Five months ago today I was all set to be admitted to hospital for my booked caesarean with Baby Beastie. As his arrival was planned it certainly took away all the uncertainty of wondering when labour might start (although it was still a possibility) and whether I would be ready or not. He didn’t end up making an early appearance and he was delivered as planned. Apart from changing places on the operating list several times and waiting most of the day whilst an emergency caesarean took my spot, his birth went hitch free and we had our amazing son.
Three years ago my experience with Beastie was much different. Being my first pregnancy, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I planned as much as I could weeks in advance. In fact I was so prepared my hospital bag was packed from 30 weeks! I kept dipping in and out of it all the time just to double check I had everything I needed but it was ready none the less. He then didn’t make an appearance until 11 days after his due date so the bag had had quite a few airings since then.
I ended up being induced as I was overdue and I wasn’t experiencing any signs of labour that he was going to make an appearance on his own. That was until the early hours before my booked induction where I had an uncomfortable night but didn’t at that point realise it was the start of labour – albeit very slow. It was so slow in fact that we still set off to the hospital excited yet terrified about Beastie’s impending arrival. After being induced and failing to progress in labour many hours later, we finally had our little boy delivered via an emergency caesarean. Although I had considered that there might be a possibility of needing intervention or surgery I suppose nothing could have really prepared me for what I was going to go through. I had only anticipated so much and had actually only geared myself up for a natural birth, being that this was my ideal. Many items were obsolete to me like food and energy tablets and yet such simple items like comfortable knickers to wear against my wound were missing. Of course you can’t take absolutely everything known to man in your bag but you can ensure you take the the right supplies just to see you through your hospital stay.
I think you can never be too prepared and it’s always good to think of every eventuality without being obsessive about it. It’s all too easy to drive yourself round the bend thinking of how to cover all bases, when you don’t have a crystal ball available. The most important piece of advice that I have is to stay as calm as you can. What will be will be and the more relaxed you are about it then the more likely you are to deal with it better.
A good blogging friend has recently given birth to her third child and she had an exceptionally quick labour. In fact it all happened so quickly that she gave birth more or less on her doorstep. So as much as you can be ready for the arrival of your baby, sometimes you just never know…
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I’ve recently started work on getting my bags packed. I had them backed by 34 weeks last time and as that is Saturday I figured that it’s time. I really wisely kept the list of everything I put in from last time, and I felt like I didn’t over or under pack last time so I’m sticking with that. Although I did take the wrong knickers so at some point in the next few days I’ll be heading out to purchase some very sexy big granny pants. Those enormous maternity pads just aren’t designed for normal size pants. 🙂 x
I was much more laid back second time (birth was planned I know) but I felt no urgency which I suppose could have taken me by surprise! Oh yes enormous knickers all the way. I think post birth you just want to be comfy and sod what you look like 🙂 x
I agree that the most important thing you can take with you is to be prepared for anything. Your photo is absolutely beautiful.
Giving birth is certainly something we don’t have a lot of control over but the body can do amazing things. Thank you, he seemed so small and fragile when that was taken x