Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Take a Number

I think I'm starting to get the hang of this prenatal visit thing.

You sign in, a nurse calls you back, you pee on a tiny matchstick-sized paper with two colored dots on it and show it to her so she can determine if the dots changed color or something (All I know is it is impossible to know what to do with this stick once you pee on it for the required few seconds. You are still on the toilet, peeing, and you need your hands to wipe and pull up your pants. But you're holding a tiny stick that has pee on it, so eeew, you don't really want to set it down on the sink because then you may put microscopic drops of pee on the sink that other people have to use. But you don't want to put it on the floor, either, so really, do you have a choice?). Then you go back to the waiting room. Then eventually they call your name again. But first you might learn that your doctor has been called to two deliveries. And you therefore might end up seeing a different doctor in the practice, but at that point you don't care because a) you've already been waiting an hour and a half, you have to pee again and you're hungry, and b) as long as someone with an MD from an accredited medical school (doesn't even have to be top-tier) tells you everything is fine, that afternoon, you know you'll be a happy camper.

Such was the case for me, last week, at my 16-week prenatal visit. Need I even tell you – I was incredibly nervous, upset stomach, blahblahblah. The doctor who finally met with us turned out to be the head of the practice (so yes, he had an MD, from Harvard it turns out, so he passed), a man with kind eyes and a demeanor that instantly put me at ease. He came in and asked how I was feeling. I told him a few of the symptoms I'd had (mainly headaches), which he pronounced completely normal. I asked him if it was normal for the ravenous hunger of the first trimester to wane a bit; he looked at my chart and suggested that, since I'd gained nearly seven pounds since July 15, I was probably eating enough.

Then he did measurements – felt where my uterus was (halfway up to my belly button, which apparently is where it's supposed to be), measured its height and listened to the baby's heartbeat. I took out my list of questions, mentally crossed off the more neurotic ones and asked him a few. Then my husband and I were on our way.

An hour and a half wait for a ten-minute visit. But I got what I went there for: reassurance and more reason for confidence. For that, I would've waited all night long.

6 comments:

Michelle said...

That is always the hardest things about OBs they take forever unless you get the first appt. I remember when I went before my RE and I always made sure I scheduled the earliest in the morning so I had a better chance to be seen on time. Late in the afternoon you might as well forget about it.

I am so glad that things are going well and happy to hear from you!

Anonymous said...

hooray for a reassuring visit to the OB! there is nothing like getting to hear that heartbeat! :)

Ashley said...

Don't you love the wait..so much different than the RE!! Glad all is well!!

Amanda said...

I get the luxury of peeing in a cup... but, you know, some times pee gets on the outside of the cup (despite my expert skills). So I wipe that off and set it on the sink and just hope no one that touches that surface actually assumes it's clean. Then it has to be placed in the 2 way cabinet with other people's pee and I have to go through the momentary grossout of seeing/smelling other people's pee, yuck!

I've tried to get all my appoints booked early in the morning and it really seemed to help me get back more quickly... plus I know I'll be a nervous wreck all day until my appointment.

I hope if my dr. can't make it for a delivery some day I get the kind dr. from harvard (if there is one around here).

Jamie said...

Oh, yes! That kind of news is well worth the wait!!

kirke said...

I admire your restraint in crossing off the more neurotic ones :) I usually let all the questions fly.

I get what you are saying. I will wait all day just for another chance to hear the heartbeat.