Thursday, June 28, 2007

closing the open letter

We met our midwife yesterday and what can I say... she rocks. I mean not just a little either. This woman patiently and warmly answered every ridiculous question that we had.

It was great. I cannot think of anyone more awesome to help me give birth than this woman.

For the first time since I got my BFP I feel relaxed and confident in this whole process.

Oh and we got to hear the heartbeat... so loud and so fast!

I owe that to you Judy Lazarus and the lovely people at the Midwifery & Women's Health Center (Group Health) in Seattle.

Monday, June 25, 2007

an open letter to maternity care providers

Dear OB and Midwife,
I am very tired. And cranky. I keep trying to make my first big prenatal appointment with you but apparently I picked the most popular providers in the Seattle Metro area so this proved to be very difficult. OB - even when I nailed you down to a date, you called me the day before to tell me that you made a mistake and it would be another week. Since I have to take time off of work to make these appointments (remember, you don't have weekend hours!), this is a real hassle for me.

I know... I know. You have all delivered lots of babies. It's old hat to you. But this is my first. And I'm in my 10th week and I still don't have any of my questions answered. I still don't know anything about this pregnancy except what you told me on the 10 min visit that I had last week where I forced you to see me. And thank goodness that I did, if not for that I'd know nothing.

And Midwife - I know it's not your fault but when I called your office today to ask a question your staff confused the hell out of me. Please understand that this is my very first pregnancy and I do not know what the hell I am doing. Your guidance is imperative. But if only I could actually meet with you perhaps I could get some.

I know that I am rambling. But I guess all I'm asking is that you all be a little more patient... a little more understanding. I am excited and terrified. I just want some reassurance that I am doing everything right at this very critical time in my pregnancy.

sincerely,
reese mcg

ok i changed my mind

So because I know nothing about strollers I was obsessed with the Stokke Xplory just because it looked cool. I'm not embarassed to admit it either. But after a little actual research (imagine that) I found that there were more highly rated strollers out there that were cool too. Cue the Bugaboo Cameleon:


For anyone that remembers what it feels like to covet a sweet handbag or a sexy new pair of shoes, this is it. And to fuel my ridiculous fire I keep reading rave review after rave review.

But again... the price. At nearly $1000 for a the complete system, this is hardly a bargain.
Maybe they'll have one on ebay???

Friday, June 22, 2007

name game

I wonder how my parents came up with my name? I've asked but I have yet to get a straight answer. I guess it doesn't matter... it is what it is. But it is funny when you consider that in our country, names are often chosen very casually... often with no other motivation than the fact that the name 'sounds nice'. Seems so informal for something that will likely stick with the individual for the rest of the lives.

I am torn between choosing names that have some familial, historical or philosophical significance and just picking one that sounds cute with our last name. Don't judge me!

Here's the list of just first names that we (I) like (in no particular order):
Boys:
alastair
aidan
sebastian
milo

Girls:
maya
zara
micah
nikka
devyn
meena

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

heartbeats

Recently when I was at the OB the nurse decided to try and check for the heartbeat of the baby. Since that was only at the beginning of my 9th week she was skeptical that we would hear anything but she tried anyway.

Alas, there was not a peep but the sound of my own heart beating. Not to worry though, as this is common for a pregnancy so early on. Anyway when the nurse left the exam room she also left the fetal doppler device in the room with me. It's a small device ... small enough to fit in a purse. But I ain't no thief! Anyway my curiosity was piqued and I couldn't help thinking how cool it would be to have a doppler device at home so I could listen any time I wanted to.

Imagine my surprise to find that these devices are available for home use:
http://www.storkradio.com/index.phphttp://www.storkradio.com/index.php


Stork radio has them available for rental or purchase. You have to get your OB's approval to get one but that shouldn't be too hard.
I still haven't decided if I'll actually get one but it's pretty cool that I have the option!

baby mcg wants....

