Prenatal: 32 weeks

This morning we had our first prenatal visit with our new OB... [read more]

The Pillow

Night One
The Good
I feel like I slept better. My neck didn't hurt this morning - the pillow actually elevated my head off the bed! SO MUCH BETTER than the pillows I'd been using. I like a fluffy pillow that holds its fluff under the weight of my head (and DH's head and often one cat).

The back support was very nice. The pillow curves at just the right spot that it nestles against my lower back. Perfect.

I felt that my knees and hips were being supported and I was very glad to not have to take the pillow with me when I turned over.

The Bad
It was folded in such a way for shipment that much of the fluff in the very center (where my head goes) was pushed away. My head is still elevated simply by the tension in the fabric, but it's rather hard and puts my ear to sleep. This caused me to wake up several times and have to change positions. Not sure how to fix it.

As mentioned in several of the Amazon reviews, the design of the pillow requires the lower arm to be under the pillow. When I'm on my right side, it's fine. Perhaps because DH is on that side and his divot leaves space for my arm (does that make sense?). However, when I'm on my left (which is the side I prefer to sleep on), my arm feels squished between the mattress and the pillow. Again, not sure what to do.

The Ambivalent
The "arms" of the pillow are narrower than standard pillows, so DH doesn't seem as alienated as when I was using standard pillows between my knees and against my back. This pillow is definitely big, but it's really the height, not the width, that's so large. It looks like there's a full-grown person hiding in my bed!

Another common complaint was the material of the cover. I have to agree that it's not as soft as our sheets and pillow cases, but I wouldn't describe it as scratchy. We'll have to see how it washes up.

The last thing that bothers me only a little bit is that the "arm" that's against my back moves away during the night. I have to reach back and pull it close again. But this could be because I don't sleep very still (just ask DH). As my belly gets bigger and I become more limited in sleeping positions, this issue may resolve itself.

So far I'm pleased and just hope I can find solutions to the other two problems and then it would be perfect.


(As for the iron supplement, it tastes like prune juice. Not too bad, though it has an aftertaste. Fortunately the dose is very small, 2 tsp, and it's taken before a meal.)

I Love You, Amazon

I ordered two things from Amazon in the last week, and they both arrived today! I'm very excited about both of them, for similar reasons, come to think of it.

The first one (the one that I ordered first) is my iron supplement, Floradix. According to the results of my bloodwork, my RBC (red blood cell) was low. Not alarming, but low. Which fits with what I've been experiencing: fatigue and general lack of energy; decreased ability to concentrate; and decreased endurance during exercise. So I'm looking forward to bringing that RBC up and seeing those problems DISAPPEAR! Okay, they may not totally disappear. I AM pregnant, after all. But seeing a significant, even a minor! improvement would be great. I just hope it's easy to get down. Sometimes supplements and such aren't so pleasant.

The other item I wasn't expecting so quickly. I ordered it on Sunday, and today's only Wednesday! (I should give that merchant a high rating on Amazon.) It's something I wanted during my first pregnancy, but couldn't quite justify. This time, however, I'm ALREADY sleeping with several extra pillows, so DH decided to give me a maternity pillow for Mother's Day. I was so excited when he told me! I had dropped a couple not-so-subtle hints that THAT would make a GREAT Mom's Day gift. He said he had already pretty much decided on it before that, but the hints convinced him :) Being the smart man that he is, he didn't just order one for the sake of having it to surprise me with on Sunday. He let me pick the one I wanted, after long and careful research and deliberation. I decided to go with this one: Todays Mom Cozy Comfort Pregnancy Pillow. I wanted a U-shaped pillow because I switch sides while I'm sleeping, and I don't need to be flipping over WITH a big tummy AND a big pillow. This had better reviews than the others, and it was in our budget. I can't wait to try it! I plan on reviewing it for Amazon, so I'll be sure to tell you more about it after I've been using it for a while. So, again, I'm looking forward to higher energy levels after more restful nights. Here's to no more (okay, LESS) tossing and turning!

