It's a... BABY (New Picture For Ya!)

So we had the ultrasound last week. I was really meaning to post the latest picture but for reasons that I mentioned on this blog earlier - cold and carpel tunnel - I haven't really had a chance. To spare my wrist any more abuse I am giving you the Coles Notes information:

1. The baby was so damn adorable during the ultrasound. The cutest little head and face (atleast what I could make out). Even waving little arms at the camera... I think I may be raising a celebrity, or politician. The picture shows a profile of the baby's head, neck and upper body.

2. Despite deciding the evening before that I would find out the sex of the baby but keep it a secret, we couldn't. The baby wasn't in the right position and was being really shy about the whole thing. So we don't know what we're having. :)

Here's the pic... enjoy!

Update on 'Crap'

Yes, I have kept away for the last week or so because I did indeed have a cold. The sick feeling that I started to write in my last post materialized, despite the Vitamin C, hot water and honey, lemon, and gargling with salt water. I tried my most loved pantry remedies, to no avail. I was sick. And there's not much you can do about it when you're pregos I've learned. Other than wait for it to run it's course. Not so fun week.

And having to spend a whole lot of time at the computer last week writing, re-writing and re-writing presentations has given me some wicked Pregnancy Carpal Tunnel in my right hand. Given that I'm at a desk all day, I'm sure it was inevitable, but damn. It's the kind of pain that keeps you up at night, the kind of hurt that forces you to hold cups with the other hand and kind of strain that has you screeching when you move it just slightly (I caught a closing door in my underground parking garage this morning and I swear my moans were echoing).

I got into work today and ordered padding for my keyboard and mouse. Heading over the drugstore this afternoon for one of those braces. The pain is getting worse, not better.

But if this is all that I can complain about - a head cold and sore wrist - than I'm doing pretty good. Baby is fantastic (more on that in another post) and everything is going well.

Week 22.

Crap

I feel like crap today.

To be honest, it probably has very little to do with the baby but I just wanted to share that I feel like crap.

Rant 1: I woke up today with what it think is the start of a cold. My throat is itchy, my eyes are watering, and I just wish that I could have stayed home.

Rant 2: My first meeting of the day was stupid. One of those kinds of meetings where you spend an hour looking at a table of results and talking at nausem. How did we do against last month, and last year? What’s up and down? Most of the conversation was circular. There goes an hour that I will never get back again.

Rant 3: Then I found out that the presentation that I am giving to the senior management team tomorrow is CORRUPTED, AGAIN. When the file originally corrupted on Friday our IT Team could don’t anything about it. I spent the weekend redoing it and saved it as two separate files. Even though it was fine on Monday, it’s now CORRUPTED, AGAIN. If I have to redo this presentation again tonight for tomorrow I will freak out.

Rant 4: I am so tired right now, I just want to go home, crawl into my bed and hid under the covers. Wake me up when I have to deliver this baby.

I feel like crap.

Phew!

Just got back to from my first appointment with the new OB/GYN. Happy to report that she isn't like Kathy Bates in Misery. She's pleasant, positive, speaks very slowly, nods aggressively, has very expressive eyes. I'm sure those are all good signs in a doctor, and maybe a guidance counseller.

That's the good news. The bad news is that I've gained 4 pounds in the last 3-4 weeks!! (Granted it was a different scale than I'm used it. I don't know if it has been serviced properly. It could be far from accurate). The doctor seems to think that my UT* is measuring bigger than expected about 25 cm for 20-21 weeks. I should be around 21 cm. Total surprise because that didn't seem to be any issue before now. (*Note: I am referring to it as the UT, not uterus or baby sack because I just think that it's more cute and chic.)

The bigger than norm UT could be something. It could be nothing. But the new doc is really eager for me to have that ultrasound I scheduled for weeks from now. The one that I have been putting off. The one that may tell us what I'm having. Damn medical community and their testing. I may have to move that appointment up. My procrastination is not really working out at the moment, on a number of levels.

The story continues...

The writing is on the Globe... err wall

I'm really not DWELLING on the whole not being able to find an OB/GYN thing. Really, people, I am not.

I just couldn't help but post an article that broke on the Globe and Mail, Canada's largest national newspaper, yesterday. So for your reading pleasure, "Obstetrician shortage looming, group warns" by Canadian Press reporter Helen Branswell. Enjoy!

TORONTO — Canada faces a critical shortage of obstetricians, the professional group representing this type of medical specialist warned Thursday.

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada said mothers and their babies will be put at risk unless substantially more obstetricians are trained in coming years.

“Women are stressed because they can see that if they're going to live in Fort McMurray and there are only two doctors there in a city that's over 100,000 ... and both of them are over 55 years old, it doesn't look pretty good,” Dr. Andre Lalonde, executive vice-president of the society, said Thursday.

