Am having a ridiculous panic, please calm me down!

[BellaCB]

Right. I've just started maternity leave and DC1 isn't due until mid-January. But we've also just moved house and everything is in utter chaos and now I can't stop stressing that this baby is going to turn up early and we really, really aren't ready! I know we sort of are - we have a moses basket (though I haven't figured out how to put it together yet!) and bottles and a pram and enough baby clothes to get through a few days - but I can't stop thinking about all the stuff we don't have yet (nappies, formula, maternity pads, stuff for me for hospital, stuff for me for after the birth) even though I know they are just small things and we can get them after the birth if baby does come early, but.... aargh! I can't stop panicking about this! And as silly as it is, the fact that its Christmas and so the next week or two are taken up with Christmas family things that mean I can't really go shopping (we don't drive so it won't be until after Christmas that my family will have time to ferry me around from shop to shop to sort myself) isn't helping much either...

Someone please stop me from driving myself mad here and tell me that everything is going to be fine?! It won't be the end of the world if I don't have a hospital bag packed exactly as the lists tell me to? And the chances of this baby coming this early are pretty slim?!

I was the same as you (nearly 21 years ago!). DD was due end of Jan but I was admitted on 4th Jan and was freaked that most of equipment was still in the baby shop awaiting collection.

DD was born mid Jan and we came home in snow, and we managed. DH trekked to get essentials, relatives all arrived and were happy to run errands.

Easy to say, but when you think how little some Mums have around the world we have it so easy here.

Enjoy the last few days of rest and all the best for a safe delivery and the start of the best adventure you can imagine :)

you could always go to mothercare.com and internet shop :)

Make a list. It will make you feel better. Then get on line and order it all. Between them John Lewis, boots and mothercare will have everything. Or try kiddicare. The only real essentials are nappies and a car seat. The rest could wait if it had to. And put a day in your diary to put up the Moses basket, work out how to use the steriliser etc. And don't waste time washing and ironing everything! I did .

Oh and hardly anyone I know used the stuff in their hospital bags. The hospital will provide in an emergency.

Everything will be fine you jar the main stuff, and you don't need formula until you get home anyway. And to be completely honest 90% of what I packed in my hospital bag, stayed in my hospital bag and got it the way of finding useful stuff
You'll be fine, enjoy Christmas, and breathe!

Have* not jar

Mine came early, at Christmas time last year. I thought I was really organised as I had a hospital bag ready when in fact, it had naff all in except cotton wool and a few nighties.

I was fine, and you will be too!! As long as you have a car seat to get home, you will be fine. You can send someone out for any essentials like extra nappies etc when you are in hospital. Just remember, the shops shut for one day!!!

Oh, and for what it's worth, maternity pads are crap. Just get a packet of always ultra mega super night time. All the books say you have to have maternity pads, but seriously, they are as thick as bricks and no midwife I saw ever questioned the use of ordinary sanitary towels

hmmm just think of africa...! easy for me to say as not due till june but hate being all organised like your supposed to, cuddles and breast milk will do surely? we are due to move out in april so i joked to the midwife that she may hve to visit me in my camper van... and whilst she looked in disbelief, it may be true, finding a rental at east/ west wittering that doesn't involve being a millionaire is quite some feat! Anyway, good luck, honestly you will be fine, the funny thing is worrying about worrying and on and on so enjoy the moment!

You really don't need most of the things on those lists. They are written by the shops to make you buy more.

Honestly, you have nearly evrything you need.

Get the rest online and get it delivered.

You will not use everything in your hospital bag. Clean clothes and underwear, shower essentials, make up and a hairbrush if you'll use them, a book or ipod and maternity pads. The hospital supply formula while you're there and have breast pads, extra sanitary pads etc if needed but obviously prefer if you gave your own. Baby needs clean clothes, a coming home outfit, nappies, cotton wool/wipes and that's it!

Oh BellaCB I really feel for you chick!!
When I was having DS2 I spent most of my pregnancy on my own with DS1 because my husband was busy renivatning (excuse my spelling lol) our new house, He only had 6months to get it sorted and it wasnt looking too good because it had to be gutted , new wiring central heating the lot.
Anyway he did finish nearly everything so we gave notice in our rented house so DH had 8 and a half weeks to get everything finished. The only thing not done was the kitchen at the end of the 4weeks notice but it was fine cause we still had just under 5 weeks to get it right I was a bit stressed packing the other house up and trying to get the new one liveable DS1 was staying with his nanna so we could get on.
The last day we had to get our stuff out so that we could have a good clean and get our bond back and I had a really bad contraction but I figured it would be fine. It was our first night in the new house DS1 was home too we were all really happy and a relative calm settled over us then the inevitable happen my waters went, I was 36weeks +5days.
I ended up having an ECS. I was in hospital for a week and couldnt do a great deal. I came home to a new house without a kitchen, I cried all the way home from the hospital!!
But do you know what in the end it didn't matter the house wasnt finished and it was disorganised because I had my beautiful baby boy home with me, DH and DS1.
I had my kitchen 10 days after I came home with DS2. :o
What I am saying is even if you do go early and your house isnt quite right you will settle into it really quickly and get things perfect just dont over do it or you could make you stresses a reality!!
Take care xx

Thanks everyone... I'm sure if I actually had some furniture to unpack my own stuff into rather than a house full of boxes I'd feel calmer! So as long as I get some clothes (mine and hers), hygenie products and chocolate biscuits in a bag right now, should baby turn up early I'd probably cope?!

And swanseamum, wow! OK, that puts my panic into context. But thanks for the sympathy, so good to hear someone else who moved last minute and it was all fine . And good luck to you too, surfmama!

I moved when dd was 5 weeks old. I second online shopping for essentials like maternity pads. I took always super ultra whatever and couldn't use them. I had a third degree tear and for stitches healing you need the brick like but more breathable maternity pads. Of course, no tears and you'd be fine, but just in case... I packed my bag sparsely. Towel for me, clean nighties / pajamas, cotton wool, nappies, outfits for baby, phone charger, clothes for me, toiletries. Job done. One sports bag sized bag for us both. Oh, and snacks!! Good luck!

I have also heard that midwives prefer you to use proper maternity pads because Always type pads are so absorbent they can disguise heavy bleeding.

You will be fine, OP - you actually sound very organised and there are 24 hour supermarkets if your DH needs to make a midnight dash for you!

Hey

Try not to stress as it is not good for you or your LO. You have the basics in hand and the rest can wait.

xx