Of course, starting with both new items on the same day means it will be impossible to know which one solved my energy issues, if they didn't both contribute. Not a very scientific approach to trying new things. OH WELL!! Whatever makes it easier to get up in the morning and get my chores done during the day so I can play more Sacred! (What is Sacred, you ask? I haven't blogged about Sacred yet?? THAT I will have to remedy).

Ultrasound Images!

I finally got the ultrasound images scanned! Here's a peek:

Click on the image or click here to see the rest :)

When I arrived at the clinic, the technician called me back to "empty my bladder and get undressed." Um, what? I don't remember having to get undressed for LB's ultrasounds. And I thought I was supposed to have a full bladder? Fortunately, Mary Anne was right there and we quickly cleared up the confusion: being an early ultrasound, the clinic thought they were performing a vaginal ultrasound. But, I'm slender enough, and just far enough along, that we were able to NOT do a vaginal one. Whew! It was lots of fun. LB didn't cause too much trouble. And since Mary Anne was there, the technician felt free to point out things and make comments that she wouldn't have otherwise. All's well. The placenta is partially covering the cervix, so I'm to expect a bit of spotting as the uterus grows, and there was also a small hemorrhage, but it was small and they weren't worried.

Afterward, Mary Anne went over the results of my bloodwork. Everything's great, but my red blood cell count is low. Nothing else was out of whack, so she recommended Floradix Iron & Herbs 17 oz. The best price I could find was on Amazon. So I ordered it and it's on its way.

Well, LB is fussing at the fence and DH has lunch ready. Gotta go!

Prenatal #1

I went to my first prenatal exam with a midwife on Friday. The BEST part, of course, was hearing the heartbeat. There really isn't anything quite like it! Lemme back up though.

There are two midwives in the practice - Mary Anne and Daphne. I saw Mary Anne on Friday. Heather is in training, and she's the one who conducted the exam for the most part. Mary Anne tried not to jump in too much, lol. It was certainly VERY different from a prenatal exam with an OB. For one thing, we didn't do a pelvic exam! It wasn't necessary, it's not required, there wasn't any reason to, so we didn't! We were basically in a bedroom, and we just sat and talked for almost two hours.

Another big difference is that I didn't fill out any of my own paperwork. I was very proud of myself for arriving 20 minutes early so I could get all that paperwork out of the way (you know what it's like to go to the Dr's, right?) Well, we got started right away, and Heather filled out the paperwork as we went along. So much more personal! I always wonder if the doctor really reads through all those questions they make a new patient answer. I'm not always sure they do. But midwives do! That was the bulk of the time. They did want a urine sample, and my weight. But unlike at the OB's, I weighed myself. (I think I should have taken my boots off though.)

Then we listened to the heartbeat. At first all we could hear was my heartbeat, she moved the device around, and it was taking just long enough that I was starting to get worried, when there it was! Strong and beautiful. Mary Anne commented that it was really strong and sounded more developed than just 11 weeks. I told her that LB's heartbeat had always been strong too. I grow strong babies :)

Then they drew blood. Mary Anne had more trouble than anyone who's ever drawn blood from me. And my arm is still bruised. It was probably my worst experience in blood drawing, though it wasn't really THAT bad. I'm just glad we won't have to do it again.

Okay, going back to the first part of the appointment, I did tell them about my tummy trouble. They explained that it's probably just due to the hormones slowing down the digestive system (which I had read about). The pain and bloating was most likely caused my gas. However, some women do suffer from gallbladder and appendix problems during pregnancy. Based on my descriptions it's more likely to be gallbladder than appendix, but just to be sure to rule them both out, I'm to start keeping a food diary of what I've eaten before having an episode (is episode the right word?). So one of my tasks today is to dig up a notebook or something to start keeping track. They also recommended adding papaya or papaya pills and/or acidopholus (you were right Laurie!) to my diet.

We talked about water intake. I'm supposed to drink 64 ounces of water a day. I think most days I'm lucky to get 12. And gatorade doesn't count! Bummer. They said putting cucumber, lime, or lemon in the water helps (though not all at the same time!). Do I have water next to me as I'm blogging here? No. Bad girl!

