Thursday, February 12, 2009

The Baby Journals.

So I decided that once a week for approximately the next 34 weeks I'll write a little blog update on the baby and pregnancy experience in a foreign country. It's kinda fun. ;) Be warned that I will use anatomically correct language and will probably be rather in your face about the joys of being pregnant. Even the one's that aren't so joyous. Enjoy!

So today was my first OBGYN appointment. My Dr. is German. I was expecting a male doctor since that's whose office I was going to. Apparently, he has another doctor that works with him that's a female. I got her. I'm somewhat relieved since I've never had a boy "girl doctor" before. haha. There was only one receptionist that spoke English, which made me feel bad. I wish I could speak a little more German thatn I can manage to flounder through. So I fill out the paperwork she gives me and wait a couple minutes. We then do a little one on one interview and verify my info. Then I get to pee in a cup! Every girl loves peeing in a cup. This is something that they have you do every appointment through your pregnancy, my guess is to keep a watch for UTI's and check for sugar in your urine. I could be completely making that up though.

So, post peeing in the cup I return to the waiting room and wait for them to call my name. They call the American's Mrs. Which I think is kinda sweet. I'd also answer to Frau though. I do enjoy being called frau. Makes me feel German. =D So I follow my little lady...into this tiny little room. Actually let's call it a closet. "Sit down close the door. We will get you when we are ready." Ok! So into said closet I go. I'm a little confused. I've only been to the woman's clinics in the states. Never and actual Doctor's office. And they totally don't work anything like this. "Mrs. Hill?" So out I go into the office to verify my information with the doctor. Info verified! Back into cabinet. "Take off your clothes from the waist down and I will come back to get you. Here is your towel." It was like a hand towel mind you. My little naked butt is going to walk down the hall when they come to get me with nothing more than a hand towel to hide my pieces parts. Ok. This is ok. I hear her get another woman from another closet. (Now it makes a bit more sense...they can use the actual exam room twice as much because of the little privacy cubbies! I get it!)

So I get called out of the room a second time. Little naked butt and all. Follow the doctor down the hall. There's a stirrup chair (Ewwww...) and an exam table and all sorts of little doctor stuff. She asks if I'd ever been to a German Gynocoligst. I say no. She says we will only use this chair once during your pregnancy. Awesome!!! I mean sitting in a chair with your legs in stirrups is pretty much the worst experience ever. So I get a pap smear. Then to varify the pregnancy she does a vaginal ultrasound. Now I realize I'm a rookie, but I didn't know they did vaginal ultrasounds to verify pregnancy. I thought that you were kinda SOL on the ultrasound front until like week 20. Well...Not me!! You can make it bigger if you're really that interested. But that's my little 5 mm baby hanging out in there. He has a heartbeat. (The baby is a he, until otherwise noted.) Wooo! So ultrasound done. Back into cubby to put my pants back on. Then out to talk to doctor again. She tells me a little more about how the process works and says I need blood taken. I say, "Well, Ummm...I don't mean to sound paranoid, but I just want to warn you that my veins are near impossible to find. When they did the pregnancy test, they had to use my hand." "Ok," she says, "I'll do it myself then rather than bother the *tech*" (She used the girls name, but I don't know what it was.)

In we go for blood taking. No go on left arm. No veins in sight. On to the right arm. We litterally sat for about 5 minutes trying to find a vein. My arm was purple. Not pink. She didn't want to use my hand. So she finally thinks shes found one. A good one...hiding way down deep. She pokes. Got it! My arm is swollen at the elbow from it, but that's not so unusual for me and giving blood. You're all set! Time to go. So that's the first visit to the doctor for me and my baking baby.

On another topic...This is Walker. He has the scissors I dropped on the ground after cutting my bangs and promptly forgot about...and my bra. Hiding in his happy little crate. He's surely trouble.

8 comments:

  1. You frau you. I like calling you frau too, bc where else would I get the chance?

    CONGRATS on your baby-in-the-oven! And btw, I could never, ever go to male gyno. Gives me the willies.

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  2. Ack! I forgot to send kisses to Walker! Being a yorkie lover, I cannot let him go unacknowledged here, lol! :)

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  3. get used to peeing in a cup. The kids were so used to the process that when Scott came with us for the ultrasound and I told them to sit down with Dada and I'd be back in a minute I hear Gracie announce to the whole waiting room "Mama's gonna pee in a cup. She does it every time." Then there was giggling from the waiting room.

    the whole naked butt thing is interesting...does it get cold? I do love the idea of weekly updates, by the way! cool beans!

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  4. I would have asked for a bigger towel! lol man the gyno gives me the willies *shivers*

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  5. Hi. found you through McMama. Congrats on winning! :)

    I hated peeing in the cup. EVERY time!! :) But I actually liked going to a boy "girl doctor" cause I found he was more sympathetic. if I said something hurt, he stopped right away. the women were like "no, it doesn't" and kept going! :)

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  6. Hmm, I can imagine the interesting things you will post as you continue through a pregnancy in a foreign country~ it is cool to read about!!

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  7. That was cool :) I think ultrasounds are awesome..especially those new 3D ones!

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  8. Oh WOW! Congratulations on your beautiful bundle of JOY! It's the most amazing thing EVER to see that little life inside you, isn't it?! I'm so happy for you and your hubby!

    Love,
    Amy

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