Sunday, March 25, 2012
Telling the Seester
This was easy... I called my sister, planned a lunch date on the premise of being in her area because I had to go to the bank (which I did have to do). Her birthday was also this past week, so I told her I'd come pick her up and we'd go eat. I stopped at her house and told her I had a birthday "happy" for her, so I gave her a wrapped gift. She opened it... It was a box of feminine hygiene products with a note that said, "I won't be needing these for a while."
Friday, March 23, 2012
Going to the Doctor
I'm pretty sure anyone who ever reads this is fully aware of "what I do for a living," but in case anyone needs reminding, I am gainfully employed as a resident physician. So I have rotated through Labor and Delivery, Newborn Nursery, and seen obstetric patients in my clinic. So anytime I "go to the doctor" as the patient, it's slightly weird.
Today was my initial OB visit. I waltzed in, verified my home UPTs with one in-office, and saw my doctor. He is fabulous, but unfortunately, he is no longer delivering babies. Since he is my doctor though, he got the fun "Yay, you're pregnant!" visit with me before passing me off to a colleague. My visit consisted of talking to him, getting an ultrasound to confirm dates (and what do you know, I was dead-on.... but that makes sense since I know enough to pay attention to all of the dating details), heard the heartbeat, and got a few pictures to take home with me.
Hearing the heartbeat is normally a very touching moment for most moms... I've checked FHTs (fetal heart tones) on patients in my clinic and in the hospital, and most of the time, the moms get very excited when they first hear them. I was excited to hear mine, but I didn't get too overly emotional... I think having heard them so often on other people, I had the effect blunted a bit.
However, when the ultrasound popped up on the screen, I could see the little heart beating... that was so sweet! YAY.
Today was my initial OB visit. I waltzed in, verified my home UPTs with one in-office, and saw my doctor. He is fabulous, but unfortunately, he is no longer delivering babies. Since he is my doctor though, he got the fun "Yay, you're pregnant!" visit with me before passing me off to a colleague. My visit consisted of talking to him, getting an ultrasound to confirm dates (and what do you know, I was dead-on.... but that makes sense since I know enough to pay attention to all of the dating details), heard the heartbeat, and got a few pictures to take home with me.
Hearing the heartbeat is normally a very touching moment for most moms... I've checked FHTs (fetal heart tones) on patients in my clinic and in the hospital, and most of the time, the moms get very excited when they first hear them. I was excited to hear mine, but I didn't get too overly emotional... I think having heard them so often on other people, I had the effect blunted a bit.
However, when the ultrasound popped up on the screen, I could see the little heart beating... that was so sweet! YAY.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Week 6
How far along: 6 weeks and 3 days
Baby Size: grain of rice
Maternity clothes: nope
Sleep: I want to do nothing but sleep! Going to bed between 9-10pm, up at 6am.
Best moment this week: bought some baby stuff >75% off at Hudson's (stroller, mobile, travel bed)
Food cravings:Fruit, breakfast food
What I'm looking forward to: Telling my family!
Pregnancy symptoms: mild nausea
Girl or Boy: I keep imagining a boy, but who knows?
Baby Size: grain of rice
Maternity clothes: nope
Sleep: I want to do nothing but sleep! Going to bed between 9-10pm, up at 6am.
Best moment this week: bought some baby stuff >75% off at Hudson's (stroller, mobile, travel bed)
Food cravings:Fruit, breakfast food
What I'm looking forward to: Telling my family!
Pregnancy symptoms: mild nausea
Girl or Boy: I keep imagining a boy, but who knows?
Monday, March 5, 2012
Hello work...
I have been working in the newborn nursery every day this month (funny coincidence), and today I finally had a half day of clinic. I had seen several of my faculty and fellow residents Friday, but I didn't talk much so I didn't have a guilty/nervous feeling. Today though, I walked into clinic and felt like I had it written all over my face. I was absent-minded and nervous. I have no idea why.
After I had finished my work, I walked into the room where my program director was conveniently supervising and asked if I could talk to her. Of course she said yes, and I showed her a picture on my phone of a positive test (I couldn't close the door and my nurse was sitting 10 feet away). She kind of "yay-ed!" with me and then zipped her lips.
I figured better go ahead and get that one over with... now to just sit and wait for seeeeeeeeveral weeks.
After I had finished my work, I walked into the room where my program director was conveniently supervising and asked if I could talk to her. Of course she said yes, and I showed her a picture on my phone of a positive test (I couldn't close the door and my nurse was sitting 10 feet away). She kind of "yay-ed!" with me and then zipped her lips.
I figured better go ahead and get that one over with... now to just sit and wait for seeeeeeeeveral weeks.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Things I like right now...
1. Downton Abbey
I watched Season 1 while I was working night shifts in January. I then started watching Season 2 and watched it online through its stateside completion in February. They are filming Season 3 now, and I absolutely cannot wait for it to come out. I successfully got my sister addicted too. I even bought and read"Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle." Delectable... Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess is impeccable and hilarious.
