36 Weeks (or, what’s a crenshaw melon?)
Today marks the 36-week milestone (when you’re pregnant, each new week is a reason to celebrate!). One week from today, baby Christian will officially be full-term. I’m so excited for him to reach that point. I could only give birth to a preemie for one more week!
Baby Center tries to relate your baby’s size to you by comparing it to a food, usually a fruit or veggie. This made sense in the beginning – oh, the baby’s the size of a poppyseed. And it makes sense when it’s one you recognize, like a lime (12 weeks), an apple (15 weeks), a bell pepper (18 weeks), or a pineapple (33 weeks). But it’s kind of silly sometimes, like, “Oh, my baby’s a rutabaga this week” (25 weeks), or a Chinese cabbage (28 weeks), or this week, a crenshaw melon. Who knows what a crenshaw melon is like? I’ll just take the stat that he’s almost 6 pounds now.
I’m now in a weird in-between stage. My last day of work was Thursday. I was not sorry to retire from my daycare career, although it’s been easy the past few months because I’ve just been doing lunch breaks. I couldn’t work anymore because I was about to reach my one-year deadline, and I would have legally had to take classes and training to continue working there. That wasn’t worth the time or money when I would only be working for a few more weeks.
So now I am a full-time stay-at-home… mom? Well, yes, but my baby’s pretty easy to take care of at the moment. It’s gotten lonely and depressing sometimes over the past few months being home alone so much, but right now I don’t feel that way. I have the gift of a few free weeks before this huge change takes place, and I have a big list of things to accomplish. So far (as of this morning), I’m enjoying the challenge of getting things done before he gets here, and I’m also enjoying a chance to rest. Pregnancy symptoms are much easier to handle this way. I feel very blessed.
I also want to mentally prepare myself for a long wait before he gets here. It’s so easy in these last few weeks to get eager, but the truth is, he probably won’t arrive for at least four more weeks, especially because he’s my first. I don’t want to expect him sooner than that.
I’m about to make my packing list for the hospital. I’m not really going to pack much ahead of time, because most of it will be things I use now – i.e. my toothbrush – but I want to have a list so I don’t have to worry about forgetting anything when it’s actually time. Any recommendations on what to bring?
Happy first Monday of 2010!
You don’t need much to pack for the hospital. 1-2 changes of clothes for baby, toiletries for yourself, and a camera. That’s really all you need. The hospital provides diapers, blankets, etc. The clothes I wore to the hospital in labor I wore home from the hospital in. Go ahead and install the baby carseat in the car and you are set! So excited for ya’ll and can’t wait to see pictures of Christian!!!
Ohhh, I remember that stay at home pregnant woman stage! Only, mine started when I was 8 weeks pregnant! I had miscarried before, and wasn’t willing to take any chances. So, my hubby decided I should just be at home. It was a long, quiet, heart-searching few months before I found my contentment in the adjustment. I’d always wanted to stay at home, but when you’ve held a job since the ripe age of 16, it takes some getting used to. Rest, rest, rest. Enjoy the quiet moments, enjoy the time with just you and your hubby, your world is about to change. I really, really, good change, but a change none the less.
As for packing. I packed everything under the sun because I went in for an induction the night before, and even though I was in the hospital for FOUR days (boo, sob, wah) with a vaginal birth no less! I still didn’t use half of what I brought. I had intentions of doing my hair and make up, and yadda yadda. Didn’t happen. Things I did enjoy were…clean socks, my own shampoo, a washcloth from home and my own pillow. I packed a comfy set of clothes for the ride home (take something that you could fit in at 4-5 months pregnant) and the babies going home outfit. Some hospitals won’t let you dress the baby in anything from home (with the exception of hat and booties) and some will let them where whatever you bring throughout their entire stay…Of course, don’t forget the camera and batteries/charger. I brought magazines to read during my pain free labor (oh yeah, I didn’t have one of those…) but instead watched the Food Network while in labor. True story.
Think less about what you will bring, and more along the lines of what you’ll use to take everything home in.
Because, you’ll be taking home more than your sweet babe! 
I’d ditto everything LeAnna said (that girl always knows what to say!).
With our first, we packed a full duffel bag, simply because all the books said to. We used… basically none of it. Of course we needed our camera, the toothbrushes, the “home from the hospital” outfit, onesies, but all the other things weren’t really necessary. The hospital provided the diapers, blankets, etc.
I don’t know how many family members and such you have nearby or how close you are to the hospital, but with us, any last minute things we realized we wanted (magazines, deodorant, granola bars), we just had someone grab from the house.
It’s getting so close! And I have no idea what a cranshaw melon is either . . . enjoy the quiet before the baby arrives! I bet it’s hard to be patient sometimes though!
Take your husband along…
Enjoy these remaining weeks, before the baby arrives. Not working outside the home will give you time to prepare things and rest before the big day. I had planned to do that with my first baby ( a daughter, now almost 20 years old!!) and I quit my job 4 weeks before her expected arrival. But she unexpectedly arrived 3 weeks early, and took us by surprise, and there was so much I hadn’t gotten done yet!! But everything worked out fine, despite her early arrival.
This will be such a wonderful (and exhausting!!) time for you and your husband when you bring your first child home. There is nothing else like it.
So excited for you! What a wonderful time! May the Lord continue to give you peace and comfort in heart and body as you await the little one’s arrival!
I agree with your dad
. (And, AJ may want to pack snacks, book, etc., for himself, too.)
That is funny about the Crenshaw Melon. Nope, never heard about it, although the picture is a little familiar — maybe. Anyway, enjoy this time!
Anna, I just prayed for you, your husband, and your precious baby boy! May your labor and delivery go smoothly and be a precious time of trusting your Heavenly Father; drawing closer to Him and to your sweetheart as you watch God bring your son into the world. I can honestly say that with all three of our children, I look back with joy at the beautiful memory of my time in labor with them and then when they came into this world. Priceless miracles!!! Hugs to you dear mommy and I look forward to reading your news!
~ Sheri
I loved all of these comments! Thanks, everyone.