Ready Or Not Here I Come?

My wife is having contractions.

Okay so it could be Braxton Hicks, and it’s pretty normal for this time in the pregnancy – we’re 34 weeks in and anywhere from two to six weeks from the birth. The actual date is August 18th but only 4% of babies are born on that due date. My mother says I was perfectly on time. She also says I was such a cute baby people came from all over the hospital to look at me. I was also hairy.

I’m more inclined to believe that I was hairy.

Anyway, I am very aware bethend could just be experiencing completely normal Braxton Hicks.

Except for the bit where they don’t sound a bit like Braxton Hicks. False labour is felt in the front, not for very long, sporadically.

These contractions are in the back, cramps in the legs, are lasting a little longer. They’re every now and then but also every hour, every half hour, every twenty minutes….at least that’s how close they got on Sunday and I was waiting for them to get closer still before I rang the midwife or the ward. Then around half one in the morning, they stopped. Since then it’s been off and on, every half an hour for a couple of hours with other suspicious signs and half the women we know who’ve had children saying it’s coming and coming early.

Too early.

We are actually ready. We have everything, we’ve finished the cover for the Moses basket, we have everything a baby could need. On Monday – due to Sunday’s suspicious contractions – we put a hospital bag together. My mum has been notified so she’s ready to drive us, the neighbours too if necessary (my mum has health problems but is pretty determined to be the one to drive us to the hospital).

We’re ready even if he may not be – though he’s four pounds and not like he’s three months too early and not viable. He’s just small.

I’m not ready at work though, that’s the only problem. I was hoping to get further ahead than I am. I work in a Pharmacy as an assistant dispenser (I’m training) and mostly I make up trays of medication for elderly patients and put together the monthly medications for two care homes. I also do regular dispensing during the day off and on and half a dozen little jobs depending on what my Pharmacist wants me to do. I was hoping to get a couple of weeks ahead on my trays at least, so there would be less for my colleagues to worry about and do when I’m off on my maternity leave.

After Sunday I was very aware I had done nothing to prepare – I’ve asked Snappy to give me another week at least but it’s easier to herd cats than get an unborn child to do anything.

And it’s damn near impossible to heard cats without biscuits.

At least by now I’ve done my trays for the week, started the first of my care homes and written out a list of hints and tips for how I do my job. I have a little autonomy when it comes to how I manage my workload and organise it all.

Part of me doesn’t care, which is awful, because I have over forty patients I make trays for and there are sixteen people in one care home and almost thirty in the other. But I don’t care because this is my wife and she’s in pain and I hate that, it’s hard to see her in any sort of pain. And this is my baby, and I can’t wait to meet him and hold him and just have him.

Today is my day off – so today would be great but we’ll see. My netbook is broken so if this post doesn’t look at shiny as usual bear with me – a spare part is coming. You can always help support me on Ko-Fi.

Hopefully next week I’ll have a post up regardless of what happens, either way, I need to get my netbook fixed (power issues) or my PC fixed (monitor connection issues) soon. At least my wife’s laptop is in (mostly) working order.

Save

15 Replies to “Ready Or Not Here I Come?

  1. All the best! And don’t worry about work – the world will keep on turning regardless, and you won’t give a stuff anyway once baby arrives because they’ll be the most important bit of your lives for a long while to come now. Hope it all goes well #KCACOLS

  2. Oh man you left us hanging! lol I am sure you are as ready as you ever will be and babies have a time table of thier own. #KCACOLS

  3. All the best and really don’t worry about work, they will understand, and truly, you have far more important things to focus on. Good luck and keep us updated. Pen x #KCACOLS

  4. Wow congrats! Sounds like you are prepared but please just go with it and enjoy it. I know people say this but time goes so quick and before you know it he will be walking and punching you in the face trying to get to Peppa pig on to (true story) on and take the time to check what she wants you to do during the birth, ie hold her hand, stand their and be supportive or wipe her brow. Otherwise you mind end up with a slip lip and nail marks from a very hassled yet scared other half! #KCACOLS

  5. Ooh sounds like baby will be along soon doesn’t it. How exciting! I love that “can’t wait to meet him, hold him and just have him” I know exactly how that feels. Best wishes for it all, looking forward to your next post! #KCACOLS

  6. So exciting! I really thought M might have been early, but instead she decided to wait until two weeks past her due date… if there’s one thing you can count on with babies, it’s that they do what they want, when they want. I totally second everyone else about work too – they will manage!

    Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday

  7. Best of luck! I am due any day now and have been having Braxton hicks for some time. It freaks you out and the anticipation is killing me! Wishing you a healthy and smooth delivery! #KCACOLS

  8. How exciting and the best of luck….with the baby first and foremost and your wife of course and then with all the other bits that you need to do to feel prepared!:) In the end it will be great and you’ll forget about everything when you have that little baby in your arms:) x

    mainy

    #KCACOLS

  9. You sound like you are really busy trying to make sure you are ready ( I wasn’t as she was 5 weeks early) I know it’s easier said than done but try not to worry too much about work #kcacols

  10. What an exciting time for you! And like everyone says don’t worry about work. I know it’s easier said than done though. I hope everything goes well for your wife and the baby! #KCACOLS

Leave a Reply to Jess Powell (Babi a Fi) Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *