Doesn't look like much, but its heart is beating at 145. Keep in mind, this is also on a super-zoom camera. :)
Can I just say, it's cruel & unusual punishment to make a pregnant woman drink a liter of water and then push an ultrasound wand on her tummy!!!! :)
We did get to ask some questions tonight, but it was 99% paperwork. The intake nurse was very confused by the fact that we had testing at Shady Grove but didn't get actual help from Shady Grove. She was also very confused by the fact that I had some testing done at my appointment the day after my positive test. Luckily the midwife was a little less confused.
We have a choice moving forward to do doctors or midwives, and we're doing doctors. It seems like a better idea with my other "quirks." :)
I have an u/s scheduled for Thursday - yay! Then another one in April for some health screenings. And another appointment for the end of March
I'm hoping to get some real advice & seperate fact from fiction at my appointment on Monday. Here are some questions on the list, as compiled from message boards, books, and things that I really want to know.
Logistics Category:
Who will I see at my appointments? Nurses? Doctors? Midwives?
How often will I have appointments?
What will happen at the appointments? Which ones do husbands usually attend?
When will the ultrasounds happen? How many will there be?
Do I pay a copay at each appointment, or is there a big fee that will cover all of them?
Food & Drink Category:
I already don't drink alcohol & caffeine. Is there anything else food/drink wise that I have to avoid? Is it ok to eat lunch meat?
Can I subsitute fruits for veggies in my diet? I'm currently eating lots of fruit, several varieties a day, but I just can't get the veggies down. I thought when I was an adult & then when I was pregnant that I'd just magically be able to do it, but I can't.
I am trying to increase the dairy, making sure I eat cheese, etc. I can't eat yogurt b/c of migraines, and I'm trying my best with the milk. Is calcium OJ or "kids" vitamin filled OJ an Ok choice??
Lifestyle Category:
Is it true that I can't take hot baths? How warm can I go? I've been off fibro meds for almost 3 years and it's the only way I've been able to stop the leg pain.
What medicines can I take for headaches? Colds? Sinus infections?
What exercise should I do or not do? Is swimming ok? Water aerobics? Can I work with my trainer if she knows I'm pregnant? Zumba? Yoga? Pilates? Do you know of places that have prenatal yoga or pilates nearby?
How long into the pregnancy can I travel by car or plane?
Can I change the litter? My cat has never been outside.
Can I garden as the weather gets better? I've heard no on the basis of neighborhood cats could be using the flower beds as a litter box.
Are there restrictions to how much I can lift and or bend over? I move large piles of heavy books on a regular basis. I imagine that as long as I feel ok I can keep doing what I'm doing.
I got my phone call today confirming my appointment on Monday. I was surprised to hear them say "appointment with (girl's name)" rather than "Dr. Whoever." A friend/carpool mate of mine used the same office for both of her kids, so I know a little about it. I know there are 2 options - midwives or doctors. She did the midwives both times for her prenatal care, and gave birth in the hospital both times, but with the first kid the delivery got hard and the doctors intervened. Even though I'm pretty sure the midwives are practically the same thing as doctors here since they all share a practice, I'm planning on going the Doctor route. I thought that since I saw a dr in general that I'd see her for this first appointment. Guess I was wrong. I don't recognize the name as one my friend as mentioned as a midwife though, so maybe it's one of the NP's or something like that.
A definite downside to this practice is that it has a thousand people. Even for my annual checkups and the abdominal pain I've been dealing with for the past year and a half, I often see different people. That frustrates me a little, however, the benefit is that I can usually get in pretty quickly as long as I don't care who I see. I do know from my friend that they like you to see everyone during your 9 months so that you're almost guaranteed to know the people who are on call when you actually have the kid.
Mike got a hold of his brother today, and I told Sarah. So now everyone that is family knows. And it's for real. Sarah wins the "loudest scream" award. I worked it into a random comment in a conversation, so it took her a second. :)
Last year on Valentine's Day, we got to tell people that we were finally buying a house. This year we're telling them that we're having a kid. Crazy.
My mom told my brother last night, which is fine by me. Mike called his sister & brother, but only got his brother's voice mail so he'll wait til tomorrow.
So, now that people know, it's actually happening. Like, the pea sized thing will turn into a watermelon sized thing & actually have to get out of my body. And then we have to raise it. This lovely abstract idea is getting more and more real.
We told our parents today. We were going out to lunch with his parents for Valentine's Day, so we decided to go for it. I called mine & then we told his at lunch. He's pretty funny - he couldn't even wait til we sat down, he blurted it out right there in the foyer of Duclaw. While everyone was happy and excited, his mom's first words were "You guys are going to be such good parents." I couldn't have told you that's what we wanted people to say, but it was a good thing to hear.
Now we have to tell the siblings........
Today, I found out a coworker is expecting as well. She's super ahead of me - mid/late August at the beginning of the school year. She waited til 12/13 weeks to tell the general school population, which is what I'm planning on doing. I'm going to have to tell my principal & coordinator sooner than that but I will figure out dates later after I have my first or second appointment.
So now that I've been aware for a week, here's what I'm feeling
- mild cramps
- SUPER thirsty
- Going to the bathroom all the time, which is probably a result of drinking so much water to quench my thirst
- noticeably low blood sugar if I go more than a few hours without at least a few bites of food
- small moments of nausea, but currently controlled by crackers or pretzels, mostly later in the evening
My husband's friend announced tonight at our super bowl party that he & his wife are expecting a baby in September. She's several weeks ahead of me, but I still don't think we will tell as early as they did...
