Nine weeks, FHTs and the dry heaves

This week has been a big one. While sitting at the table late the other night cutting and sewing breast pads and reusable butt wipes, I was suddenly struck with the urge to confirm the viability of this pregnancy. I mean, I had the + pregnancy test but as midwives know, until we hear heart tones, it's all up in the air. So, I grabbed my keys and drove over to the clinic. I took a doppler and some gel into one of the exam rooms and listened. 9 weeks is pretty early to hear heart tones but on occasion, in a thin patient if baby is positioned just right, you can make out the rapid swoosh swoosh swoosh of the heart beat. So there I lay, goo on my tummy fishing around and there it was, clear as can be. Even though I listen to fetal heart tones all day, it was still pretty cool. I took the doppler home and demonstrated for my husband. At first I couldn't hear it. I just ate an heard digestion and food sloshing all around. He was in the kitchen doing dishes when I heard the little flutter "Hurry, come! I found it." But by the time he arrived the sound had vanished. We did find it again later and his eyes lit up, he was psyched.

I've started thinking of myself in the plural now. During an intense yoga class yesterday I thought, "Well, here we are, me and Baby doing a head stand." It's like the royal "we". This morning "we" were called out of bed for a birth and so I skipped breakfast and made a cup of tea upon arriving at the birth center. Well, "we" didn't like that very much. I was dry heaving over the sink and feeling terrible! Luckily, I keep saltine crackers stashed everywhere and ran to the car go grab some. That and a couple of sips of coke made breakfast. Healthy, right?

The pregnancy is still a secret to almost everyone. I told my midwife and colleague about it because I was struck with a terrible migraine last week. She kindly offered to do our first prenatal visit at her house this weekend to keep things on the DL. I may put off my labs until 15 weeks so I can do the quad screen at the same time and then my coworkers won't know about it until then. Only problem is, I do have this poochy stomach. I imagine that its just intestine moving up as the uterus slowly enlarges but I find I'm searching for baggy shirts to wear to keep it covered as long as possible. I'm dreading all of the pregnancy comments that are so freely dolled out in this culture: "You look so small/big! Dont go out at night because its not good for the baby. You probably shouldn't drive. Avoid eating pineapple or it will make the baby have eczema." And all the belly pats. If anyone reading this would like to help, kindly send a tshirt that states "Baby baking in progress, do not touch" or "I am not a petting zoo". I'm not.