u/mo_rockin1

Anyone else?

Any recommendations?

Hi everyone,

I feel like I’ve been on autopilot for months and it’s all kind of hitting me at once.

Life has just been a lot lately, in a good way, but also overwhelming. Between work, moving in with my husband, getting married, and traveling for our honeymoon, time has completely flown by. I blinked and suddenly I’m 29 weeks pregnant and realizing… oh wow, I’m giving birth in like 2.5 months.

For context because it’s kind of a story lol, we actually had three weddings. Courthouse wedding in May before moving in together, then our ceremony in our hometown in October, and then another ceremony in Morocco followed by our honeymoon in November. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, we got pregnant, literally found out the day after our hometown ceremony. I used to joke about haha imagine we’re pregnant as a prank… turns out the universe was like okay bet.

So yeah, first trimester was basically travel, weddings, and trying not to be nauseous in multiple countries.

Now I’m here, and things feel very real.

I’m excited, like genuinely excited. But also terrified. Everything is about to change and I don’t think my brain has fully caught up yet.

My original plan was to do as natural of a birth as possible at a birth center. That felt really aligned for me. But recently I had a UTI that turned into a kidney infection and ended up hospitalized for a couple days on IV antibiotics. Because of that, my birth center dropped me and now I have to deliver at a hospital.

And if I’m being honest, that part is really hard for me.

The hospital I’ll be delivering at is the same one I was taken to after a major car accident years ago. I had multiple surgeries there and spent about three weeks recovering. At one point I didn’t even know who I was or who my family was. It is not a neutral place for me. It holds a lot of trauma.

To add to it, the doctor my doula and others recommend only delivers at that hospital, so it feels like I don’t really have another option.

I’m trying to reframe things and stay grounded, but I would be lying if I said it didn’t bring up fear.

So I guess I’m looking for guidance from anyone who’s been in a similar situation.

How did you find calm, safety, or even joy in your labor when the environment itself felt triggering or not what you wanted?

What helped you feel more in control or at peace?

On top of all that, I’m now on my last couple days of medical leave and realizing I have so much to do.

We still need to:

•	Get the house organized

•	Clear out the guest room to turn into a nursery

•	Figure out what we actually need vs what’s extra

•	Prepare for baby in a way that feels grounding, not chaotic

And I just feel a little lost on where to start.

Did you ever actually feel ready before your first?

What helped you mentally or emotionally during this stage?

Any advice, lessons learned, or things you wish you knew beforehand?

Also if anyone has practical tips on:

•	What is actually essential before baby arrives

•	What can wait

•	How to not spiral trying to prepare everything perfectly

I would really appreciate it.

Thank you for reading this far and for any advice or resources you are willing to share 🤍