Monday July 6
We had a pretty productive weekend! The nursery is 95% finished. Joe painted the nursery on Saturday, and set up the crib, the change table and the 6 cube console saturday night. By Sunday morning, the room looked amazing! What's left is the wall decals and mom's handmade window coverings!
I was so tempted to post a few pictures of the nursery... but I would like to wait till it is 100% done before posting any pictures. So, for now... how the room looks will be a mystery! :-)
Tuesday July 7
We went to the prenatal information session at Civic Hospital. It was an informative session! I pre-registered a few weeks ago and got myself a semi private room! Pre-registration means all my personal information and insurance info has been entered in the system. When it is "time", I simply need to go straight to L&D floor (4th floor) without stopping at the admitting department and fill out a bunch of forms. Imagine, a laboured woman in pain, with water gushing out and fill out tons of forms -- definitely not a pleasant scene!
The nurse who lead the info session went through the items to be brought to the hospital. I got the list all done up and I will start packing my hosptial bag (well more of a mini suitcase) this weekend! While I am typing this... I have just realized that I also need to put together a simple (no longer than two pages per the hospital) birth plan. Hmmm... I need to give some thoughts in this. But I am sure it will be a simple one! EPIDURAL, LOTS OF EPIDURALS and KEEP THEM COMING! :-)
On our way home, Joe and I talked about visitors at the hospital. Although it is a nice gesture that relatives and friends might want to drop by and say their first hello to Baby Bethany, we are only limiting visitations at the hospital to immediate family members (i.e. my mom and Joe) and close friends (i.e. baby's godparents). As for visits at home, I do not think I will be up for entertaining any guests for the first few months. My mom will be staying with us to help me for the first two months. My dad will be flying in from Vancouver once the baby is born, and my sister will probably be coming in the fall. I imagine our house will be pretty packed from late August till late October. So for now, we have decided that visits are fine (as everyone is so eager to meet the newest family member) but visits should not be longer than an hour (as both mom and baby need their beauty sleep!), and we will not entertain the idea of having any overnight guests for the first few months. Being first time parents, the first few months will just be our family bonding time! (family means the baby, Joe and myself!)
Wednesday July 8
Pre-natal appointment. The baby is head down (which is good!) and her heart rate is 130. My blood pressure is 110/60, which is perfect. When I causally mentioned a lingering headache to my doctor, I saw a slight alarming look on her face. She then asked me a few questions about this headache.
Doctor: How long has this headache been going on?
Me: Hmm, two weeks.
Doctor: Do you have it everyday?
Me: Hmm, pretty much!
Doctor: Are you taking any pain medication?
Me: No. I want to fight it off without any medication.
Doctor: Do you feel dizzy or nauseous when you have the headache?
Me: Sometimes... but I thought it is normal no?
Doctor: Ok, let's check your BP. (30 seconds later) your BP is fine 110/60. Are you still working?
Me: Yes, I am on reduced work-hour schedule, 5 hours per day until I go on maternity leave.
Doctor: Do you think you can stop working completely now?
Me: (Speechless then extremely shocked!) WHAT????? and WHY???????
Doctor: I am concerned about your headache and I can't explain why you have the headache. I am afraid that this headache will elevate your BP and since you are so far along in this pregnancy, it can be dangerous. Is work stressing you out?
Me: (Almost had tears in my eyes) Well, though I am working 5 hours per day, but all I have been doing is cramping a 9-hr work day into a 5-hr work day. Last monday, I had one staff on vacation, and the other one did not show up at work. I managed to cover the work for this staff and then complete all my usual my tasks in 5 hours. It was hard, and half way through, I had really bad chest pain and I thought I was going to have a heart attack.
Doctor: Ok you need to stop work NOW and take it easy.
Me: No! My mom is not coming till Aug 5 and what am I supposed to do at home from now till she comes? How about I take a week vacation starting next monday and see if the headahce goes away by the end of next week?
Doctor: (long sigh) Ok, we will give this a try! But you are coming back to see me on July 20 and if you still have your headache by then, I am pulling your off work. Gosh, you like to bargin!
When I walked out of the doctor's office with a note in my hand, I was scared. Absolutely terrified! I thought my pregnancy had been very smooth other than the little episode in late February (Due to Joe's family drama, I thought I had a miscarriage at that time and I was scared to death.) I only have less than 7 weeks to go. I thought having headaches are normal and it will soon go away. When I went back to the office, I told Joe the conversation I had with the doctor. He was concerned as well. So, I am off next week (vacation? well I won't say it is vacation!), just to take it easy, lots of bed rest, and absolutely no running errands (strict doctor's order!). I guess I will finish the baby blanket, read a few books and update my blog more often, and of course, bake some cupcakes! :-)
Thursday July 9
Woke up this morning still with a headache, but not as bad as yesterday! Ok, I was pretty stressed out yesterday and I guess that's why the headache was still here when I woke up.
