Preparing for Phoenix’s Arrival

Last year I was preparing for Phoenix’s arrival. Originally my due date was guesstimated to be Feb 14th then it was Feb 20th.  As you may or may not know, due dates aren’t accurate. It’s just a guesstimate timeline to plan for your baby’s arrival. 

Naturally, I’ve been hearing stories about babies arriving before their due dates or many moms weren’t prepared. 

My birth plan was already mapped out, so I felt prepared enough. I had two weeks left in my pregnancy and my midwives were concerned about my fibroids. 

What are fibroids? Uterine fibroids are tumors. They are abnormal growth that develops in or on a woman’s uterus. They can become quite large and cause severe abdominal pain. 

In my previous post, I talked about how having these fibroids made it very difficult for the doctors to find Phoenix’s heartbeat via Doppler. 

Quick side story… I was in a lot of pain but since my pain tolerance is kind of high I waited until I went in for my routine visit. My physician at the time (because I switched) said the pain was normal and that it was just round ligament pains. I expressed that It doesn’t feel like anything I’ve felt before, and I was concerned, but she assured me everything was okay. 

After I left my appointment I went straight to the hospital because I trusted my guts. 

As it turned out, I had several fibroids and Phoenix head was directly on top of the largest one. The size was large enough for the doctors to see it without giving me an ultrasound. 

After my ultrasound it was discovered that I had one large fibroid measuring around 5 cm on my left side which Phoenix’s head was positioned on. I had a few small one behind my placenta and also on my right side. At this point I was in my second trimester, so I wasn’t able to take certain medicines. 

The doctor prescribed me something to take for 24hrs and It was the best pain reliever I’ve ever had. 

Moving on, here I was 40 weeks pregnant and my fibroids were a concern. My midwives wanted to make sure they weren’t growing and haven’t grown since my last ultrasound because fibroids can increase the loss of blood during childbirth. If that were the case a c-section was the next option. 

My scheduled last ultrasound was great. The fibroids weren’t growing and it seems that the largest one shrank a bit as well. Overall great news. 

With that stress off my plate, preparing for Phoenix’s arrival was a lot easier. Our baby bag was packed, and we were ready whenever he was. 

What Was In My Baby Bag? (I wish I had Pictures. Sorry!) 

Items I packed in my baby bag: 

• Night Gowns and Maxi Dress

Because you don’t have to wear the hospital robe 

• 2 Outfit Change for Phoenix

Phoenix technically was born in winter, so I wanted him to be warm on our way home. Plus some hospitals are cold. 

• My Speaker

Music is my life. I wanted to feel at home as much as possible. I’m so glad I did. Watching TV wasn’t for me but having my speaker with me listening to my music helped me so much. 

• Underwears 

I’m actually glad I packed underwear because even though the hospital provided postpartum one, my blood flow after giving birth wasn’t heavy by the time I left the hospital. My womb had shrunk and wearing something comfortable with a regular pad on my way home was very satisfying. 

• My Lotion/Soap

Yes, the hospital provides travel size versions of these items, but due to the fact that I have sensitive skin I wanted to make sure I used products that were for me. 

• Blanket for Phoenix

That’s it! All that was in my baby bag. Of course, I had my purse as well, so all my important information such as insurance, ID, emergency contact etc was in my purse. 

Phoenix’s room was ready for his arrival, and we waited patiently for him. Little did we know, he had a surprise for us.