110% Girl

She's a Lady!

Yesterday was my 20-week anatomy scan appointment at the specialist's office. It was a morning appointment, which I like because I get to see baby sooner, but that means Daddy won't be there. The ultrasound technician immediately identified the female parts and said , "It's definitely a girl! 110% positive." It was nice to have that confirmation! I was sad Nick couldn't be there because I know he would have enjoyed this visit.

20-week belly

She took measurements of all parts of the anatomy. She showed me the 4 chambers of the heart, the stomach, two kidneys, hands and feet with fingers and toes, a nasal bone, femur, umbilical cord artery and veins, and a sweet little face-in-the making. I enjoyed seeing her open and close her mouth. Today the baby weighs 12 ounces and will be a pound by the end of the week. She said that in the next 4-6 weeks, the baby will double in size. This appointment was a success-everything appears to be healthy and going strong for our little princess. Now, she needs a name!

Right Footsie

Reflections from the Mid-Way Point

Today is the half-way point of my pregnancy! I am at 20 weeks. It is amazing how fast the last 4 months have gone by. I still can't *quite* believe there is a little person the length of a carrot and the size of a cantaloupe inside my body. Wow!  A lot has happened since we first found out we were having a baby. Our house went under contract twice, we moved out, moved back, and finally sold the house and moved out for good just 2 weeks ago. Nick and I are getting settled in our new little place and feel good about the new beginning, even though we wonder where we will fit all of our stuff when the baby arrives.

So while at the grocery store tonight, I was thinking about the pregnancy so far...I actually have been really aggravated with grocery shopping lately. Parking at the HEB is nightmare and lines are long. My friend told me that the HEB on Far West Blvd has "stork parking" spaces. So tonight, I decided that I would drive a few miles out of my way to that store and claim my special parking spot. After all, I only have 20 more weeks left to use the "pregnancy card." Unfortunately, there were no stork signs in sight. Grrr...well, at least it is Friday night and primo-parking is really not that hard to obtain.

There are perks to being pregnant, certainly. People are nice to you, always concerned about how you are feelings, co-workers who have never talked to you before now act like they are intimately invested in your  daily life and well-being. Friends dote on you and enjoy talking about the future of the little one. You don't have to worry about being "swim-suit ready" for the pool and you definitely don't have to help anyone move or lift boxes (that came in handy for me of late)! And I am still on the look-out for my stork parking.

Besides the aforementioned things, pregnancy thus far has not seemed to change my life drastically. I think because I feel so good most of the time, I even forget that I am pregnant. I think I have felt the baby move, though I am not 100% sure. It feels like fleeting little hunger pains. Or maybe that's just my body's way of telling me I need more Oreos. Not sure. I look forward to the day when I will know with certainty that "that was a kick!"

I finally bought my Yoga Yoga pass and am getting into the prenatal yoga classes. It is really fun to see other pregnant ladies at various stages, shapes and sizes. I hope that the classes will help me in labor. I have heard women say that they really do make a difference. Monday is the 20-week scan at the specialist's office and hopefully we will have confirmation that our baby girl is indeed a girl!

Doula Night

Last night we went to Get Babied and attended their "Meet the Doula Night."  I already explained the doula concept to Nick and he was already pretty much on-board with it, so that was nice. The once-a-month meeting is for people to meet the doulas in the collective, listen to a Birth Story, and a short presentation. This month's presentation was about helpful smart phone apps for pregnancy and birth. I figured Nick would like that!

It seems like a lot of people in Austin use Doulas and swear by them. The first time I ever heard the word "doula" was when I worked in Dallas at the home for pregnant and parenting teens. When I first got pregnant, I wondered if I would be able to afford one. After reading about Get Babied services, I think that their prices are quite reasonable and I love the philosophy.

So, what is a birth doula?

The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period. Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.

The philosophy and service of a doula is much like hospice. It's about comfort care across a continuum. I like that they help support not only the woman, but her partner and that they act as a guide through the process of birth. But their work does not necessarily end right there. The other thing that I have learned from working in hospitals for almost 4 years, is that all patients need an advocate. When I think about how painful and debilitating birth may be, it is comforting to know there will be someone in there who knows me, has no one to tend to except me, and who will speak up for me when I may not be able to.

We met several doulas and they were all different, but we liked them all. It was evident that this is a calling for them and is a special line of work. So as we are nearing the half-way point in the pregnancy, it is nice to know that this community is so rich in resources and I feel comforted to know that Nick and I will have some extra help and reassurance when the BIG day comes!

Lastly, the presenter shared a sweet commercial with us that brought tears to my eyes when he was explaining it.  I've posted Dear Sophie, the Google Chrome commercial.

