It's All About Baby

If you have no interest in baby stuff you'll probably want to ignore this post. I know I would.


When Delightful Child is born we know s/he (ha! still not giving it away, although I'm sure most people know by now) will totally and utterly take over our lives (this is the main reason why having children was never top of my agenda - my life is all about me, you see.) But I had no idea how much my calendar would be dedicated to DC pre-birth.


In the space of four days this week I/we (cos sometimes hubby had to come too) have been to the hospital for a 34-week scan and an appointment at the Antenatal Clinic (nearly two hours in total); entertained the midwife at our country hellhole (for an hour and a half); been to the third antenatal class (for two and a quarter hours), and been to the doctor's surgery for a blood test (which didn't happen - long and not at all interesting story.)


At the 34-week scan I got the sonographer to absolutely triply check DC's sex, and it's still what we were told it was at 20 weeks (ie nothing has dropped off/grown in the down below region that shouldn't have, if that makes sense.) At the antenatal clinic I was told that DC is probably going to be a big baby, which comes as no surprise - you only have to look at its parents. The midwife and staff grade person I saw were both in favour of me having a homebirth, but the consultant anaesthetist, who clearly walks round under a grey cloud a la Eeyore, advises against it as she thinks I am at risk of needing emergency intervention. Well, currently I am thumbing my nose at her and keeping my fingers crossed (bet you're impressed by the dexterity of my digits that I can do both at the same time) that she is very, very wrong.


So then the midwife came round to discuss the homebirth with us. She is very positive about it all, which is super encouraging. She brought round two swabs for me which I had to 'do' this morning and then drop off at the doctor's surgery. These were to check if I carry the MRSA bug. Scary! Apparently if I am a carrier and I end up going to hospital to have the baby they will put me in isolation inside one of those plastic bubbles and only people wearing HAZMAT suits will be allowed within 50 yards. Actually, that's a bit of an exaggeration. If I do carry MRSA I'll have to use some sort of special shower gel (presumably made from 100% Domestos since that 'kills all known germs, dead') and that'll sort me and the superbugs out. I had to put one swab up my nose and one down my throat. Since I've only just got over my cold I'm convinced that all they will find on the nose swab is a bogey, and because of my over-active pregnancy gag reflex, all they'll find on the throat swab is a small piece of vomit (probably in the form of a carrot.) Hope you weren't eating when you read that bit.

Then, last night hubby & I trotted off to Marlow for another antenatal class where we learnt all about the joy of the caesarean section, how to swaddle a baby and what baby poo looks like.

This morning it was off to the doctor's for a blood test which didn't happen in the end because there had been a mix-up with the forms they need to fill in. Ho hum.

Sunday evening we get to visit the Labour Ward (assuming nobody is giving birth in it at the tme) at High Wycombe hospital. And then Monday there's another antenatal class to attend. When will it ever end?!