Sage Femme Midwifery

Well, we had our first appointment today! We got to hear the baby's heartbeat (in the 150's). I think we're just going with a due date of September 15, since we really have no way of knowing when I ovulated, and it's too late to pinpoint it precisely with ultrasound (the error margins are rather large this late in the pregnancy). I'm hoping this won't turn out to mean that I deliver in the hospital, BUT, the hospital they work with is staffed with MIDWIVES, and this midwife would come along as well, meaning that even if I was in the hospital, I could birth MY way. I just wouldn't get to feel like I was in a home-like environment, but being able to birth how I want to is the most important. If you'd like to see the birth center's webpage, it's www.sagefemme.net.

They discourage ultrasounds, but I'll be doing one because I'm a verified worry-wart. Someday, we've decided we won't do any ultrasounds. The problem is, we were discussing whether or not we would get one before we got to hear Pummelo-Chester's heartbeat, so I really was feeling concerned about if there really was a baby to speak of, and if all of his/her limbs were present. And of course, we want to know the gender (but that's not an okay reason for an ultrasound). After the appointment, I was thinking about it, and I decided that it would be really fun to be surprised. But not this time, since we're doing an ultrasound anyway.

Besides all that, I only had one mis-stick when they drew blood because they have a nurse there who used to be a phlebotomist, and after they missed my vein the first time, they called her in. She was a pro! (I have notoriously difficult veins to catch, and I'm "used" to it, but I've always feared having blood drawn, and I hate it and I can't relax and it makes me really really heeby-jeebied.)

Anyway, we're excited! It actually feels like reality rather than theoretical knowledge! Yay Pummelo-Chester!