T-Minus 30 Days

Between last night's hospital tour and today's 36-week ultrasound, everything is becoming super exciting and REAL!

The tour was great. Seeing the lay of the land helped make things seem less scary. And bizarrely enough, Jared and I both love hospitals, so we're actually looking forward to labor! (I say that now). There are three different rooms you stay in - one for "assessment" and early labor (up to 3-4 centimeters). Then you're off to where you hang out until you're ready to deliver, and then actually delivery, and then there's the recovery room where you hang out for 2 to 4 days, depending on what kind of delivery you have. They were all A-OK, but of course, it wouldn't be LA if there weren't some sort of special upgrade and waiting list available.

There's of course the primo VIP room, which will run ya a mere $3,000 - $7,000, buying you hardwood floors, a post-op doula or something or other, special food, a robe (what, no slippers?), among other perks. Surely this is where Pink, Penelope Cruz, Victoria Beckham, among other celebs - chilled out postpartum.

For us regular folks, you can try to sweet talk your way into a delivery room with a view. Initially, I thought, who needs a view? Surely I'll be too busy to really care, right? But then they showed us a room without a view, and admittedly, it feels more claustrophobic. EVERYTHING worthwhile in LA has a waiting list it seems ... from dinner reservations, to day cares, and now - delivery rooms with a view! I think I'll leave sweet-talking the nurses to Jared, who has a way with the ladies - ha!

The tour went late ... and as we were heading out at 10 PM we ran into my doctor, who was so confused at first! She thought I was in labor and that she'd missed my call! (She was on her way to deliver another baby at the time). It was funny because we had a 9 AM with her this morning ... I don't know how doctors stay up all night delivering a baby (she ended up having to do a C-section early this morning) and then see patients all day the next day. I heart doctors.

So about our appointment today - everything looks great and she's already about 6 lbs! The measurements actually came out at 6 lbs., 4 oz., but she said it's probably closer to 6 lbs. This means she could potentially get up to 8 lbs. at delivery, but she doesn't think she'll get that big, and that she's more likely to be in the 7 lb. range. All the measurements look great (head's not too big!), heartbeat's good, and she's got all the right parts (and yes, she's definitely a she.) And she's head down - hallelujah!

Thirty more busy days getting ready for baby! Stay tuned for posts on my fabulous baby showers, and the baby's room. 

Size Matters, Apparently

I had my first doctor's appointment this week, and suffice to say, it FREAKED me out.

Now of course it wasn't completely devoid of coolness. I got the "yep you're pregnant" stamp of approval from doc, and even saw the baby's heartbeat (will spare you the details on the magical sonogram technology that led to getting that miraculous image on the screen - yowsah).

The bummer is that all of those much-anticipated moments were compromised by the words "I'll have to see you again next week to make sure this is a healthy pregnancy." Needless to say, my head was spinning most the rest of the appointment and I'm sure I only heard half of what was thrown my way (the approximately NINE vials of blood they also took that day didn't exactly help.)

The culprit of my doctor's concern? I should be 8 weeks pregnant based on the dates, but based on the size of the baby, I'm only 7 weeks. Odds are, I ovulated late, which - to anyone that knows me - shouldn't be a shocker. I'm kinda sorta late to everything. So fingers crossed and many prayers that when I go back next week, I'll be a healthy 8 weeks, proving everything's progressing fine, if not a little tardy, and then I can read my "Pregnancy & Newborn" magazine at the gym with confidence, not to mention start to share this little secret with more loved ones. - Dawn