I did manage to get a good night sleep though. It is getting very uncomfortable to sleep at night. The swelling fingers in the middle of the nights does not really help much. I know this sounds strange. I could feel the joints in the fingers pulling tight after dinner every night, but the pain does not hit till the middle of the night. Often times, when I wake up in the morning, the swelling is gone and the pain is gone too! One of these nights, I will take a picture of my swollen fingers (of course, only if I can hold onto the camera with my sausage fingers!) and post a picture on my blog just to prove a point!
Joe and I have been looking for a contractor to build the deck for us. Joe's dad originally planned to come for a week in mid July to help us with the deck and fix the hair-line crack in the foundation on the side of the house. We found out two weeks ago (Joe called his dad about permit application and his dad told him then that he decided not to come. We were glad that we had not bought all the wood yet or it would have been funny as we can't return the wood to Home Depot!). We have always wanted a deck and now is the perfect time to have the deck built before the baby arrives. We do not want any construction in the house or in the backyard after the baby arrives (with the noise and the dust, just not an ideal living condition for a baby!). I have been reasearching for contractors in our area to see if we can get someone to build the deck for us. I found one last night and Joe put a call to him tonight just before dinner to find out how much he would charge for his labour. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will have the deck as planned, before the baby arrives in late August.
Belly Picture Week 33
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| From Drop Box |
Friday July 10
Last day of work before my one week so called "vactation". Woke up this morning with a mild headache. Went straight home (without running any errands after work). Ended up watching one episode of The O.C. and then napping on the couch with little pooch Bee Bee for 2.5 hours. Lately, I have noticed that I sleep better on the couch in the afternoon than in my our big comfry bed at night.
Joe and I went out for dinner tonight. We ventured out to Indian food. We went to Little India Cafe on Carling Ave. www.littleindiacafe.com The restaurant is small but the food was great.
Saturday July 11
I hate rainy saturdays! Today was one of those days that I hate soooo much! It rained almost all days. By raining, I meant down-pouring! Joe and stayed in for most part of the day. In the afternoon, we went to Canadian Tire to pick out paint color for the guest bedroom. Mom is coming in less than a month and we want to give the guest bedroom a fresh coat of paint! After that, we went to Thyme Maternity to pick up a few nursing tops so that I could finish packing my hospital bag.
So I have put together my checklist for the hospital bag:
For me (a.k.a. Mom)
Nursing bra
Nipple cream
Breast pads
Nursing pillow
Sanitary pads
Non slip socks (I guess my feet will get cold when I am in active labour?)
Lip balm
Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, body lotion, hand cream, shower cap, shampoo & conditioner)
Kleenex
Underwear
Non slip slipper (I am packing my Crocs for sure!)
PJ
Clothes to wear home
Comfry pillow (but not in a white pillowcase)
Books / Magzines to read
MP3 player
DVD player
Snacks and drinks
Rolling pin for pain relief during labour (when I told Joe about this, he shook his head and laughed!)
For baby
baby's going home outfit (matching hat, socks and mittens)
receiving blanket
soother (I am not planning to use the soother until breastfeeing routine is established. )
infant carseat
diaper (hospital will provide diapers during the stay at the hospital)
For Dad
Snack
Pillow / Sleeping bag (if Joe is staying overnight at the hosptial... well he'd better not leave me alone with the baby the first night!)
Change of clothes
Toiletries
Books / Magazine / I-pod etc
Contact List (who to call after the baby is born!)
Ok, the checklist of the hospital bag is done. Next I will need to put all these items in my bag (or a mini suitcase). Next task on the to-do list, finalize the baby's gift registry as the baby shower is only two weeks away!
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| From Drop Box |
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| From Drop Box |
Sunday July 12
Joe and I went to church this morning. After church, we had brunch @ Denny's. Afer that, we went to Babies'R'Us to update the Baby Registry. So now the registry is all updated and accurate. With the baby shower being only two weeks away, I was so relieved when it was done!
This afternoon we are going to OPP Kanata for carseat inspection provided by www.seatsforkidscanada.com. Joe installed the carseat last night and we got Mr. Teddy Bear (a teddy bear I have had since 2001 and for some mysterious reasons, Mr. Teddy Bear and Joe do not really get along and I always suspect that Joe has some sort of hatred feelings towards Mr. Teddy Bear!) strapped down to the carseat to get ourselves familarized with all those 5 point harness seatbelt system!
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