At
week 9 I met with my midwife Vicki. She was very kind, as was everyone else at
the practice. This was really important to me, another all-female OB practice I
had called earlier was almost rude to me on the phone, giving me a list of
special requirements I needed to meet because I was on Medicaid, and suggesting
I start my care at the county health clinic. I was so relieved to find this new
practice, where everyone was nice to me, and didn’t even bill me for my first
visit, because I hadn’t received my Medicaid card yet. Vicki answered all my
questions, but then told me I would have to see the OBs because I have a
history of seizures. I have had two seizures in my life, one was ten years ago,
the other twenty years ago, and I do not take any anti-seizure medications.
This was very disappointing to me, I didn’t want to be treated like a sick
person. I am really healthy and this is a normal part of life, I wanted a
midwife to guide me through the process, not a bunch of medical tests and
procedures. But the only other midwives were hours away and they have the same
policies, so I agreed to see the female OB and Vicki’s practice, just because
everyone else there was so kind, and I like the hospital they deliver at.
Asking
for help is not my strong point, but after being rejected from the midwife, I
called my friend Kimberly who is an actual Nurse Midwife, but not currently
practicing. She said she loved helping women during pregnancy and childbirth,
and would see me regularly as a friend, and offer me any advise and support I
needed. This was such a relief and felt great to have someone so knowledgeable
on my team.
My
OB visit was at week 11, she was also very nice, and I did my required exams
and blood work. There is a new test called the Harmony test that can tell
within 99% accuracy if my child has any chromosome abnormalities. I agreed to
this test partially because a few friends of mine had gone through the
heartbreak of loosing infants in the first moments of life. Not that knowing
makes it any easier, I am just hoping for reassurance. She looked for the
heartbeat with the Doppler but wasn’t able to find it so she sent me to get an
ultrasound. I wasn’t planning on so much testing, but at the same time my anxiety
had been steadily increasing the past few weeks, and I knew that seeing an
image of a healthy fetus would greatly reduce my anxiety. The ultrasound was
amazing and beautiful, to see my actual baby moving around inside of me was
such a precious gift. I was amazed by the details, fingers, toes, a brain! Hard
to believe so much is developed at such a small size. My baby was moving really
fast the whole time, flipping and kicking. The technician measured a normal
heartbeat and by length estimated 12 weeks, even though I know the exact date
of insemination. The OB, actually said I could return to seeing Vicki the
midwife if that’s what I wanted, but she did refer me to the local neurologist
as well.
After
this visit, I went ahead and told the world (aka facebook) and my boss. It was
great to hear an outpouring of support and excitement, with just a touch of
confusion thrown in there.
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