L&D Tour

Well last night Paul & I had our L&D tour. I know it seems a little early for that, but they aren't offering a tour in May or June, and the April tour is also on a Tuesday night when I am usually teaching (but since this is spring break I was free last night). The building entrance to use is VERY familiar to us since it's the entrance right by the RE where we've gone since July 2004. And actually the elevator to L&D is right after the RE clinic. There is a special elevator just for the L&D ward since it's a secured area. If we think I'm in labor, first we go to the triage room which can handle up to two women at once. If they agree that "it's time" then I'll be admitted to a private room. The rooms seemed pretty nice. There is a rocking chair in every room, and there is a chair that converts to a bed (which Paul would use). If a c-section is necessary, they use a separate OR that is right in the L&D area, and if NICU is needed for baby (hope not!) the entrance to NICU is at the end of the L&D unit. There's a bassinet in the room for baby, and there's another unit for baby for the first 4 hours after birth (to keep her warm). I am glad she can stay with me in the room. I wouldn't want her to be in the nursery. They went over the rules of how many visitors at each stage, etc. I am thinking it will just be Paul & I. I am allowed one person to be with me 24 hours a day the whole time (Paul) and up to two more can be there for L&D. Then after birth I think it's 4 guests at the most at one time - none under the age of 12 (they make an exception for siblings but our daughter's siblings are in heaven so that doesn't pertain to us). I believe that our youngest nephew (who lives nearby) just turned 12 so I think all of Paul's family can come visit in the hospital if they want to. The most significant thing I learned on the tour was that 4 of the rooms have jacuzzi tubs in the bathroom, and they can put a monitor on you that can be worn in the tub while in labor. I have read/heard that is a very good thing to do if you are trying to avoid using an epidural. They said when you are being checked in you can request a room with a jacuzzi if there is one available. I hope that is possible, but who knows since most of the rooms don't have one. I haven't decided for sure about the epidural, but I am leaning towards trying to go without. If you have any thoughts on this issue from your experience, I'm all ears. :-)

I felt very old on the tour yesterday. All the other couples seemed to be on average at least 10 years younger than us. One woman exclaimed "Dr. Kennedy" and then introduced me as her former math professor (summer 2005 - I remember that class well as I had the ectopic pgcy while teaching that class). Another woman was amazed as she had attended a conference yesterday at which I was one of the speakers (so much for spring break, lol - I was at school for 7 hours yesterday) so she was surprised to see me again on the same day in a totally different setting. The other women were definitely farther along in their pgcies, but as I explained this was the only tour we could attend unless we waited until a couple of days before the EDD in July which might be too late! I know that most women aren't having their first baby at the age of 36 so I guess I should expect to feel old, but of course I'm not the oldest first time mother either (for example, the nursing prof will be 40 when she has her first baby next month by c-section). She's having an elective c-section to avoid the whole L&D process.

Yesterday was the earliest in the day that I felt my little girl move - 11:15am. I still don't think that qualifies her as a morning person though, LOL. What seems to make her move the most are music (she LOVED one song at handbells on Monday night in particular) and sugar (such as chocolate).