Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Houston, We Have a Heartbeat!

Ga-bum, ga-bum, ga-bum, ga-bum...

There's really something growing in there! My first appointment went really well. The midwife that I saw said, "We'll see if we can find a heartbeat. This early, we only hear about 30-40%, so it's perfectly normal if we can't find one." Then she put the little wand thingy on my belly and started moving it around for awhile. She found my heartbeat and said that worm's would be about twice as fast. She kept moving the thingy and I started to think we probably wouldn't get to hear it this time, and then...there it was! Strong and perfect. Ben and I both grinned like big crazy idiots.

I need to make a decision about whether I want a nurse-midwife or a doctor to deliver the baby. Either way, it will be at the hospital, and if there are any complications a doctor would, of course, be on hand. I'm planning a natural childbirth (I know, I know...you think I'm nuts. You don't need to remind me!) and I would like as much support with that as possible. For that reason I'm strongly considering the nurse-midwife route. They seem to be more natural-friendly and they're with you from the time you're about 4cm. dilated until the nitty-gritty end. In contrast, if I choose to have a doctor deliver the baby, I will work with the labor and delivery nurses (luck of the draw) and the doctor will be there purely for the delivery part. Insight and suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

...this would fall under the category of solicited advice!

4 comments:

  1. Well, I think I will do better with the midwife than the doctor, so we might want to go that route. You might want to offer Ben some drugs, even if you're not having any. I'm so glad you found little Bartholomew's heart beat!! Oh crap i wasn't supposed to say the name.

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  2. YAY!! I'm glad your appt went well today!! Whew.

    As for doing all of this naturally, that's great!! I wish I could do that... however, I am A BIG WUSS. I know a few mothers who have delivered it naturally and they said it wasn't that bad. So all I have to say is that you are a much stronger person than me, I'll be completely drugged up!!

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  3. First, yay for wormy heartbeats!!!!! :) Second, you know how I feel about the whole situation already...that said I think if you truly want to go the natural route then the midwife is the way to go. However, I would be sure to see the doctor a few times during the pregnancy to be sure he/she is familiar with you and your birthing plan etc in case you end up needing him/her on the big day. Whatever you decide I'll support you 150%.

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  4. I was laughing to myself this morning and thinking about the name Bartholomew... he would be Bartotto...

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