So, I started my Saturday off by watching "The Business of Being Born" which we got from the library upon recommendation by many sources. I always saw myself as one of those people who walked into the hospital with the beginning pains of labor, demanding an epidural, and feeling nice and relaxed right on through the delivery. But this movie really makes you think about intervention and how once it starts, often with the epidural, it usually snowballs into pitossin because epidural slowed the labor, then the baby is in stress because the contractions from pitossin are too strong and close together, and finally they have to do a c-section because of the baby's stress. I know it's not always that path, and the movie might be a bit propoganda-ish, but it really makes you think about how medicalized the whole process is.
I had this all in my head as we went over to New Life Wellness for our first pre-natal visit. Ryoji and I had already decided against an ultrasound at this visit because it's not even guaranteed they can find the heartbeat yet, and I really want to minimalize the amount of ultrasounds throughout the pregnancy to just the really necessary ones, maybe 2 or 3. There is really no good proof either way that ultrasounds are perfectly safe, or possibly causing harm. I've seen suggestions that they might be part to blame in the increase in autism rates, and stuff like that. Yikes.
We got to the clinic about 10 minutes early for our 12:30 appointment, and we waited and waited and waited. They took my urine sample, blood pressure, and weight during this period, but ultimately we didn't see Dr. George Noumi until after 2:30pm!! We were put in the room and I was instructed to take off everything below the belt, as was expected. Then we waited another 15 minutes or so, coooooold was I! The Dr. finally came in and seemed nice enough. Asked us a few questions about MY past history with surgeries and possible genetic disorders, didn't bother to ask Ryoji though which is odd. And then he's like, OK, "let's take a look at the baby," pointing at the ultrasound machine. I kind of sucked in my breath and said, "Ummmm I think we're going to pass on that" and also mentioned I was hoping for only 2 scans - Nuchal test at 11 weeks and anatomy scan at 20. And he gave me an odd look for a moment and then said "Well, OK, I guess that's OK, just understand that's the only way we can see if they pregnancy is healthy and make sure it's how old you think it is is by looking for the heartbeat." and won't I be much more distressed if we find out at the next appointment rather than this appointment that the baby is not actually alive? Then I questioned him that it's likely he can't detect a heartbeat at 6 weeks anyway, and he agreed. Heather 1 - Doctor 0. Hmph. And how distressed would I be if he took the scan now and couldn't find a heartbeat?? We wouldn't know if it's OK or not for a couple more weeks! I showed him my basal body temp chart, with my positive ovulation test days and spikes in temperature after supposed ovulation and what not. He said, yes, it is likely I am 6 weeks along as I suppose but it is possible the chart could be wrong and i could be a month further than I think, and then timing would be off so they couldn't do the nuchal scan (for downs syndrome). That's fine, I said. So then he says there's nothing else for us to do at this appointment, but I can go ahead and get my blood work done now or wait til the next appointment. I then asked him a few of my questions about his birthing philosophy, if he supported natural births, what his intervention rate is, etc etc. His answers were fine, and at that point we were kind of decided to just go ahead with sticking with this practice since they have Saturday hours and are close to our apartment and so are the hospitals he's affiliated with.
Then, we got to the reception desk and she's all, OK next appointment is in 4 weeks. And I said, I want to wait until 11 weeks so we can do the scan at the same time. And she's like, no EVERY PATIENT COMES IN EVERY 4 WEEKS! And also that the diagnostic ultrasounds are done at another facility. THEN she mentions that the doctor does a sonogram at EVERY VISIT. Wait wait wait a freaking second, WHAT??? EVERY VISIT?? We're talking like more than 10 here!! Not only can that not be good for the baby, but my insurance charges a 50% copay (about $75-100) per ultrasound! I explained we had already discussed my desire not to have many scans with the doctor and he seemed OK with that. So she got the doctor and he came out and explained they HAVE to scan at each visit, otherwise they can't know if the baby is OK and the amniotic fluid is OK, etc, and that almost all doctors in Brooklyn practice this policy. That's what I started to get teary eyed and basically said, "Interesting, thank you. I'll call if I decide to schedule another appointment." We walked out of that door and I began sobbing. Probably partially hormonal but I was just so angry and fearful and overwhelmed with the lack of choice provided to me back there. Poor Ryoji was really supportive though!
So, New Life Wellness is OUT. Thank goodness I already had a backup, and my backup is really funny actually. I had just randomly gone to an OBGYN that was near my work during lunch a week and a half ago. The receptionist was really nice and scheduled me for May 11 with one of their many doctors, Dr. Jacques Moritz. She said he's REALLY popular and you can't get in with him after you are more than 10 or so weeks along. And you often wait a couple hours past your appointment time, cuz he's very focused on each patient and staying with them as long as they need. At the time, this all sounded crap. But get this, he was featured in that "Business of Being Born" movie I was watching, and is really really supportive of natural births, even home births! He delivers at St.Lukes/Roosevelt Hospital, which has a Birthing Center for natural births on one floor (each room has a jacuzzi!), and regular labor and delivery on another floor. It sounds pretty ideal, other than being like a 40 minute taxi ride from our apartment, and having to take a half-day off from work for each appointment. They also have a group of midwives who practice in their group, but you have to be interviewed by them on the phone to be accepted. They've called me twice but I'm always at work, so I don't know about that...
Wow, that was kind of an epic entry!! Sorry about that!!
Here's my 6 weeks along photo, no bump yet, well, nothing more than the usual pooch! haha!
