Wednesday 3 July 2013

Meeting Dr T.

Today was our first appointment with the obstetrician. The only thing I knew about him was what I had read on some online comments so I was eager to meet him. It seems like his office is a total zoo but I loved it!

As we sat waiting for him, the receptionist came over and told us his office was manic because he shared it with two speech pathologists that dealt with children. She told us they were all crazy and we could expect to be surrounded with screaming children every time we came. It was quiet today because of school holidays. She told us it was also a very relaxed office so if we were looking for something more formal this was not the place.

She made me laugh. She was happy and personable and I loved the fact it wasn’t formal. When I had to see the obstetrician for the miscarriage his office was so formal it was stifling. There was not a scrap of personality or smiling faces so this was a refreshing change.

Dr T. was busy because he had two patients in labour so was running back and forth between phone calls, giving instructions. When I heard him say “I’m happy to let her push a bit longer” I thought poor woman, keep on pushing cause he ain’t coming yet!

We were called in and he immediately put me at ease. He had a very soft spoken voice and seemed genuinely interested in my history and plans for giving birth. When I explained my back and pelvis problems, and told him I was thinking of a caesarean, he said “Good, I was going to say that to you anyway. This baby is very precious and we want to make sure we get it here safely.” I looked at him with total love. I felt he understood my nerves and worries and was doing everything he could to make it as easy as possible.

Based on his surgery days, we will meet Sticky on either the 17th or 20th January 2014. I’m going the 17th because on Fridays he does morning and afternoon surgery. I like the thought of waking up, heading to hospital, popping out a baby and be back sitting in my bed, cuddling my baby, ready for a celebratory lunch. That sounds quite civilised to me!

He then took me in for a scan. He was old school using the tummy ultrasound, rather than the internal one, so it relied on me having a full bladder. It clearly wasn’t full enough because it was quite fuzzy. I had a brief panic attack when I couldn’t see the heartbeat but I found it when the picture came into focus. He then tried to measure Sticky but the machine didn’t want to work. Stupid machine! But I thought so long as Sticky has got bigger, and there is a heart beating away, I’m happy.

I was a bit sad that the image wasn’t as clear as what it has been. But, we could see a little hand waving and the spine so that was pretty cool. It looked like Sticky was lying on her back, with her right arm by her side and waving hello at us with her left. She still looks like a blob but is definitely making the transition to a real looking baby. The next scan should show a fully formed baby so I can’t wait for that.

After the scan, Dr T. ran us through the little information booklet. All the vaccinations we have to get including one that stops the baby bleeding into it’s brain after birth. I was amazed, I had never heard of such a thing. I just nodded thinking you can sign me up for all of that!

I then asked him the most important question – when is second trimester? He said weeks 13 to 26. When he asked me why, I told him Google didn’t have a consistent answer and we were just eager to get to the second trimester. He said “You haven’t had any spotting or cramping at this stage have you?” “No,” I said. “Well, given you’re now 10 weeks, with no signs of any problems, I am confident in saying this looks like a strong pregnancy.”  

His confidence raised my spirits but we’re still reserved. I’m quietly optimistic and feel like we will make it, but I’m not ready to fully embrace it yet. I am waiting on the results of the nuchal scan in two weeks before I get too excited. Dr T. spoke about the results and possible need for an amnio which I’m not keen about. The ongoing discussion freaks me out more and more each time and I am really looking forward to that part being over and us knowing where we stand.


That scan is 2 weeks today. I’ll be 12 weeks and 3 days. So hopefully, we’ll be standing with a low risk ratio, celebrating the fact we only have a few more days to second trimester. Not long to go til then thank god!

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