Oh Baby!

“Life is always a rich and steady time when you are waiting for something to happen or to hatch.” –E.B. White, from Charlotte’s Web

Let’s talk about ‘nesting.’ Nesting is typically a last-trimester phenomenon wherein a pregnant woman’s natural instincts “take over” and cause her to clean things to the standards of an operating room and organize rooms, furniture and clothing akin to a military maneuver.

You know that you are nesting if you:
-Panic if you don’t have a crib purchased by week 33. (I have done this in the past.)

You know that you are deep into nesting if you:
-Panic if that crib is not erected and placed in the nursery by week 33. (I’ve done this too.)

You know that you need to join a nesting support group if you:
-Scream and fall apart sobbing if ‘said crib’ does not have the matching sheets, bumper pad, quilt and bed skirt double-washed in Dreft, ironed, and placed on the crib with the perfect mobile suspended from the rail with a verbal threat of annihilation if anyone dares to move a single blanket or stuffed animal out of place. (Sadly, although not my finest moment…I’ve done this too…sigh….)

Strangely, with baby #5 on the way, my nesting looks much different than it did with my first four. Oh…I’m still nesting, to be sure…but it does not involve organizing onesies by size and color, nor does it include creating a checklist for my diaper bag. (Another one of the skeletons-in-the-closet of my nesting past.)

With this pregnancy, it’s the patio furniture. I have no crib. I have nary a diaper in the whole house. Not even one. The baby clothes remain unwashed in the Rubbermaid container in the attic. Sadly, I have no desire to scrub, wash, disinfect or sterilize any baby items, yet…. But, I am completely obsessed with making sure that I have an immaculate backyard seating ensemble. And flowers in their pots. And a tidy lawn. None of this has anything to do with preparing for a baby.

Of course, I am personally too tired to actually perform any of the cleaning, planting, mowing, and raking duties required to achieve landscape perfection. So, I’ve wearily begged my kind husband, Travis, to adopt my patio preparation frenzy. Out of the goodness of his heart (and because he is sick of hearing me whine), he did all of the work for me while I napped gratefully on the couch.

I told him that when it was all said and done, he too would be happy to have the backyard completed for cookouts with family and friends. (Because secretly, he really enjoys a nice looking backyard when company comes over.) I like to call it his ‘Guesting Instinct.’

Perhaps in the next week, I’ll start washing baby clothes…but more likely, I’ll reorganize my file drawers.

What’s happening to baby this week?
*Baby now weighs approximately four-and-a-half pounds.
*Braxton Hicks (practice contractions) are the uterus’s way of warming up for the main event. They can sometimes be uncomfortable and last up to 30 seconds. Rather than being frightened or concerned, consider them a ‘tap on the shoulder’ leading up to actual delivery.
*The hormone progesterone is being produced at a rapid rate (250 milligrams a day) vs. a few milligrams during a normal menstrual cycle. This combined with the increase of estrogen which multiplies by 20-30 times, can cause you to feel weepy, depressed and suddenly emotional. It is very normal. Don’t be alarmed.

What’s happening with ME this week?
*I am distracted and clumsy…moving from one unfinished project to the next.
*Surprisingly, I am not yet worried about the lack of preparation for the baby to come home…call it denial.
*I have made peace with my exhaustion; lying down whenever my body can’t go one more step.

Are you prepared for baby to arrive? Visit our Web site to sign up for classes, including Breastfeeding Basics and CPR for Parents and Grandparents.

Let’s hear from you!
What ways have you found yourself ‘nesting’ to get ready for your baby?

“Cleaning your house while kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk while it’s still snowing.”   –Phyllis Diller

I lived in Moscow, Russia for a year. We had no hot water for two months while the city’s boilers were being cleaned. I walked to four different kiosks to buy bread, eggs, juice and fruit. Each one was a half-mile from any of the others. And, least of my concerns, there was no dishwasher in my kitchen. This all took place B.C. (Before Children)

Now, I know there are some heroic moms out there that still have no dishwasher, line dry their clothing and grind their own wheat for homemade bread. These women, in my opinion, are rock stars. I, however, am not. I like being able to put dirty things in a metal box, wait an hour, and have them come out clean and fresh. Call me pampered. Actually, call me tired. Dirty dishes and cups procreate faster than rabbits in my house.

