It's (Almost) Time
All right, so say you wanted to pack your hospital bag. What would this "bag" look like? I don't mean what would be inside it but what would it actually, physically look like? Are we talking a backpack, a tote, a duffel, or a small suitcase? I think would feel a little silly rolling my bag through the front doors of the hospital lobby, but I think I would feel even sillier hauling in several bags, or sending Simon back to the car multiple times to bring me things I've stowed away in the trunk just in case.
I started gathering items for the bag last night (just threw everything into a paper grocery sack for the time being) before the contractions started. At about 10:30 I realized they were coming fairly frequently and were, for the first time in all these months, noticeably uncomfortable, and that the pelvic pressure and crampy lower back I've had all week were getting worse. I sat down with a glass of water and took notes. 10:30. 10:34. 10:39. 10:42. I stood up and tried to walk it off. Ooof. Ouch. 10:47. 10:53. 10:59. I changed positions and drank more water. 11:05. 11:10. Simon came downstairs and I showed him my list of numbers. He paced. His finger hovered over speed dial. He asked me what I thought and I told him I wouldn't be surprised either way. He took a shower.
Two hours later they were still coming every three to five minutes, and although I'm ever more convinced things are rapidly progressing and that the baby will indeed come early of his own accord, I was pretty sure this was just a false alarm. Either that or I TOTALLY RULE LABOR because this? Is a piece of cake! And even if it was real labor, I was sure I didn't need to call anyone or go anywhere right! that! second!, and besides, I at least needed time to transfer my belongings to a proper hospital bag so I didn't show up at L&D with a Safeway sack full of odds and ends like a pregnant hobo.
I suggested we just go to bed and see what happens. The contractions would either go away or get worse, and if the latter happened I certainly didn't expect to sleep through them (unless, of course, I TOTALLY RULE LABOR) and I assured Simon he would be the first to know if anything significant happened. I honestly didn't expect to sleep at all no matter what because, as outwardly calm as I was, there was still a little part of me that was OMGing over the regularity of the contractions and the possibility of having the baby that very night, but in the end it turns out that I slept fast and hard and, much to Simon's dismay, we woke up in the morning to find that not a single fresh infant was waiting for us under the covers. (Just Linus. Constant disappointment, that cat.) So, another day, another dollar, another headbutt to the cervix from inside.
I had a doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon, and although she didn't do an internal exam(?!) and I didn't request one because, la-dee-dah, look at how zen I am, she did bring up, without any prompting, the possibility of inducing me as early as December 7 if I wanted. I cringed when she mentioned the stripping of membranes, and balked at her easy acceptance that Christmas/grandparent visits were perfectly fine reasons to induce at 39 weeks, but details aside, there it was: I don't have to wait until my due date if I don't want to. My doctor isn't one of those hardasses who thinks women have to "earn" their inductions.
Simon suggested December 12, so we could spend the weekend in the hospital and he could go back to work on Monday, when my mom would be in town (he's a contract worker and has therefore zero paternity leave), and the doc said, "Cool. If that's what you want to do, let me know and I'll write it into my schedule." Just like that! So December 12 (12/12! I like it!) is now pencilled in as the new and improved due date (synchronize Wombat Watch Swatches!) and I am fine and happy and calm with that possibility. So very calm. So very, very calm and relaxed and ready and--heavens to Betsy, will someone bring me my salts, that's twenty-two days from now and I think I need to dump out that hobo sack and breathe deeply into it for a second if you'll excuse me. *huff huff huff*
So, yeah. Hi. I realize that December 12 is only two days before my official due date and therefore shouldn't be that big of a deal, but man, there's such a huge difference between outlining (with a heart!) the date 266 textbook days from a textbook conception and this: writing "Induction? Eeep!" on the calendar to mark the day we're tentatively scheduled to go in after the little bugger. That is, unless we discover him tomorrow morning, all spooned up with Linus under the covers at the foot of the bed, in which case I won't need to pack a hospital bag at all.
Suitcase on wheels for me. Much easier to just throw it all in one easy to transport thing.
12/12 sounds like an awesome day to have that baby!
Suitcase on wheels with a robot on it.
Here's my question/comment.
My sister in law actually had both her kids on their due dates, but was induced both times.
In both cases she began induction the night before they were born. With her FIRST (4 years ago) she didn't give birth until 4:14 in the afternoon. (so she was induced on the 6th and my niece was born on the 7th in the afternoon). For her second, they began inducing on the 20th of June at night and my nephew was born at 11:59am on the 21st.
