The dreaded tenth month, that somehow you don’t learn about until you’re actually pregnant, was just as uncomfortable as you would expect. I was thrilled to reach 37 weeks and have a full-term baby, but it only added to my impatience – I was ready to finally meet our little one!
The final days were filled with a TON of braxton hicks contractions, and we only had one false alarm where my doctor sent us to triage to be checked. The contractions were there, but dilation was zero. After a few hours of monitoring, we went home – sans baby and only more anxious to meet him or her!
Looking back on these last three weeks, I am grateful that I took time for myself and got all pre-baby preparations out of the way. Here are some of the ways I coped with the final anxiety-ridden days:
- Spa date with my mom and sister – a no-chip manicure (so it would stay through the birth) and a pedicure
- Scheduled the newborn photographer for one week after the birth
- Fancy lunch at the Ritz Carlton and a matinee movie with my mom
- Pack and re-pack the hospital bag and diaper bag
- One last girls’ night with my best friends, complete with take-out, cupcakes and wine (sadly, for them)
- Charge the DSLR camera and iPad
- Nice dinner out with Mr. Markers
- Bubble baths! I took one every day; it felt amazing and relieved the pressure in my hips and lower-back
- Read an entire book in one sitting
- Sleep! I napped, slept in in the mornings, and did I mention napped?
The night before my scheduled c-section, Mr. Markers and I made mac n’ cheese and watched a movie at home. Our family was all staying at nearby hotels, but we declined all visitors to spend our final night pre-parenthood being just “us.” I’m so glad we did. We had one last night to dream about our little one and imagine who he or she would be. It was perfect.
How did you spend your last days of pregnancy? Is there anything you wish you would have done?
GOLD / grapefruit / 4555 posts
I’m still trying to fill my time. Thankfully, DS is distracting enough on his own to keep me busy!
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
Lots of naps, naps, naps, a couple of spa pedicures a massage and naps.
pineapple / 12053 posts
Projects with my mom and lots of walks! I’m not a napper even now with DD here!
cherry / 141 posts
I think a spa date is an excellent idea-I wish I had done that!
My husband and I ate at a nice sushi restaurant before our baby arrived. I’m really glad we did. It was nice to have that time together and eat something I love and crave///wish I could have been eating the entire pregnancy.
apricot / 286 posts
I’m currently 35 weeks and started a weekly bubble bath ritual and it’s heavenly. I should consider doing it daily once I’m on mat leave
apple seed / 4 posts
I’m pretty much planning on working up until my due date. Am I crazy? Should I take a few more days off…? A spa day sounds fabulous!
pomegranate / 3275 posts
With DD, who was a scheduled induction, I went out to coffee with my mom in the afternoon and ate deliciously horrible food for dinner with DH. It was a really nice day and unseasonably warm. My mom did an excellent job at keeping me busy the few days leading up to my induction.
DS was three weeks early and messed up all our plans (a second bday party for DD was cancelled and our fourth anniversary dinner was cancelled) So we had things planned to pass the time, but DS was running on his own schedule! I have to admit that I was pretty bummed about having to cancel the birthday party, but I didn’t want all those people in my house with a newborn.
grapefruit / 4669 posts
I am in my (hopefully) last week right now and am spending most of my time on the couch! I spent the last couple of weeks walking and socializing and pretty much exhausting myself; now I’m just hoping this is the final stretch and we’ll have a LO here soon!