This week, our dishwasher died. It’s no wonder; the nice man who delivered the new one said, “Lady, I’ve never even SEEN a model this old!” I was hoping he wasn’t talking about my pregnant body. Turns out, our dishwasher was almost as old as I am. No wonder the ol’ gal gave up the ghost. After washing the millionth juice cup and cereal bowl, I’d call it a day as well.

But, worse than having a dead dishwasher, was the task of purchasing a NEW one. I first made the grave mistake of suggesting we go shopping for one as a family. Two of my kids were using the aisles as a ‘Heely’ skate park, my daughter kept asking me how to pronounce words in her My Little Pony book and my other son needed to go to the bathroom. Needless to say, the outing lasted exactly seven minutes when my husband asked, “Whose crazy idea was this anyway?”

So, the next trip, I went solo (after losing ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ to my husband). My next mistake was asking the nice salesperson to explain the various features of the 382,000 display models in front of me. We are apparently a country that really, really likes to wash dishes!

Here’s what I needed:
A dishwasher.
One that cleans dishes.
And lasts a long, long time without ever breaking.
And costs less than an automobile.

Apparently, this is a tall order.

But, I did find one. It doesn’t steam, sauna or give a mani/pedi to the fine china, but it does the job of swishing hot water and soap around so that I don’t have to. Called Travis to check on the purchase and he said, “Yes. Wonderful. Get it. Now come home; the kids are going nuts.”

Handy husband that he is, he removed the old washer and installed the new one. Works like a charm. Now I’m praying that the 40-year-old washing machine and refrigerator like their job security well enough to forego retirement for several more years.

What’s happening to baby this week?
*Baby now weighs approximately four pounds.
*The baby has predictable wake/sleep cycles now. This is guaranteed to change once baby is born.
*YOUR wake/sleep cycles may be anything but predictable. Sleeping may be difficult and uncomfortable and you may have to use the bathroom many times during the night.

What’s happening with ME this week?
*Even though I’ve had four babies, I’m having crazy, disturbing dreams about the health and safety of this baby (very normal I’m told).
*Naps are my friend.
*I’m getting weary of taking my prenatals…but I’m taking them nonetheless.

You won’t sacrifice any luxuries during your Community hospital stay. Click here to view pictures and learn more about our maternity suites.

Let’s hear from you!
What is your ‘luxury item’ you couldn’t live without during pregnancy?

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”   –Martin Buber

Traveling while pregnant can be quite the undertaking. Not nearly as difficult as traveling with a baby, or, say, with four screaming kids in the back seat for that matter, but pregnant travel does pose its challenges.

There’s the lack of comfort: Where to put your swollen feet up? How to ride so that the seatbelt is securely under your belly but not making an incision across your midsection? Where’s the next rest stop? How much longer?

And there’s the food issue: Are you hungry? I’m hungry! What do you mean we just ate 45 minutes ago? I’m starving! No, I don’t want a piece of gum…I want a whole rotisserie chicken and a milkshake! Isn’t there a Cracker Barrel somewhere near here?

In a way, a physical journey mimics the nine-month journey. There are sudden weather delays, last minute changes, the possible flat tire or mechanical trouble, and routine stops for food and fuel. Some peoples’ travels are smooth and uneventful, while others encounter freak storms, colossal rerouting and completely different itineraries than they anticipated.

But, unlike the common phrase, “It’s all about the journey…,” the real goal during pregnancy is the destination: a healthy, beautiful new life at the end of the trip.

Which, of course, is truly only just the beginning of the real journey…

What’s happening to baby this week? 
*Baby now weighs approximately three-and-a-half pounds.
*Making room: Because the baby is growing so fast, your body has reduced the amount of amniotic fluid; half of what it was a month ago.
*Baby’s lungs are maturing rapidly as well; baby is rehearsing at intervals by breathing in amniotic fluid and expelling it.

What’s happening with ME this week?
*I have learned to pack lots and lots of good snacks when traveling: inevitably I will need to eat four small meals for every one meal needed by my traveling companions.
*I take advantage of every rest stop opportunity while traveling. And stay hydrated in between stops.
*Okay…I confess…this week I’ve been pretty crabby. Traveling has worn me out.

Ready for your baby’s first trip? Visit our car seat safety page to get started.

Let’s hear from you!
What are your best ‘traveling while pregnant’ tips?