Getting it all done...

allisonmarie22 · October 2011

Yesterday I explained to my mother and DH that I wanted to have EVERYTHING done for the babies by the end of my 2nd trimester, nursery, showers, hospital bag...everything.

They looked at me like I was crazy, but I don't want to be caught off guard if they come early!

Am I being crazy??

leslie13510 · October 2011

I don't think it ALL needs to be done that early. Even if you have them that early, it's not like they'll be coming home that day and you'll need a fully furnished nursery and a closet full of clean clothes. (I swear preemie moms, I do not mean that to sound as bad as it probably does.) I'd suggest having the big stuff done by then, and doing your showers sometime around the end of 2nd tri, just because you'll hit "the wall" around that point, but you don't have to have every little thing done.

As far as your hospital bag goes, just make a list, and keep it somewhere that your husband or mom or somebody can find it. If you pack it that early, you'll either have to leave things out of it that you use on a daily basis, or you'll end up repacking it a thousand times anyway. If it makes you feel better, I ended up needing a "hospital bag" 3 different times because of stays during my pregnancy, and it took me a max of 10 minutes to pack it each time. It wasn't the big deal some people of the bump make it out to be. Really.

politelypink · October 2011

I've been the same way. Even though if they were born that early, they wouldn't be home. I doubt I would want to be spending time at home getting their room ready. I would much rather be spending time with them in the hospital. In all honesty, I think I'm going to have to light a fire under DH arse to get it all done on time!!

parkit2010 · October 2011

No, you do not want to be assembling cribs or washing extra baby clothes or packing your bags when you're measuring 43 weeks, even though you're only 30 weeks along. My bf and dh thought I was nuts putting the high chairs together at 20 weeks, but there wasn't a chance in hell it was going to get done once I got huge or those babies came. You are not crazy, they are.

JosiePosy · October 2011

Showers, sure. Nursery and hospital bag, I wouldn't panic if they aren't done. Though I would recommend having the furniture in. But if you don't have the decorating done it's fine.

Both times I was admitted were during routine appointments. I was admitted then and there. I didn't even have a bag ready. DH just brought stuff over for me later. It's not a big deal, really.

leslie13510 · October 2011

::giggles:: Apparently I am really laid back. High chairs put together at 20 weeks? I didn't even GET high chairs until they were 5 months old, and then it took us maybe 10 minutes to pull them both out of the boxes and snap them together.

And OP, I do get wanting to have the big stuff done as early as possible. We had all of the nursery furniture put together around 24 weeks. I'm just saying that you don't need to have all the laundry done, baby soap in the bathroom, carseats in the cars, and the bottles cleaned and out on the counter ready to go when you're 28 weeks pregnant or anything.

allisonmarie22 · October 2011

Thanks for reassuring me that I am not completely bonkers!

I think a lot of my desire to get things done right now is coming from the fact that the last 3 weeks since I found out I was pregnant has felt like 3 years. I know everyone says that time speeds up a bit after the first trimester, but right now it just feels like slow torture! Also, I don't work, and now that I'm so exhausted I don't really do anything most of the time. I suppose I could really help myself out a bit by getting off my arse. I'm just SO exhausted!

No worries about me getting too crazy preparing, though. I doubt I'll be washing a ton of baby clothes and bottles before the babies come home. There is a limit to how neurotic I can be! :P

emma12210 · October 2011

Nope, not crazy! I said the same thing!! It's better than NOT having stuff done and they come early, or you go on 23.5 hour/day bedrest!

I have about 4 weeks to go in my 2nd tri, and I probably won't have everything done, but I'm getting there.

Also, I can tell you that I get cramps or BH A LOT!! Many days, if I'm on my feet, I have them, no matter what I'm doing. At 21 weeks, I measured 30 weeks. I'm sure that when I start my 3rd tri, I'll be measuring full term, and I know I won't feel like doing anything!!

Get it done! GL!

parkit2010 · October 2011

leslie13510:

::giggles:: Apparently I am really laid back. High chairs put together at 20 weeks? I didn't even GET high chairs until they were 5 months old, and then it took us maybe 10 minutes to pull them both out of the boxes and snap them together.

And OP, I do get wanting to have the big stuff done as early as possible. We had all of the nursery furniture put together around 24 weeks. I'm just saying that you don't need to have all the laundry done, baby soap in the bathroom, carseats in the cars, and the bottles cleaned and out on the counter ready to go when you're 28 weeks pregnant or anything.

10 minutes? The wooden pieces of junk I got should have said assemble at your own risk. I hate them to this day!

leslie13510 · October 2011

parkit2010:
leslie13510:

::giggles:: Apparently I am really laid back. High chairs put together at 20 weeks? I didn't even GET high chairs until they were 5 months old, and then it took us maybe 10 minutes to pull them both out of the boxes and snap them together.