2. Biscoff spread
I currently have a package of the cookies and a jar of the creamy spread. I recently discovered the crunchy spread thanks to my mother (who can thank me in return for buying her inaugural jar of the creamy version). I love it plain and on everything and anything.
3. The Big Bang Theory
Leonard reminds me of my husband. They all have exaggerated aspects of my and all my nerd friend's personalities. I love it.
4. Antiquing/Junking/Yard Sale-ing
Thanks to my aunt and cousin, I have been into this for a couple of years now. I don't have any Antique Roadshow-worthy finds, but I savor the hunt. So far I have found several neat old kitchen tools (cast iron butter slicer, steel jello/cake molds) and books (medical books that are 50-100 years old). I have a feeling that I will be shifting my focus in the coming months to more practical things.
5. Shea Butter and Vermont's Original Bag Balm
My skin is excruciatingly sensitive to excessive hand washing and soaps and hand cleaners. Thankfully, the combination of these two keeps my hands from splitting apart at the seams.
I watched Season 1 while I was working night shifts in January. I then started watching Season 2 and watched it online through its stateside completion in February. They are filming Season 3 now, and I absolutely cannot wait for it to come out. I successfully got my sister addicted too. I even bought and read"Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle." Delectable... Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess is impeccable and hilarious.
2. Biscoff spread
I currently have a package of the cookies and a jar of the creamy spread. I recently discovered the crunchy spread thanks to my mother (who can thank me in return for buying her inaugural jar of the creamy version). I love it plain and on everything and anything.
3. The Big Bang Theory
Leonard reminds me of my husband. They all have exaggerated aspects of my and all my nerd friend's personalities. I love it.
4. Antiquing/Junking/Yard Sale-ing
Thanks to my aunt and cousin, I have been into this for a couple of years now. I don't have any Antique Roadshow-worthy finds, but I savor the hunt. So far I have found several neat old kitchen tools (cast iron butter slicer, steel jello/cake molds) and books (medical books that are 50-100 years old). I have a feeling that I will be shifting my focus in the coming months to more practical things.
5. Shea Butter and Vermont's Original Bag Balm
My skin is excruciatingly sensitive to excessive hand washing and soaps and hand cleaners. Thankfully, the combination of these two keeps my hands from splitting apart at the seams.
Week 4
This is as of my Week 4, Day 6 on March 2, 2012.
How far along: 4 weeks
Baby Size: poppy seed
Maternity clothes: I wish... regular scrub size.
Sleep: I seem to want as much sleep as possible, but that is par for the non-pregnant course for me. I'm going to bed by 10pm and getting up at 6am for work.
Best moment this week: Finding out!
Food cravings: Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, corn, green peas) and beef (steak, hamburgers)
What I miss: Nothing yet. I don't smoke, and I haven't had any alcohol since last summer or fall.
What I'm looking forward to: Telling my family!
Pregnancy symptoms (sorry in advance for TMI): mild cramping
Baby Size: poppy seed
Maternity clothes: I wish... regular scrub size.
Sleep: I seem to want as much sleep as possible, but that is par for the non-pregnant course for me. I'm going to bed by 10pm and getting up at 6am for work.
Best moment this week: Finding out!
Food cravings: Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, corn, green peas) and beef (steak, hamburgers)
What I miss: Nothing yet. I don't smoke, and I haven't had any alcohol since last summer or fall.
What I'm looking forward to: Telling my family!
Pregnancy symptoms (sorry in advance for TMI): mild cramping
What made me cry this week: teared up watching some overwrought tv show, no crying (yet)
Girl or boy: I always thought I'd be a "boy" mom, but no gut feeling either way yet.
What and when to tell...
As a physician and friend or family member to entirely too many women who have had bad luck or no luck with conception and pregnancy, I am very hesitant to share our news with anyone.
As of right now, a grand total of 3 people outside my obstetrician's office know. One is me, the other is John, and the third is a dear college friend and former roommate who lives out of state (very important at this point!) and is also currently pregnant with her second child (also important!). And I didn't tell her so much intentionally as the conversation turned to that, and I felt like sharing so that I could ask questions or flip out to her if needed.
Otherwise at this point, I have no intentions of telling anyone anything until after my 8 week appointment. I know the rates of miscarriage and issues at this point is high, and of course I will tell my immediate family if anything goes wrong. I plan on waiting until that coast is clear, and I am nearer to the second trimester before telling people.
I will have to tell my program director as early as possible, which makes me nervous. And of course my sister, my parents, my father-in-law, more extended family, and close friends. There are a few people who I am VERY excited about telling (outside of my sister and my mother)-- my sweet baby cousins (who are distinctly not babies... as of next week, they'll be 8 and 15), my best friends, and my various mentors or "second mothers."
And if things go badly, I will share the story with those important people, and let anyone else find out via the grapevine as things are wont to do here in Smalltown, Deep South.
