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Week Thirty-Three

Published 09.02.2008 | Permanent Link | Comments (13)

week33.jpgYour Baby:

  • Weighs over four pounds and is 17 inches long.

  • The skeleton is hardening, except for the skull, which will remain soft and flexible to allow it to fit through the birth canal, and also to grow and allow adequate space for your baby's enormously brilliant brain.

  • Kicks and movements are practically visible from space now, and you may look down and realize that your belly is no longer round, but pointed, as a knee or elbow stretches out for a few seconds before disappearing beneath the surface again.

You:

  • Are big. Yes. And the whole world may suddenly seem like it's got an opinion about when you'll go into labor, and it TOTALLY DOESN'T CARE that you aren't even full-term yet, it thinks you've dropped and popped and are going to give birth in like, two weeks. Tell it to shut the hell up with my blessings.

  • May be waddling more than walking, and misjudging your circumference as you bump into counters and knock things over on tables.

  • A lot of pregnant women start having strange dreams about those pronounced movements -- legs and arms stretching out from under your clothes, or the perfect imprint of your baby's face suddenly appearing next to your belly button. If these dreams creep you out, just remember that it's your mind starting to wrap itself around the concept that there is, in fact, a actual baby in there rather than some hypothetical concept of a baby.

Packing for the Hospital

OKAY. FINE. HOSPITAL BAG PACKING TIME.

People have been begging for this one, and while I intended to save it until the week that I, you know, actually packed my hospital bag, apparently a whole lot of you prefer to be proactive and pack it super early. Or else you just plan to obsess about it for five or six more weeks. (That I kind of actually relate to.)

If you're looking for a REALLY COMPREHENSIVE list -- a list that was written for the people, by the people -- look no further than this one, compiled by Emily at not that you asked... She asked for hospital bag packing tips from her readers, and OH, BUT THEY HAD TIPS. Lots and lots of tips. The resulting list is...long. Yes. And it would require quite a large suitcase to bring EVERYTHING there, but you should still definitely print that list out, read Emily's comments and reasoning for each item, and winnow your own priorities and list down from there.

That said, I also have My Own Opinions I Must Subject You To. It's in my contract. The one in my head. I take it very seriously.

STUFF I BROUGHT TO THE HOSPITAL THAT I COULDN'T HAVE LIVED WITHOUT:

  • Chapstick
  • Tennis ball for back massage during labor
  • Socks/slippers and a bathrobe. None of which made it home with me, thanks to The Grossness, but I was sooo glad to have them.
  • Fourteen million hair clips and rubber bands
  • Shampoo, face soap, deodorant, body lotion and makeup
  • Nursing pillow
  • Nipple cream
  • Camera, video camera, extra batteries and/or charging cord for both.
  • iPod
  • Cell phone
  • Super-stretchy non-abdomen-pinchy maternity clothes for wearing home

STUFF I BROUGHT TO THE HOSPITAL THAT I SHOULD HAVE LEFT AT HOME:

  • Books, magazines, blank thank-you cards, journal, Soduku puzzles. My brain was SO FRIED in the aftermath and I was unable to concentrate on anything, including Us Weekly. I spent my downtime staring into space or sleeping instead.
  • My own nightgown. Again, The Grossness. You simply would not believe. I would rather befoul a dozen hospital gowns than my own clothing, no matter how old and junky it is. At least it was easy to call the nurse and request my fourth new gown in two hours -- I would have worn my own gown for 45 minutes before balling it up and hiding it in my room's wastebasket, or sending it home with instructions to Burn It And Never Speak Of This Again.
  • My own underwear and pads. Ditto.
  • Snacks. We made a special trip out for snacks. I was sure Jason would need snacks. Everyone tells you that your partner needs snacks! So we ended up with an entire plastic grocery bag of snacks that ended up mostly uneaten, save for maybe one granola bar. Jason lost his appetite during my labor (HA HA), and since I was put on a liquid diet after my emergency c-section, I would have cried if he'd eaten in front of me, so he went out for quick meals at nearby fast-casual restaurants instead. Sure, he lost 10 pounds during my four-day hospital stay, but it was mostly sympathy pregnancy weight that had to go anyway.
  • Nursing bra and breast pads. My milk didn't come in during my hospital stay. Better safe than sorry, I suppose, but I wish someone had told me that was actually even a possibility.

THINGS I DID NOT BRING TO THE HOSPITAL LAST TIME BUT WOULD HAVE KILLED FOR (aka Stuff I'm Bringing This Time, Yippee!):

  • Towels. I was so very excited about my first post-birth shower. I felt so gross and oily and dirty and...what the hell? All my hospital would offer me was ONE small, thin, scraggly-looking hand towel and a washcloth. No full-size towels. Useless. Yuck.
  • My own pillow. Hospital pillows are uncomfortable and flat. And I'm pretty sure I can keep a pillow clear of The Grossness. (I will probably bring it but leave it in the car until fully assessing the Pillow Situation and then demand it if I need it.)
  • Laptop. My hospital has wifi now! Maybe my brain will at least be capable of reading Us Magazine ONLINE.
  • Dry shampoo/baby powder. For making my oil-slick-head vaguely presentable before I'm allowed to take a shower.
  • Probiotic powder. This is mostly a c-section necessity -- you're given a round of antibiotics afterwards and this can increase your chances of getting a thrush/yeast infection from nursing.
  • Pacifier. I KNOW. Bad. Wrong. Nipple confusion, despair, woe, etc. I let my baby nurse and suck on me for hours and hours on end, even when my boobs were bone dry. I cracked and bled and almost quit nursing then and there. I'm giving myself permission to at least THINK about offering a pacifier instead of my nipple this time.
  • Sleep mask. Stupid lights and sunshine and whatever, I need mah SLEEP.

Another thing to consider bringing to the hospital? EXTRA SPACE IN YOUR BAG. You'll want to thoroughly ransack your room before you leave. I cannot stress this enough. Take everything. Diapers, wipes, nasal aspirators, plastic bins first-aid items, sanitary pads, mesh panties, bed pads, nipple creams, WHATEVER ISN'T NAILED DOWN. My nurse awesomely helped shove everything into a bag for me, explaining that my insurance technically paid for all this stuff already, and that they weren't allowed to reuse any of it for other patients. So take it! Take it all! It's swag! Only more...sterile.


Pregnancy Video for the Week:

- Third Trimester Maternity Style & Recommendations for last-minute wardrobe needs

Related Articles:

- Cute but comfy clothes to wear in the hospital and the first few days at home

- How to Respond to Dumb Things People Say to You When Pregnant

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Comments (13):

thora said:

Is this column going to be preserved for posterity? Or any other purpose? I don't plan on getting pregnant for another year or so and would love to be able to retroactively follow along...

Editor: Yes! once it is complete, there will be an ability to plug in your due date and receive your respective weekly email

Posted on September 3, 2008 10:29

Hilary said:

Okay it's hitting me: you are having a baby in seven weeks. Whoa!

Posted on September 3, 2008 11:22

WabiSabiLife said:

I am totally going to brain the next stranger who sees fit to comment on my size. It's been going on for a month already, and I still have 4-6 weeks to go! I *hate* pretending to have more manners than them. Especially because I know they are trying to be kind, but none of them is saying a single thing I haven't already heard. AAUUGHH!!

Posted on September 3, 2008 13:03

cagey said:

Regarding underwear: That was the one thing I did bring with me the 2nd time around. I decided life is too frockin' short to wear mesh undies. I bought a brand-new, squeaky-clean set of undies and stuffed them in my dresser AFTER taking out some old, ratty ones to take to the hospital with me. I threw the old ratty ones away at the hospital after every change. Seriously, it was worth it. Those mesh undies were MISERY.

Posted on September 3, 2008 14:13

charlotte said:

MESH undies? I thought they'd gone out of style in the 80s, along with mullets.

Boy, all of this sounds scary. I'm only 25 weeks along, and, of course, pathologically overprepared. So, I've been following your shopping lists and adding everything to the registry and buying plain cotton onesies and whatnot, but I'll be damned before anybody sees me in MESH undies. What's next? Jefferson Starship in the delivery room?

Posted on September 3, 2008 19:49

Crystal said:

Don't knock the mesh undies!

When I had the D&C with my first pregnancy (I'm 30 weeks with my second pregnancy currently) I bled so much more than I ever imagined was possible. My thought when it finally started to slow was that "wow, I must be running out of blood." Absolutely DISGUSTING and that was after only 10 weeks of pregnancy...I've mentally multiplied it by 4 and am cringeing. The nurse who gave us the hospital tour also casually said something about "golf ball sized clots" being normal. EWWWWWWWWWW. Seriously...stain the hell out of the stretchy mesh panties and keep your own at home.

My hospital has a vhs player in every post-partum room. Talk about adorably 80's. I think the only movies I own on VHS are french films...which I will SO not be up to after giving birth. I think we're just bringing the laptop and some dvds.

Posted on September 4, 2008 01:26

Sarah said:

Funny, I just had a strange dream last night where I was able to see the baby's entire legs and feet through my belly. And I also had one earlier this week about seeing the face. Glad to know that this is "normal", haha.

Excellent packing suggestions. I will be referring back in a few weeks when it's time to pack!

Posted on September 4, 2008 10:57

Diana said:

I have to agree with Cagey about bringing your own undies. With my first they didn't have any mesh undies and wanted me to use...a belt! I didn't even think they made them anymore! I needed my own granny panties to put the pads in. The second time I did use the mesh undies but still used my own pads in addition to the hospital ones. I put a thin overnight one with wings under two hospital pads and it kept all the leaking caused by shifting around at bay. Also with the first c-section I stayed in the hospital gown the entire time and felt like hell. The second time I changed into some super strechy lounge wear I picked up cheap with the idea id toss it. It was a god send I felt HUMAN. I didn't even end up ruining it. But who knows, its all just chaos that first week anyway!

