Intro and DH pending deployment

Re: Intro and DH pending deployment

• Joie80 member

  December 2011

  We're in the middle of our first deployment too and DH will not be back for the birth. What I've been doing is sending bump picks every week since I started showing, keeping him up on my doctor's appointments, and communicating as often as possible. Before MH left he did one of those recordable stories that I listen to everynight since her hearing kicked in  and hold close enough so that she can hear it. I figured that way she will at least have the opportunity to get familiar with his voice. My OB recommended going to Build a Bear and getting the hearbeat recorded into one of the mini recorders and putting it in a bear. She mentioned doing it for the baby to have, but I'll probably do it and send it to him instead. And, since she got to the point where you can see her kicks externally, I have recorded her really active sessions and sent them to him. So far, these things have worked for us. He's very excited and I basically keep him as informed as I can. It's not easy doing the pregnancy thing alone,but there are times when it comes with the territory. We were trying to plan around a deployment too and it just didn't work out that way.

  Report0 Reply
• Loading the player...
• Princess Fireball

  December 2011

  My H just deployed 3 weeks ago and our LO was 3 weeks old. It's our first baby and our first deployment together. He's been to Iraq 3 times before we were married. Since we had no support other than aquaintences on base I moved across the country and had our baby on the East Coast where our families are. I'm not going to lie..It's been hard. I miss my H everyday and I think about all the firsts he's missing. But, on the flip side...I'm SO busy that sometimes the days just fly by. I send my H a pic or a video of our LO everyday. Especially now, since she's started making faces and tummy time. We also are fortunate that I can Skype with him everyday, so I make sure that she's on my lap so he can see her and she can hear her voice.

  Hopefully, your H won't have to go. You can do it, it won't always be easy and you'll have some rough days. Just take it one day at a time and do the best you can do. Take care of yourself and the baby...everything else can wait or have someone else do it for you. Don't be afraid to ask family and friends for help if you need it.

  

  Report0 Reply
• ArmyOfficersWife

  December 2011

  I am an Army national guard wife. I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant and my hubby is set to deploy at the beginning of my 3rd trimester. We are 99.9% sure he will not be back for the birth and isn't scheduled to return until the baby is 11 months old. More than anything I want him there since it is our first baby, but such is the life of a military family. I have had many fears about going at it alone, but a serious and comforting chat with the husband made me realize that it is just anxiety. Build a strong support system, my parents live nearby and we have an amazing set of friends. Is it possible for you to Move closer to friends/family during deployment? I have also been researching about how to keep baby and daddy connected: video tape Daddy reading bedtime stories and play them every night. Recordable stories are great too. Im going to send my husband the recieving blanket so he can smell his baby. We are also going to vaccum seal a few tshirts from dad so baby can get used to bis smell. We are hoping that he will have good internet access but won't know until  he gets there.we are hoping to skype during the delivery. You can do this. I think of it this way, we aren't the first and we won't be the last, but we will make it the absolute best situation it can be. You are stronger than you think!!!

  Report0 Reply