Preparing for baby & emotions

[danielsmom]

If there's one thing we all have in common it's that we don't take life for granted. I'm 18 weeks and I did something that I didn't think I'd do. I bought something for the baby. A PINK something. Actually I bought fabric to make a nursing pillow cover, and I already made it! Oh well, it's just a little thing, right? But then my husband came home from work one day this week and brought up the fact that our compact SUV might not be big enough for 2 car seats (especially one rear facing), and begins poking around on the internet looking at bigger options. Whoa whoa whoa...

Even as guarded as I am, I thought I was the positive one. It's just that I know how fortunate we were with Daniel, not only with his NICU stay, but he could've been hours or even minutes away from death before delivery with almost reverse diastolic cord flow.

Anyway, I must be hormonal, there were a few tears. He looks at me like I grew two heads. I just told him that a cramped car will be a great problem to have IF it comes to that point. He said he won't do anything until we get a few more appointments behind us.

Now I'm looking at making the entire nursery set, thinking I should do it now before I could possibly be put on bedrest again, which was at 25 weeks with my son. Maybe it's practical, but I hate that nagging doubt in the back of my head.

Pre-e just sucks. Sorry for the rant.

[cmccaffrey]

I totally understand what you're feeling. This entire pregnancy has been a constant battle for me. Around 24 weeks I started doing stuff for the little guy and eventually I settled into making all of his bedding as well. It was actually therapeutic for me because I was so focused on something that I didn't really pay attention to the fact that it was for the nursery. I am 35/36 weeks and I just bought the car seat. I wont throw out the boxes for ANYTHING just in case. My husband thinks that's a little morbid, but what else am I supposed to do? I know that as soon as I let my heart accept all this excitement something bad will happen (even if it totally wont). I guess we just keep doing what we've been doing and take one day at a time.

ps: I want to see the pillow cover you made... I love looking at sewing projects!

[lennoxlm1]

I feel you, my husband keeps bringing up the car seat we still haven't bought, I'm 28 weeks and I'm just not ready too, we have started to buy diapers, and it's exciting to see, but every Sunday for some reason I become really emotional. I'll be praying for you and every one else as we go through the roller coaster ride together

[danielsmom]

That's EXACTLY what it is, a roller coaster ride. One day I'm determined not to let this pre-e junk steal my joy, and the next I can't even imagine a somewhat normal, or even mild/late pre-e stint.

Carseats...lol... we saw some the other day while I was getting a potty seat for my son, and I was scouring the isle to find one that would accomodate a 4 pound baby (most are 5lb and up). My son was 4 lb 4 oz when he was discharged, so it was required that we had a seat for that. My sweet hubby pulled me out of there and told me we wouldn't need it anyway. I love him so much, even for faking it!

Ok, show and tell. I want to see yours too! Here's the nursing pillow cover. It's a fuzzy smooth pink dot fabric. I absolutely love this pillow cuz it's so lap friendly.

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And while we're on the subject of sewing, I just finished piecing this memory quilt. I colored the pictures a sage sepia tone to blend with the green toile and printed them on fabric, that's why they look sort of black/white-ish. Doing this has helped me remember that miracles still happen.

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Yes, one day at a time. Thanks, it's nice to know I'm not the only one...

[angieb]

Beautiful quilt!

Regarding the carseat- Chicco keyfit 30 and Graco Snugride 30 are both rated for 4 lb babies, I personally loved the snugride.( Chicco's are overpriced IMO.Especially if you need an extra base.)

I had the same problem, it was definitely hard...but I also morbidly told myself that if god forbid we lost this baby (all 20 lbs/almost 30 inches of him asleep in my other arm at the moment), I would feel horrible that we had nothing for him, that we had done nothing because of our fears...even though we lost Olivia at 23 wks, we have a couple boxes of her stuff in the basement, packing it up was awful, but I don't regret buying a single thing. I think at some moments you just have to force yourself to do it. Good luck! I am rooting for you!

[cmccaffrey]

wow! The pillow cover looks perfect and so does the quilt. I am not that skilled yet. I taught myself via youtube after losing Mason. It has become sort of my "soul mending" hobby.

We chose the chicco keyfit 30 and I found it on super sale... again it still has the box and all the tags just in case, but I am happy to of actually found one for smaller babies.

You can check out my blog to see some of the stuff I have sewn/made for the nursery. The most recent is the boppy cover, but if you go far enough back you might be able to see the crib sheets and crib skirt.

www.theyoungmccaffreys.blogspot.com

[lennoxlm1]

I love the nursing pillow! I wish I could sew.... but alas all I can do is cook and eat... (and of course gain the extra weight...) I'm so glad I'm not alone in this!

[danielsmom]

Christa! Love the boppy pillow cover! Your colors are really cute. And... you have way more skill than me if you can put a zipper in! I started quilting a couple years ago, and was surprised how easy it was with good patterns & methods. If you can sew a straight line, you can quilt. But I know little about making other things. I just got a serger for Christmas, so I really want to learn to make clothes and home decorating stuff. It is definitely soul mending. And what a cute baby calendar shirt!! Is the week hilighted adjustable or is that several different shirts?

Lennoxlm1 - LOL! You can cook for me! Eating and sewing are right up there together.

angieb - thanks for the info on the carseats. I'll keep my eye out for those. My son's seat is expired now, it was a used gift which was perfect because it happened to be a snugride for 4 lb kiddos.

Off to hunt for fabric. Have a good day everyone!

[wrennie]

daily deep breaths and reminding yourself that every pregnancy is different, is about all you can do. let yourself enjoy some small celebrations, you deserve it! i know what you mean though. We lost Elodie on the day of her shower, with Aylah I was hospitalized and REFUSED a shower, with this boy I am now on bedrest at home and decided it would be ok to have a shower as my friends are so insistent....but im still paranoid. its silly, the shower didnt make me lose Elodie or the lack of one didnt save Aylah, but thats just it, PE robbed us of the luxury of a simple pregnancy.

[MomTimesThree]

I remember with my second I was at a thrift store and saw a pair of maternity pants that I thought would fit... not now, but later. Without thinking I picked them up, put them in my basket and checked out. It was only on the way to the car that I had a huge panic attack! What had I just done?! What if I never made it far enough in the pregnancy to fit into them!? What if I had just jinxed myself! It was awful... a whole panic attack over a pair of pants. I look back and roll my eyes at myself, but in that moment it was so very very very very real.

One day at time, and when needed, one breath at a time. Getting robbed of what so many assume is a guarantee of a happy and healthy nine months completely changes ones perspective. It's so unfair, and then at the same time I think how unluckily lucky we sometimes are. As so many take moments for granted, and you know we never do.