Posted on September 4, 2008 11:55

april said:

Regarding bringing your own pajamas, I was one of those that felt SO much better in a comfy pair from home. I went to Target and bought a Gillian O'Malley spaghetti strap gown and a robe, for around $30. They come out with a few new colors and patterns every few months, and they are so comfy. The spaghetti straps also allow for easy breastfeeding. I knew I would be okay with tossing it in the trash if I had to. But, it lasted me through the hospital and for weeks afterwards. I bled VERY heavily, so I made sure to just raise it up a little when I was in the hospital before getting in bed. I didn't have any problems. If you think you are the type that would feel much better in your own gown, then I think it's a worthy buy.

Posted on September 4, 2008 15:27

Emily said:

Thanks for the props!

I am always amazed at the comments on that post about the hospital bag... so many people wanted to know HOW MANY SUITCASES I WAS BRINGING. I thought it was SO OBVIOUS that it was a pick and choose kind of thing, but some people got the wrong idea and assumed I was packing each item on the list and bringing it with me.

And then the hilarious part was that I was ordered straight to the hospital from the doctor's office and never ended up packing a single thing. Except, wait. Not so hilarious when my husband was home GETTING THINGS while I was requesting my epidural for all the PAIN.

Posted on September 4, 2008 20:33

Patti said:

Bring Poise Undergarments (not the pads, the whole panty). Hear me out. They capture THE GROSSNESS so much better than any combination of mesh panty and hospital grade pad ever could. I stumbled upon this right after the birth of son #1 when I was on my way home and forced husband to stop in at a CVS so I could find something... anything... to make me feel better. The second time around I brought an entire pack with me to the hospital. I used the whole thing, saying no thanks to hospital grade mesh the whole time. Can I tell you how many nurses asked me what the heck was I wearing and how did I come across that particular solution? They thought I was so cool.

The poise panties are 1) stylish compared to mesh 2) much more absorbent and can contain SO MUCH more grossness 3) able to be torn off one's body in a neat fashion 4) way more comfortable than mesh and 5) accidentally provide postpartum / post-csection tummy support. Dude. Really. I am so serious here. Poise Undergarments. Don't hate.

Posted on September 7, 2008 10:30

Kiki said:

I would leave the option open to bring a nursing bra and pads. If you are going to try nursing you will most certainly start while you are in the hospital and the baby will be getting the colostrum in those first few days before your milk comes in. and if you are like me and have a 9 lb-er who is working on giving you two cracked nipples before you even leave the hospital, you will be slathering on the Lansinoh every five minutes and that stuff STAINS. So breast pads are a must. It is something that would be a much bigger pain to need and not have, so I say bring it. Besides at the end of my pregnancy I was only fitting in the gigantic E cup nursing bras anyway.

And I think the mesh underwear rocks too. Comfortable and can be thrown away every time you pee. love it.

Posted on September 8, 2008 13:10

boofyq said:

Oh yes, the mesh undies. They rock! The poise undies do sound intriguing though (though I wonder if they come in plus sizes?) No one told me how much I'd bleed after a c-section -- I thought that was just for vaginal births. I mean, after they remove the baby (or in my case, babies...twins) they wipe out the insides of your uterus before putting everything back together. But there were still 6 weeks of bleeding after that, not to mention the extra fun of having my incision open up not once, but twice. With all the blood from place A, I didn't realize I was bleeding from place B until the next day when I took a shower and got brave enough to finally look at my incision. Hey!

And yes, the nurses will gladly pack all the goodies in your room and in the crib "dresser" - in fact, at our hospital they gave you bags to put it all in! They gave us everything including the little rectangular pink basin, which I still use daily to wash bottles.

Even though the hospital will stamp "Property of XYZ Hospital" all over the swaddling blankets, steal them anyway -- I wish I had. They're bigger, softer and "grippier" than any of the little receiving blankets we were given. Awesome for swaddling. Which is another MUST. The nurses will teach you and DH how to swaddle the baby. Learn it. Live it. Babies love it!

I'm so excited for you Amalah! (and expecting commenters here) I'll live vicariously through you -- we've used up all our good luck getting those two healthy little girls in one shot!

Posted on September 8, 2008 21:35

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About this column

Zero to Forty is a week-by-week guide to the miracle of pregnancy and all the various indignities that come with it. New installments will be published on Wednesdays, with other pregnancy-related content and ramblings to be published whenever the columnist can stay awake long enough to type themzzzzzz.

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Amy Corbett Storch, aka Amalah, is a freelance writer and professional blogger from Washington, DC. She is currently knocked up with her second child, due in October. Her first child is still currently wearing diapers. Amy is currently wondering what she has gotten herself into now.

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