Here we are. Happy, blissfully unaware and enjoying a lovely European vacation. Little did we know that I was harboring a parasite that would change our lives forever. No judgement on the for good or bad part - just change. On the day this picture was taken it turns out I was 8 weeks pregnant and didn't even know.
During my first trimester I did all of the following: drank (a little), ate brie, ran a 1/2 marathon, finished that 1/2 marathon with a personal best, had a great 2 week vacation in Europe, drank a little more and ate deli meat. All without knowing that I was pregnant.
People ask if I had any symptoms of my pregnancy or if I suffered from morning sickness. My answer is I guess not, since I didn't even know. As far as I am concerned, I think this is how every pregnancy should start. Maybe it isn't the ideal situation for the health of the little bundle of joy, but luckily I have fairly healthy habits and it cut my waiting time by a third. I am very impatient.
My first challenge (after shutting my mouth at the shock of 2 lines on the pregnancy test) was to find a doctor. I usually go to a local multi-disciplinary clinic, which while perfectly adequate for my minimal health care needs, is kind of what I imagine health care in a developing country to be like. I'm sure they could have handled my needs and caught a baby with the best of them, but this may very well be one time deal. It seemed like I should have care that was a little more specific and "special", whatever that means. The options were overwhelming.
We toured the women's center at a local hospital. While it was new and shiny, something about it didn't seem right. I didn't like that I would automatically be given an IV, be hooked up to monitors for me and the baby, be forced to give birth lying on my back. They said I would have the freedom to move around as I needed, to use a birthing ball, get in the shower, but somehow I didn't believe them. The monitors have to come off to do all of those things. And blank monitors make the nurses down the hall very nervous. Then there was my concern about c-sections. They certainly have their purpose, but I feel that they are way overdone. This is a natural process after all. My body has been designed to do this. If not, then why have I been dealing with wide hips and belly fat my entire post-pubescent life? Not only that, but I'd still have to pick a doctor and every OB-GYN in the city has privileges there. How do I find one who agrees with my philosophy? I was frozen by my unlimited choices.
I looked at midwives, but with them you are usually looking at a home birth, which Chris (and probably me) was definitely not into. And again, how do you pick the right one?
Finally I toured the birthing center down the street. Location: not at home, check; Ability to move around and do whatever I want while in labor including eat and drink, check; Selecting a caregiver: They have 4 midwives and I would see them all during my pre-natal visits, check. I made my first appointment before I even left.
We were firmly on our way. Surprised, nervous, and in case I forgot to mention it, happy.
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