Pregnancy Journal: Preparing for Birth

**Quickly — any bloggers out there??  I need some guest posts for a few weeks when the baby comes!  I’d like to have most of my posts covered by others in the first 2 – 3 weeks, so that’s a good 10 – 15 posts I’ll need!  It’s pretty good exposure for a newer blogger, so please think about it!  Send me an email and pitch a topic: I’m looking for a good variety.  Thanks!**

Today finds me at 36 weeks — almost “full term.”  I’ll be relieved when I reach it next week, just to know that my baby’s “safe” if s/he decides to come any time after that — although I do hope baby waits a few weeks longer!  I’m not ready yet!

Last Friday I was very busy.  I spent the day cleaning the house and doing many loads of laundry.  I did finally catch up on all that laundry, though!  That was nice, hopefully it stays that way.  But I pushed myself way too hard, and I didn’t drink enough water (despite that I pretty much always have a bottle nearby now).  I ended up being extremely sore and having Braxton-Hicks for hours.  I didn’t feel quite right.  I dilated to about a 3 (though after relaxing for a couple days I’m back at a 1) and probably 80% effaced.  Baby was so low I had to keep sitting down!  Every time s/he stretched my ligaments hurt and I couldn’t stand up anymore!

It was a good reminder though: don’t do too much!  And sit often and drink lots of water!

I’m still getting out in the garden almost everyday.  It’s actually very good for me to squat out there to pull weeds.  It’s a position to encourage the baby to adopt his/her own optimal position for birth (this baby now keeps turning sometime during the day, but typically turns back before bed time!), and it strengthens my muscles.  Very soon I’ll be drinking red raspberry leaf tea, which will also help to prepare my body for birth.

It’s very likely that in a week or so, I’ll spend some time each day pacing around, doing squats, and sitting on the birthing ball, all to help my body and baby get ready. 

I am also preparing some food to freeze (finally).  Not as much as I’d thought, because someone will probably be here to cook for me in the first few weeks and I can get up for a few minutes here and there to add some spices or whatever needs done quickly.  I just can’t see that *we* need to freeze much!

However, I will be preparing and freezing what I want for my post- birth meal.  In the past, when I wasn’t so into real food, I just had people bring me fast food or something.  Naturally I’m not doing that this time!  I’ve decided that this is what I want for my post-birth meal:

• ” Pasta e fagioli” soup (probably minus the pasta though, so more like a vegetable soup/chili with ground beef in it)
• Salad with all my favorite veggies and homemade dressing
• Real sourdough bread with lots of butter
• Iced herbal tea OR kombucha, depending on how I feel

I’ll chop all the veggies for the soup, and mix the spices ahead of time.  I’ll make sure we have butter and bread in the freezer.  I’ll mix up and refrigerate the salad dressing.  If I can, I’ll start the soup myself when I’m in early labor.  But, since I’ll do all the work ahead of time, I can have someone else start it for me if needed.  I’ll write the recipe with detailed instructions so that people know exactly how to do it!

I was going for something that sounded yummy, could feed several people, and was deeply nourishing.  I think this fits the bill nicely!

I also need to prepare for my home visit this week.  It is next Monday!  I’ll be baking (to sterilize) some of the items in my birth kit.  I’m also working on my post-birth gowns, something I’ll share with you very soon.  I’ll be creating some ice packs, too, from strong comfrey tea soaked into very soft organic bamboo pads!  That, too, I’ll share.

Here’s what some of my nesting made me do this week:

Crockpot of chicken stock!

 Two stock pots of stock too!  (All chicken)

Various things soaking — three types of beans and some wheat berries!

Definitely in the home stretch now!