I'm not sure just how much one can plan for birth, but we're at the place where we need to come up with one. I'm getting unbearably slow and lethargic, exasperated by a slight head cold that has me a little congested and constantly battling cotton-mouth. My girlfriend Teresa, who's set to have her planned C-section with boy #2 on June 4th, is also suffering from a slight cold. We jointly marvel at just how much a little ailment slows a pregnant lady down. It just zaps all our energy and leaves us with little to no patience for slow husbands or children.
And even though I've given birth before, there are some things still new to me this time. Take for example all the controversy over plastic these days. I sold my old Avent bottles and will use instead glass bottles. I found from the "new moms" out there, this website that sells tested BPA, PVC and Phthalate-free products. Even the pacifiers are different now. Labor will be another new thing for me. Last time, Bettina got me out of it by being transverse in the womb. Now I have something new to experience - a different kind of delivery and pain. And, there's the "what to do with the existing kids" factor. How DO you plan to go to the hospital when there are others to consider?
The pregnancy books tell us that this is the week we should have our bags packed for the hospital. I'm supposed to review our plan on who to call and where to meet. This book assumes I have no other children for whom to plan, or multiple sets of car seats, etc. And, if the City weren't so full of working moms, I might have more options. However, I've noticed that most City moms don't have time or the inclination to make friends with the stay-at-home types, so neighborhood moms I can rely on are very few -- cut that to zero. So, I have absolutely no plan on who to call or what to do when "the time" comes. Does Paul come to pick me up or to go home watch the kids while we figure something out?
On the "just in case" route, I've interviewed a babysitter that I can rely on when family isn't able to help. Most family work during the work day/week and there are times I will desperately need the extra help - mostly during our hospital stay and the few months following, but I want the girls to be familiar and comfortable with her in advance, so tomorrow is our dry run. We'll go to the park and then I'll disappear to my OB appointment while they continue to play. She's a student at a local college and comes with great twin experience, although that is increasingly unimportant now that the girls are older.
I guess I'll have to stop postponing and start at least a little bag. Probably we'll need to put a book of baby names in there, just in case, as well as a ton of lotions for the many back and foot rubs I will likely be requesting. Paul will have to step it up a notch, though, as I'm quite nervous about the whole pain toleration factor. Hopefully he won't cave under the reality of my discomfort and stare blankly at the wall, avoiding eye contact, while I search for a calm, unnerved soul to soothe me. I hope we are able to complete this VBAC as my recover from my last c-section was much longer and more painful that I expected. I hope to recover much more quickly this time. I'll find out tomorrow how things are progressing. I was 1cm dilated last week. We'll see just how different things are now. And, oh - some good news: the girls' ballet recital was pushed forward a week as the teacher will have a sub for the last class. I'm much more comfortable I'll be able to see it myself now!
