The “Large” Cantaloupe

Seriously… what is reassuring about telling a pregnant lady “your baby is the size of a LARGE cantaloupe”?  Yes, I added the emphasis, but still…

So I’m 4 weeks and 2 days away from my due date.  And remember, we want her to come early so if I have my way and have her on August 10^th I’m only 3 weeks away!

There has been a lot of conversation in my life lately about maternity leave and delivery.  What am I doing different?  That’s the real question people want answered.  So that’s what I’m answering for you.

1.       I’m taking 2 weeks off of work before my due date.  The standard (with no problems) is 1 month prior.  But I don’t have anything to “prep” for the baby and I enjoy my job so why not work as long as I can?  The only reason I’m taking 2 weeks and not less is because the girls came early and I really don’t want to go into labor AT work – that just makes things more complicated.  Who would drive me to the hospital? What if my water broke and I’m leaking fluid all over their car?  How will my car get from work back home?

2.       Justin will not be there.  It’s not his baby after all.  And it’s much easier for him to take care of our kids than to try and find a babysitter (or pay one for that matter…3 kids are costly especially for an event that could last 8+ hours).  My daddy (who has, like Justin, been at all of my deliveries) will be my “support” person.  Justin’s only job this time around is to get me to the hospital if he’s around – if not I have people in place to come and take me.  I’m sure he’d much rather be at the hospital than home alone with the kids for 2-3 days, but he’s a rock star that has agreed being home with the kids is probably best.

3.       The baby will not be with me in the hospital.  The IP (Intended Parents) will be in the delivery room.  As soon as AnnAnn pops out she will be handed directly to them (unless there are problems that need to be addressed first).  So my only glimpse of the kid in that moment will be to watch the IP walk out of the room with their baby.  HOW AWESOME! I get to see that! I get to be part of that! AND I get to sleep without a baby crying all night.  I think this is a win-win.

4.       I will not breastfeed the baby.  Despite the translators constant mis-translation of “pumping” to “breastfeeding” the baby will not be attached to my body.  She WILL get milk from me assuming the pumping is successful, but that’s it.  I have offered to let her latch on in the hospital if they wanted her to get more of the colostrum (I’ve heard that is painful to pump). 

 

5.       My family will see the baby once.  At some point during the hospital stay – Justin and the kids will come to the hospital to see the baby.  The IP will bring her to our room (or we’ll go to their room) and spend 15-20 minutes with ALL of them.

So there you have it.  That is what will be “different” about this delivery/after delivery.  Let me know if I missed something you wanted to know more about.