Check in Day...

The day has come!! I am in the hospital all checked in to have our baby girl! We can't believe the time has come, it really has gone so fast! Check in day was a big day, I reported to the Sanno Hospital here in Fukuoka, Japan (which is conveniently located right across the street from our apartment complex!) at 2pm, August 30th, and got all settled in for my 7 day stay here...yes 7 days, wish me luck!

Brian actually had to go to the field that day, as he played in the game that night (he won't be going to the game the day of delivery, he will be with me!), so my mom (who has been here for the last week helping us and is here as long as we need...thank you mom!), Austin, Brooke, and Taka (the team translator and our good friend!) all helped me get checked in!

We literally walked (well I waddled!) to the hospital from our apartment, carrying my full sized rolling luggage with all my gear for the week, it was hilarious! It was so hot and muggy out, by the time we got to the lobby of the hospital, I was soaking wet, seriously, I had sweat dripping off my nose. We had to check in at the reception desk and fill out some paperwork and pay our deposit (we don't have Japanese Health Insurance so it's all out of pocket...thankfully they have socialized health care here and everything is extremely reasonable!).

Then we got shown to our recovery room, where I would be staying 6 of the 7 days. It is so nice, it's like a hotel suite! Top floor of the hospital, ocean view, balcony, kitchen, living area, private bathroom...OK, things are looking good! The kids were loving all the space to run around in, it's going to be so nice for when they come to visit! They think they get to stay overnight with me, it's going to stink breaking them the news they have to go home, they are going to be so sad!

Soon after we got to the room, my "midwife" for the day came to get me ready for the night. She took my vitals, got me changed into comfy clothes and took me down to the labor and delivery floor, where I would be staying the night and having the baby.

Definitely not as great of a room! It's literally the room you have the baby in. I am still trying to figure out why I had to be here a whole day before the actual induction starts...in the states I literally showed up the morning of inducing and they started within minutes of me checking in. Well, not here, they want you there a whole day before to prepare!

And do they prepare! Not going to go into too much detail, you can google it if you want, but at around 4pm, I met with my doctor and she inserted a thing called a cervix balloon. Definitely not one of the most enjoyable things I have ever had done, and definitely do not want to ever get it again! They basically want to help "speed" up the dilation process. Apparently they won't start inducing here until your cervix has reached 4cm, and I was only at 2cm when they checked. So I was lucky enough to get the cervix balloon. And had to sleep with it the entire night. Let's just say between that, the awful hospital bed I was now confined in for the night and nurses coming in to check on me every other hour, I didn't get any sleep. It was a long, long night...I was already exhausted by the time morning of delivery came!! Great!

Brian finally got to come see me around 10:30pm that night after the game, it was so good to see him and know that tomorrow was the day we were going to meet our new little girl :) So one day down...6 more to go!!

39+ weeks and ready to go!

The kids love patting my belly!

Giving the baby kisses before we head off to the hospital! They had their "hospital backpacks" already to go too!

Me, Taka, Austin and Brooke getting checked in!

Trying to fan off...I was miserably hot!!

The nurses station on our floor!

Our recovery room!

That's going to be a nice view to wake up to every morning!

Brooke claiming the bed!

Austin and Brooke loved the room!

Our own eating area! There was a fridge and sink for us too!

The best part of the bathroom, the electric toilet seat...the lid is sensored to go up automatically, it has a seat warmer, and a built in night light just in case!

Making sure my blood is pumping!

Taka translating the info from the nurse!

Trying to listen to the nurse check me in with these two acting all crazy was fun ;) They kept staring at her with their binoculars, she must have thought we were insane!

The nurses explaining the hospital's schedule for me!

Brooke and Austin getting all settled in!

I was still sweating. Austin was helping me out with the fan!

Labor and Delivery room! This is where I am staying put until this baby arrives! (Could I get a longer blanket please?!)

Austin LOVED checking everything out!

And check out my awesome pink and white polka dot hospital gown! They apologized it was a bit snug around my belly, they promised they gave me their biggest size...thanks!

I was hooked up to the fetal monitor machine, Austin got a kick out of feeling the baby move and seeing the sheet of paper spit out of the machine with all the results!

Brooke checking things out too!

Taking care of mom!

My doctor coming in to check on me!

My buddy ;)

The hospital gave me this schedule for the week, translated in english...

...just a sample of all I have to look forward to!

Good thing they put my name in english too so I know it's me!

They love their automated toilets here, this is the control panel for mine...good luck finding FLUSH.

Day one down...day 2 means BABY!!!!