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January 26, 2004
January 26, 2004
34 weeks w/#1
First things first: my midwife appointment last week went rather well. I am measuring on target, but I didn't catch the exact number. Blood pressure was fine, 120 over 80 maybe? Urine was fine. Baby is STILL head down low, spine up my right side, butt up high and often poking up at my from the top of my belly (a prenatal form of mooning his mother??). There was some talk of my iron levels being on the low end of normal a few months ago, so they want to check them again next week so be sure they are up. Apparently this is something they want to be rather high for a homebirth. So I am trying to eat more iron-rich foods these days. They also said we'd talk about the Group B Strep issue at the next appointment. I wonder if they will do a swab, or send me home with one, or what?
Hospital tour
Despite the fact that we are planning a homebirth, we decided to do the hospital tour. I guess you never know what will happen, and if we do end up there, I'd like to be somewhat familiar with the place. I suppose that, as far as labour and delivery wards go, this is a nice one. It is newly renovated and has all the bells and whistles. There are several rooms with jacuzzi tubs, and women who are planning natural deliveries tend to get priority over those rooms, which makes sense! But despite the warm paint colours and faux-wood cabinetry in the rooms, it was of course all still very medical-looking and high tech. Almost intimidating. They do practice what they call "family-centred care," where the father is always welcome to sleep over (in private rooms anyway), the baby rooms in with mother always, etc etc. But it still struck me as rather cold, impersonal and somewhat frightening. It made me more attached to the whole homebirth idea. It is nice to know that the hospital is so close and so prepared for any situation, but I know now that I will feel much more secure and snug in my own home.
One tidbit that I did learn from the woman doing the tour was that the hospital has only a 30% circumcision rate. She said other hospitals in other areas of the city are higher, but none higher than about 50% anymore. We have decided not to circumcize no matter what, but it's still nice to know that most parents are going the same route.
Work shower
The girls from work are throwing me a shower on February 5th. One of my coworkers is also pregnant, due in May, so it will be a joint shower for both of us. So I'm looking forward to that. I know I can likely expect one large useful gift, so I am dropping hints at every opportunity! And if there are smaller gifts, I know they will be beautiful too - these women are paid to have fabulous taste! Also, my boss brought in a bunch of clothes for me. Her two daughters are aged 2 and 5, so she is done with them. She actually went through everything she had and picked out stuff that would work for a boy. So now I have denim overalls in three different sizes, jeans, red corduroy overalls, some onesies and other little outfits, socks, a grey zip-up hoodie sweatshirt, a grey Old Navy logo T-shirt, etc etc. Everything is Gap, Old Navy or Osh Kosh, so of good quality and great style!
Other preparations
Last weekend we went shopping at Sears. We had to choose a new stroller/car seat/travel system, as the Evenflo one we were registered for had been recalled or discontinued. So off we went. I exchanged a 5-pack of toddler-size all-in-one diapers for the 10 to 22 pound size, so now we have 15 AIO dipes. I still need to round out our collection with at least 10 more diapers, but I think I'll get a different kind - likely fitteds and some covers. We also bought a few more odds and ends like onesies, a nasal aspirator, etc. We found a new travel system as well, and the ILs have since bought it for us. It should arrive this weekend. It's some sort of Graco system (the Cirrus I think) and we liked the way it worked. And I liked the colour it came in! :) My dad is coming to town for some meetings later this week, and we will be heading back to Sears and getting the crib and mattress. Let's hear it for grandparents!
Maternity clothes
I am so sick of the small collection of maternity clothes I own, plus I have outgirthed at least one pair of pants. So this weekend we shopped one last time. I bought a pair of black dress pants with a low-rise waist that are supposed to be good for after the birth as well. I also got two plain, V-neck wool sweaters, one pale blue and the other grey. So these things, mixed with the other stuff I have, should see me through to the end just fine.
Work winding down
There is still one more issue of the magazine to be completed while I am still working. We work in cycles according to each issue, and we have just finished one and are just starting another. So when this next one is finished, so am I. Make sense?? Anyway, my last day of work is February 27th - only one month away! One of my tasks for this week is to draw up a "how-to-do-Jen's-job" description, detailing step-by-step how to do each thing I handle. A rather daunting task that I am procrastinating on! I also have some writing due this week, and I'm taking Friday off, so I should make myself busy and get down to it!
Birth supplies
Well, I think I mentioned in my last entry that I had the birth supply list from the midwives. Well, I lost it sometime over the last two weeks and now I can't find it anywhere! So I'll have to get another copy from them at my next appointment. This drives me nuts, as I NEVER lose things, and there are only so many places the list could be. We had grand plans to start assembling things this weekend, but when we couldn't find the list, that plan went out the window. But a few things I remember off the list, we already have: a hot-water bottle, plastic sheeting (leftover vapour barrier from some recent renos), a crockpot.... We've asked both my mother and Chris's mother to set aside any old sheets and towels they might like to donate to the cause. So we should have all that stuff soon. In my next entry, I'll type out the list in case anyone is curious about what we need for a homebirth. I'd like to get a tub, so I have been doing some tentative on-line research. The general consensus is that Canadian Tire has great kiddie pools that work just fine. However, since it's not exactly pool season, we might have to search a few locations before we find one that's suitable. I'll need a fairly small one, as our house is tiny and the most likely spot for the tub is rather small. Chris is concerned about the floor not holding up to the weight of the water, but Amy F made a good point: if it can hold an old cast-iron clawfoot tub full of water (which we used to have), it can likely hold a small, weightless kiddie pool full of water. I was searching CT's online store, and they had a pretty good selection of sizes and styles, and most of them were apparently in stock at our nearest store (but likely in the back storeroom?). One of the smaller options was an adorable pink Barbie pool. I sent Chris the link and he said he wasn't sure he wanted his son born in a Barbie pool! But I think I'd love to labour in a pink, girlie pool myself. So we'll see what we end up with!
OK, I'm really rambling with this entry, so I'll end it here with a few questions for you all.
***TALK TO ME***
Anyone ever had to deal with low iron/hemoglobin levels? How was it handled?
Group B Strep - give me the straight goods on this one. I know the risks, but not how it would be treated by my midwives yet. Does testing positive for GBS negate a homebirth in Ontario?
Husbands at birth: How did yours do? Was he wonderful and helpful, a perfect rock? Or did he totally fall apart? I want to hear it all!
Motherease one-size terry fitted diapers: these seem like the most likely thing I'd buy at this point. I tried them in my local store and it's really neat the way they fold and snap into different sizes. Anyone used them? Comments?
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