hospital tour

So, we had our hospital tour today. It looks like Summit is a great place to have a baby, so I'm not too worried. I am, however, worried that I'll get as sick as a dog as soon as I step into the labor/delivery ward. There's something about the smell of hospitals that just turns my stomach. It's a very odd, sterile smell. I may need to rethink wanting to be an ultrasound technician. It could be pregnancy hormones and anxiety about being closer and closer to my due date that conjures up the nausea, but oh well-- I guess, like the birth, I'll just have to push through.

I learned that I could have three people in the delivery room with me, but I'm going to make it easier on everybody and just go right ahead and say that Brandon is the only person from the outside world that I want in there with me. Nurses, doctors, medical students-- that's fine, just not our parents or any other relatives. I don't mean to hurt feelings, but the presence of some would only add more anxiety. I want it to be special and private and also be allowed the first hour after having her to be ours and ours alone. I don't mind visitors, but I'll need to take advantage of the nursing time and just wouldn't feel comfortable with my postpartum chest hanging out all over the place. Although they say all modesty goes out the window, I would still like to maintain appropriate boundaries in that department.

The bed felt uncomfortable as crap. And while I'm no longer accustomed to sleeping through the night, I'm sure I'll be exhausted enough to not mind too badly once the baby comes. We learned that it's probably best to bring our own pillows and to have some sort of birth plan in writing. My birth plan is not going to be difficult for people to follow since I don't intend on having the baby naturally. An epidural administered as soon as I pull into the parking lot is okay by my standards. :)

Seeing the babies in the nursery window made it so real. Some were quietly sleeping, and some were screaming their little heads off as they were bathed by the nurses. Either scenario, I cannot wait. I am hoping for a baby that's serene as the one currently residing in my belly, but I'll probably experience a shift in her personality as soon as she's unleashed. ;)

The nurse who gave the tour looked shocked when I told her I was seven weeks away, so maybe I really AM off and the ultrasound will confirm this tomorrow. I'm excited to find out. Either way, I'm really in the homestretch of all of this and am starting to get extremely uncomfortable.

My lower back is starting to hurt as well as my stomach. Sleeping at night seems like such an impossibility, and I am starting to just stare at the clock and will myself to get rest. I fall into a deep sleep around 4am and have, consequently, started running late for work. It wasn't in the plan, but it's starting to happen.

My feet are getting swollen badly as well as my face. I actually feel a pocket of fluid in my face that kind of freaks me out because it only appeared at the end of last week. I hope it's not a sign of preeclampsia, though I would love to have her sooner than March!


It's surreal to think that my mom had me at this week when she was pregnant with me. I weighed almost five lbs. I'm thinking Natalie's going to be around 5 or 6 tomorrow. I only had to stay 17 days in the NICU, so if something happens, I'm fairly confident she'll pull through with no lasting damage. I had some bronchial problems early on, but nothing major.

Anyhow, I'll know more tomorrow.