This is my first pregnancy and I am 2 weeks away from my due date. I have been wondering if there's things I should do to prepare for the big day! Can anyone help me out on what to prepare for? Thanks in advance!
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This is my first pregnancy and I am 2 weeks away from my due date. I have been wondering if there's things I should do to prepare for the big day! Can anyone help me out on what to prepare for? Thanks in advance!
What sort of things? Hospital/labour bags, meals for the freezer (the saviour of many time-poor new mums LOL) things around the home? The birth itself?
Organise some healthy snacks like dried fruits, nuts to take with you in your labour bag, and some electrolyte drinks for energy - it's hard work after all!
Some massage oils like a carrier oil (sweet almond is a good one) and some essential oils - lavender for calming and clary sage to help strengthen contractions.
An electric oild burner is a good one as some hopsitals don't allow you to burn oils in a conventional burner with a tea light candle due to the fire hazard and some music whatever you like maybe something soothing or something energising whatever takes your fancy.
Prepare your birth plan and go through it with your partner so you both know what you want during the labour and delivery.
Some nice new toiletries are good for after the birth to make you feel nice and getting a leg/bikini wax and a pedicure is a lovely way to pamper yourself before the big day.
Some lip balm and nipple cream is good just in case.
A good book to read to prepare for a natural active birth is "New Active Birth" by Janet Balaskas, a bit of last minute research never hurt anyone!
Wash all the baby clothes and bed linen with a mild soap and set up where your bub is going to sleep and get the care seat fitted just in case of an ealy arrival.
Make sure the camera and video camera batteries are charged and have them handy so you don't forget them.
Make a list of telephone numbers for your partner to call to announce the arrival of your bub.
I hope that's all, I'll add to this if I think of something else.
Good luck with everything - it's so exciting I bet you can't wait.
I haven't actually made it to the delivery myself yet either, but everyone keeps telling me to sleep as much as I can!
Rest! You don't have to rest all day long but enough to make you feel not so tired! Labour takes A LOT out of you so you need all the energy you have. :)
Take some time out for yourself like getting your hair done, a manicure etc if you are into that type of thing because you won't get a lot of time to yourself once bubs comes! Like the other girls have said... just make sure your bag is packed, bubs room is ready, some meals in the freezer, a full cupboard so you can come home to food. (If you are planning on breastfeeding it can make you quite hungry so some snacky things might be good to have on hand so you can munch away while feeding bubs).
Definitely what everyone else says and number 1 is rest! This will be the last time you can ever do it on your own because you will always have this little one for any more children you may have. Everyone spent my first pregnancy telling me all these horror labour stories when I wish they had told me about the sleepless nights and sheer tiredness you will feel once your bundle of joy arrives.
So rest, rest and more rest.
Good luck!
Sleep IN!!!!! Stay in bed reading till noon!!!!!! I miss that the most :lol:
I just came back from my doctor's appointment. I am only 1cm dilated and my doctor is hoping that my baby decides to show up before my due date because my daughter is considered a big baby for someone my size. I have packed my bag with most of everyone mentioned. My parents have been quite some help because they've been preparing my meals everyday so I don't have to spend time cooking. After birth, they will continue to do so... Thanks to them, I don't have to cook meals prior to my baby's arrival!
As for the rest, I've been trying to catch up on that. I wake up every night at 3am to go to the loo... No matter how much I cut down on fluids at night, it seems like there's always something in my bladder. I guess this will not go away until my DD decides to show up! LOL
When my doctor was feeling my cervix today, I was tense and was thinking about the labour pain. I haven't felt any BH or contractions yet, but right now, I am getting scared of the labour pain to come. Is there anything I can do to prepare myself for the big day in terms of faster delivery? I am crossing my fingers not to have an emergency c-section, but my doctor did mention to me there is a possibility of it due to my size and my "big" baby!
Thank you for reading... sorry for writing so much... I just have endless questions!
Here is a link to the Articles section on Birth https://www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/
There are quite a few in there that will give you more info on how to deal with pain etc. The biggest thing though for a 'quicker' labour is to do it as drug free as possible. I ended up having an epidural and it resulted in my labour being a lot longer and more complicated.
Good luck with everything :)
Carmen, first of all get the idea out of your head that you are having a "bug baby". This will only add to your fears and anxiety. Have you been drinking Raspberry Leaf Tea ? Or using Evening Primrose Oil ? The RLT will help to tone your uterus to make you have more effective contractions when labour day comes. The EPO will help to soften your cervix and get it ready for labour. You can take it both orally and insert it into your vagina. It contains prostoglandins (the same hormone that is in sperm) and can really help out your cervix. Many OB's won't have heard of it though. Alot of midwives are only just coming around to it now, and some have known of it for years.
You are only 38 weeks preg so I don't know why your OB is doing an internal on you. And given that this is your first baby I wouldn't expect you to be dilated just yet so 1cm is a bonus.
Perhaps you could also try some acupuncture to help get your body prepared for labour, not to actually induce it just yet though. And remember most first bubs come late hun.
Goodluck and I look forward to seeing your birth announcement soon :D
Trish, thank you for your advice. I have read many articles about raspberry leaf tea, but as I am located in Canada, I have been through many stores and they don't carry them here. Seems like it's not a trend.
:( My doctor seems to really hope that my DD will arrive soon because she's worried that I will end up having an emergency c-section which is why she did an internal to me. She thinks that my body might have difficulty giving birth to a big baby... The last couple visits, all I get from her is "Wow, you should start only eating cucumber because your baby is really growing inside..." We all know that a pregnant woman can't just live on cucumber... otherwise, I'll probably end up malnutrition. I have cut down on a lot of sugary fruits and have been eating minimal amount of protein, 3-4 servings of non-fat diary products, and lots of salads. Even with that, I still get from my doctor "too big of a baby."
So, here I am trying to seek for advices on how to get ready for the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy... Not an easy thing to do.
One thing she did suggest me doing right now is to have lots of sex with DH... but the baby's head is putting a lot of pressure on my pelvis and I just don't seem to have the call for it!
Hopefully, DD decides to show up soon so I don't have to worry!
Hun, just something for you. My SIL is 4'9, so very short and not a big girl. She weas advised that her bub was going to be big, and the Dr even told her that he recommended a c section. She birthed her baby, with only gas for the last 30 mintues to stop her from pushing. He was 4.04kgs so just under 9 pound. A positive frame of mind is the best thing you can take in and prepare with :hug:
To add to what Trish is saying, I was told when I had a very late scan that I was having a big baby with a head "much bigger than normal". I was more than a bit worried how I would get through labour after hearing this. My DD was born 5 days late, 3.5kgs, head circumference of 35.5cm and length of 50cm - in other words spot on what is considered normal weight, length and h/c.
DO NOT worry about them telling you that you have a big baby. Sure, sometimes they'll be right but I have heard of so many stories where women are unnecessarily worried by comments like this that just simply aren't true. Your body is designed to birth babies - you'll be absolutely fine.
Trish & LuluHB, thank you so much for those comforting and encouraging words. I will remember your stories as soon as my mind wonders off in worries. You are both right, there's absolutely no reason to why I should be putting myself through this right now. Many women have been told one thing but they have had successful birth stories. So, from now on, I will think positive and put off what my doctor says about my baby's size... At least, it will give me a peace of mind for the rest of my 2 weeks or so! Thank God for you girls!
Carmen :hug: for you huni. You will do just fine. You wait and see. Have faith in yourself and your body to birth this baby.