And exercise. I'm supposed to do cardio exercise 3 times a week. And chasing LB and going up and down stairs and doing housework doesn't count. (Which seems silly to me. Seems like anything that gets my heartrate up should count.) So I did some Wii exercises this morning. I have to do it when LB's asleep or all he wants to do is stand on the balance board and I can't do anything, lol. I started with yoga and just holding the pose got my heart pounding. Yoga's not supposed to be a cardio exercise, is it? Maybe I DO need to be doing more exercise...

And we're scheduled for an ultrasound on Wednesday to determine an accurate due date. Even though I know when my LMP is, because I don't know the length of my cycle (28 days? 30? 26?), the calculated due date isn't necessarily right. I've never been good at keeping track of that sort of thing and the only reason I'm sure of my LMP is because I had downloaded an app onto my phone! Otherwise I'd be guessing at that too. (terrible, I know). So, Mary Anne would like a more accurate measurement, which is an early ultrasound. Also, having the clinical data (i.e., early ultrasound) to confirm my due date will also help the care provider I choose wherever we go next - he/she will feel much more comfortable taking me on as a new patient towards the end of her 2nd trimester if it's not just my word they're relying on (did that make sense?) I'm excited to get to have an early ultrasound. We didn't do one until 18 weeks with LB (there was no reason). It'll be too early to determine the gender, but that's okay.

Let's see, what else? They encouraged me to bring LB to the appointments. It will help him understand what's going on ("there's a baby in Mommy's belly!"), though I'm never sure how much gets through! He does understand more than we think he does though, that's for sure! I'm glad they want him to come. It'll also be easier on us: DH doesn't HAVE to be home when I have an appt. (if he can't come too), and if he IS at home and decides not to come, he'll be able to get things done. So that's good.

The bottom line is that midwives are much, much more personal than an OB. We talked through all of medical history. They devoted two hours to me! And I was NOT rushed out the door when we were done, even though another patient had arrived. It was just my first appt, but they're already sad I'll be leaving before the baby's born, and told me if I don't tell them when I deliver, they'll put a hex on me! (j/k, she didn't mean it. LOL, it was one of those times when someone says something because they're comfortable and then they immediately realize it could be misinterpreted or offensive, so she was overly apologetic. I suppose, in retrospect, I'm glad she said she didn't mean it, because it would be a little creepy if someone you've never met before says, "...or I'll put a hex on you" and then they don't say whether they were kidding or not. Anyway. Where was I? Oh yeah, more personal) And they explained how they'll help me research a care provider wherever we go, they'll help me interview them over the phone, and they'll give me hard copies and a CD copy of my records. (A CD copy allows me to email my records to prospective providers). I don't know for sure, but I don't think an OB would be quite that helpful.

Stay tuned for ultrasound pictures because you KNOW I'll be posting them :)

OB/GYN

As you know from a previous post, continuing with my previous OB, Dr. Link, was out of the question. So began my search.

I began with Google searches and found a (large) list of all the OB/GYNs in the area. I randomly picked a couple and wrote down their phone numbers. I also found contact information for the OB/GYN clinic at Vanderbilt and some other clinics in the area with nice web pages. It was rather overwhelming, and I didn't entirely like the idea that I was going to end up with a doctor effectively chosen by closing my eyes and pointing at the phone book page.

I was debating about including the (financial) numbers here, because I wasn't sure it was necessary, but then I thought that if I'm going to put in the effort to blog about it, I might as well include ALL the information because I've shown up in search engine results before, and as a searcher, how helpful is a blog post on the exact topic you're searching if it's just a bunch of vague references?

(Yes, that is ONE sentence. I got skills.)

Here are our baselines: Dr. Link wants $2500 up front. That includes all the office visits and the delivery. It does not include lab work, ultrasound(s) or hospital etc. costs. The imaging place where we had LB's ultrasounds done charges $380.

I called four other offices, plus Vanderbilt.

Option 1 (Vanderbilt) is $9,000 (but that includes the hospital costs (since they ARE a hospital, you know), so it's hard to compare.). They take $500 at the first visit and $150-$200 at each visit after that.

