Pregnancy at 34 Weeks

34 Weeks is kind of a big deal around here.  It's a milestone in preemie land.  I can give birth in a more local hospital, plus my midwife has hospital privileges.  Babies born after 34 weeks typically do very well.  They may need some help breathing and eating, and a short hospital stay will be required, but nothing that I can't handle.  Although I would like to avoid it if possible.

I've thought I was in labour many times since 26 weeks.  Partially because Parker was a preemie, partially because I've just been feeling so lousy.  And so I still feel like this baby will be early.  But maybe that's just because I really can't imagine feeling like this for another 6 weeks.

I have mixed emotions, I so badly want to meet this baby and give it a name.  And yet I'm terrified to have a newborn.  I'm looking forward to a four month old, but not so much the whole newborn thing.  It's a lot of work!  But apparently, they come out as newborns, not as four month olds, so what can you do.

• Braxton hicks have gotten pretty intense.  I get them whenever I stand up and do anything
• Bought the baby a baby book, which is my last baby necessity.  I just need to buy some size 1 diapers so that I'm prepared if I happen to have a baby too big for all these newborn diapers that I have
•  I'm back at work this week.  Making it to 34 weeks makes a huge difference I think.  We were really trying to prevent going into labour before that.  Now that I've made it, I still want to keep this baby in, but it's more an "am I actually in labour?" than an "oh crap, if this is labour it needs to stop"  Because I'm comfortable with having a baby now, if necessary
• Sleep is still very uncomfortable, the other night Parker woke up at 3 and I didn't get back to sleep until 5:30, and got up for work at 6.  It was part discomfort and part just insomnia I think
• I don't think I have any stretch marks, but I seem to have a lot of visible veins in my belly so sometimes I wonder if I see a stretch mark, but it's hard to tell
• There are a few odds and ends that could get done before the baby, but if the baby came now we are ready.  We don't have the car seat installed yet or anything, but we know how to do it, and until 37 weeks I know that it's unlikely that the baby would come home with us, so we would still have time to do that and tie up other lose ends

Pregnancy at 33 Weeks

• 1 week to go until 34 weeks, which in preemie world is good.  It means I can deliver at a hospital that is 30 minutes away as opposed to an hour and 15 minutes
• Up 36 lbs total, only 2lbs from my last appointment, which is pretty good for me this time around
• I got my ultrasound results at my midwife appointment.  My cervix has shortened slightly, but isn't in extremely dangerous territory according to my midwife.  But I'm off work for a week hoping that it doesn't continue to shorten and that this baby stays inside for a bit longer.  I'm not dilated at all yet though, which is good
• My belly button is very flat, much flatter than it got last time
• Baby is still head down
• I'm feeling a bit nauseous again
• My stress level has been through the roof.  I think its a combo of work, worrying about having this baby early and of course Parker doesn't exactly help either...  And then I get more stressed about being stressed because that isn't good for the baby
• The hormone hurricane is back.  Looking back from 33 weeks last time I was going through the same thing.  I'm emotional and have all kinds of pregnancy rage going on.
• I get kind of worried about having 2 kids sometimes.  Parker is going through a challenging phase and having to split my attention while taking care of a newborn is a bit scary
• Every so often I have a reaction to my wedding rings.  Then I go and get them rhodium plated and they are fine.  So I recently did that, but they are so tight that I'm still reacting to them.  I never had to take my rings off with Parker, but this time they are off already.  

Pregnancy at 31 Weeks and 32 Weeks

I only got a bit behind again....second pregnancy problems...

31 Weeks

•  Time is flying by!  I think about how if I have a 35 week baby again, there's only 4 weeks left!  And that stresses me out a bit sometimes, but I'm also so excited
• It's weird once you have a preemie because you realize that your due date means absolutely nothing.  We have all of these Christmas parties and activities in November and right around my due date and I have no idea if I will have a 4 week old or a newborn or still be pregnant, so it's hard to make plans
• I was off this week (or last week I guess) and got Parker's room together.  Now I just have to work on the babies room and getting it reorganized.  Parker's room was my priority because I wanted him settled.  The baby stuff will come!
• Being off with Parker for a week was exhausting, especially when he decides to have some no nap days.  But it was nice to spend some extra time with him.  
•  Up 34 pounds...yikes!
• Sleep is tricky.  I'm pretty uncomfortable and am usually awake a few times a night and then realize that while I'm awake that I have to go to the bathroom

32 Weeks

• I feel like the baby is really low sometimes.  I still get kicked up high but then sometimes literally feel like the baby is going to fall out....that sounds crazy I know.  
• I had an ultrasound and the ultrasound tech told me she wanted me to wait while she called my midwife to check if I could go home.  Then she said that I could leave and my midwife would call.  I'm still waiting for that call so I don't know if anything is actually wrong or not
• This weekend is thanksgiving.  I'm sure that will help with my weight gain problem!
• Everything else is kind of the same.  Sleep is tricky, I go to the bathroom and 5 minutes later have to go again, my belly hurts...
• The countdown is really on.  This baby is "welcome" to come anytime after 34 weeks.  I would really appreciate it if it stayed in until 37 weeks, but I don't want to be picky, so my first goal is 34 weeks.

