Saturday, January 23, 2010

Kick in the (Maternity) Pants

I had another round of non-stress test and ultrasound yesterday, which showed that nothing has really changed. My fluid is still hovering just above 10, but the little guy seems to be growing well and doing fine. My official diagnosis is "borderline fluid." All of this leaking and low fluid and bedrest at least gave me a much-needed jump-start as far as getting some of the baby-stuff figured out.

I am basically torn between wanting to just get it all done now and knowing that I don't really need much in those first few weeks anyway. Since I am trapped on the couch, I have been doing oodles of research about every baby product I can find. And it's been interesting - there are so many new baby-contraptions out there! For instance, I had never heard of a Tummy Tub before, and now I simply must have one. Even though it's $40.

Yep, it's a giant expensive bucket. But there are hundreds of reviews raving about how fantastic it is, that bathtime isn't the screaming disaster that it is with the lounger tubs, that babies love to stay in the water when they are upright and mostly submerged. Okay, I guess you could just get a bucket at the hardware store, but this one is phthalate and bisphenol free, blah blah blah. Of course, I'll save my final opinion for after I've actually used it.

I did order a car seat and a stroller chassis, thanks to Gwynn's recommendations. I have my eye on a "light-jogging" (i.e, brisk walking, which is all I'll do anyway) stroller which won't be available until March, but really I doubt I'll have the gumption to do any actual brisk walking in those first few weeks. I still need to get a crib mattress (gah! latex vs. coconut vs. the pristine wool of hand-fed mongolian goats...) and some kind of Other Thing that can be the thing the baby sleeps in next to our bed for a while.

What this Other Thing is, though, is unknown. I am intrigued by the idea of the co-sleeper, but our bed is this upholstered platform thing with wide edges. The mattress sits about five inches in from the edge of the upholstered platform. I think that the edge of the co-sleeper won't be able to scoot all the way over to my mattress, so it's whole raison d'etre will be irrelevant. Other than that, a moses basket on a stand? They are really little, though, so probably only good for a few months. Bassinet? I can't cope with one of those poofy things that looks like a miniature coffin inside Scarlett O'Hara's petticoat. There is one intriguing option, but I have found two reviews of it: one person loved it more than anything, one person thought it was a death trap. Hmmm.


See? It could go either way - organic cotton and FSC wood, all very green and fabulous and yay. Or, flimsy and collapses on your baby. Although I am always suspicious that the person who thinks it's dangerous just put it together backwards. I did find one blogger who got it for her nursery back in November - I emailed her to find out what she thinks, and if the blogosphere is all it's cracked up to be she'll write back with the real scoop.

So, that's it so far. Next time - "natural" childbirth!

11 comments:

Paula Keller said...

There is soooo much baby stuff out there, it's truly overwhelming.

I like the "by the bed thingy" though. I know we'll need something like that, but probably bigger for two.

The only thing that makes me nervous about the bucket, is that it's a bucket! Seems like the purpose of the reclining tub is that the water is much shallower and maybe less of a drowning worry. Of course nobody's going to leave the baby while he's in the bucket. I don't know. I plead ignorance, having never done any of this. I don't think I've bathed a baby since high school babysitting.

Hope the fluid thing resolves itself soon! Hang in there.

Bad Egg said...

I saw that baby bath and thought it was pretty cool too. I wondered though, how do you wash the baby's butt?

???

I'll be interested in hearing your take on "natural" childbirth. Gotta say, having had one birth with drugs and one without, I'd definitely get the drugs. I feel like a traitor to the natural birth mommas, but man, it sucked.

Glad to hear little man is staying put for now!

Nikki said...

I'm sorry I've been bad at commenting. Really sorry you're stuck on bedrest, and about the problems you've been having with fluid etc. Good luck with everything! ((Hugs))

lastchanceivf said...

I love that baby bucket! I say to go for it.
I hope everything else stays status quo, and that bed rest isn't too unbearable. Can I send you something? Anything?? Email me at lastchanceivf@gmail.com and let me know--seriously :)

Best When Used By said...

At least you're not losing fluid and as long as baby is happy, all is well.

I've been doing the product research too. The tub-bucket is adorable! And my DH and I have been having the same conversation about what Other Thing to get for the baby to sleep in at our bedside for the first months. The organic/wood bassinet you posted a picture of is really cute, but I too would wonder about safety.
I'm always checking for product recalls. Let us know what you choose!

Christina said...

The baby bucket in intriguing. I must say I'm tempted to try it myself...if I'm so lucky to have another pregnancy and baby, that is. Hope you and your fluid hangs in there.

Lost in Space said...

Just catching up...and happy/sad to see your updates. Happy that all is still going well, but sad that you have this scare to deal with.

Can you remind me how far along you are now? I went back a few posts trying to figure it out, but decided that asking was a much easier way to go. (-;

I don't know "exactly" where you are, but I think I'm in your neck of the woods every week. If you need an extra hand or would like some company, drop me an email.

I say give the baby bucket a go. If it doesn't work out, you can go back to the old style and have a nice expensive bucket to scrub floors or wash the car with. (-;

Hang in there.

RoseAG said...

I'm glad you're hanging in there!

Someone at one of the childbirth classes we attended said it was good for Dad to bathe with baby.

My husband, who wasn't ever terribly enthusastic about baby-care cottoned to that idea. He and baby took baths together. Baby would float in Dad's arms in our big tub.

If he hadn't had a bath recently and started to smell I'd give him one, but otherwise baths were Daddy's thing and he'd get one when then.

There wasn't ever a lot of crying and I think that's because baby was warm with the full body in the tub with Dad. It was always a huge mess with water all over the floor.

Baby peed in the tub a couple of times and when his little brother came along that was always good for a laugh. Thanksfully there weren't any #2 incidents!

stillhopeful said...

Glad to hear the fluid is staying where it needs to be, I hope the rest of the pg goes smoothly.

Love the look of that tub! It's worth it just for the pictures you can take! :) I'm going to look into it, although once Aysia's cord fell off and we could give her baths in a reclining tub, she liked it a lot more than the sponge baths.


As far as the "other thing", my brother used a co-sleeper for his son, and they loved it. I'm not into the co-sleeping, so what we did was get a pack n play for our bedroom and use the bassinet insert (with a quilted sheet for a little extra padding as the pack n play mattresses are not very padded). Once we move her to the nursery crib, then we'll have a pack n play to use for traveling, rather than a piece of gear we'll never use again...

Good luck in your shopping - keep us posted on what you decide!

Anonymous said...

i'm not sure how much room you have in your bed but these seem like a good alternative to the co-sleeper if you've got the room. our bed isn't quite big enough to use it but i wish it was, i'd love to have her in the bed instead of next to it.

http://www.target.com/First-Years-Close-Secure-Sleeper/dp/B00012CHFI/ref=br_1_1?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=14083411&node=14083411&searchRank=pmrank&searchPage=1&searchSize=30&id=First%20Years%20Close%20Secure%20Sleeper

Midlife Mommy said...

Ooooo. I saw those tubs too long after I could have used one. They do look wonderful!