And OP, I do get wanting to have the big stuff done as early as possible. We had all of the nursery furniture put together around 24 weeks. I'm just saying that you don't need to have all the laundry done, baby soap in the bathroom, carseats in the cars, and the bottles cleaned and out on the counter ready to go when you're 28 weeks pregnant or anything.

10 minutes? The wooden pieces of junk I got should have said assemble at your own risk. I hate them to this day!

Ours are just Baby Trend foldable ones. I think we had to insert a few poles into other pieces, unfold and adjust seat heights, and pop on the seat covers. It took DH longer to break down the boxes and put them in the trash, longer than it took the two of us to get the chairs set up.

Haven1 · October 2011

parkit2010:
leslie13510:

::giggles:: Apparently I am really laid back. High chairs put together at 20 weeks? I didn't even GET high chairs until they were 5 months old, and then it took us maybe 10 minutes to pull them both out of the boxes and snap them together.

And OP, I do get wanting to have the big stuff done as early as possible. We had all of the nursery furniture put together around 24 weeks. I'm just saying that you don't need to have all the laundry done, baby soap in the bathroom, carseats in the cars, and the bottles cleaned and out on the counter ready to go when you're 28 weeks pregnant or anything.

10 minutes? The wooden pieces of junk I got should have said assemble at your own risk. I hate them to this day!

Fisher Price space saver for the win. Took me less than 10 minutes too.

I'm with Parkit2010. I know things are scary and uncertain, but yeah. You've got some time. You're only 7 weeks. Relax a little. Get through the first trimester and then dive in.

klr210 · October 2011

I had it all done by 30 weeks for concern of potential bedrest, size/discomfort, fatigue. But, I didnt really start doing much until 20 weeks. Those 10 weeks were plenty of time. For now, relax and take care of yourself!

missfire · October 2011

First tri can be really hard because you don't see much -you aren't showing, may not be telling people, etc - and yet It's the biggest thing that's ever happened to you! If getting things done is a good outlet for you, then do it! We didn't find out about our twins until 20 weeks, so we didn't have a lot of time, and we hadn't done anything yet, I don't think. I still haven't made the babies their baby quilts, which is a tradition of mine, and it makes me sad.

Mrs.NGM · October 2011

I had a lot of stuff done by then, but mostly because I was done working and kind of bored sitting around the house. It was nice to have a lot of things taken care of though when I got too tired to do much at the end of my pregnancy.

flutepharm87 · October 2011

Nope. I went on hospital bedrest at 27 weeks and spent 7 weeks in the hospital before delivering my boys. DH had to put together the nursery without (which was so painful because I desperately wanted to be a part of this), I had to have my baby shower in the hospital, and when I was admitted to the hospital, I had nothing with me, not even a change of clothes or pj's. DH had to go home and bring me stuff so I didn't go insane. With twins, you just never know what's going to happen.

And if you want a shower, I would push for 2nd tri if you're uncomfortable waiting for 3rd. My MIL made a big show of how she wanted to throw me a shower and she wanted to throw it the Sunday after the boys ended up being born. She cancelled the shower after I went on bedrest saying she wanted to throw me a "meet the babies" party. Which she never did. I was devastated because none of DH's family came to the shower my mom threw because they were going to have their own party. If you gamble on making it to later in 3rd tri and don't make it there, there's a decent chance you won't end up with a shower at all.

Kristen61607 · October 2011

I read get everything done before 30 weeks, so that's what I did. Good thing too, I went into PTL at 31 weeks and was on strict bedrest for the remainder. What I did when I was in my 1st and 2nd trimesters, were just to get one baby thing accomplished every weekend. So one weekend we painted the nursery, the next we hung curtains, after that we put up the cribs, etc. and my showers were at 24 and 28 weeks I think, and I remember the 28 week shower being perfect - I was big but not HUGE. Congrats and good luck!

mpstochlinski8 · October 2011

I don't think you are being crazy. I wanted my showers to be somewhere around 28wks just in case I was either put on bed rest or had the babies since we pretty much registered for everything. I know a few women with twins who didn't make it to 30wks so I guess I was using that as my reasoning. My family didn't really understand why I felt this need to have the showers so early but they did it for me anyhow. I tried to get as much done as I could early on & I'm glad I did because the bigger I get and further along I get the less energy I have to do much. Now I just cook here and there and clean, freeze meals and enjoy the quiet til LOs arrive. If it makes you feel better to have most things done early by all means do so but there will always be some last min stuff I'm sure. GL!

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