Thursday, December 3, 2009

Doctor's Visit #1- 8 weeks along

We are about to head into town (3 hours round trip!) for my first OB appointment. Because we found out that I was expecting Sadie the night before we left on a pilgrimage of the Holy Land, and because I was already 7 weeks along at that point, I've never had an appointment this early. My first appointment with Sadie was rushed in when it was just about time to get the first sonogram. So I have no idea if we'll already be able to hear a heartbeat (I hope so) or if we'll have to wait a couple more weeks (or worse, a month!). Does anyone remember their early appointments and how early they could hear a heartbeat? I'm so impatient!

On the other hand it will be interesting to see my doctor's reaction to my pregnancy. She was pushing birth control pills big time 11 months ago at my last appointment and was totally skeptical of the whole NFP thing ("You know that won't work if you're breastfeeding.... blah, blah, blah..."). Still all the nurses at the hospital talk about the fact that she's an absolutely brilliant surgeon and since this will be a surgery (I won't even get started on that this morning) I've stuck with her. We'll see how it goes today.

The number one deal breaker will be any doctor that says I have to wean Sadie (which I do plan on doing before the baby is born, anyway, but not quite yet) right now. We were going with the whole American Association of Pediatrics two year suggestion. It'll be close now, but I want to wean a little early so Sadie doesn't associate it with the baby being born!

I thought that the teaching that said a woman had to wean her baby as soon as she became pregnant was pretty much out the window (especially since I'm already gaining weight!) but as I've talked to other women I've found their doctor's have forced it on them without a medical reason (like they weren't gaining weight) but simply because it was what they believed was always right in every situation.

It'll probably go find and I'll feel silly for worrying at all. Here goes!

4 comments:

  1. I went in around six weeks for an ob appointment. It was an exam and a blood test for any STDs. They didn't check the heart beat. But at seven weeks I had the first sonogram. You could see the heart just a goin' on the screen. We didn't get to hear sound. They wanted an early sono to look for anything unusual in my ovaries and to check for number of embryos.

    Hope it answers your question.

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  2. I had an appointment at 9 weeks with Henry, and I know we saw the heartbeat on the ultrasound. I went in again at 10 weeks, and I'm pretty sure I heard it then :)

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  3. Wow that's early! A lot of drs won't see ya until 10 to 12 weeks. My midwife said I could go in at 6 to 8, but we'd just be discussing nutrition and stuff so no point w/ a second pg. Unless they order a sonogram for you, you'll just get the tests like Deltaflute mentioned... is too early for heartbeat. 10 weeks they'll check, but isn't guaranteed to be heard even then. I did though lol.

    & understood on the weaning thing. I already knew that wouldn't be an issue w/ my midwife but I've heard the comments. One of my inlaws works in L&D at a local hospital and she flipped on me awhile back.

    My last Ob (so glad to see the last of him lol) pushed ABC too... laughed and said he'd see me soon. I almost wish I had gone back in just to show I'd made it to 2 years before getting pg again on purpose. Not very nice though and not worth it either.

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  4. Hi Everyone!

    They have me going in early because I'm considered "high risk" because of my labor with Sadie (it was perfect right up until the end!). I kept saying in the clinic, "I don't think that makes me high risk" and they would say "you are." Ah well.

    It was exactly like you all said! No heart beat, just a regular exam and a talk with the doctor. And she was so nice this time! Not a word about ABC! So I think I'm safe on that until post-baby!

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