It's official! Today is Week 37 and according to all the baby books out there, Baby Girl Flores is considered full term if she decides to make her debut! Which she isn't...at least not that I can tell. So here I am packed and no where to go. So I'll tell you instead how my week has been.
We finally decided on which hospital to use. Since I can't go to my first choice (Landsthul, Germany) due to logistical reasons (who will take care of Bella and Francisco can't take 6 weeks off to stork nest with me), we were down to Tobb Hospital (formerly Mesa Hospital) or Guven Hospital. We chose Guven Hospital down by Embassy Row (I refer to it as such because the hospital is strategically situated across the US Embassy) and the street that it is located is where most of the other Embassies are. I think they purposely do that so that they can all spy on each other with their big satellite dish.
We visited both hospitals and Guven was highly recommended by recent mothers in the American community. What I found most surprising with the maternity tour was how cheap it is to have a baby here. Get ready medical folks for this: the cost of having a baby naturally with a 1 day hospital stay is roughly $1000 and if you happen to have a c-section and they'll only keep you for 2 days is about $1500. That's not even 10% of how much it was to deliver Bella down at Charleston. And the hospital also offers VIP rooms for the cost of $300 (which Tri Care SOS will not cover). You'd think they would since it's costing them practically NOTHING to have me deliver the baby here!
I did decide to have a Doula present this time around. More for my convenience since she speaks Turkish and English and outside of my OB, I don't think the hospital staff speaks English though an interpreter is available. Personally I'd like only a minimum of people around me when I go through this process. I prefer not to have a gamut of people looking at my private parts. So Doula it is.
An aspect of having the baby here is that the hospital does not provide anything for the baby (though when questioned, they assured me that if something was forgotten at home, they will provide the material which I'm sure they'll put on your tab). This means baby blankets, onesies, pacifier, diapers, beanies, etc need to be brought with you to the hospital. That goes the same for the mother to be: hospital/maternity gown, sanitary pads, disposable underwear, etc. The joy I got from hearing this is an excuse to go on-line and start shopping! I try to find the small joys in every situation. It gave me an excuse to buy 'designer' hospital gowns--never knew they existed but they actually do. Some had captions that said "As seen on Ghost Whisperer or Dr. Phil's daughter wore this during the birth of her child." One even came with a matching pillow case which I used as an excuse to indulge.
The maternity suites are quite big. Big enough to have a small sofa bed available for anyone to stay with you with mini bar (Francisco loved that amenity). What they do not provide is a nursery. So I will not win mother of the year award for this but to be perfectly honest, I prefer to have the baby brought to me only when it's feeding time. I figured that by the time I go home with the baby, they'll be plenty of time for 'rooming in.' I prefer to rest and sleep while I still can. But alas! that is not meant to be here because whether I want to or not, Baby Girl Flores will be rooming in with me from the get go.
So that sums up my maternity ward tour information and what to expect if you are having a baby in Ankara, Turkey.
I do believe that my body is preparing for the big event. More Braxton Hicks contractions for sure. And I've spent the past week awake between 2:30 am and 5:30 am like clockwork. I got down to counting how many bathroom breaks I go through between those time period. One night was particularly painful. I felt like a bowling ball was lodged between my legs and my pelvic area was being split in two. There was a moment where I thought, this is it...but no...more preparation for the body. So at 37 weeks, I feel like a bowling ball is perpetually lodged between my legs; I stopped looking in the mirror to see how big my belly is; I use the sofa to support my growing abdomen; and whether it's due to ligaments stretching or softening, my left ankle gives out for no apparent reason when I least expect it. Just to match my glowing mood, I love wearing my one size Tinker Bell night shirts. Since at this point, a potato sack is as good as it's gonna get. I take comfort on the pictures on the shirt. One has Tinker Bell waking up with the caption "not every morning is magical" and the other shirt says "who were you expecting, Sleeping Beauty?" because that just sums up my feelings at this stage.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...miracle of life etc etc...whatever. So over it! I can't even blame a man for the phrase pregnant is beautiful. One evening, I asked Francisco whether I looked big or not, he did not even have the decency to lie to me -- he looked, laughed and said yes...which made me laugh so hard and told him that he can lie, seriously!
On a daily basis, just to torture myself, I read the guru book of pregnancy books "What to Expect when you are expecting" paying particular attention to the stages of labor. My hope is that through ESP or some sort mother/child connection, the baby will take the hint and start the process. Nope, all I get is squirming in my belly and I take delight that the space must be getting smaller and uncomfortable for her. Yes, more mother of the year award points for me.
So the final step this week, on the day of week 37, I brought down the baby bag and my bag and placed it on top of the chest by the door...just in case today is the day. Yes, wishful thinking on my part. So I'm all packed and no where to go...at least not yet.
