Our First Baby Appt for Bear # 2

Another day I've so impatiently waited for. I never did, and still don’t understand how women are supposed to wait 5-7 weeks from the time they find out they are pregnant until the time they have the first baby appointment. Those weeks feel like a sort of purgatory. Yes, you’ve seen a positive pregnancy test…or maybe even 2 or 3. But, for me, this time just feels so weird. It’s kind of like…am I? Am I not? What’s happening in there? Is this baby okay? Without knowing the answer to those questions, you’re just supposed to mosey along, behaving as if you’re pregnant...doing the things that you’re supposed to do to keep yourself and a growing little one healthy. But, nothings been confirmed. There’s nothing to show for what you think you know. Except those tests, maybe some gas, maybe some vomiting, etc. But, nothing that really screams – YOU’RE PREGNANT! I gotta say…I hate the time between the first positive pregnancy test and the first appointment. I really do. I am a visual learner and a visual person, so, until I see it with my own two eyes it feels unreal. Having said all that, I bet you can totally understand why I was so impatiently waiting for this day to come after finding out 5 1/2 weeks prior that I was with child – or that’s what the test I took told me, right?

Our appointment was @ 2pm. A perfect time because Isla was at school and Alberto could slip away from work (the doctor’s office is less than 10 minutes from his job) to meet me. We got called in and all the run of the mill stuff happened. Took my weight (holy sh*t – I already weigh THAT much?), my height, blood pressure, etc. Then, the moment I was waiting for came…it was time to see the baby I think I have in my belly in real time. Live, and in my face. Oh boy was I excited. Sweet, slow tears of joy, smiles, and happy warm feelings in my heart and in my tummy ensued. It was REAL. I really AM pregnant and there really is a small bear in my tummy. Both Alberto and I were elated, excited, and we both felt validated. It is happening and in about 8 3/4 months, we would add an addition to our family of 3. Just amazing! 

Everything looked great over the ultrasound. Baby was measuring right on…9w and 3d, heart beat was strong (around 150 bpm), and my uterus looked good too. All very good stuff. Otherwise, the appointment was very quick. We talked about how I wanted to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and about getting the surgical records from my first delivery, and one last thing…my concerns about drinking. Remember how I’d mentioned before that I drank lots over the holidays? Well, I was pregnant and didn’t know it. But, still...I was drinking and was scared and upset about it. It was one of the reasons I’d bawled when I found out I was pregnant. I discussed my concerns with my OB and she was very clear with me: when I was drinking, our baby was in the “all or nothing” stage of development. What that means is…if something were going to occur from the drinking I’d done, it would have resulted in a miscarriage already. So, all or nothing…it it’s going to affect the embryo, or, it’s not and it’s not a concern. Obviously, since I was still pregnant and things looked great on the ultrasound, it wasn’t a concern. I breathed a sigh of relief, and with that, the appointment was over. It was time to get my blood drawn for the first trimester screening. We’d done this with Isla, so, I was more than happy to do it this time around and was not worried or apprehensive about it.

I haven't mention this before, but, on the 1^st of this year we switched our health insurance from a PPO with United Healthcare to an HMO with Kaiser. So far, we’ve had great experiences with Kaiser. This time was no exception. Dr. O (my OB) was great, her assistant was lovely as well. I was so happy to leave my appointment on the third floor and be able to head downstairs to the first floor to get my blood drawn…in the same building. SO EASY! I also gave a urine sample, just in case (Maybe TMI: I felt like my discharge was heavier than normal, so, we thought it would be a good idea to check my urine for any bacteria, etc). With all that done, it was time to head home and pick up Isla from school.

Words could not describe how happy I felt knowing that our little bear was in there…looking good and growing nicely. I could not wait to hug Isla and somehow transfer my happiness to her via a huge bear hug and several mama bear kisses (Alberto went back to work after our appt with the OB and to school after work).