The organization released results of a survey it conducted among members, looking at how many obstetricians and gynecologists are delivering babies, how long they intend to practice as well as how medical residents in the specialty plan to structure their work hours.

They found only 1,370 obstetricians are currently providing prenatal, antenatal — birthing and delivery — and postnatal care. That number is forecast to drop by as much as a third over the next five years, the report on the survey results said.

Younger doctors — predominantly women — don't want to work the round-the-clock schedules of obstetricians of old. Many plan to take breaks in their careers to have children and don't want to spend as much time on call, the survey found.

“They want to have a better work-life balance than the ones who are retiring right now,” Dr. Lalonde said.

“Our young doctors want to do that kind of work but they want to do it in a reasonable fashion and they want to do it for the safety of the public.”

“You wouldn't let transport drivers, airplane pilots work the hours that your own doctor's working, and then you expect them to be wide awake and to give you 100 per cent results on surgery or emergency (care). That's what they're calling into question.”

The society is calling on governments to increase the number of medical school spots for obstetrics and gynecologists by 30 per cent a year for three years. That means training about 25 or 30 extra doctors in this specialty a year, Dr. Lalonde said. After that an additional 10 per cent apiece for three years is needed, the group said.

They also recommended rotating medical residents in the specialty into smaller cities and towns in the hopes it might encourage some to practise later in smaller centres. Small towns and rural areas have a chronic shortage of doctors of all specialties.

The organization is also calling for training of more midwives, who could take on more of the standard deliveries, freeing up physicians to handle the complicated births and the emergencies.

For future reference...

I had to steal this picture of Angelina and Brad from another blog that I read earlier today. Angelina was days before giving birth to her twins, walking the red carpet. As fabulous and skinny as Angie is ALL THE TIME, she is huge in this picture. She, like many mothers before me was forced to wear the dress/mu-mu/tent. And she's Angie. I'm sure designers were throwing their creations at her.


So I am saving this picture on my blog. When I feel like I'm drowning in my ever expanding humps and bump, I will refer back to this picture. If Angie, in all of her celebrity fab-ness can do it, on the red carpet, knowing that there will be eyes on her and future photo evidence, I can too.

Friday

The first appointment with my new OB/GYN is tomorrow afternoon. This is the person that my family doctor secured for me. I haven't been able to find any information online for her, and as a result the unknown is making me extremely nervous. I just had a flash back to Kathy Bates in Misery, circa early 90s.

T E R R I F I E D.

It could be really bad guys. Wish me luck. I will let you know how it went.

20 Weeks!

Tomorrow I will officially be 20 weeks. We’ve come along way baby.

Why is this interesting? Well 20 weeks is the half way mark of my pregnancy. In a way that dad-to-be would understand, we have just hit the 50 yard line. Or we clocked in at half time. Or… I don’t know any more sports analogies.

It is also the baby milestone that I’ve been looking forward to for weeks. The baby is now the size of Cantaloupe. Is that not crazy people? I read that and looked down at my tummy. “You’re the size of a Cantaloupe down there?”

In honour of the half-way mark, I thought that it would be helpful for me to break down what’s happening so far and what still hasn’t happened. So here we go…

What’s happening:
- The baby is getting bigger. While I can’t verify what’s going on inside of my growing belly, I thought that I would share with you some information from the online baby experts. At 20 weeks, baby should measure about 5.6 to 6.4 inches and weigh about 9 ounces. The baby can hear sounds now, and it will cover its ears with its hands if a loud sound is made near you or "jump" if it is startled. Almost like a little person!!
- I read earlier today that at 20 weeks the baby is starting to grow hair! I guess we’ll see in another 20 weeks or so.
- I can say that the baby has been moving around a lot, but at this point it doesn’t feel like kicking. It’s more of a rumbling in the tummy feeling, a little bit stronger than when you have butterflies in your stomach.
- I have officially “popped”! The folks at work have said that they have started to notice my bump this week. Better late than never.

What’s not happening:
- I still haven’t started wearing any maternity clothes. I can still button up my pants but I try to wear them below my growing belly. I am still wearing my regular boots and heels to work everyday. Yeah, I’m stubborn.
- I have gone this far, relatively unscathed from morning sickness, as I mentioned in other posts. I am still super tired, but the extreme exhaustion is passing.
- I don’t have any stretch marks yet. I have been slathering on the Bio-Oil like nobody’s business hoping that will help a little bit. When I first found out that I was knocked up, my mother, in a wild display that can only happen in your parent’s kitchen, pulled up her top to reveal that she didn’t have any stretch marks. She then lectured me on the importance of moisturizer. Right. Check.
- New belly button. I still have an innie but don’t know at what point the development of my bump it will become an outtie. Dad-to-be has the perfect in-between belly button and is very anxious about this milestone. (Glad you think that’s funny, babe.)
- At this point, many parents know whether their little one will pee standing up or sitting down. If you’ve read this blog before, you may know that I’m still undecided about if we should find out. My ultrasound isn’t until a few weeks. I scheduled it for the tail-end of my 22 week.