Ok so I'm only 10 weeks along but it's never too early to research right? Well a whole new world of shopping has just opened up to me and I fully intend to explore it.

I have been thinking about strollers. This is a pretty important accessory. I am particularly enamored by the Stokke Xplory. As far as I'm concerned it's stroller perfection. I love how the carrier is way up high. No bending over to reach down and tend to your baby. I love the simple design and cool colors. The only thing I do not love is the price tag. However if I start saving now maybe I can actually afford one!



For more info about the Stokke Xplory go here:
http://www.stokkeusa.com/xplory.htm

Monday, June 18, 2007

You say baby, I say parasite

Here's a pic of the little bugger at 8 weeks. I think he/she looks like a small turd or peanut but I love him/her just the same
baby mcg at 8 weeks

polyp schmolyp

I had some very very light spotting and at first the OB thought it was a subchorionic hemorrhage (sch). While somewhat common, a SCH does increase the risk of miscarriage so this was really troubling. The OB put me on prometrium (progesterone supplements) to help reinforce the lining of my uterus and that was that.

Then last week I had another spotting incident so I made another appointment.
The nurse gave me a pelvic exam and was surprised and happy to find that I have a cervical polyp. While this in and of itself is not a reason to celebrate, it explains the very light spotting. A polyp may bleed just from talking a brisk walk. They are also very common in pregnancy, they develop due to the increased level of hormones.
Normally they would remove it but since I am pregnant and pregnancy causes the cervix to become very vascular, they decided to leave it in place (so as not to add to my bleeding problem). The nurse also implied that it might just come off if I end up having a vaginal birth - which would be great.


So I guess I'm feeling a lot better about things knowing that this was the source of the bleeding. Hopefully my little bean is doing ok.

Pit stains

I don't mean to act like I'm the first person to make random observations about what it's like to be pregnant. But I'm going thru alot of weird things that I haven't read in any of the 3 thick pregnancy/childbirth books that I have at home.
I've resorted to posting questions on pregnancy forums, trying to gather some semblance of normalcy from the experiences of other pregnant ladies.

So you want to know what it's like to be 3 months pregnant? And I'm not talking about the stuff that everyone knows already.... morning sickness and such. I'm gonna give it to you raw.

  • Sweaty pits. I am either turning into a guy or my hormones are so out of whack that they are causing my arm pits to sweat like never before. I don't stink but I definitely have pit stains from time to time. Even the maximum strength deo is no match for my super pits.
  • Constipation. Ok so you probably know about this one but did you know that your stomach would feel like you swallowed a watermelon whole? And that for possibly days on end there will be no relief to this feeling?
  • TP analysis. Given that spotting is often a symptom that something is wrong in a pregnancy you will find that every single time (and I do mean EVERY SINGLE TIME) that you go to the bathroom, you will wipe and then examine the toilet paper. This sounds really disgusting but I would bet money that most pregnant women do it and when you get pregnant, so will you.
  • Moistness. I know. It's a vile word but it's the best way to describe what is suddenly happening downstairs. I feel like my hoo ha was as dry as the desert compared to what is going on down there now. Again... totally normal part of pregnancy but vile and worth a mention nonetheless.
  • Hot boobs. I have experienced lots of new unpleasant sensations in my breasts. Everything from shooting pains, to burning to tiny twinges. Oh and my nipples are always rock hard. HOT.
  • You ain't nuthin but a hound dog. Again... everyone has heard that smells are often intensified during pregnancy but this is ridiculous. I can no longer take the bus because the smell of humanity makes me violently ill. I now carry airplane sick bags in my purse just in case I pass a particularly foul human while walking the city streets.
  • Hungry like the wolf. I have never been so hungry in my life. I am often woken up out of a sleep with an intense gnawing feeling in my stomach and cannot get back to sleep unless I eat something. A bit of protein and carbs help like cheese and crackers or an apple and some peanut butter. But by the time I finish preparing and eating this meal I am too awake to go back to bed!