Labor Projects

[FarmerCathy]

Hi ladies,

I've been trying to think of a labor project since I'm having a homebirth. What is everyone else doing? I just can't think of anything that would keep me focused.

[nighten]

Baking and making curtains if I haven't made them by then. (But I doubt they'll wait til then honestly.)

Definitely baking though. I want to bring some goodies to the birth center with me for the nurses, and leave something at the house for our housesitter while we're gone.

ETA: You could bake a cake so as to have a Birthday Cake there at home after the baby arrives.

[Epiphany]

Hi, I'm lurking from the March board. I was thinking about baking something for the nurses too when I go into labor. I'll be in a hospital for delivery so I figured a major kiss up gift with chocolate in it will help with any attitudes I may get for my birth plan. :L

I love the idea of baking a birthday cake too! I figure baking is easy enough that I could do it between contractions. Maybe a simple bead necklace, or a dream catcher for the babies room if you are looking for a project to help you focus.

[txgal]

We are having a home birth too. I plan on baking a birthday cake and Dh says he is going to brew beer I also have a book of Mandalas to color, and a small cross stitch project to work on. I'm hoping everything will move along quickly and I won't have time for any of it.

[aprilushka]

If I have early labor that goes on for days I'll work on gardening. For some reason gardening and birth seem connected to me. If it looks like it's picking up I'll limit myself to a cake.

[clynnr]

Last time I showered, packed my bag (not applicable in your case, LOL), played the piano (at 3am), surfed MDC, and basically ran around like a chicken with my head cut off! I don't recommend it, because I was wiped by the time I got to the hospital. Maybe something nice a quiet, like sewing/knitting, or at least something where you can rest a little.

[2+twins]

I've never had an early first stage of labor (just the hard active stuff where you're not able to do anything else) but I might try to make sure I have ingredients on hand for chocolate chip cookies or something. That way if there's time I can do that as a project with my kids or someone else can at any rate. I might just try to watch a movie or something simple like that. Hard to say!

[duckat]

I'm planning to do some puttering around the house, and then have several "old favorite" books on hand. Things that I love to read and reread that take me to a good place. Plus you can read while pacing, on the birth ball, whatever you need to do.

[Wittyone]

Baking seems to be popular...I love the idea of making a birthday cake and taking it to the birth center for a celebration with everyone, that would be really fun. I read a birth story one time about a midwife who started a pot of homemade chicken soup when she arrived at the house and it was ready when the baby came. Having something yummy like soup to feed everyone after the birth would also be nice. To the pp who mentioned gardening - that really sounds awesome. It would be cool to dig in the dirt while in labor, very grounding (pun sorta intended ). Given my family history I will be shocked if I have a short labor, so some projects to keep me occupied but not wear me out sound great. My hope is to ignore labor until I can't anymore

[PinkPixie]

Also planning another homebirth.
I mostly just do last minute cleaning up like vacuuming, washing the floors, washing the bathroom. I like everything to be nice and tidy especially for labor. I don't want to be in the tub having major contractions while thinking "the boys missed the toilet again...there's pee on the floor!!"

Last pregnancy, my water broke first. Since I had no contractions and my boys were at my parents' house, we cleaned the house, went out to our favorite Vietnamese Restaurant, then watched tv until quite late. We will try to go out and eat if my water breaks first again this time.

[BetsyPage]

I'm going to make sure I'm caught up on laundry, that the house is neat, and try to rest!

[FreeSpiritMama]

Originally Posted by BetsyPage

I'm going to make sure I'm caught up on laundry, that the house is neat, and try to rest!

:

I'll probably also go for a walk,do some really gentle yoga, meditate for a while or listen to my hypnobirthing CD. I might also bake a birthday cake. Oh and set up the pool !

[Titus2fam]

I'm sure I'll still have PLENTY of cleaning and straightening and maybe even yardwork I could do! LOL! I might start some turkey/blackbean chili....(((((HUGS))))) sandi

[celestialdreamer]

Originally Posted by FreeSpiritMama

:

I'll probably also go for a walk,do some really gentle yoga, meditate for a while or listen to my hypnobirthing CD. I might also bake a birthday cake. Oh and set up the pool !

me too! just make sure everything is ready to go with the birth supplies (ie the bed made up, the pool set up), listen to my hypnobirthing affirmations CD, possibly bake something or throw something in the crockpot, etc.

[Mom2-4Gs]

The birthing center I'm going to bakes a birthday cake while your in labor.



Allison
Mom to 4 daughters and ? due end of April

[aweynsayl]

OMG, that is awesome!!!

I'll be baking chocolate chip cookies (the MWs are fighting over who gets to come to my birth... heehee), Birth Day cake for babe (I've always wanted a spring baby, and this little critter is having Lemon Cake, and will have Garden/Tea Parties for Birthday Parties... at least as long as I get to be in charge!), maybe make something yummy to eat when we get home from the BC... like a pasta something to throw in the fridge.... play with the dog.... and I've got some of my fave movies lined up if it gets to the rest and be distracted phase.....

[Stayathomemommy]

just being in labor is activity enough!! i will probably take a bath and try and get some sleep or at least quiet rest in bed. maybe watch a movie with my girls since it will be the last time i'll be a mother to all girls!!

last time i had something i had to do.....my belly cast. i dont like having anything i must do. i really dont antisipate having too long a labor this time so i am not planning any projects.

[ThreeTimesAMama]

Sitting in the bath reading sounds good to me! But I haven't planned anything specific. Last go round, I had the sudden wild urge to rake the yard. It was early February and we still hadn't gotten the last of the fall leaves rounded up on our large corner lot. I went out and raked for over 3 hours straight...believe me, that got labor going! Who knows what craziness will come over me this time!!!

[JefsJen]

I started crocheting a baby afghan this afternoon. Then realized that I would need a lot more yarn that what I had. So it's either gonna be multi-colored from different left-over skeins or I will dump it and start over.

[FarmerCathy]

Wow, lots of baking and cleaning. yeah, I'm thinking I will atleast clean the bathroom while I'm in labor. It always needs it. I did also buy a cake mix yesterday and was going to have my mom make it, but that might be a good project to do too. I could get some icing too if I have time and decorate it also. I just wish I could have the brownies I want to make, but midwife says no chocolate for two months after the baby is born. That is going to be really hard. I could also sew some more on my quilt I'm making, that might be a good focusing project, but we'll see what I have time for. I might not have time for any of it.