There is another side to homebirthing that I wasn’t aware of before: not only do I feel the extreme, undeniable need to clean and organize and prepare for myself, but also because heaven help me if I go into labor while my house is dirty!
I can’t leave crumbs on the floor, even for a little while. What if I go into labor?
I can’t leave a soiled diaper to be sprayed down and added to the wetbag in a few minutes, because what if I go into labor?
My diaper covers need lanolizing. My clean laundry needs to be folded and put away so I can vacuum our bedroom. My tomato plants need to be potted. My bathrooms need to be cleaned. I need to vacuum the living room (although I already did that yesterday. It’s dirty again, okay?)! I need to make more bread. I need to make more granola. I need to scout out some other local farmer’s markets just in case I go into labor and miss our regular market on a Saturday. I need to prepare for the all-day rummage sale scheduled at the church this Saturday! The list just keeps growing.
I’m not stressed, surprisingly. Just…highly aware of what needs to be done. Normally, I’d clean different parts of my house with the plan to clean them again in a week. Right now, I feel like I need to clean them all daily so that I’m up to date if I go into labor. Talk about a crazy pregnant lady!
I’m blogging because I needed to force myself to sit still for a few moments. But I’m still thinking about what I need to do, even as I sip on some red raspberry leaf tea in a little cup (a cup so cute that it makes me smile).
You didn’t think I’d leave you without a picture, did you??
Mama Rissa 
Will your mom or anyone be around for your labor? A lot of the cleaning can quietly happen during the earlier stages — by her or by you! You know all those homebirth pros whose stories include making huge pans of lasagna and cakes during early labor so they can have a big birth day party after baby comes… 🙂
That is a cute little cup. Kind of makes me want some tea! We are mug people though, and I don’t think we even have a teacup except for our wedding china that we never use.
Since the idea that I will have our entire house spotless all at the same time is just totally unrealistic, I will probably focus on having our bedroom and bathroom in perfect order and the living room and kitchen looking good. I’m more worried about where we’ll actually be having the baby. Also, our childbirth teacher told me that cleaning kitchen floors on my hands and knees was a good activity for early labor. It would be the first time I’ve ever done that–usually I use a mop 🙂
I am working up until my due date or when I go into labor, so I’m more worried over going into labor at work and it getting too intense to drive home. Probably that won’t happen, though.
Yup. I organized closets like a madwoman. What if the midwives needed even more towels?!
Oh man…if Forrest is anything like Noah he’ll be 17 pounds at 4 1/2 months! YIKES!!!!! I am jealous of the cute little cloth diapers. KICKING myself that I didn’t start with Eli. We’d be saving SO MUCH money every month-especially now that we diaper 2 children. UGH! Anyways…praying you feel settled soon! I do not miss the frantic end of pregnancy feeling!!! OH MAN!
I SO know what you mean. But don’t worry, it will get done. And your husband seems the type who will do those last minute things. I was surprised at the things people did in my house that I didn’t care about.. like cleaning out our left overs!! Gross!
Do what you can but don’t over work yourself. You need to rest up for that big day… because you WILL go into labor!