This is going to sound really dumb so forgive me now. I was up half the night scared stupid that somehow I actually wasn't pregnant. That somehow I was going to show up to my first prenatal exam and there would be no baby. Somehow, what I had been seeing on the ultrasounds at Dr. Donesky's office would just not be there at my OB's office.
As I checked in, I asked about the "Established GYN visit". I was going to be hugely embarassed if I just brought my husband in for my yearly exam. The receptionist told me that she couldn't change it because I don't have a "confirmed pregnancy."
O-M-G, I knew it! OK that's not really what I thought, but I was afraid that I forced my hubby to take a half day to end up watching me have my blood drawn. That would be hugely embarassing. Once again, I texted my friend in conceiving after infertility and she was like "Don't stress over the wording." Well, she nailed it. Everything was fine.
They started out with an US and Pico was just doing his or her squirm thing. Our sonographer tried and tried...and tried to get Pico to give us some face time, but Pico would not participate. She would push on my belly and Pico would squirm into an even worse position. I'm pretty sure this is the right child for us.
The differences between the offices were interesting. I'm so used to Dr. Donesky telling me everything as he sees it and hears it, and I couldn't even get the sonographer to tell me an exact heart rate. I knew it was in the high 150s or low 160s because when you do it everyday for a living, you can pace it with the sound. She did tell me the baby measured 12.2 days, so once again, a day ahead (EEK!)
So then we saw Dr. Bullen, who asked us some genetic screening questions, and I asnwered from what I remember of my donor who was pretty similar to mine. I did tell him this was a donor egg, and he told me I'll be his first donor egg patient. Everything I've read suggests not doing prenatal screenings with egg donor babies because it's comparing my child's maternal genetics to my genetics, and it's just not as accurate. Basically, comparing apples to oranges. Dr. B said he'd call a local MFM (Maternal-Fetal Medicine) and see what he suggests, so that's nice, and also nice that I work with that particular MFM. So I haven't had prenatal labs drawn yet, but I'm glad we're getting advice.
Dr. Bullen said he'd see me in a couple of weeks instead of 4 because I'm pretty sure I will stroke out trying to make it a month without seeing, hearing, or feeling my child move. Nevermind that it won't really be a month, because I see Dr. Donesky again next week. I'm really trying to avoid getting a doppler for home use. The first time the baby shifted to a new position and I didn't get it in the "normal spot" I'm pretty sure I'd end up at our local mental health institution over nothing.
So everyone seemed genuinely happy for us to be there for a prenatal appointment. My doc's medical assistant Jerri hugged me and told me she was so excited for us. Dr. Bullen congratulated us at least 8 times. It made this whole thing seem slightly more real.
There is still a nagging fear that I could wake up and all of this come to a tragic end, but as my friend said tonight, I know I can do this now. I'll always have Pico to thank for that.
Peace, Love, and Holy Shit, I'm Actually Pregnant!
Mary Katherine Roberts
As I checked in, I asked about the "Established GYN visit". I was going to be hugely embarassed if I just brought my husband in for my yearly exam. The receptionist told me that she couldn't change it because I don't have a "confirmed pregnancy."
O-M-G, I knew it! OK that's not really what I thought, but I was afraid that I forced my hubby to take a half day to end up watching me have my blood drawn. That would be hugely embarassing. Once again, I texted my friend in conceiving after infertility and she was like "Don't stress over the wording." Well, she nailed it. Everything was fine.
They started out with an US and Pico was just doing his or her squirm thing. Our sonographer tried and tried...and tried to get Pico to give us some face time, but Pico would not participate. She would push on my belly and Pico would squirm into an even worse position. I'm pretty sure this is the right child for us.
The differences between the offices were interesting. I'm so used to Dr. Donesky telling me everything as he sees it and hears it, and I couldn't even get the sonographer to tell me an exact heart rate. I knew it was in the high 150s or low 160s because when you do it everyday for a living, you can pace it with the sound. She did tell me the baby measured 12.2 days, so once again, a day ahead (EEK!)
So then we saw Dr. Bullen, who asked us some genetic screening questions, and I asnwered from what I remember of my donor who was pretty similar to mine. I did tell him this was a donor egg, and he told me I'll be his first donor egg patient. Everything I've read suggests not doing prenatal screenings with egg donor babies because it's comparing my child's maternal genetics to my genetics, and it's just not as accurate. Basically, comparing apples to oranges. Dr. B said he'd call a local MFM (Maternal-Fetal Medicine) and see what he suggests, so that's nice, and also nice that I work with that particular MFM. So I haven't had prenatal labs drawn yet, but I'm glad we're getting advice.
Dr. Bullen said he'd see me in a couple of weeks instead of 4 because I'm pretty sure I will stroke out trying to make it a month without seeing, hearing, or feeling my child move. Nevermind that it won't really be a month, because I see Dr. Donesky again next week. I'm really trying to avoid getting a doppler for home use. The first time the baby shifted to a new position and I didn't get it in the "normal spot" I'm pretty sure I'd end up at our local mental health institution over nothing.
So everyone seemed genuinely happy for us to be there for a prenatal appointment. My doc's medical assistant Jerri hugged me and told me she was so excited for us. Dr. Bullen congratulated us at least 8 times. It made this whole thing seem slightly more real.
There is still a nagging fear that I could wake up and all of this come to a tragic end, but as my friend said tonight, I know I can do this now. I'll always have Pico to thank for that.
Peace, Love, and Holy Shit, I'm Actually Pregnant!
Mary Katherine Roberts
No comments:
Post a Comment