What's in My Hospital Bag

So I was completely unprepared for the hospital when I had Parker.  Because everyone goes overdue, right?  Well apparently not.  So at 3am when I was in labour I was packing a hospital bag.  It had things in it that I didn't need and it was missing things that I did need.  Luckily when you have a preemie, you have a lot of time to send people home to get things and to go home yourself to get things for the baby when needed, but I wanted to be a bit more prepared this time around.  Hence, here we are at 31 weeks with hospital bags packed!  

My Bag

Labour items

Post Partum Items

• Dressed to Deliver hospital gowns - I have 2, one for during labour, one for after labour.  But what can I say I'm lucky, you could wear the same for both if it doesn't get messy during the birth.  A nursing nightgown would also be a great thing to pack
• Magazine and a book - Cosmo is honestly the best I could find...When I was trying to pick out the magazine the ones I'm interested in are fitness magazines, which aren't super applicable when you are giving birth or magazines like Cosmo...I just want it to keep me entertained for a bit
• Robe - for walking around the hospital afterwards
• Nursing cover
• Slippers
• Deoderant
• Shampoo, conditioner, body wash
• Hair product
• A little bit of makeup
• Hair elastics
• Headband
• Nursing bra
• Nursing tank
• Yoga pants
• Underwear - no thongs here!  I have some hospital underwear and just some regular old granny panties, trust me, you will want them
• Pads - I swallowed my pride and bought bladder control pads.  They work the best in the first few days after birth and you want something that you don't have to worry about leaks in
• Phone Charger
• Camera & Video Camera
• Glasses, contacts and contact solution (I will add these last minute depending on what I'm already wearing, last time I only wore my glasses)
• Socks - a couple pairs for during labour and after
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Nursing pads
• Going home outfit 
• Nipple cream
• Lip Balm
• Midwife Binder
• Towel
• Plastic bag for soiled clothing
• Belly Bandit - My tummy went down really quickly last time and I think it was partially due to wearing this

Things I'm not bringing

• Blow dryer, straightener, curling iron - I'm somewhat lucky in that I can let my hair air dry and it's not a complete disaster, so I know that I won't take the time to do any styling
• A lot of makeup - ain't nobody got time for that
• Regular pants - you won't fit into them right after the birth
• Pump - I will hope that I don't need it, but will have it ready at home just in case.  If you have a full term baby, they typically don't recommend pumping for the first little bit until your supply is established

Ryan's Bag

Poor Ryan had no bag last time.  Luckily my parents could bring him what he needed, but this time he will be prepared!

• Pillow
• Fitted sheet
• Sleeping bag
• PJs
• Slippers
• Socks
• Boxers
• Change of clothes
• Deoderant
• Toothbrush
• Magazine
• Snacks
• Cash - for parking and food
• Phone charger

I actually packed his snacks and magazine in my bag, because I figured then we only have to worry about carrying one bag in when I'm actually in labour and those things are for that time.  The hospital I will deliver in also has a great food court, so I didn't pack a ton of snacks and drinks because he will be able to get decent food there.

Baby's Bag

• Diapers
• Wipes
• Vaseline
• A few sleepers
• Going home outfit
• Hat
• Scratch mittens
• Receiving blankets
• Heavier blanket for car seat
• Car seat
• Journal and pen
• Socks

Right now I have some preemie sleepers packed, if I make it further I will replace them with a few boy and girl newborn sleepers.

Last time the hospital provided us with things like pads, hospital underwear, diapers and wipes. 

I honestly tried to pack light, but you also don't know if you will be in the hospital for 4 hours, 1 day or if anything goes wrong, longer, so I wanted to be prepared.  I also have a list of items that aren't in the bags yet that I will keep available so that we can pack them last minute.  Things like the camera, my going home outfit, glasses and contacts and whatever book I am currently reading because it's just too early to lose access to all of those items because I will need them in the next 9 weeks!  I do have enough packed that if I forget any of them it's not the end of the world.