Here we go again
Which is to say – we’re having a baby! Again. (In case you didn’t already know…)
I’m writing this first bit at almost 10 pregnant, mostly so that when we start sharing the news you can all laugh at me even though I will have totally forgotten about this story.
After a miserable night of what felt like food poisoning but, knowing my body, was probably just my GI tract saying ‘hey, you haven’t had GI issues since Nathan was born – let’s make this pregnancy extra fun’ I called the midwives’ office because conventional wisdom says Pregnant Lady + Severe Abdominal Pain = Call the Doc, and was told that there’s a stomach bug going around so if I wasn’t starting to feel better, it could be a virus. And my first thought? A Stomach Bug can reduce the efficacy of the Pill! Because of course I need to be worried about compromised contraception. Sigh. Now you can all laugh.
So yes, back to real time, we’re 18 weeks into waiting around for baby #2. And once again seeing the nurse midwives who deliver at Mount Auburn Hospital. That was actually our biggest question once we found out this kiddo was on the way – are we going to have to go with the Big Hospital M.D. experience this time? Not that we have anything against hospitals or M.D.s – we’re Nathan’s parents after all – we’re BIG fans of modern medicine and the opportunity to give birth in a high tech hospital. And with this kid we’re even more interested in being connect with Mt. Auburn so that should we need a higher level of care we’re also connected to our friend at BIDMC.
But Nathan’s rocky start has made us (me at least) much more low key than I ever thought I’d be as a parent – don’t stress me out unless there’s a real reason to stress. And I was afraid being labeled “high risk” we’d end up with stressed out docs who thought we should be stressed out too and lots of extra stuff. Instead we’re seeing the wonderful midwife Margi who bundle us off to BI three years ago. Before my first appointment she’d already started conversations with her fellow midwives, partnering OBs and even Fetal/Maternal specialists at Mt. Auburn to make sure we could have the midwife experience while still taking advantage of any high tech options to further reduce preterm labor this time around. She is great. She’s also really excited about this pregnancy:
“It’s going to be so interesting and exciting to watch this pregnancy. You’re going to feel like it’s SO LONG. Once we get to 30 weeks it’s going to be all uncharted territory for you – even though you’ll have a three year old underfoot! (mischievous grin)”
AND THEN she asked if I wanted to try and hear a heartbeat – at nine weeks! It was like when I was discharged from the hospital and before we left Nurse Cathy asked if I wanted to hold two day old Nathan, when I’d thought I’d have to wait a few more weeks. Okay, so maybe not quite as extreme, but that’s what I immediately thought of. She warned me that we probably wouldn’t get an external heartbeat, but that she had a newfangled gizmo that could often get an internal one at 9 weeks – and that in either case, not to worry if we didn’t hear anything yet. The look of surprise, amazement and JOY on her face when she got a strong external heartbeat confirmed that we are in the right hands. Of course, then she said we had a little prodigy and I told her to hush because I do not want this kid getting any ideas like its big brother. I guess nobody’s perfect.
So that’s our big news.
Nathan was very helpful during the first trimmest 24 hour queasies / related GI issues and fatigue (How you feeling Mama? You need medicines?) but we were all happy to see most of it come to an end (where’s that second trimester nesting energy??). Now it’s just heartburn and high hopes for a super-duper productive next few months before that unknown third trimester arrives – then all bets are off!
Pray for 40 weeks - we’ll keep you posted.