"Gotta get it done" update
Weeks 26-Week 29 (Jan 10-31)Finalize escrow, packing, moving, unpacking CanceledOne prenatal appointment-confirmed
January 16th: Watch the Business of Being Born along with Q & A session
Finish reading IMG's Guide to Childbirth In progress
Weeks 30-32 (Feb 7-21)2 prenatal appointments-confirmed
Finalize baby registry lists (Target and Felicite) 95% done6 pm Feb 19: Maternity tour at hospital
Have mom send out baby shower invites
Week 33-36 (Feb 28- March 20)
Confirm baby shower attendees and food
March 16: Baby shower
March 17: Spring break week, hooray!
Promptly complete thank you notes
Buy nursing tops and bras, I should know my 'mommy boobs' size by now right? Drop ped by the Pump Station and was informed not to buy any 'real' bras until 2 weeks after giving birth.
Second visit with doula
Week 37-39 (March 27-April 10)
Prep the baby room...but what does this include? What should have already been in place?
Pack a hospital bag
Install car seat in car?
Freeze some meals? Any suggestions? What freezes well?
File FMLA paperwork?
Week 40-42 (April 17-May 1)
OK, so Vida MUST be born in this time frame, her EDD is April 19th...we shall see
If I am not in labor by April 19th, I will start using my vacation time beginning April 21st. I will not work past my due date.
Dilemma: Decide when to go back to work, I intended on June 1st but I struggle with that, it's so soon!
** I know the dates have gaps in them, I am accounting for procrastination and the fact that I work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week when you consider Saturday school and my School Admin credential classes. **
Comments
My suggestion about the baby room is to make sure you have everything washed (blankets, burp cloths, clothes, etc). That's huge. You might try organizing things some but I found that once the baby came is when I really figured out what makes the most sense with organization! Course the drawers were often empty since everything was so often being washed that reorganizing was simple :)
If you have the carseat you can get it installed whenever you have a spare moment to set an appt with someone to help or just tackle it with the manual or whatever. That just brought me peace of mind really. They would have done it before we left the hospital if we'd procrastinated.
Going back to work is a hard decision whenever you do, I waited till Stephan was about 4 months, but honestly, I think the most important thing is being 100% comfortable with childcare for Vida and then while it still sucks to go back to work it's a teensy bit easier no matter how soon you return to the daily grind.
Hope things go well. I've been waiting (hoping) to hear that a friend has had her baby. Such an exciting time. You'll do great, preparing, laboring and mommying!
For room prep, have the crib set up and sheets washed and in place. Have the changing station set up with plenty of diapers, diaper rash cream, wipes, etc. Have a comfortable place to nurse and a large cup of water or water. When you are nursing, you'll get ridiculously thirsty make sure that water is ready for you before you sit down to nurse. For washing baby clothes, I did it a little at a time while pregnant. Instead of doing a load after load of every single baby item I had, I would top off my normal laundry loads with baby clothes.
One thing you could do is to put together meals and freeze them uncooked. Like prepare a meatloaf and put it in the freezer rather than the oven. Give it 24 hours to thaw in the fridge before cooking it. If you want to freeze cooked food, pasta seems to freeze well. I have thawed frozen pasta in the microwave and then reheated it in a saucepan on the stove.
Have you talked to HR about what you need to do for maternity leave? I had to file some paperwork with the short term disability company. That way when I had the baby, I just had to report to them the delivery date. I'm sure it is different from company to company.