nesting and what’s in my hospital bag

Ok so I officially love this trimester the best.  I know that seems super weird – even my obstetrician was like “not many women would say that”. I have more energy, am sleeping better (most nights – I still have the odd night of NO sleep and sore hips but you just learn to deal with that now.  Oh and I wake up at 3am starving but that’s ok too), and I haven’t cried once in the last 2 weeks – YAY (and that is also what Chris is saying).  I also realised why I probably have more energy and am not as tired.  At my gestational diabetes test at week 27 my ob said that I had low iron.  I naturally have low iron anyway – but because I’m not eating as much red meat (I refuse to eat a steak well done) my iron has dropped even more.  Now, iron improves cognitive function – for your brain, it’s great for your muscles, boosts your immune system but also – treats fatigue.  Yup – there it is – along with growing a baby and everything – probably a reason I’d been more tired and emotional during my second trimester and why – now that I’m taking iron supplements – I have more energy and am not as tired.  It’s amazing that when our body is deficient in something the effects it can have on our daily lives.

I’m really loving working out still – only 30 minutes 4-5 times week – but it gets my body moving, releases all those amazing endorphins and will help so much during labour and post delivery.  I feel very grateful that I can still work out – I know a lot of women are too sick to train.  I would go absolutely mental if I couldn’t go so I thank my lucky stars that I’m ok.  

I’m super glad I have this energy as well – because my nesting instinct has well and truly set in.  I started panicking last week as I felt like I didn’t have nearly enough ready.   My mum and step dad came down last weekend to paint the nursery for us – so that made me feel slightly better – but I still hadn’t packed my bag, washed her clothes or put together the pram or car capsule.  I wrote lists upon lists about what need and what we need to do still.  I love a good list.  When mum was here we went out and got loads of things I needed that hadn’t got yet that I was freaking out about that no-one talks about. 

• Maternity pads (I got Toms and Cottons – I’ll let you know which I prefer)
• Nipples pads (I got New Beginnings)
• Big girl panties (full brief ones that I hope to only ever wear during this event)
• Baby panadol

They say you need at least 3 packets of maternity pads for while you’re in hospital – so considering you keep bleeding for a few weeks – I walked out with a basket full of pads.  No dignity starts now. 

One night last week I had this sudden urge that we didn’t have enough space for the baby in the house so made (well asked nicely) Chris move all the furniture around to make more room.  Yup – at 8pm on a week night.  Then yesterday we set out to cross things off – and boy it felt good.  We decided on a bath (because what a huge decision that is……not – for something that cos $15 – it took us a long time to decide), found a swing that we not only liked but that wouldn’t take up the whole living room.  We looked at what felt like 100 and went to 4 stores – before going back to Baby Bunting and getting an Ingenuity Swing n gGo. 

Chris’s main specification was that it had to swing by itself – so ticked that off.  Then headed to Chemist Warehouse to get more fun necessities:

• Baby wipes (I got Water wipes for the first few weeks while her skin is still so sensitive to the outside world)
• Benefiber – to soften my poos after baby – no one wants to push after pushing out a baby
• Hot/cold nipples pads that people have recommended.  I got Lansinoh 3 in 1 Breast Therapy  They are supposed to encourage let-down and helps relieve the symptoms of engorgement and mastitis.  
• We also got  – what I’m calling – a snot sucker.  I little squishy thing used to clear the mucus from her little nose. 
• Nipple cream – I got Lansinoh Lanolin
• Paw paw for my lips – apparently the hospital makes your lips dry out a lot
• Squeezable water bottles – to relieve the stinging sensation when weeing after having the baby
• Snacks
• Nighties – 1 for giving birth and a couple of spares in case I have to have c section and don’t want to wear PJ’s or tights
• PJ’s
• Leggings
• Oversized shirts (I got some cheap night shirts from Target) just to look a little more “dressed for when visitors come)
• Ugg boots
• Thongs (flip flops)
• Maternity bras

All these things I’ve literally learnt along the way from asking questions and I feel like my “little” hospital bag has now turned in to 2 hospital bags – one for me – and one for her accompanied by loads of post birth goodies.  Someone would think we were going somewhere fun for the weekend.

To add to my nesting instinct I cleaned all her clothes yesterday and today.  Seeing little onesies on the drying rack made everything seem more real and when we unpacked her nappies to put in her drawer – seeing the Huggies box in the bin made Chris realise yup- it’s happening – and soon.  Today I then suddenly had this urge to clean everything, our clothes, all the dishes, the benches, tidy up everything.  On a day to day basis – I’m tidy but I am so lucky that Chris does all the house work including the laundry – so when he saw me start to clean and tidy today I think he thought I had a fever.  It’s such a strange feeling – I want everything to be ready and perfect for her.  7 weeks and 3 days to go.  Where is the time going.

Love and life

The Figure x