So we’re half way there. I’m sure in the next few weeks my bump will make up for the last 20 weeks. My plan is to start posting my baby bump pictures, after my next Ultrasound. And try not to be too hard on me for living up to Hump & Baby Bump name. I’m having a baby!

Life

Yesterday I lost a friend suddenly. He died of a brain aneurysm that was unexpected. It took all of us by surprise. He was only 34.

I was very fortunate to be at the hospital for most of the day yesterday to see him while in a coma, and to say goodbye after he was pronounced dead. He was in the hospital for less than 24 hours before he passed. I would say that there were over 50 people during the course of the day, from family, to friends, to coworkers who were lending their support and comforting each other. It was all very difficult and I still can’t believe what has happened.

How could I complain about a bad day at work, about not feeling well, about the trivial things in life when I am still here to see another day? How could I complain when there are people that are saying goodbye to brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers? As much I was upset, I could not imagine being in the shoes of his family.

I certainly don’t want to get into the details here. I feel like I have told fragments of the story so many times in the last 24 hours - trying to let various people know what happened.

The key reason why I wanted to write about this was, other than the fact that it so personally and deeply affected me, is that it really helped to reinforce how precious life is. You have to cherish the time that you have with those that you care about, because you never know how few moments that you will have with that person.

I feel so lucky in my life to have people that I love and to have people that love me. I am so lucky to be having this baby. What a miracle to be creating a life.

April Showers

How cute is this little button! Now we just need to give the prego mommy big curly hair and real diva pose. But that's just me.

Realization

I am having a baby. Yeah, I know that I'm saying the obvious here but I just wanted to write it in print. I. Am. Having. A. Baby.

There are times in my day when I almost forget. I am lost in returning emails, writing recommendations at work, addressing issues, even when I'm not really that preoccupied at all but my mind is wandering. I just like when you remember that you’re all out of toilet paper, or you might have left the radio on at home, or you haven’t paid your visa bill, it pops into my head. I’m having a baby! I almost forget there’s a baby growing inside of me.

And I don’t want you to assume that I don’t think about this little one so much. I do. But in addition to all of the planning and preparation, list making and information absorbing that my mind is doing to get ready for this little miracle, I have to say to myself throughout the day – I’m having a baby. I still can’t believe that this isn’t a dream.

I AM HAVING A BABY.

To know or not to know

Don’t know if it’s the hormones talking but lately I’ve had a change of heart. My whole life, or at least few years of it, I have thought that I would be the type of mom-to-be who would find out the sex of her baby at the ultrasound. You know, take advantage of modern technology, and have just that much more information.

Over the years when I heard from other delighted parents-to-be that they were keeping it a surprise, I was perplexed. I’m quite sure that I also was very transparent in my confusion. I wasn’t sure why someone would not want to know. To me it was like starting a job and not knowing where it was located – “Oh, it will be a surprise.” It was like going on a plane without a destination – “Oh, it will be a surprise.” It was like eating at a restaurant blindfolded – “Oh, it will be a surprise.” That was how I looked at the whole idea of being presented with the chance to find out what you were carrying and not taking it.

So far, for the first 18 weeks or so of my first pregnancy, I would happily reply when asked, that “Of course!” I wanted to find out. Dad-to-be felt the same. We had our first co-parenting decision.

This week however I woke up thinking that I don’t want to find out. We will be having that crucial ultrasound in a few weeks, which will likely be my last time on the ultrasound table. We need to make a decision about this, and fast. Dad-to-be thinks I’m nuts. He could be right.

So, in an effort to work this out, I’m making a list: The top 5 reasons to find out the sex and the top 5 reasons not to.

5 Reasons To Find Out

1. We’ll be able to buy the right things, in the right colour, and settle on a few names.
2. We can finally stop calling the baby “it” or “baby” and start using the appropriate pro-noun “he” or “she”.
3. Knowing whether it’s a girl or a boy may help in bonding.
4. I’ll be able to counter all those weird old wives tales about caring low, caring high, caring round, etc, etc. with clear evidence of what I am having.
5. Because I always said that I would want to find out.

5 Reasons Not To Find Out

1. Forces us to buy neutrals, which will help with baby number two. (If that ever happens!)
2. Avoid the whole switch-aroo – preparing for one sex and then when he/she is born finding that it was an ultrasound ‘misunderstanding’.
3. We will be emotionally prepared for either sex, versus focusing on boy or girl.
4. Other people can continue all those old wives tales, which makes for some great baby shower entertainment.
5. What’s another four months without knowing anyway?

A coworker of mine, father of three boys threw in another point – sometimes whether you like it or not, there will be no denying what your baby is packing in the ultrasound. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, look at that!”

This baby-making stuff is crazy.