Google Chrome: Dear Sophie

The Big Reveal

The moment we have been waiting for finally arrived! I had my 18-week appointment yesterday and we had everyone on stand-by for the text message that would reveal what we are dying to know...BOY or GIRL? My appointment was supposed to be at 4:00 p.m. on Monday and we waited a gruelling 55 minutes to see the doctor. I was the last patient of the day.

Dr. Brown quickly got down to business (after all there were about 6 office girls waiting to leave for the day) and started the ultrasound exam. The baby came up and the heart was visibly beating. She maneuvered around and I couldn't make 2-cents of what was coming up on the blurry screen. Finally she pulled up the image we were waiting for. In a very anti-climatic way, she said "I'm pretty sure it's a girl." Hmmm.... I asked for a percentage of certainty, "Like, would you say 90% sure?" She agreed to that. I can live with 90% certainty. It will be 2 weeks until I see the specialist again and she said then I will get a 100% answer.

And that was it. We are 90% sure we are having a Baby GIRL!!! We are both so happy. We shared the news with our family and friends and look forward to start thinking about girl names!

Stretchy Pants!

I am getting to that point where it looks like I have eaten one-t00-many Double-Stuf Oreo cookies. While that may indeed be true, there is also another reason for my pants not fitting so well...Baby B is growing! Friends and co-workers have told me that I am starting to show. I still feel like it might be because of the Oreos! Nevertheless, I made my first maternity wear purchases this week. If I would have known how wonderful elastic-waisted pants felt, I probably would have been wearing them much sooner. However, my friends and I are keenly aware and try to avoid the "frumpy social worker" attire. That would likely include wearing elastic waisted pants with clogs (even if you weren't pregnant). While I don't plan on getting any clogs, a good pair of attractive comfort shoes would probably be a good idea. It's hard to be on your feet all day.

Another great thing happened yesterday. I met with my friend, Darshana, who has the most beautiful 1-year-old imaginable. Since that 1-year-old is out-growing her things, Darshana graciously is lending us many of the items that we need. She also gave me a bag full of books. Oh, I will have plenty of reading time when we drive to Michigan in July! She also gave me some great advice about classes to take here in Austin and other pointers. I am grateful for that!

So, today I am 16 weeks pregnant and everyone is asking, "How are you feeling?" I feel pretty good, thankfully. We have a busy weekend ahead. Lots of packing to do for the house. We move in 2 weeks!! Elizabeth and I checked out an adorable little daycare center near my work and our new place. With her urging we went in a toured it and it was so sweet! It changed my impression about what daycares are like. It looked like a really fun/educational place and made me want to be a Pre-schooler! After I got over the sticker-shock of the price, I kind of got excited imagining Baby B in a place like this socializing with other babies and learning. I know returning to work will likely make me feel sad at first, but seeing a place like this takes away some of the anxiety.

We Aced "Our" Test

Today was a big day for me personally and professionally. Six years after I started school to become a social worker, I have finally achieved my dream... I am a Licenced Clinical Social Worker! After two years of supervision and work, I finally sat for the exam today. I barely slept last night, waking at 3 a.m. thinking about the difference between Bipolar I and Bipolar II. I thought I left with plenty of time to get downtown for the 8 am exam. I was wrong and traffic was a nightmare. I'd say the test was difficult, as I expected, but I was also struggling with sore throat (they don't let you take water or cough drops in) and about 2 hours into the exam, I was feeling a drop in my bloodsugar and was a bit dizzy. This baby needs some food! I pressed on and completed the exam. As I pressed the button to end, my heart was beating so fast and I was dizzy. I felt the same way when I took my LMSW exam 3 years ago--that "this could go either way!" Luckily it went MY way and when I saw the "Congratulations!" on the screen I was shaking. "Yes!" I said to myself. It felt great to actually be at this place in time and in my life that I have imagined and worked so hard for. I also felt grateful for all the people that helped me get here...especially those who I learned from in a clinical sense. I actually thought of some of my very first clients when I was an intern, and beyond...there are those people that will stick with me forever. What a privilege to do this work!

So, a few months ago I worried that "pregnancy brain" might hinder me in my ability to study and retain information, that it may make my brain turn to mush as I entered the testing center. But, we did it--Baby and Me passed this exam! I think I will only be prouder when I earn the credential of "Mom."

In Baby news, we had our 14 week exam today. The baby wasn't quite as active today, but we saw more detail in the spine, face and growth. Dr. Brown couldn't get an indication of the sex today. For that, we will have to wait 4 more weeks, until the appointment on April 23. We are on pins and needles! So, it was a great day. And the best thing about having the exam over with is now I can focus exclusively on this Baby and reading and learning about everything I can about attachment, development, and parenting! That sounds much more fun than studying the DSM!