It’s hard to believe that my guest blogging is one month old and that I’m heading into the final 5 weeks of my pregnancy! In preparation, I’ve been checking out what to bring to the hospital and packing my bag. All the books refer to bringing coins for the payphone, extra film for your camera, address lists and phone numbers, and my personal favorite, a cassette player to listen to music! Clearly, the pregnancy books are filled with good health advice but obviously a little outdated when it comes to technology.
When we toured our hospital’s labor and delivery wing, they pointed out the docking station where we could hook up our smartphone or mp3 player to play our songlist during labor. The hospital is wirelessly enabled so you can send emails of your great news right away, and of course my smartphone already has all the phone numbers and contact info that I need to share the event. I can even text photos, and post up to the minute updates on Facebook. However, I may decide that just for a few moments, I’ll enjoy the birth of my son with my husband, and hold technology at bay until the amazement has soaked in a little and I can imprint the memories of the phenomenal experience in my own mind’s eye.
In the meantime, I better figure out what kind of soundtrack to select to usher in the birth of my son – feel free to send any playlist recommendations my way!
Nicole Anderson
Hello, everyone! I’m Nicole, an AT&T employee and soon-to-be-mom of a baby boy. My husband, Justin, and I are expecting our first child at the end of April. It’s been a year of big changes for us, as I relocated with the company last April from the San Francisco Bay Area to Dallas. Thankfully, my husband was able to maintain his career, working remotely from Dallas. I’m jealous he gets to go back to California every month or so, especially during the summer to beat the heat! Just as we started getting settled in Dallas – learning the neighborhood, what road led where, and I was getting up to speed on my new job – we found out we were pregnant! It has been an exciting, if overwhelming, journey for us. Critical during our relocation was the use of our smartphones. If we got lost, or if we needed to find a restaurant, e-mail our realtor or send a quick text, our smartphones didn’t let us down. Now with the text4baby program, I can get quick and informative baby advice sent directly to my phone. With all the hecticness in our work and lives, these texts create a quick moment to reflect on the big change coming in our lives and learn something about the new life we are forming. I look forward to sharing this experience with you through my blog posts, and learning more about how to use technology as a new mom. Is there an app that helps your baby sleep through the night?!
Free Apple iPhone 3GS says:
March 19, 2010 at 7:33 pm
I find that the iPhone is fantastic with all these little apps, being able to do pretty much everything on the move is fantastic. You can attend to pretty much anything, anywhere, anytime! The future has arrived and I love it!
lisaweser says:
March 22, 2010 at 9:38 am
Good luck Nicole! I used my smartphone (iPhone) during my son’s delivery in December for everything from timing contractions (there’s an app for that!) to texting and posting first photos letting everyone know he had arrived. Just remember to add your device charger to your packing list!
Felicia says:
March 26, 2010 at 8:57 am
I remember reading all those suggestions in the birth of my son, only back then the options to take a smartphone weren’t as readily available(nor did I have on, lol). It would be a great idea now! That saves a lot in packing as well, no lists of numbers and CDs to pack. Not to mention all the pregnancy apps on your phone, you wouldn’t even need a book! I would still take my journal however, so I could document the birth. Nothing like writing down how you are feeling in those moments! =)
Amanda says:
March 26, 2010 at 5:34 pm
I love that you are prepaered because we were not! Good luck!
Ponn Sabra says:
March 26, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Nicole, you’re opening paragraph totally got me cracking up! Then, (since my youngest in soon turning 7yo), I’m just besides myself to read the present-day accommodations during your tour.
I remember for my oldest (soon to be 10 yo), we were considered high-tech for having our own laptop & dialing-up to email pictures of our newborn rather than paying the dozens of $s for the kiosk-type “email your newborn pictures to family right now” that lined up the hallways of the delivery dept
May you have a safe & healthy (and fun!) delivery. I LOVED giving birth to our 3 daughters.
Dana says:
March 26, 2010 at 7:14 pm
Good luck and congratulations ! I think it is great that hospitals are able to help you by keeping up with todays technology needs.
Amy Brewer says:
March 26, 2010 at 7:21 pm
I love that they allow you to bring your own music.
Michelle S. says:
March 26, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Congratulations, how exciting
I wish I had this when I had mine 12 years ago. We just texted or talked through delivery and after.
Miranda Johnson says:
March 26, 2010 at 9:01 pm
How far things have come in 9 years. The triplets are 9 now. No cell back then. On hospital bed rest I’d call hubby collect, he’d refuse call, knowing it’s me, then call me back.
Hope all goes smoothly with labor & delivery and you have a happy healthy baby.
@bctripletmom
bctripletmom at gmail dot com