When and how did you feel "ready" for baby?

[~minnow~]

So... I'm not due for three weeks, and unlike a lot of you I am hoping (now) that she doesn't come esp. early.

We had our 37 week home visit with the birth team today; our birth supplies are mostly assembled (we need a hose for the pool still); I have one lasagna in the freezer and friends brining food and have washed the diapers and littlest baby clothes. We upgraded to a queen size bed and I have a cosleeping pillow and some breast pads, not to mention slings. Preparation wise, we aren't unready.

Still, there's so much more to do. I can't imagine ever getting to where I feel totally and completely ready. I can't imagine being able to say, okay, that's every single thing on the "to-do" list; I'm completely done with all possible preparation. Not to mention that mental readiness... I'm not scared of labor or birth or caring for a newborn, exactly, but it's just hard to integrate the idea that this huge change we've been anticipating for 9 months is ACTUALLY going to happen, like, anytime in the next few weeks.

So, experienced mamas, how did you do it? What had to happen or be in place before you felt "ready"? Did you finish EVERYTHING on your list? If not, was it okay? What helped you feel peaceful in the last few weeks?

[lactivist]

I think the thing that makes me feel ready is just being physically miserable and incredibly impatient to meet my baby. I don't think I have ever done EVERYTHING on my to do list before baby comes. With my first I was the most ready stuff wise. I also wasn't really feeling ready to give birth until my due date and beyond. With subsequent kids I just get more and more impatient to meet the baby, who will you be, what will you look like, will you have hair? etc. Enjoy your pregnancy and your time exclusively with your baby, you will have to share soon. Don't worry about feeling ready, it will come or it won't but baby will definitely come either way.
Wendi

[mighty-mama]

With both pregnancies.. I was miserable for exactly 2wks before their birth... DS1 was born 39.5, but since this new guy was born a little shy of 37wks, I always knew he'd be early..

For me, the two wks before their births were hell, I was miserable, cranky, irriatable, didn't want to socialize.. I think it was my body's way of keeping me inner and not wasting any unwanted energy.

[mamas2atti]

Originally Posted by mighty-mama

With both pregnancies.. I was miserable for exactly 2wks before their birth...

I was miserable, cranky, irriatable, didn't want to socialize.. I think it was my body's way of keeping me inner and not wasting any unwanted energy.

This is me exactly right now! I never got this way with either of my last two and went 40 & 42 weeks with them. I'm hoping this is a sign...

[SweetTexasgal]

Originally Posted by mighty-mama

With both pregnancies.. I was miserable for exactly 2wks before their birth... DS1 was born 39.5, but since this new guy was born a little shy of 37wks, I always knew he'd be early..

For me, the two wks before their births were hell, I was miserable, cranky, irriatable, didn't want to socialize.. I think it was my body's way of keeping me inner and not wasting any unwanted energy.

Oh my....I too hope this is a sign. I am miserable....I can hardly walk...babe is sitting so low, I don't sleep well...maybe 3-4 hours a night...and I am a cranky....cranky....person to be around.

[maylea_moon]

I definitely felt "ready" at 38 weeks, I knew she would be born soon when I got to that point. She was born at 38w4d.

[BamBam'sMom]

I never felt completely "ready" with ds. I was sort of young and the first of my friends to have a kid, and I guess I thought being pregnant was probably easier than caring for a newborn. I tried to enjoy it while it lasted. I went six days past my due date, and was hoping for one more day (I wanted to go look at houses that day, but I went into labor instead).

I don't think my lack of readiness took anything away from the experience of having him.

Right now, I'm 36 1/2 weeks and feel far from ready.

[allbrightmama]

I will be 40 weeks tomorrow and have felt "ready" for about a week. I didn't finish everything on my to do list but I just don't care about that now. Until last week I was concerned about my inability to comprehend that we are about to have a baby. I was totally focused on what I needed to get done. Now I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of our little sprout. I have no idea what changed. I am not at all miserable. Honestly I could go on being pregnant for months feeling as well as I do. So no magic answer here.

[leanbh]

Originally Posted by mighty-mama

With both pregnancies.. I was miserable for exactly 2wks before their birth... DS1 was born 39.5, but since this new guy was born a little shy of 37wks, I always knew he'd be early..

For me, the two wks before their births were hell, I was miserable, cranky, irriatable, didn't want to socialize.. I think it was my body's way of keeping me inner and not wasting any unwanted energy.

it was nearly two weeks exactly before i gave birth that i felt miserable. i was tired, cranky, hungry, and bitchy pretty consistently.

[~minnow~]

Thanks for the replies, mamas! So, in other words, sounds like I just need to hang tough till I start feeling awful, then I'll be ready.

[CanidFL]

I had a "to do" list and most of it was things DH needed to do like side car the crib, put in some baseboard, put up a mirror, etc. I felt like the baby could not come until all this was done. We had just went through a flood and renovation and the construction was complete on Saturday. I had the baby on Wednesday.

I remember at around 37 weeks I just stopped caring if the to do list was done. I just went from loving being pregnant to ready to have the baby at any moment. I was calm about things and knew they would get done in time and the baby didn't care if we had the house ready or not lol.

The baby came early and of course we weren't ready but it's been fine. The crib still isn't set up beside up our bed but DS is just sleeping with us in bed.