the past 2 weeks

This pregnancy journey as definitely been an emotional one, and I know the extremes of emotions haven’t even entered my world yet.

But I want to document all facets of this journey, all hurdles, bumps, and milestones along the way.

The past two weeks have been crazy.

It started when we went on our hospital tour. Chris wasn’t impressed. He works in the hospital industry, specifically Environmental Services. Environmental Services AKA how clean the hospital is. After the tour he mentioned how dirty the hospital was. I of course didn’t notice, but Chris is trained to look at the details. (he did the same thing when we toured hotels for our wedding guests.) I took his remarks into consideration, but at almost 30 weeks pregnant at the time, I didn’t want to start the search for a new hospital to give birth at.

Two days later we had our monthly ultrasound at Obsetrix, to check baby’s growth. The week prior at my regular OB I was told to have the doctor at Obsetrix look at my blood sugar report, and decide if I needed to be put on insulin. I was immediately hesitant about this because every single time in the past when I had gone to Obsetrix and asked the doctor to look at my numbers, they always declined. I told my OB this, and she said she would let them know that they needed to look at my numbers. Long story short: the doctor came into the appointment in the middle of my ultrasound, looked at the baby (4 pounds 4 ounces), said it was big, and to come back in a month. I had never met this specific doctor before, and told him my regular OB had advised me he needed to look at my numbers and decide if insulin was the next best step for me. He said he didn’t look at numbers and basically walked out. I was beyond frustrated, and Chris was pissed. …Later the doctor made a referral for me to get diabetic counseling. Which I had back in December, but really I want to know based on what information did this doctor make this referral?!

At this moment in time and almost 31 weeks pregnant, I had an “A-HA” moment. I was questioning why I had been sent to Obsetrix in the first place?! I knew I had been sent there because of my high-risk pregnancy condition of being pre-diabetic, but they weren’t really doing anything with that information. The only thing they were doing is checking the growth of the baby, and can’t my regular OB office do that?!

At that moment, and then later receiving a phone call (on that same day) from the hospital that the breastfeeding class I was registered for had been canceled (and the next one isn’t until May) Chris and I decided to look into a different doctor and a different hospital.

I was scared to be tackling such a big obstacle so close to the end of this pregnancy. But I felt I wasn’t get this best care for myself and my baby. I was mad at myself for not “shopping around” when I first became pregnant, and just going with my GYN office for my new OB needs. We found another hospital and doctor’s office, but the doctor’s office wouldn’t see me until they received my medical records. While all of this is happening Chris is calling the current OB office trying to get some answers to our questions. He was told that we were sent to Obsetrix atour request! And that a risk for a big baby is a C-section. He spoke to one of the doctor’s that just really made him more upset, as all she advised us to do was to bring a list of questions to our next visit, which was just the next week (I’m going to the doctor weekly at this point in time). I hated to delay this by another week, but that seemed inevitable.

Last week we had what I’m calling our “make it or break it” appointment with the current OB. Originally this appointment was set up 2 weeks ago for a Non-Stress Test. I got set up for the test, and shortly after the doctor comes in (not the one Chris had spoken to on the phone). Dr. Jones came in trying to get a reading on the NST which was unsuccessful, and questioned why I had been set up for a NST when they usually don’t start those until around 32 weeks (I was 30 weeks 4 days at this appointment). And I voiced to her this was exactly part of our frustration. Needless to say Dr. Jones spent a good hour with us, hearing us out, answering our questions. I let her know that prior to all of this, we had never even heard of Obsetrix, so how could we ask to be sent to a place I’ve never even heard of?! I asked her about the C-section, and how nobody as even asked me about my wishes for the birth of this baby, and how unprofessional it is for her to mention it before even asking me, and then mentioning it to my husband before me! She did ask about my birth plan, and also voiced her dissatisfaction for the process this office has in place for pre-diabetic/diabetic/gestational diabetes patients. She did let me know that if baby does get too big that she’ll induce me in my 39^th week. I agreed, but said how frustrating that is since I have nothing to compare it to. So if my OB sends me to my local King Soopers pharmacy for diabetic counseling I don’t think of that as a bad/unprofessional process, because it’s all that I know. She agreed I should have never been referred to Obsetrix, and will no longer go there to check the growth of the baby, because they can do that.

Dr. Jones did look at my numbers (this was the first time an actual doctor looked at my numbers!, keep in mind I’ve been testing my blood sugars and keeping a log since the beginning of December), and decided that insulin would be the next step. By the time we left the doctor’s office I had an appointment set up to go see someone at the hospital about administering the insulin, and if it is something I do need to do.

We had a quick ultrasound (since the NST didn’t really work), and left the office feeling a little bit more confident in the care I am receiving.

From beginning to end we were at the doctor’s office close to 3 and half hours. We’ve decided to stay where we are, and will only see Dr. Jones throughout the rest of this pregnancy. The chances of her being the one at the birth are slim, but since only one doctor will be seeing us at the rest of the appointments my hope is that’ll decrease the lack in communication.

This past Friday Chris and I went back to the hospital to talk about insulin and get some practice with the needles and everything. This was highly emotional for me, and I’m so so so thankful that Chris was there. After that appointment I took the rest of the day off and had the afternoon to myself. I did errands and just spent some time with just me. I went to the post office, had lunch at Applebee’s, went shopping (Target, Gymboree, Motherhood Maternity, Old Navy), had some frozen yogurt. It was the first time in the past week and a half I wasn’t on the phone calling different hospitals, signing up or canceling different birthing/baby classes, checking on my medical records, making a list of questions/complaints, doing baby research. Friday afternoon all by myself was a perfect release and a moment to just enjoy this growing/moving baby and pregnancy. To enjoy this time for what it is: a time to do things while I can without a baby in tow, and just enjoy it. And that’s what I did.

The lesson taken from all of this is knowing that when/if baby number two comes along, I’ll do some searching, and ask a lot more questions.

I’m happy with the decision right now, and I know everything will be ok. Only 8 weeks left (approximately)!