I just say this in case you want him to be born on the 12th - then maybe they should begin inducing you on the 11th at night.
:)
Either way, good luck! You'll do great and be a great mommy!
December birthdays are lovely. Mine is 12/11. 12/12 sounds so cool!
We went with a duffel and a Safeway sack.
Drinks, champagne, crackers, peanut butter, apples and almonds were in the paper bag.
Duffel held a bunch of clothing and things on those "bring to the hospital" lists that I never used.
In my final nesting mania, I was pleased to have separated perishables (paper sack) from non-perishables (duffel).
Oh man, we're so excited for you guys.
I'm all weepy because you are actual going to have a BABY so soon.
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$10 says you don't make 12/12. I went thru the same thing you're going thru. I had regular contractions for 4-6 hours every day FOR A WEEK. Finally, 8 days later they started up again, I went to bed anyway, they woke me up and it was the real thing.
I'd say that boy is trying to make it to Thanksgiving Dinner. :) hee hee
You better pack your sack, or bag, or whatever.
Oh! 12/12 is a great birthday because you never have to be the rube on the international flight who has to get a second customs form because the birth date is written backwards in the rest of the world. I speak from experience. 12/12 FTW.
socks... pack socks... even if you never wear them to sleep... trust me on this one. ;)
♥
I'm thinking that suitcase coming in yes might seem strange but on the way out when you are in a wheelchair, have a baby in your arms, a car seat and your belongings that Simon might be struggling with a duffel bag.
I would think that having a specific date to mark down would be very comforting. As a control freak, I'd love that. A date to plan around! Phew.
I went with duffel for my stuff, a seperate little overnight tote for Squidgey's stuff (two outfits with coordinating blankets depending on my level of bravery for stuffing him into an outfit consisting of multiple pieces vs. a gown). And my husband still had to kind of tote stuff back and forth through the two days I was there (take this home! bring back the boppy!). When we left, we solved the overburdened thing by him making a couple pretrips to the car. There were flowers, balloons and swag (see below) to juggle too, anyway. One trip would have been a long shot.
And commence with the assvice, much of which you've probably already heard: bring your own pillow, hospital ones are flat as a pancake; put it in a colored pillowcase so housekeeping doesn't try to steal it.
I always found the boppy sucked for nursing, the breastfriend was much better. Maybe if I'd had it in the hospital and been more comfortable than trying to wedge the sucky boppy into position, we wouldn't have gotten off to such a crappy start breastfeeding.
Take everything that isn't nailed down-diapers, t-shirts, cloth diaper burp clothes, flannel receiving blankets (the hospital ones were always the best most perfect size for swaddling), diaper cream, lotion, all of it. In fact, stick some of it in your bag early in the game and ask for more. Don't be shy! I guarante your insurance company paid for it 10 times over. (Someone also told me to make off with as many disposable panties as I could but I thought they were gross and uncomfortable.) Also can't say enough for having a huge array of granola, breakfast, nutrigrain bars, dried fruit, etc.,-hospital food sux! /assvice
Twenty-two days?! You are going to have a BABY, and SOON. So exciting!
with my first, i brought an entire SUITCASE of things and didn't use any of them.
with the second two, i brought almost nothing. a pair of slippers. some chapstick (your lips get SUPER dry during labor). clothing for baby. sweats for you to go home in. that's it.
you wear a hospital gown during labor. you have a baby and then you send your family and friends to get the things you really want and need. AFTER the baby is born.
induction is not fun. it brings on labour in a faster, more painful way than it would happen normally. i don't know what your plan is as far as pharmacological interventions but if you were hoping to not have drugs (or hold off for a while before you get them), you may want to rethink the plan to get induced. sometimes one little intervention leads to a waterfall of them. ask your doctor about the correlation between women who get induced and women who end up with ceaseareans.
not to scare you or rain on your induction parade. i just know these are things that doctors often brush over but they are real concerns to the women involved.
good luck whichever way you decide.
hahahaha! - love that "synchronize Wombat Watch Swatches"!
I used a roller suitcase. But I didn't even use half the crap I packed in it.
BTW, I had my membranes stripped at 40w2d with my first and it worked. That's all it took. No pitocin, etc.
Good lord woman, you can't title your posts like that without me hyperventilating with excitement. Sheesh. And MAN am I so envious of your contractions. That baby is just going to slide right out like you give birth every other day. Also yay Dec. 12! I wouldn't be surprised if you go earlier than that though.