Option 2 is $3,040: $500 at the 1st visit and $100/visit after that. They gave quotes for some of the other costs: $400 for ultrasound + reading (whatever that means) and $500 for labwork (ouch!!).

Option 3 doesn't do OB anymore, just GYN, but they gave me phone numbers to two other places (places, btw, I had found online - nice websites, but no contact info! Just a form to fill out and then THEY would email ME. Nuh-uh, I want to be in control of when I talk to these people!)

Option 4 is $3,300: $1,000 at the 1st visit and the rest due by 28 weeks. That includes one ultrasound (nice! except for wanting 1g at the 1st visit, not so nice).

Option 5 is $3,000, but has a 10% discount if a cash patient: $350 at the first visit and over $300 at each subsequent visit (yikes!).

The five options are more reasonable for our situation than Dr. Link's policy: We'd rather pay-as-we-go than put it all down and hope for a refund.

We decided that option 2 was the best (financial) choice. So I called to make an appointment. In the course of the call, I tried to verify that they were still at X location. "We don't have a location there anymore, we're only in this other city that's really far away now." (no, that's not REALLY what she said, but kinda.) Bummer. I called DH and we discussed (briefly) and decided that the 20-30 minute drive wasn't THAT bad, just because it's a place I've never been before and seems sketchy in my mind. So I made the appointment. Tuesday. At 10 am.

The day before the appointment (so that would be....Monday), a new thought occurred to us: midwives! They're not "doctors" - they don't go through the same type of schooling, so maybe they'd be less expensive.

So Monday morning I'm on the internet, looking up more phone numbers. Since the OBs were all awfully similar, we decided I only needed to call a couple to get an idea. So I picked three (randomly, for the most part), and called. .

The first one didn't answer. Her answering machine message suggested that email would be more effective. I left a message and also sent an email.

The second one didn't answer. I left a message.

The third one answered and the information she gave me almost knocked me out of my chair: $200 at the first visit, $80 at each visit after that; labwork $209, ultrasound $100 (1.5 hour drive though). Wow. Can I say that again? Wow. I made an appointment right then and there (May 1st). Okay, so it's a 30 minute drive. But it's in a MUCH nicer city than that other one. So that makes all the difference, right?

After I made the appointment, I started reading more about midwives, and subsequently home births. I had read some of this information when I was pregnant with LB, but didn't delve too deeply into it. Being a petite size, I wasn't sure I'd be able to deliver, and midwives (obviously) don't do c-sections. But for us in this situation right now, it works out so very nicely. I'm actually rather excited about learning more about midwives and home births. I kind of have a unique opportunity to try something (anything I want!) for these five months, because I'll be starting over when we move. You can be sure you'll be hearing a lot more about THIS these next months. I expect I'll be drawing lots of comparisons, not to say that one is better, but simply how they're different.

The first thing is that the exam room, besides being in someone's HOUSE, looks like this:
I'm actually quite curious about the logistics....do I lie on the bed sideways...? Does the midwife kneel on the foot of the bed...? ....

The other two midwiferies (is that the right spelling?) called back. (well, one emailed). One had similar numbers, but since I already had an appointment with this one, the decision was kinda already made (did I jump the gun on that? Was I too hasty? I just got so excited that it was SO much lower than ALL the OBs!). The other one isn't taking new patients, so THAT decision was already made too.

So, I did not find an OB to go to instead of Dr. Link. I DID find a less expensive option for my prenatals, though, and I'm really looking forward to this new experience.




P.S. On a totally different note, I put some new pictures in the side bar. The others were almost half a year old! Not that DH or I have changed that much, but LB sure has!

In which I announce some news and share more details than you wanted to read

LB's napping, so I have some time to myself. While I probably SHOULD be doing something "productive" like doing the dishes...I'd rather not :)

The first thing I HAVE to tell you is that I'm pregnant! Yay! We're really excited. (Ehart, you guessed it: that was why I cried so hard in church that day!) I'm 9 weeks along; the due date (according to the internet) is November 19. We found out at 5 weeks but didn't tell anyone until my parents were here (7 weeks) (More fun to tell in person). It was so hard to keep it a secret! Every time I talked to my mom on the phone I wanted to just blurt it out! The hardest was the morning after the positive test. We found out Saturday night, so Sunday morning was REALLY HARD! All our friends, and we had JUST learned something exciting, but couldn't say a thing! Well, now all our family knows. We told my folks first, then DH's parents (over the phone). We gave permission for them to spread the news, so everyone knew within two days (yeah, phone calls are not my favorite thing).

