16 Weeks Booking In Appointment

Yesterday we had our first booking in appointment which was strange, lengthy and at times a little alarming.

We're having Turtle at the biggest hospital in Queensland, so the waiting room was packed with pregnant women when we got there. Another newbie was in front of us in the line with no idea what to do until a nice guy took pity on both of us and handed us a vibrating buzzer thing that they use to avoid big line ups near the door. When it buzzed (telling us our steak was ready, according to M) I was quickly checked in, then it was just a couple of minutes until I was called.

We started with a urine test. Like every other woman in the line up, (A Wee Lineup) I was dehydrated, but they also found glucose in my urine which means there's a possibility of gestational diabetes. I was weighed and found out I'm back to my most bloated post-egg pickup weight.

The midwife took me into the room on my own first to complete the confidential stuff. They obviously need to know if you've ever had a pregnancy, miscarriage or STD, and I suppose it's something that people might hide from their partners. They also check to see if there's any risk of domestic abuse and did a mental assessment. On the mental assessment I'm demonstrating my usual anxiety tendencies. I'm aware of them, and I'm aware it's been a particularly stressful week, so as long as I keep being aware, I should be fine.

M then came in to join us, and we went through all the paperwork, which I now keep with me all the time. We discussed that I'd like to use shared care with the GP, but due to my Thyroid condition I may not be able to do that, and that's alright too. We went through M's medical record (short) and mine (lengthy, particularly the family history section. We hit heart disease, blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and a few others for good measure).

Then we discussed the IVF. I must say, there's a disappointing lack of knowledge of IVF in the medical community. When we explained that they use a needle attached to the ultrasound wand and they pierce the walls to collect the eggs (30 times in my case), the two midwives in the room both winced. I suppose a lot of IVF patients go to private hospitals, which might explain that.

We also talked about the possibility of diabetes. I need to do a fasting test because it's too early to do the drink test. If it comes back clear, we'll do another one in a few weeks.

We went through more paperwork, including giving consent for the midwife to visit and booking in our prenatal classes. I got some information on mental health and pregnancy. Then it was time to (finally) hear the heart beat.

When they found it, it was pretty awesome, but we soon found out it was a bit irregular. (Also, it moved a lot) Another midwife reached the same conclusion and they went out to get a doctor, which scared me quite a bit. The doctor came in, and took forever to find the heartbeat. He also decided it was a bit irregular, and though he wasn't terribly concerned, he grabbed a portable ultrasound machine for peace of mind. So we got to see Turtle again.

He or she has grown a lot in the last three weeks and was extremely active. There was kicking and waving arms around and turning around away from the ultrasound. The doctor had a good look at the heart and was happy with it, even though it is a little irregular, so that made us feel a lot better.

I'm glad we chose this hospital. The staff were all friendly, even though they were very busy and I never felt rushed or unimportant. I hope it stays that way :) And I got to see Turtle again!