I had a routine OB appointment today.  At this appointment, I was supposed to drink the dreaded “orange glucose” drink that checks for diabetes.  They gave me the drink at my last appointment with directions to drink it an hour before my next appointment (this morning) so that I could get my blood drawn as soon as I arrived at the office.

So I took that drink home even though I knew I wasn’t going to drink it.  Instead, I texted my midwife (the one who was at all four of my last home births) and asked her for the more natural glucose drink, the one she usually tells me to drink before the blood draw.  And so this morning, I drank this instead:

4 oz apple juice

2 teaspoons of honey

1 banana

(blended)

So I went to my appointment this morning and told the nurse I was ready for my glucose blood draw.   She said, “Did you drink the orange drink?” and I was going to lie and say yes just to make things easier on me, but then the truth just flew right out of my mouth and I said, “No.  I drank what I did for my last 4 home births.  It’s a more natural way to do the glucose test.”  and I was expecting an argument but she just smiled and took my blood and that was that.  Then later my OB asked what I drank instead of the orange drink and I told him the ingredients, and he said, “Sounds good to me!  That should work just fine.”

Sometimes doctors surprise me.  I was expecting an argument or even a scolding for going against their office protocol.

So far I’m really happy with this O.B.  Since my last four births have been home births, I have not had an O.B. in 11 years, and I was dreading having to be back in an OB office for this pregnancy.   I much prefer the personal care you get from a midwife.  But with Aaron, I need to deliver at a hospital for his sake.  So, I’m back in an OB office after all of these years.

It’s hard to comply with all they ask me to do.  I refuse almost everything that I feel is unnecessary or invasive.  My OB is well aware of my past home births and probably knows that I’m in their office reluctantly. So far he’s been working well with me and is very accommodating and understanding.  He says I’m handling this situation with Aaron “beautifully” – he’s a very sweet man and I feel comfortable in his care.  His office staff is great, too.  They are all friendly and not pushy.  In fact, today when I refused the recommended flu shot (don’t even get me started on that) I got no arguments or funny looks for refusing.  They just smiled and said, “Okay, we will see you in three weeks!”  So, even though I’m not having my beloved midwife visits and the home birth/water birth experience with Aaron’s pregnancy, I feel I am at least being well taken care of and respected in the OB office I have been assigned to.

My only complaint so far?  The waiting to be seen by the OB; sitting in the exam room for 10, 15, sometimes 20 minutes or more.  They are a super busy OB practice.  With my midwife appointments, she always came to MY house.  I had zero wait time.   The experience spoiled me.

The exam table with it’s crinkly paper covering isn’t the most comfortable thing to lie on for 20+ minutes, especially not now that I’m getting bigger.  Thank goodness for magazines to read … and of course my beloved iPhone to play with.

Today at my exam my OB let me know that my blood pressure was perfect, that I have “only” gained 18 pounds so far,  and that my uterus today measured closer to 30 weeks instead of just 28 weeks, so that means Aaron is growing.  He is already in the head down position.  And of course his heartbeat is as strong as ever.  All in all, it was a good appointment.

Trisomy  13 babies tend to slow their growth in the third trimester.  I am now in my third trimester. So although he is measuring big today, I expect that Aaron’s growth will slow in the weeks to come.  Typically, Trisomy 13 babies are 3 or 4 pounds at birth, maybe 5.  All of my babies have been 8, 9, and 10 pound babies. Birthing a small baby will be new for me.  I guess everything about Aaron’s condition will be new for me.  His size and weight are the least of my worries.

But maybe he will surprise us!  Maybe he will be a 7 or an 8 pound baby? Wouldn’t that be fun? That would be awesome. Hey, you never know!

Tomorrow: my appointment with the neurosurgeon.  He will go over the results of my MRI and will most likely discuss my options for Aaron’s delivery.  I am super nervous about this appointment only because I’m afraid my only option (due to Aaron’s encephalocele) will be to have a C-section.  I have never had a C-section.  I do not want a C-section.  But of course I will do whatever is necessary to keep both me and Aaron safe.

New here? Click on these links to read more about Baby Aaron and our choice to Carry to Term