Today was my first appointment with my OBGYN. We got to hear Bud's heartbeat!! It was so amazing! The doctor said it sounded just like it was supposed to. :) Yay!
We both REALLY liked the doctor. He is a very kind and caring man, with a great sense of humour, and a willingness to give me lots of time to answer questions and put me at ease. I won't bore you with ALL of the details, but he did say that he is very comfortable with my diabetes control and feels that the baby will be fine if I continue with this level of control (which I still am striving to improve every day). He does expect to induce me at around 37 weeks (i.e. mid-late May), which is common for diabetics. (The short explanation is that, with diabetics, sometimes the baby's heart will suddenly stop around week 40, and clearly that is NOT something we want to have happen. So as soon as the baby is fully developed, he would like to get it out of there.) I was hoping not to have to be induced, but obviously the biggest concern is for the safety of the baby, and if that's what the doctor thinks is best, that is what I will do. I will be having very regular appointments with the OBGYN starting around week 24 just to keep an eye on Bud and make sure his/her growth is reasonable and consistent.
I also found out that I will be delivering at St. Boniface Hospital (I've heard great things about them), and that my first ultrasound will be around week 20. I'm so impatient for that! At St. Boniface they do not tell you the gender of the baby, but we are considering going to an external non-diagnostic ultrasound company (where you pay a fee) to find out the gender sometime early in the new year.
Other than that, the doctor's biggest piece of advice is to get lots of sleep! Done and done! :)
We have also registered for a doula, to provide some extra support leading up to, and during, the birth. The OBGYN was very supportive of this decision as well. She meets with us a few times prior to the birth, and attends the whole birth no matter what time of day/night and no matter how long it is. She also does one post-partum visit (more if necessary). I'm really looking forward to this additional support. Statistics show that women who use doulas have much more pleasant birth-experiences, partially because of the support, but also because of the pain management techniques they teach. I'm really excited to meet mine!
I'll post again on Friday or Saturday to give you the Week 14 update and hopefully post a picture of my barely-there baby bump :)
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That's all super great news! I'm glad you're going to St. B, too. My sis did her labour and delivery practicum there, and loved it. A doula also sounds like a really good idea.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with all of your sleeping. Sounds like a lot of work. mwahaha.
Great news B. I am so happy for you, Martin, and Bud.
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