We haven't told our friends here though. My first reaction was to tell family, but wait to tell friends until after the first trimester. That's what we did with LB: we told family first (at 4 weeks, and that was a tough decision because it was so early! It's a great story though. 'Nother time perhaps), but didn't tell anyone here until 14 weeks. But that was a completely different situation: I was working and didn't really want the whole office to know if it wasn't a viable pregnancy. I mean, if something happened, family is supportive, but I didn't feel that strangers and acquaintances needed to know all the details.

Well, we'll have to tell our friends soon.

So expect to see many more preggy posts! Sitting in this quiet sunshine filled room all by myself while LB naps gives me the illusion that I'm completely isolated, so I'm apt to share all manner of personal details that I would NEVER divulge in person. Hope you don't mind.

Now that you've been warned, let's get this party started with some digestive tracts issues and OB woes.

I've been having major tummy pain, with bloating. Intense, can't-do-anything-until-it-subsides, pain. It goes away after some gurgling noises (things moving around?) and I often burp (belch?). It had happened about 3 or 4 times, then hadn't happened for a while. My parents arrived and we went to Gatlinburg for the weekend. Saturday evening we had dinner at a brewery and I was so hungry, I ordered a steak. Well, after dinner, I had that intense pain. I sat in the bathroom for a while, but no good. We slowly walked back to the condo we had rented, stopping when the pain came back and continuing when it subsided. Then I threw up my whole dinner in the street. (Talk about miserable experiences in Gatlinburg! The first time we go, LB has a seizure, then when we try again, I can't keep my dinner down!). After that I felt much better. I confessed that I had been rather constipated. We determined that my system was so backed up, the dinner had no place to go, so it came back up. That evening I had a very loose bowel movement and everything seemed to be better. We thoroughly enjoyed the rest of our time in Gatlinburg.

But the tummy pain and bloating revisited me last night. I was able to use the bathroom and it went away, but it concerns me. I thought the problem was gone. Obviously, it's something I'll have to talk to my doctor about, which does NOT thrill me (who wants to discuss bowel movements with a stranger?). Speaking of doctors, I don't get to see the same OB who delivered LB :(

Dr. Link was recommended to us and we are SO SO SO glad! He was fantastic! So, this time, naturally, I assumed I would be seeing Dr. Link again. He doesn't see a patient for the first time until closer to 8 weeks, so I didn't even call him until then. So I called last week and made an appointment then asked to talk to whoever handles the payments and such. See, THIS time, I don't have maternity coverage. This is rather complicated, so bear with me.

We are not planning to be here permanently. As soon as DH graduates, he'll get a job, and it probably won't be here. So after LB was born, we dropped the insurance I had been on because the premiums had become ridiculous ($450 a month) and picked up essentially the same coverage for less than $200/month. It had been the maternity rider that got so expensive, so we didn't opt for it this time. Yes, that sounds irresponsible, but hold on, I'm not done. DH is expected to finish this August. Which means he'll be starting a new job in August (maybe September, but hopfully August). Which means we'll be moving before the baby is born (in Nov). So there was NO POINT in paying for a maternity rider here that we were never going to take advantage of. Of course, this whole thing would be a moot point in California (where we're from). ALL insurance includes maternity, so the cost is spread out. But HERE it's only the people women who are planning on getting pregnant who pay for the maternity coverage, so it's rather expensive. (One of the things, or perhaps the only thing, that DH will negotiate for is to have the company insurance pick up the rest of the pregnancy and birth.)

