On the way to my ultrasound today, I realized I need to pack a hospital bag soon.
I'm 18 weeks pregnant.
But after being caught by surprise with hospitalization at 30 weeks the first time around, I told myself I'd pack a bag at 20 weeks this time. I'm feeling well right now, and wasn't worrying about the baby, but I realized as I drove the familiar route to St. Joe's that pretty soon, any routine appointment could end up with me in the hospital. Since I know the signs of preeclampsia and am self-monitoring my blood pressure, I doubt I'd be taken off guard… but you just never know.
But what do you put in a hospital bag before your baby is even viable?
Oh, the questions I ask myself. That's not the only one. Pregnancy after severe preeclampsia and premature birth is sometimes a weird and lonely place.
Like, I have a bunch of friends and acquaintances due in January and February. Will my baby be born before theirs?
Am I actually going to go on that trip I just booked to visit family for the holidays?
If I deliver early, should I take maternity leave starting at birth, when the baby comes home, or something in between?
When should I start cooking freezer meals so that they'll still be good in March, but will be ready by January? And if I'm going to get pre-e, I should really make them before I am so swollen it hurts to get off the couch…
Not to mention that my "birth plan" evolves so much over the course of different possibilities that we go from a semi-planned repeat very preterm c-section to a drug-free VBAC. How in the world am I supposed to prepare for everything adequately?
I started working through a childbirth prep book that I have tonight. The first chapter prompted me to find my answer to the question "What do I need to know to give birth?"
I'm not sure I can answer that.
I'm 18 weeks pregnant.
But after being caught by surprise with hospitalization at 30 weeks the first time around, I told myself I'd pack a bag at 20 weeks this time. I'm feeling well right now, and wasn't worrying about the baby, but I realized as I drove the familiar route to St. Joe's that pretty soon, any routine appointment could end up with me in the hospital. Since I know the signs of preeclampsia and am self-monitoring my blood pressure, I doubt I'd be taken off guard… but you just never know.
But what do you put in a hospital bag before your baby is even viable?
Oh, the questions I ask myself. That's not the only one. Pregnancy after severe preeclampsia and premature birth is sometimes a weird and lonely place.
Like, I have a bunch of friends and acquaintances due in January and February. Will my baby be born before theirs?
Am I actually going to go on that trip I just booked to visit family for the holidays?
If I deliver early, should I take maternity leave starting at birth, when the baby comes home, or something in between?
When should I start cooking freezer meals so that they'll still be good in March, but will be ready by January? And if I'm going to get pre-e, I should really make them before I am so swollen it hurts to get off the couch…
Not to mention that my "birth plan" evolves so much over the course of different possibilities that we go from a semi-planned repeat very preterm c-section to a drug-free VBAC. How in the world am I supposed to prepare for everything adequately?
I started working through a childbirth prep book that I have tonight. The first chapter prompted me to find my answer to the question "What do I need to know to give birth?"
I'm not sure I can answer that.
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