Anyone else unprepared for the arrival?

[mamand'ete]

I'm not talking mentally though I probably am a little mentally unprepared with full-time work and DS keeping me busy during waking hours so I haven't thought too much about this pregnancy. No obsessing and over planned preparations this time around.

I've pulled out the boxes of newborn supplies and admittedly purchased a new jogger (it was on a good sale and I needed it my first wore out) but that's as far as we have got. The boxes still need opening and washing all the clothes.

I guess we should at some point think about names. I imagine I should start clearing work and transferring duties/projects so I don't drop everything suddenly into someone's lap.

I just feel terrible at not preparing after all I'm down to 8 weeks to EDD and that's if I even make it that far. DS was a couple weeks early and my OB has a suspicion of early no. 2

Am I just too relaxed about this pregnancy? I have tried to never obsess over anything and am fairly spontaneous. I generally think things work out as long as you don't stress. This hasn't been an easy pregnancy so you'd think I was more concerned about preparations especially for a preemie but I just can't get my head into it. I do have a wonderful family mine & DH's that would step up to help if we get into a jam for childcare help or housekeeping after baby arrives; though we generally don't ask them, we decided to have a child so we feel it is our responsibility to take care of our child and home.

Am I totally alone here?

[luv2*b*mom]

I'm a very laid bad, unstressed person as well. We dont have anything but diapers!! I have my newborn stash all ready but as far as clothes and all that other stuff, nothing! I do have a few outfits but thats it. We still need a carseat (well I do have one that was given to me but I think we'll get another one...). I just think ~ the baby will be sleeping with us and eating from me and I got that covered! LOL Dont worry it'll all fall into place! I'm waiting to see what the baby is *for sure* before buying anything. After the baby gets here, we'll go on a shopping spree! Hehe!

[TerriKay]

I have quite a bit of what I need, and we are working on a diaper stash. That's the only thing I am worried about getting right now. I have never used cd's before, so I have been spending hours online trying to learn about cd and deciding what I want to try first.

I also need to finish washing some of the clothes that we had gotten. We are expecting a boy in a family full of girls (1 dd & 3 dn), so I was very gung-ho about hitting the garage sales early this year, or else this poor boy would be dressed in an awful lot of pink. If somehow we do end up w/ a girl, we have plenty packed away at my dsis's house.

I also need to get a bag packed for me to take to the hospital. When dd was born, she was 16 days early and I hadn't even thought about packing before that!!! We had to run around the house that morning gathering things to take!!! If I don't do that soon, we will be having a repeat of the 1st one.

Finally, I still having checked into any classes. This is my 2nd, but Leo's 1st. He acts like it will be no big deal ("because your dm will be there and she knows what to do". Yeah, that worries me just a bit. I don't want him freaking out and fainting or something. I would also like to get my 8yo dd into a sibling class. She is VERY excited and will be a wonderful help, but I also think that she would learn alot and really enjoy the class. She is old enough to understand everything that will be going on.

Yikes, I have more to do than I thought. I had better get cracking!!!!
TerriKay
EDD 8/11/04

[mamand'ete]

@TerriKay - I used Kooshie cds with my first and invested in the extra absorbent insert pads and a roll or two of diaper liner sheets (kind of like toilet paper) which make clean up much better. The liners are flushable and a cinch to deal with bm's with. I still have mine left over so we're good there.

I didn't have my hosp bag ready the first time either but at least we only live 20 minutes away.

I'd like to know if I'm having a boy or girl but don't know yet. We have bins of boys clothes so we're set for a boy. At least 2 of my SIL have had a girl in the past year so should I have a girl there won't be any difficulty getting some clothes quick and on the cheap.

The name I'm most worried about because I don't want to be caught without a few ideas and give some name that we later don't really like or are overly popular.

[kimberlylibby]

I figure all you REALLY need is a boob (two is always preferable, but one will do!) and a place for the kid to pee and poo.

I am really really not sure what to take clothing wise for ME though, how silly is that? I know I hated EVERYTHING I brought for Libby, because I ended up with a c/s, and I'd brought pants that hit SO horribly on my incision. And with engorgement my bras were useless. So I just wore the hospital gown (with NO bra and NO underwear!!) until we left!!

[mealymama]

mamand'ete, I don't think you can be too relaxed about your pregnancy. I've only gotten as much done as I have becuase I've enjoyed it, but like Kimberlylibby said, you don't need much but boobs and poop-catchers, right?
there's plenty of time to wash laundry, and at some point you might be sitting there and all of a sudden going through those baby clothes seems like the mosrt entertaining thing you can imagine doing.

[mealymama]

As far as the names thing goes:
we didn't name our daughter until she was 3 days old and I'm so glad we didn't. The whole pregnancy we were STUMPED and 'Olivia' wasn't even on our list. It just fit her so well once we took the time to hold her and look at her and get a sense of who she was. And as far as picking a name that's overly popular? Growing up I knew ONE Olivia. 2 weeks after dd was born, the childrens book "olivia" about the little pig was published. It went straight to #1, and there was sooo much merchandising, and blam-o, every time I go shopping I hear a mom calling "Oliiiivia...." across the store. So you never know about popularity of a name.
My best friend is named Emma and growing up everybody always told her how unusual and old-fashioned her name was! Not anymore!
My name's Laurel... I've never known another Laurel but I'm sure it'll be trendy, sooner or later.

[LizaBear]

I know WHERE the NB and small diapers and clothes are - does that count for anything ? Nothing has been dragged out or washed yet.

DH works 4 days this week, then has 2 weeks off - I think we're going to do a lot of physical preparation during that 2 weeks. Dig out the baby clothes, rearange the bedroom a bit, box up some stuff that just needs to be stored that we haven't gotten around to doing. Washing up the diapers and clothes, stuff like that.

Then, when he goes back to work, and I am 33 weeks pregnant and caring for a toddler all day, I don't have to worry about doing anything HUGE myself - just getting through the day-to-day stuff.

We've finally narrowed down our names lists - knocking off some that one or the other of us didn't care for - we have 3 girls names (Mallory Mae, Paige Elizabeth and Heather Ann) and 2 boys names (Wyatt Kemis and Jesse Eugene).