Oh yeah. I used literally nothing out of the bag we packed. Not even underwear (until I went home.) Not even the camera. Superman was so sick and he was pretty much the only other person there who know what was in it and where to look (i.e. the camera!!!) so he wasn't able to help and sadly we were camera-less because SuperMIL and my doula couldn't find it.
Pack snacks you know you like. Also a friend of mine swears by using Depends instead of underwear the first few days because it gives you a lot of peace of mind about the "leaking." Send Simon to buy them! =)
I brought clothes for the baby's ride home and a matching blanket, hat and booties. For myself I brought a pretty pajama that I could easily breastfeed with while wearing, so I would a) feel pretty and b) look at least somewhat decent in the pictures and for the visitors that came to the hospital. Definitely bring your own pillow.
Slippers or socks with rubberized bottoms are a must have, especially since I had a ceaserian and needed to walk around to help the healing process.
Other than that dont bother with bringing books or music becuase you wont use any of that stuff at all.
So very excited for you!
pregnant hobo! *snicker*
Dammit, I just bit my fingernails down to the elbow with you talking about all those regular contractions. Just Linus? Excuse me, but it's time to kick the kitty! Wombat Watch Continues!
Bring snacks (for both of you- or just Simon if you don't let you eat), comfy clothes for both you and Simon (for after, too), slippers, light reading, iPods or something like that. Good luck!
I vote rolling suitcase. It feels dorky, yes, but you'll have so much more stuff going home than you did going in. Gifts, extra baby supplies, and less time to dilly dally around packing it. Plus, in the event you have a c-section (I say this because I had one) you don't want to have to lift anything.
We had small duffle-ish-type bags and that meant that when we were FINALLY released, Dave had to make 8,000 trips down to the car with all of our stuff. It sucked. One trip would have been much nicer, with a big, roomy suitcase.
I carted a duffel bag. Well, actually, Justin carted the duffel bag while I pretty much wormed my way down the hallway (on the floor, no less), through constant contractions, gripping my pillow and breathing. Yep. Good times. Then, a nurse brought us a wheelchair... Anyhow, sorry for the flashback. A scheduled induction - wow! That's so very exciting. Wombat Watch Synchrony - check!
I just put it in my planner. 12/12 it is!
So exciting! I had my first 5 months ago, and let me tell you - induction is the way to go. I went 41 weeks and was told by my doctor that I had a "cervix of steel". I never could decide if that was a compliment... But we scheduled an induction and I had such a great experience! We got to the hospital like we were checking into a hotel. No panic, no counting, no breathing, no timing of contractions. Induction doesn't have to be scary or dangerous and it doesn't have to mean a C-section. Trust your doctors - and your little one will be here safe and sound. Best of luck! --oh. and I think I threw a few things into a bag at the last minute and don't really remember using any of it. Just be sure you have a toothbrush -- it will feel like a spa after everything is said and done.
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I used a duffle bag and it worked out perfectly. I also packed the diaper bag so I would have that ready.
I had one of those terrible doctors that refused to induce early stating in her German accent ( no lie) "Dis vill only happen if absolut-ely necissary! No early pass for you missy." So then I requested a new doctor and he induced me the following day! YAY for induction!!
I used a duffle bag and it worked out perfectly. I also packed the diaper bag so I would have that ready.
I had one of those terrible doctors that refused to induce early stating in her German accent ( no lie) "Dis vill only happen if absolut-ely necissary! No early pass for you missy." So then I requested a new doctor and he induced me the following day! YAY for induction!!
Would you consider a planned c-section instead of a planned induction? That's 100% on the time and date, and labor-free. I wonder what your thought is on the difference between the two.
A c-section has a whole different set of risk and recovery factors, so no, I wouldn't plan one just for the sake of conveniently getting the baby out when I want him out. Which is not to say that I'm planning an induction for the sake of convenience either; I'd like to go into labor naturally--and that remains our plan--but it was definitely comforting to know that my doctor is open to non-emergency inductions in general, just in case I reach a point at which that becomes a better option for me.
If I HAD to have a c-section, though, I would certainly schedule it (I think they do that as a matter of course anyway) because I know there are specific preparations that can make them much less risky than both emergency c-sections or c-sections performed once labor has already started.
To me, it's apples and oranges.
I think 12/12/08 is a beautiful date!
Also, I would go for a backpack or duffle bag with a shoulder strap so Simon has hands to help you