The caterpillar matches my pom-poms. I swear to God I didn't plan that.
Hi, guys. So, I am now 38 weeks pregnant. Oh my gosh. I've been spending most of the
last week trying to get ready for this baby. We had our midwife come over to talk about
our home birth, and tell us what we need, and what we need to buy, and to get organized,
and all of that kind of thing. She said now, from now on, if I went into labor, that's
it now. I would stay at home and just wait and call the midwife.
I think for my husband and I, meeting with her actually sort of brought it home that
this is happening. We've been so relaxed this pregnancy and maybe a little bit in denial.
So for her telling us to go and get dust sheets, and towels, and things like that for the baby,
and now it could happen at any time, made it all real. At our visit with her as well,
she said that in the month of July, all of the babies born in and around where we live,
there was nine born at home and three of those births were delivered by the husband before
the midwives even got there. So that is how quick some of the home births can be and it
kind of scared my husband a bit because she was kind of giving him tips on how to deliver
a baby if he had to.
She was like, "Get some old towels. When the baby comes out, really vigorously rub it.
You want to stimulate his oxygen and lungs and things like that." She was like, "Don't
try and pull the placenta out," and she was just telling him all this stuff. I think it's
actually really scared him. So I'm spending today getting together a home birth kit, so
everything that we need so that we're ready. Then my husband said, "Should we do a bit
of a run through of what you want me to do, and what you want to do, and kind of like
I'm going to ... " I think he works well with lists, so I'm going to write a list of what
he has to do when I go into labor. Like get this, get the dust sheets out, get all that
kind of stuff together.
So I'm spending today doing that, and I am going to do a video on my home birth kit as
well. While she was here she did a midwife check on me as well, and she measured the
baby, and that was measuring exactly right again. She said that she doesn't think it's
going to be an overly big baby. She thinks it's just a really average baby, which is
exactly what I want and what I've had in the past. My bloods were good. They were 100 over
60, which I think is good. Urine was all good. She's put good fetal movements, so he was
moving loads.
It was really sweet, because she just did the check at home, the boys were here and
they got to hear the heart beat, and they got to watch her check me and check the baby.
They were really, really interested. It was so, so cute. So it made me really excited
for the home birth because I did think if they were around, literally as soon as the
baby is born, they can come in and see the baby and meet the baby. Yeah, I just think
it's going to be so special if I can do this at home. I'm really looking forward to it.
Some of the things she told us to get were dust sheets with water proof backing, puppy
pads, or trainer pads to put on the floor and stuff, something to lean on, old towels
and blankets for the baby as soon as it comes out, TENS machine if I want it, pain relief,
birthing ball, all of that kind of thing. So I just need to get it all organized, but
I think we actually have everything. It's just making sure it's all ready to go.
I packed my hospital bag just in case we need to go to the hospital for any reason, so I
will link that video down below. The baby's room and our room has finally been carpeted.
We have put the crib in there, and the chair in there, and I have been washing all of our
boys' old baby clothes to get them ready for the new baby, and I'm going to put them all
away. Then I think all of that will just make me feel a bit more organized. I bought some
new muslins. I bought some Aden and Anais muslins, which everyone goes on about how
soft they are and how great they are. So I'm going to give these a go for the first time
ever. A new nursing pillow, which I bought on Amazon. The boys have been so cute, they've
been putting it around themselves and saying they're going to hold the baby.
I got these really cute milestone cards for the baby. It's like when they're a month old,
or when they get their first tooth, or their first smile you can get a picture of them
with one of these cards. I just thought it was a really good prompt to take photos and
record their milestones as well. So, I got these from Mamas & Papas. I have so much other
stuff. Everyone has been so generous. Although it's the third baby, he's been bought quite
a few nice things. Yes, maybe I'll do a baby haul of everything that he has got so far.
The baby is about 6.8 pounds to seven pounds now. I'm putting on about half a pound a week.
I don't feel like my bump has actually got any bigger, but hopefully he is just getting
fatter in there and putting on loads of weight. My previous boys have been 8.1 and 7.7 in
weight, so I'd love for him to be around that sort of size because it just seemed really,
really healthy. Although I'm 38 weeks and he could come at any time, I am fully expecting
him to be at least one week late because both of my boys were six days late each. I've just
got that in my head that that is when he is coming. That's kind of what I would really
like as well.
Symptoms this week is swollen feet where it's been quite hot. Some of my shoes have not
been fitting very well. So, I've had swollen feet. I feel like my face is a bit swollen
as well. I know some people are like, "Oh, you don't look like you've put on weight in
your face." I feel quite swollen and a bit puffy. My hips have been really sore still,
especially at night when I'm sleeping and I go to roll over. It's like dislocating my
hip when I roll over. It really does hurt. The cramping has eased off, but my hips have
been quite sore.
I've been bouncing on my birthing ball. My friend Lucy lent me her birthing ball, so
that has been really good. I've definitely felt pressure down below and some tightening
every now and then. So who knows what's going to happen, but I feel like the pressure is
probably because we've had so many days out because it's the summer holidays and also
because it's my third baby. I feel like he is super duper low. My boobs are just ridiculously
huge and I actually hate it because I feel like when this part of your body is really
big any top or dress I put on I feel really boxy. I feel just really large and like I
instantly look bigger than I am, so that's a bit annoying. But I guess I'm getting ready
to breast feed and do all of that fun stuff again.
All in all, it has been such a good week. I felt really well. We've had loads on, but
I actually think I do better keeping busy. Although I've been exhausted at the end of
some days, I think I just want to soak up the boys as much as I can. They are so excited
about the new baby. They have actually been pretending to be babies loads. It's like they're
reversing back to being babies. They've been role playing babies with each other, and pretending
to be babies, and getting in the new cot, and laying down and looking at the mobile
and stuff. So, it's really sweet.
We have now got presents from the baby for the boys. They want the most ridiculous presents,
which are like light sabers, which is really good to have around a newborn, but I did say
to them they could choose anything they want and the baby would bring it like Santa Claus.
So that's all sorted out. I think I need to wrap them up and put them somewhere that's
easy for us to get to. So as soon as they see the baby, I know they're going to ask
where the present is.
Yeah, but anyway. I think that's all I wanted to update you on this week. Thank you so much
for watching and don't forget to subscribe to my channel if you want to see birth vlogs,
and everything else that is coming up to do with the newborn. And yes, I'm so excited
to see his little face. I just cannot wait to look at his little face and see what he
looks like. So, yeah, anyway, I think that's it and I will see you very soon. Bye.
[inaudible 00:07:55] For God's sake, do not get white because you will be bleeding a lot
after you give birth. I don't want to sugar coat it.