Twenty Three Weeks

Today starts week 23, which (according to all of the books and gurus) begins the 6th month of pregnancy. I'm not sure where these people studied Math, but I'm going with it. Anything that puts me closer to the finish line is A-OK with me, buddy.

I had my check up today, and it was my first appointment with the new midwife practice I switched to. I had that excited nervousness like I was going on a first date or something. I have only seen my other OBGYN for the last 12 years, so while I knew this is what I wanted, I still had some butterflies over it. Well, let me just tell you, my visit today reaffirmed for me that the decision I made to switch is the best possible one for myself and this pregnancy. I LOVE this practice. The midwife I met with was so friendly and attentive to everything I wanted to discuss. I didn't feel like I was being rushed out of the office because there were 10 other pregnant women waiting for their turn. She measured my stomach, which was at a perfect 23 centimeters and right on track for me being 23 weeks along. She listened to the baby's heartbeat with the doppler and measured the pitter-patter to be about 150 beats per minute. She talked to me at length about why I switched to their practice, my wishes to VBAC and what I want out of this delivery. She didn't once use the terms "dead mommy" or "dead baby" which, believe it or not, was a victory in my eyes. She made me feel normal, and encouraged my wishes for a natural, unmedicated childbirth. (Thank you!) I didn't feel as though I had to defend or explain my reasons for wanting to birth naturally to her, and believe me, I have felt like that a lot lately. She just understood and supported everything that is important to me, and didn't make me feel like I was some sort of crazy person for (GASP!) not wanting an epidural. I couldn't be happier and I truly feel like the midwives at the practice are going to do everything in their power to help me achieve the birth I want.

On to the juicy details about the baby. (No, we still don't have a name. Grrrr!) She is the size of a large mango this week, and I can definitely tell she's packing on the weight in there, because I'm feeling a lot more movement. Good times!

How Your Baby is Growing:
Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Cheers,
L