Time keeps on tickin’ tickin’…into the future
NS July 16th, 2008
Only nine and some change weeks until my due date. That means I could go into labour as soon as seven weeks. I know that in theory that’s still bags of time but I just suddenly have this slightly-panicky ‘must get everything done now’ feeling. So I’m making exhaustive lists and coming up with budgets and doing trips up to the loft and eying up all available storage space. Surprisingly, I’m not stressed about it at all though. In fact, I quite like getting everything organised and it’s nice to have something to occupy my time besides toddler-wrangling and article-writing and wishing that I owned a crane to turn me over in bed in the middle of the night.
And now that the cat’s out of the bag — that I’m having this baby at home — I can relax about it a bit more. I didn’t purposely not tell anyone, it’s just that no one really asked. The assumption that I’d go into hospital like I did last time has just hung there in the air and I did nothing to dispel it. But now that my parents know and seem relatively ‘okay’ with it (not that I need their permission or approval) and the planning stage is ramping up, I don’t care who knows. It’s not my dirty little secret, it’s my secret joy and I’m extremely excited about it. So any naysayers can check their negativity at the door ’cause nothing is going to bring me down from my homebirthin’ cloud.
Though I will say, many of the things I need to gather for the birth are proving somewhat amusing. Some of the things on my list include old shower curtains, a crock pot, a flashlight, a large resealable bag, olive oil and a bucket. It sounds more like I’m hosting one of those strange Japanese game shows where they humiliate the contestants and pour goopy stuff on them than having a baby! I can’t wait to see The Noble Husband’s face when he sees the final supplies all stacked in a corner. I have a feeling some jokes about a cave and a stick to bite on might surface.
My biggest challenge right now, however, has nothing to do with preparing for the birth, it’s trying to decide on cloth nappies. I never knew there were so many kinds, types and brands. All-in-ones, prefolds, inserts, wraps, fleece liners, disposable liners, boosters, soakers, pockets, poppers, clippers…the terminology and accessories are endless! I need to choose ones that are easy to use (so that there’s at least a glimmer of hope for getting TNH to use them), don’t leak, aren’t too bulky and are relatively inexpensive and cute. Oh, and that are quick to dry on the line. Can’t I just hire a magical nappy fairy to come make all the purchasing decisions, wipe the kid’s ass and take all of the mess away before I’ve even had a chance to sniff the air and wrinkle my nose? Because that would be fabulous.
My last inane pregnancy-related tidbit is that TNH thinks I am a bit strange for so thoroughly enjoying balancing things on my bump. Mugs of tea, books, bowls of ice cream…anything that needs to be closer to my face sits on the bump. It’s like having a built-in coffee table! One that spontaneously jumps and sometimes knocks things off of the previously level surface. It’s not perfect but it’s useful and it amuses me so that’s all that matters. It’s the little things these days.
