Cradle and All

By Sariah S. Wilson

I should probably clarify a little from my last Saturday’s post - I was hardly a perfect child (as my mother will attest) - I was probably a little more like Rob in that I abused the administration’s perception of my perfection to skip classes. Senior year I missed more than I should have, especially once I got accepted to college - which was an unfortunate habit that followed me to BYU. I figure this is why I still have nightmares about skipping classes for an entire semester and then having to take the final. Because it actually happened.

But my shock came from getting caught and getting detention. Not from doing something I shouldn’t have.

Anyway, I’m currently working upstairs in my room trying to get it finished for our baby set-up. I have a special bed for the baby that goes right against my bed without any barrier between us (so essentially three-walled). This way I think the baby get the benefits of co-sleeping without the risks. I’m personally terrified of smothering my baby, and any thoughts of co-sleeping went out the window when I woke up one morning with my eldest child to find him on the very edge of the bed. I don’t know how he got there or what would have happened if I’d pushed against him or rolled at all. I don’t like to think about it. But I do think it’s nice to have the baby right there next to you for the first month for easy access and because of the studies that suggest it helps the baby to remember to breathe when she hears her own parents breathing. I’ve saved my room for last because it is the least fun chore right now.

I’m huge and I’m not sleeping and I’m sick of not having sugar, so all in and all, I am ready for this little girl to make her appearance in the world.

Which should happen a little after 7:30 a.m. (EST) on Tuesday. My doctor wanted to do a C-section last week, but I told him he couldn’t do that to me because he wanted to go in the day after my second son’s birthday. I need more than one day between the birthdays. It’s bad enough that all their birthdays will be in May. So I’ve been living in morbid fear that this baby would decide to come early, just to wrench up all the plans and things that had to be done before she could come.

But fortunately we’re now at a point where even if she did come a day or two early, we’re on the right track for when everyone has scheduled time off. My boys will be staying with the grandparents, which they’re thrilled about (particularly since Grandma has her pool up and running again).

I’m looking forward to my hospital stay. When I meet moms who talk about how much they hated the hospital and how they couldn’t wait to get home, I am truly mystified (in fact, I have become very bummed out at being informed that instead of being able to stay five days as I have in the past, I will only be able to stay three days. Insurance sucks). The hospital is the BEST. I have 24-hour round-the-clock care. Someone brings me all my food. If I want to sleep for the night, the nurses take the baby so I can sleep (which I do take advantage of because it’s my best chance to recuperate from having just had major surgery). It’s like staying in a really clean hotel with room service you don’t have to pay for. Yay for hospitals!

So be thinking of us on Tuesday. C-sections are scary and it always worries me a bit. But I suppose this is the consequence of producing humans who are over 12 pounds at birth. Although, honestly, I don’t think she’s anywhere near that big. I don’t look like a sideshow freak like I did with my first two (people would stop and stare at me because I looked like I was about to give birth to a baby whale).

I’m guessing she’s 9 to 10 pounds. I have no scientific basis for this theory, just a guess. She could shock us all and come out a reasonable 6 pounds or so (but I’m not sure I would know what to do with a baby who didn’t make my arms feel like they were going to break.)

Anyone else want to make a guess on how big this baby will be?