Sunday, December 16, 2007

He probably knows that hospitals are understaffed on weekends

Most first timers are late... The baby will come when he's ready... Babies won't come out if you're anxious... (That last one really burns.) I've heard it all and let me tell you, none of it means squat when you're harboring an un-budging eight-pounder, a perilously expanding waistline, and a looming fear of induction. I'd love to say I'm doing a great job keeping The Freak at bay but please, you know me. Yesterday I felt him on my cervix and got excited (at least I assume that's what it was; it felt pushy and ouchy like when the doctor checks for dilation) but today, nothing. I've already hit the gym (two women actually applauded me) and did the 12-story climb. Next up: mopping the kitchen. Good. Times.

I'm bouncing on the ball, hula-hooping my hips, and generally driving my husband to distraction with my incessant fretting. I know worrying isn't helpful. I fully appreciate the fact that I should be enjoying these last few vomit-free days. Trust me, if I knew how to access the OFF button I totally would. How do you stop your brain when it's stuck on squirrelly? (I should probably warn you that at this point, any variation on "Just relax" might land you a pop in the snout.)

5 comments:

Missy said...

Just relax has never worked for me. The more I try to relax the more distressed I seem to become becuase I can't relax and it just becomes a vicious circle.

I always have to go for distraction. For me that is a good book, a movie, a crafty or organizational project of some kind, or engaging in a long and stimulating conversation (obviously avoiding topics that are related the source of fretting and anxiety.)

Maybe focus on some distracting tasks that have nothing to do with getting the baby out? This probably isn't terribly helpful because at this stage, it is next to impossible to think of anything else. But maybe a task will get you away from it for at least a short time.

Poor Ali!

Woman with a Hatchet said...

Hang in there!

Relax? Impossible. Your whole life is about to take a fundamental shift sideways.

I'm with Missy: if there are any projects you've been putting off, now is the time to work on them. Photo album collection? Scrapbooking the pregnancy? Now is the time.

Ali said...

Sadly, I'm all out of feathers for this nest. Baby book? Done. Baby journal? Ditto. Room? Complete. I even resorted to cleaning all of our picture frames yesterday. Even the ones that aren't on display. Then I made a bread pudding. Puttering, thy name is Ali.

Missy said...

Have you thought about cooking up a bunch of meals and putting them in the freezer for after the possum arrives? That is something I always wished I had done, becuase in those first weeks especially.. anything that involved more than turning on an oven and throwing something in was not happening. More days than I like to admit not even that was happening.

Laura said...

The pre-cooked meal idea is a great one. It will satisfy your nesting thing and it will actually be helpful when you get home from the hospital.

The night before my water broke, I sat down on the front porch and cried my eyes out for no known reason. I suppose it was the hormones shifting. I woke up the next morning with things rolling. Just another sign to look for!