing their heartbeat, etc.  I'm impatient to meet and hold him, but I know that right now is the closest that the two of us will ever be.

-Sensitive skin galore, but no new stretch marks (hurray!)

Talking to the Specialist

We recently met with the specialist who is overseeing my pregnancy care.  I also have a midwife that I regularly see, and have met with different doctors in the specialist's team.  He's the one ultimately in charge of my care, though, and who will be responsible for the birth. 

This was our last meeting with the specialist before the birth, and we got to schedule the C-section.  Most of the appointment was pretty standard and exactly what I expected (I had the same specialist with Angel and with the ectopic pregnancy, so I'm used to him, plus this will be my 3rd C-section).  One thing he said was completely unexpected though.  He offered, while I was already open on the operating table for the section, to go ahead and sterilize me.

I think that was his not-so-subtle way of saying I shouldn't have any more kids.

Even though we're pretty sure that this will be our last baby, neither my husband nor I really feel comfortable with this option.  I also feel like it was kind of sprung on us without a lot of discussion or information or time to think it over.  We said no thanks.

Have any of you been given this option?  What did you do?

32 Weeks Pregnant & Having Heartburn

Things that give me heartburn:
*bending or leaning over (if standing or sitting)
*changing positions/rolling over (if lying down)
*not eating for too long
*eating peanut butter, oats, mint, or anything acidic (vinegar, citrus fruits, tomatoes, etc.)

OK, that's probably not a complete list, but you get the idea.  I seem to have heartburn most of the time these days, and it gets so ridiculous that it wakes me up at night.  Tums and other antacids seem to be my constant companion.  The problem is that--being pregnant--I'm only allowed to take a limited number of them a day.  So I try to ration them out for when it gets really bad.

If all the old wives' tales (and my first two pregnancies) are to be trusted, this baby is going to be born with a head full of hair.

31 Weeks

Ever wonder what a pregnant woman looks like when she lies down during the last trimester?  This is not, in fact, a beached whale or small mountain range.  This is me at 31 weeks.