In just under 4 hours, I will be at hospital. And guess what? Yep - still have stuff that needs to be done and yes, it is another sleepless night.
Good news is that I finally figured out how to update the blog from my phone - via e-mail. And it works with photos too. This means I will be able to post blog updates whilst in hospital as well. Yay! What I might do is to pre-type an entry to announce the birth and then just fill in the blanks so that if I don't have the energy to do it myself, it will be easy to get someone to do it on my behalf and still have it be in my own words.
Yesterday afternoon, I had my last prenatal class. Since my grandmother was being discharged from hospital,my mum couldn't make it to attend the class with me this time - so my elder sister accompanied me instead. She managed to turn my foul mood around by showing up at my place early, bearing delicious, happy-belly food: Vegetarian Lasagna, and an Orgasmic Brownie purchased from one of the most awesome food places on the island [i.e. Mint. nom!!!]
After wolfing down the lasagna, we just chilled for a bit before making our way to the clinic. I was pleased to see that we were half an hour early since I hate being late. We also found a parking space really close to the clinic and happened to be the first ones there. Eventually, the other class attendees waddled up to the clinic - which was quite comical with this one woman who is 30 weeks pregnant with twins and keeps ballooning up from week to week. She is rather short - 5 ft 2, perhaps? - and she can barely walk at this point in time without holding on to the wall or furniture. It must be a nightmare for her, mind you - but at this point it is better to laugh at oneself.
The class was basically discussing sterilisation [differences between hot sterilisation and cold sterilisation] and the New Mum's health after giving birth [which has been covered in this blog]. I have partially covered Cold Sterilisation in this previous blog too - however ~I will just recap specifically within this context.
Hot vs Cold
Cold sterilisation is the process of using water and a sterilising agent such as this, or this, whereby you allow the bottle/dummy/item requiring sterilisation to soak in the solution. The solution itself can be used for up to 24 hours, and it is important to avoid cross-contamination. Make sure you wash the items in advance and that you don't immerse your hands in the solution. Use thongs to fish out items out of the solution.
Bot sterilisation is the process of using a sterilising device such as this, or this. The first one is a microwaveable item, and the second one works using electricity to produce steam.
All of the above options are equally as efficient as long as cross-contamination is avoided. Which option you use is a matter of personal preference. My advice would be to have a bottle of sterilising liquid even if you opt for the Hot Sterilisation process. It is a no-brainer really - what would you do if there is a power cut? Better take precautions. It could also come in handy to have one in your car/nappy bag especially when you will be away from home for a long period of time. If you're over at someone's house, all you would need is to ask for a container and some water, and you'll be able to sterilise whatever you might need to.
That is all for now.
Toodles! x
Showing posts with label class. Show all posts
Showing posts with label class. Show all posts
Saturday, 28 January 2012
Thursday, 12 January 2012
A Date with Destiny
Today will be one hell of a long day. After managing to grab 4 hours' worth of sleep, I'm trying to convince myself I should take it easy and not do much, since I have a good 7 to 8 hours away from home later on. My poor back will be the one to suffer the most I'm afraid!
So, today will involve a doctor's appointment, which might very well be the last one - who knows? This will then be followed by another Prenatal class.
The thought that this might be the last time I see Creature on the ultrasound machine's monitor is sad, exciting, unnerving and extremely pleasant at the same time. Our next encounter might very well be a face-to-face meeting!
Imagine you've been set up for a blind date with the one person you know is The One, by the most amazing of circumstances. However the date was agreed to happen in 9 months' time. In the meanwhile, you haven't had any direct contact with your Date. You've had people telling you things about him/her, you've done your research based on the information given to you, as well as some research based on "what if" scenarios.
You've finally gained quite a bit of theoretical confidence - on paper, you know all there is to know for this Blind Date to be successful. You know that you've taken care of everything within your power to ensure it works out. And yet, you're aware that not everything is within your power - there may be external influences that determine how well the evening will turn out.
"What if s/he doesn't like me?"
That, is probably the biggest fear of them all. Can you feel the butterflies fluttering about in your stomach? The sweaty palms of your hands, the threat hanging over your head that your voice might break up or that you'll say the right thing at the wrong time - or the wrong thing at the right time.
Now picture this - you arrive at the agreed location to meet your date..... but you're early. How do you feel? Nerve wrecking, isn't it?
Now... amplify all that nervousness, uncertainty, doubts, anticipation, excitement..... amplify it all by a gazillion times.
You are still nowhere close enough to understanding what being so close to meeting Creature in person feels like.
As much as I truly appreciate the support people have been showing, and their confidence in my abilities to be a good mother - the judge of it all, at the end of the day, will be Creature. For what might be the first time in my life, I actually care what someone else thinks of me.
I'd like to make it clear that I'm not looking for any pity, nor am I fishing for compliments. I'm just being honest in saying that being so close to the finishing line and making the transition from Pregnant Woman to Mother scares the living crap out of me. I don't believe it gets easier with time - human relationships rarely do... and I suck at them heh. I can only hope that Creature and I will have compatible characters, and that when the day comes where we'll be arguing and s/he yells at me how much I suck as a mother and how much s/he hates me... well.. I hope that I will have done every possible thing within my power to be able to accept those words as bullshit spewed in anger.
So, today will involve a doctor's appointment, which might very well be the last one - who knows? This will then be followed by another Prenatal class.
The thought that this might be the last time I see Creature on the ultrasound machine's monitor is sad, exciting, unnerving and extremely pleasant at the same time. Our next encounter might very well be a face-to-face meeting!
Imagine you've been set up for a blind date with the one person you know is The One, by the most amazing of circumstances. However the date was agreed to happen in 9 months' time. In the meanwhile, you haven't had any direct contact with your Date. You've had people telling you things about him/her, you've done your research based on the information given to you, as well as some research based on "what if" scenarios.
You've finally gained quite a bit of theoretical confidence - on paper, you know all there is to know for this Blind Date to be successful. You know that you've taken care of everything within your power to ensure it works out. And yet, you're aware that not everything is within your power - there may be external influences that determine how well the evening will turn out.
"What if s/he doesn't like me?"
That, is probably the biggest fear of them all. Can you feel the butterflies fluttering about in your stomach? The sweaty palms of your hands, the threat hanging over your head that your voice might break up or that you'll say the right thing at the wrong time - or the wrong thing at the right time.
Now picture this - you arrive at the agreed location to meet your date..... but you're early. How do you feel? Nerve wrecking, isn't it?
Now... amplify all that nervousness, uncertainty, doubts, anticipation, excitement..... amplify it all by a gazillion times.
You are still nowhere close enough to understanding what being so close to meeting Creature in person feels like.
As much as I truly appreciate the support people have been showing, and their confidence in my abilities to be a good mother - the judge of it all, at the end of the day, will be Creature. For what might be the first time in my life, I actually care what someone else thinks of me.
I'd like to make it clear that I'm not looking for any pity, nor am I fishing for compliments. I'm just being honest in saying that being so close to the finishing line and making the transition from Pregnant Woman to Mother scares the living crap out of me. I don't believe it gets easier with time - human relationships rarely do... and I suck at them heh. I can only hope that Creature and I will have compatible characters, and that when the day comes where we'll be arguing and s/he yells at me how much I suck as a mother and how much s/he hates me... well.. I hope that I will have done every possible thing within my power to be able to accept those words as bullshit spewed in anger.
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