As of right now, a grand total of 3 people outside my obstetrician's office know. One is me, the other is John, and the third is a dear college friend and former roommate who lives out of state (very important at this point!) and is also currently pregnant with her second child (also important!). And I didn't tell her so much intentionally as the conversation turned to that, and I felt like sharing so that I could ask questions or flip out to her if needed.
Otherwise at this point, I have no intentions of telling anyone anything until after my 8 week appointment. I know the rates of miscarriage and issues at this point is high, and of course I will tell my immediate family if anything goes wrong. I plan on waiting until that coast is clear, and I am nearer to the second trimester before telling people.
I will have to tell my program director as early as possible, which makes me nervous. And of course my sister, my parents, my father-in-law, more extended family, and close friends. There are a few people who I am VERY excited about telling (outside of my sister and my mother)-- my sweet baby cousins (who are distinctly not babies... as of next week, they'll be 8 and 15), my best friends, and my various mentors or "second mothers."
And if things go badly, I will share the story with those important people, and let anyone else find out via the grapevine as things are wont to do here in Smalltown, Deep South.
The beginning of it all...
This is the quick and dirty story...
We were married on August 6, 2010. Because we always knew we both wanted kids, we had discussed "timing" from the beginning. With us, it wasn't so much "when to try," it was always much more "when NOT to try" due to our schedules then as two medical students and now as student and resident.
Without giving away too much entirely disgusting detail, we decided to "not prevent anything" starting in December 2011. That month was not successful. In January, I was working nights, and my husband was working days... you can guess how that month went as well. We thought February was going to be a wash as well due to the fact that I was spending the month working in Mound Bayou, MS.
I was able to come home on the weekends thought, and thanks to God's providence and my body's timing, things worked. I will spare you the details. Of course, neither of us knew that at the time, and I returned to the delta with thoughts of hoping our schedules worked out as planned for March (both on day shifts in the same city, even at the same hospital... a first!).
How did I find out?
Since I was "tracking" things, I first noticed I was late on Feb 25th. I didn't think anything about it though. By the time the 27th rolled around, I noticed, but was hesitant to test. I decided that if nothing had happened by Friday (March 2), I would take a test. Of course, I'm never one for patience, and since Wednesday was conveniently Leap Day, I took a leap of something and took a test... three, actually.
The picture below is the first one (with Max in the background). It was positive... slightly faint, but definitely positive. So was test two, and later that afternoon, test 3. Since I'm nothing if not proactive, I called my doctor and made an appointment for a few weeks.
How did I tell John?
I texted him fairly soon after the tests and asked when he would be home for the day. This was sort of out of the ordinary for me, but clearly not unheard of, and he said he'd be home shortly. When he got home, I casually asked him if he had thought any more about his senior schedule (they get to arrange it as they wish with 3 off months). He said, "No," to which I replied, "Well, you should probably go easy in November and December because I took 3 tests today and am due November 3rd." He just looked at me and said, "Wow."
So there we go... Found out on Leap Day (2/29/12), first calculated due date (from LMP and date of conception) is 11/3/2012.
We were married on August 6, 2010. Because we always knew we both wanted kids, we had discussed "timing" from the beginning. With us, it wasn't so much "when to try," it was always much more "when NOT to try" due to our schedules then as two medical students and now as student and resident.
Without giving away too much entirely disgusting detail, we decided to "not prevent anything" starting in December 2011. That month was not successful. In January, I was working nights, and my husband was working days... you can guess how that month went as well. We thought February was going to be a wash as well due to the fact that I was spending the month working in Mound Bayou, MS.
I was able to come home on the weekends thought, and thanks to God's providence and my body's timing, things worked. I will spare you the details. Of course, neither of us knew that at the time, and I returned to the delta with thoughts of hoping our schedules worked out as planned for March (both on day shifts in the same city, even at the same hospital... a first!).
How did I find out?
Since I was "tracking" things, I first noticed I was late on Feb 25th. I didn't think anything about it though. By the time the 27th rolled around, I noticed, but was hesitant to test. I decided that if nothing had happened by Friday (March 2), I would take a test. Of course, I'm never one for patience, and since Wednesday was conveniently Leap Day, I took a leap of something and took a test... three, actually.
The picture below is the first one (with Max in the background). It was positive... slightly faint, but definitely positive. So was test two, and later that afternoon, test 3. Since I'm nothing if not proactive, I called my doctor and made an appointment for a few weeks.
How did I tell John?
I texted him fairly soon after the tests and asked when he would be home for the day. This was sort of out of the ordinary for me, but clearly not unheard of, and he said he'd be home shortly. When he got home, I casually asked him if he had thought any more about his senior schedule (they get to arrange it as they wish with 3 off months). He said, "No," to which I replied, "Well, you should probably go easy in November and December because I took 3 tests today and am due November 3rd." He just looked at me and said, "Wow."
So there we go... Found out on Leap Day (2/29/12), first calculated due date (from LMP and date of conception) is 11/3/2012.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)