I had this all in my head as we went over to New Life Wellness for our first pre-natal visit. Ryoji and I had already decided against an ultrasound at this visit because it's not even guaranteed they can find the heartbeat yet, and I really want to minimalize the amount of ultrasounds throughout the pregnancy to just the really necessary ones, maybe 2 or 3. There is really no good proof either way that ultrasounds are perfectly safe, or possibly causing harm. I've seen suggestions that they might be part to blame in the increase in autism rates, and stuff like that. Yikes.
We got to the clinic about 10 minutes early for our 12:30 appointment, and we waited and waited and waited. They took my urine sample, blood pressure, and weight during this period, but ultimately we didn't see Dr. George Noumi until after 2:30pm!! We were put in the room and I was instructed to take off everything below the belt, as was expected. Then we waited another 15 minutes or so, coooooold was I! The Dr. finally came in and seemed nice enough. Asked us a few questions about MY past history with surgeries and possible genetic disorders, didn't bother to ask Ryoji though which is odd. And then he's like, OK, "let's take a look at the baby," pointing at the ultrasound machine. I kind of sucked in my breath and said, "Ummmm I think we're going to pass on that" and also mentioned I was hoping for only 2 scans - Nuchal test at 11 weeks and anatomy scan at 20. And he gave me an odd look for a moment and then said "Well, OK, I guess that's OK, just understand that's the only way we can see if they pregnancy is healthy and make sure it's how old you think it is is by looking for the heartbeat." and won't I be much more distressed if we find out at the next appointment rather than this appointment that the baby is not actually alive? Then I questioned him that it's likely he can't detect a heartbeat at 6 weeks anyway, and he agreed. Heather 1 - Doctor 0. Hmph. And how distressed would I be if he took the scan now and couldn't find a heartbeat?? We wouldn't know if it's OK or not for a couple more weeks! I showed him my basal body temp chart, with my positive ovulation test days and spikes in temperature after supposed ovulation and what not. He said, yes, it is likely I am 6 weeks along as I suppose but it is possible the chart could be wrong and i could be a month further than I think, and then timing would be off so they couldn't do the nuchal scan (for downs syndrome). That's fine, I said. So then he says there's nothing else for us to do at this appointment, but I can go ahead and get my blood work done now or wait til the next appointment. I then asked him a few of my questions about his birthing philosophy, if he supported natural births, what his intervention rate is, etc etc. His answers were fine, and at that point we were kind of decided to just go ahead with sticking with this practice since they have Saturday hours and are close to our apartment and so are the hospitals he's affiliated with.
Then, we got to the reception desk and she's all, OK next appointment is in 4 weeks. And I said, I want to wait until 11 weeks so we can do the scan at the same time. And she's like, no EVERY PATIENT COMES IN EVERY 4 WEEKS! And also that the diagnostic ultrasounds are done at another facility. THEN she mentions that the doctor does a sonogram at EVERY VISIT. Wait wait wait a freaking second, WHAT??? EVERY VISIT?? We're talking like more than 10 here!! Not only can that not be good for the baby, but my insurance charges a 50% copay (about $75-100) per ultrasound! I explained we had already discussed my desire not to have many scans with the doctor and he seemed OK with that. So she got the doctor and he came out and explained they HAVE to scan at each visit, otherwise they can't know if the baby is OK and the amniotic fluid is OK, etc, and that almost all doctors in Brooklyn practice this policy. That's what I started to get teary eyed and basically said, "Interesting, thank you. I'll call if I decide to schedule another appointment." We walked out of that door and I began sobbing. Probably partially hormonal but I was just so angry and fearful and overwhelmed with the lack of choice provided to me back there. Poor Ryoji was really supportive though!
So, New Life Wellness is OUT. Thank goodness I already had a backup, and my backup is really funny actually. I had just randomly gone to an OBGYN that was near my work during lunch a week and a half ago. The receptionist was really nice and scheduled me for May 11 with one of their many doctors, Dr. Jacques Moritz. She said he's REALLY popular and you can't get in with him after you are more than 10 or so weeks along. And you often wait a couple hours past your appointment time, cuz he's very focused on each patient and staying with them as long as they need. At the time, this all sounded crap. But get this, he was featured in that "Business of Being Born" movie I was watching, and is really really supportive of natural births, even home births! He delivers at St.Lukes/Roosevelt Hospital, which has a Birthing Center for natural births on one floor (each room has a jacuzzi!), and regular labor and delivery on another floor. It sounds pretty ideal, other than being like a 40 minute taxi ride from our apartment, and having to take a half-day off from work for each appointment. They also have a group of midwives who practice in their group, but you have to be interviewed by them on the phone to be accepted. They've called me twice but I'm always at work, so I don't know about that...
Wow, that was kind of an epic entry!! Sorry about that!!
Here's my 6 weeks along photo, no bump yet, well, nothing more than the usual pooch! haha!
From Thebump.com:
6 Weeks
Baby's now the size of a sweet pea!
Growing like crazy, baby is starting to sprout eyes, ears, nose, cheeks, and chin. Those little hands and feet- still webbed like paddles -- might wiggle by week's end, the heart is beating (almost twice as fast as yours!), and blood is starting to circulate.
6 Weeks
Baby's now the size of a sweet pea!
Growing like crazy, baby is starting to sprout eyes, ears, nose, cheeks, and chin. Those little hands and feet- still webbed like paddles -- might wiggle by week's end, the heart is beating (almost twice as fast as yours!), and blood is starting to circulate.
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