All that is to say that this time, I'm a "cash patient". And Dr. Link is too expensive. Actually his price is quite reasonable for the industry (yes, I did my research. On the phone. No I didn't enjoy it.) The problem is that he wants it up front. Paid in full before I even get past the front desk. And we just can't do it. We can afford a "down payment", and we can afford to pay at each visit. But we just can't put it all down at once. So sad. I begged the gal on the phone. I told her I'm a previous patient. Isn't there ANYTHING they could do?? She left me on hold for a good long while, but came back with a negative. "If we do it for one person then we have to do it for everyone." (Well, NO, you DON'T! You're a private entity, you can make and break your own rules! Sigh). So I had to find an OB with more reasonable terms.

Well, LB's still asleep! Let's see, what else is going on? (I'm talking to myself, btw. My mom does that on the phone, and I never know if she's asking me or herself! lol)

My parents flew back to CA on Monday. We had a great time while they were here. In addition to Gatlinburg, we also went to Kentucky (to see a cave) and Costco. (Yes, I think it's okay to draw a comparison between those two). DH and I don't have a membership to Costco (or Sam's Club), so it was really fun to shop there since my parents are members. Probably more fun than grocery shopping SHOULD be. Everything's in bulk, so our pantry, fridge, and garage are FULL of food! It's rather amazing. We have 15 boxes of Kraft Mac&Cheese. FIFTEEN!!! Of course you never can remember EVERYTHING at once, so we ended up a Walmart three times later in the week, and we already have a list going AGAIN! I like buying in bulk, and told DH that I anticipate we'll have memberships eventually. He's a little more skeptical. He's not sure the prices are actually any better. We'll have to do some comparisons some day.

DH stayed home on Wednesday, so he's at work today :( (He usually "works" from home on Fridays). It's a really, really nice day today, so we're really hoping he can come home early so we can go to the park or something before it rains this weekend.

I seem to be always tired almost to the point of falling asleep and hungry. Even after a meal, I'm hungry again a short time later. After our trip to Costco, the house is full of snackable food, but I have to be careful to not eat too much junk! I also have to be sure to snack while LB is napping or I'll have to share with him, and he doesn't need all the extra calories! (We've actually been very blessed with a very good eater. He eats just about whatever we put in front of him and he'll stop eating when he's full.)

Speaking of food, LB is still asleep, so I'm going to head to the kitchen and see what appeals to me. The tummy troubles seem to be aggravated by some foods, but I haven't had morning sickness (I didn't with LB either), so I've been very glad for that.

This sure turned into a really long post! I told you I had lots to say! I still have some other topics, but I want them to have their own posts, so that's all for this one! Thanks for sticking through to the end!

A little too much empathy

I cried in church yesterday. I was sitting in the pew, gripping my husband's arm hard enough to leave fingernail marks through his sweater, eyes shut tight, with tears streaming down my face. I could hardly breathe. If I took a breath, I knew I would completely lose control and start bawling. I was trying to be quiet. (Have you ever cried really hard, without making a sound? NOT easy).

The sermon was on compassion. As he usually does, the pastor was using a true story to illustrate a point. The story involved a 12 month old baby and the extensive abuse it had suffered. I don't know why it hit me so hard, but it did. As he was telling the story, I wanted to put my fingers in my ears so I didn't have to hear it (but I didn't feel I should do that) then I wanted to get up and run outside (but I didn't feel I should that either). So I stayed in the pew, heard the whole story, and tried to keep from disrupting the service. (At the end of the story was the point, which was that the baby calmed down and actually smiled when a loving caretaker held it and comforted it, you know, showed compassion. I'm sorry to use "it", I don't remember if it was a boy or a girl.)

During offertory (which is before the sermon), we had watched a video called "Cardboard Testimonies". That had made me cry too (but I was able to control myself). I don't know why I was so emotional yesterday! I'm not usually so affected.

I know the pastor saw me. How could he not? There aren't more than 50 people in the pews on Sunday morning, so I couldn't "hide". I thought for sure he was going to say something to me after the sermon, but he didn't. Perhaps he was embarrassed. I wouldn't feel too good if I told a story that made someone react like that. Maybe he thought it was unrelated.

I was able to compose myself during the rest of the sermon, and when it was time to be back on stage (I'm part of the worship team), no one could tell I'd been crying.