Another doctor’s visit today. I’m going every two weeks now. Not much to report, everything seems fine. And at least I only gained a pound since the last visit so no stern lectures about watching my calories!
After talking with my doctor, I realized I’ve probably been having Braxton Hicks contractions and not realizing what they were: that tight feeling I sometimes get when I’m walking and suddenly the baby seems to weigh twice as much and my belly feels tight. Turns out that, yep, that’s a contraction. Not at all what I imagined…
Even though I knew it already, it was quite exciting to hear him say just six to nine weeks left.
I can’t wait to see and hold my little one.
* * * * *
When I stepped into the waiting room before my appointment there were two young, maybe in their early twenties, women chatting happily. One of them turned to me as I sat down and asked how far along I was. She said she was almost three months and this was obviously her first doctor’s visit. She and her friend peppered me with questions: when did I first feel the baby move, did I know if I was having a girl or a boy, what kind of medications did the doctor let me take for a cold, and while the pregnant girl was in the bathroom her friend asked what books could I recommend to help her get excited about the baby. I also told them about my morning sickness, about what it felt like when the baby first started moving, about the ultrasounds.
I speculate she’s single and this pregnancy is unplanned. The friend is a co-worker, evidently they work with elderly patients.
After my appointment I encountered them again as we waited in line to check out. They asked me what actually happened during my visit so I talked them through it: the nurse weighed me, took my blood pressure, asked me about swelling and bleeding… the doctor measured my belly, listened to the baby’s heartbeat, asked if I’d had any contractions, asked if I was having any problems, if I had any questions. Probably took about five minutes, tops.
I could imagine how scary pregnancy might be if it were unexpected, I had no support, hadn’t read any books, didn’t have friends and sisters-in-law who could tell me about their experiences and commiserate. We found out when I was just two weeks along and the next day Dom went out and bought a couple of books and soon after his sister gave me a couple more. I devoured them in a week or so.
But this young woman seemed excited about the prospect. Her friend exclaimed how nice it was to be at the doctors, to encounter other pregnant women and be able to talk to them. I was so glad to be able to put her at ease, to be friendly and welcoming—because no other patients chatted with me at my first visits and it felt a little cold, to be honest. Of course, I am shy so didn’t try to strike up a conversation whereas these women were quite outgoing and not afraid to be inquisitive.
