BFW - what is/was your early labor project?

[at_the_hip]

I'd love to hear what you did or plan to do in early/active labor! I need to plan a project.

[matthia]

I really love baking. I've especially been loving it since being pregnant. It calms me down and relaxes me completely...so, my plan is to bake. I almost ALWAYS have everything on hand for cookies at the least, and as of 37 weeks I'm making baking ingredients a priority on all the shopping lists so I'm prepared. I also love the idea of having a kitchen full (hopefully) of fresh baked goods for the first few days after the baby. This is my first so I don't know how it'll go but unless I have a freakishly fast early labour, I'm hoping I'll be able to get off a couple of batches of cookies and biscuits at the least. I even have a fantasy about going into labour sometime in the middle of the night and having the house all quiet and dark, letting DH sleep a little longer while I bake...

[Juvysen]

I was gardening... the timing just sort of worked out that way. then I made dinner. then I went to bed (well, listened to my hypnobabies for a few hours while everyone else napped) then I got up and pushed out a baby

[emnic77]

Cleaning.
I plan on cleaning the kitchen and the bathroom, and picking up the living room and our bedroom (as well as making up the plastic sandwich bed). If I have any time left after that, I'm baking a cake.

[Lit Chick]

I was going to sleep. As a first timer, my midwives expected a long labor and did not want me to get tired.
But I ended up working a half day before I realized that my labor was the real deal. My labor was FAST too.

This time, if I get the same signs I'm going to stay home and hopefully cook or clean - but I'll probably waste time on the internet!

[Paige, CPM]

My plan is to make the birthday cake and get the food ready for the celebration. Banana cake (really a bread recipe) with choc frosting and banana pieces dipped in chocolate for the top. I haven't decided about the other food yet but I will probably have a soup or casserole frozen and just work on snacks like chips n dip and hummus and veg, cheese and crackers... I love food and I love making it!!

[rad]

I planned to bake a cake with my first baby, but my labor was way too fast that there was no way I could concentrate on baking. Also never got a chance with my other 4 since my labors went even faster.

[averlee]

I went into labor at about 11pm, so I tried to sleep between contractions. By morning I was past the point of any projects, and baby arrived in the afternoon.

[JamieCatheryn]

I baked a cake during my first. Mostly just slept then chatted with DH and a friend during my second.

[Tizzy]

I baked a cake during my early labor too, it was so much fun to have cake at midnight with the midwives after the baby came

Okay actually my early labor dragged on...and on...and on...(69 hours) so I did a lot more than just bake a cake but that was the highlight.

[*MamaJen*]

I was in early labor through the morning. I cleaned the house and made a pot of lentil soup. Then I took a shower and napped through the afternoon. It was good to be busy and active during the earliest part of labor, and I'm glad I got some rest as well.
I remember, I never got around to checking the seasoning on the soup because I took off into active labor while it was simmering. I was waaay off in laborland, pretty much beyond speech, but trying to explain to the midwife that the soup probably needed more salt. It was actually pretty funny.

[bclare]

I made birthday cupcakes -- they were a lot of fun and decorated them with natural colors and buttercream frosting. After a very long labor and delivery and stiches they were wonderful to share with the midwives and DH and were likely the best thing I have ever eaten. Sugarly, chocolately, buttery goodness restores the soul after birth!

[Beltane]

I was thinking about doing some gardening and cleaning up the house, but I really like the idea of baking a birthday cake. I don't know why I didn't think of that before! Thanks for the idea.

[taren]

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Edited by taren - 9/2/11 at 10:09am

[Funny Face]

Last time it was cleaning. I went into labor at bedtime and was home alone with dd. So I was busy taking care of her and cleaning up and setting up. I'd planned on watching a movie or going to walk somewhere if it had started during the day.

I think cooking and cleaning are my favorite ideas (though I've never felt like cooking or eating during labor thus far ).

[Romana]

#1 - Shopping for birth-related stuff we hadn't purchased yet, primarily because I wasn't expecting spontaneous labor at 38 weeks as a first-time mom. Eventually went home and spent several more hours cleaning and prepping for the birth before things got too intense to do anything but concentrate on laboring.

#2 - Labor started in the wee hours, around 1 or 2 a.m., so I just cleaned since I couldn't sleep, in preparation for the birth and the midwife. In the late morning I started doing a jigsaw puzzle; kept doing that until I felt ready to get in the birth pool. He was born about 2-3 hours after I finished the puzzle. Total labor was 18 hours. I was a little behind on getting the lasagna in the oven for the midwives, though. I was giving my husband directions on the preparation and cooking in between transition contractions, while the midwife's assistant set up her equipment.

[Angelorum]

It wasn't planned, but I went into labor as soon as we got to the movies to see Harry Potter 6. It was great, we had seats where we could put our feet up, and in between contractions I had the most blissful relaxed feeling ever wash over me. The only downside is, I don't remember anything about the movie! I think everything that happened afterward sort of overshadowed it in my brain.

[mamakaikai]

I didn't have early labour at all with my first. My contractions started with a bang, fast and furious every 2-3 minutes and baby was born 6 hours later. This time, I'm not planning on any projects for early labor. But, if I do get to have early labor and want a project, it will absolutely be baking. Cake with icing.

[camprunner]

I cleaned the floors but it wasn't really planned. I was going to do them later than day (instead of 4am) if I hadn't gone into labor.

[Namaste16]

Painting!

My husband and I plan to create a painting together during early labor and later hang it in our home. It will be mostly abstract, which should allow us to complete the painting before the "birthing waves" become too intense. It will be a beautiful way for us to express our feelings together and give us a momento to cherish for years to come. Also, art has a way of becoming very hypnotic in itself, so hopefully the time will pass quickly and easily.