Another day at the midwife

The appointment with the unlikable midwife last night actually went really well! Toby came along, since I was really keen on showing him what a crazy hippy-dippy person she was and so he could be prepared to be my ally in the delivery room. Upon sitting down, she immediately asked me what my latest questions and concerns were. She attentively listened while I expressed my thoughts and inner turmoil about the whole Strep B issue that I’ve been thinking a lot lately and she made sure to tell me what is “recommended” by doctors and midwives. She validated my morning sickness, and didn’t give me too much grief about my weight like last time, since I’ve only been gaining one to two pounds per month. Halfway through the appointment, she leaned back and said, “Well… you sure have mellowed out.” I asked her what she meant, and she said that my attitude has improved and that I’m being more accepting of the process and the fact that what happens will indeed happen. I think, on the other hand, that I’m much less scared than when I last saw her (at 16 weeks only!) and feel confident and powerful in all of the knowledge that I’ve gained. I have nothing to fear because I’ve prepared myself for this as much as is humanly possible, so perhaps I’m not coming off as so insecure and flaily. Whatever it is, I’m happy that we were seeing more eye-to-eye. I still don’t buy any of her meditative “having a baby is like having an orgasm” crap, but I’m more confident that we can meet somewhere halfway.

When we left Toby said, “She seemed really nice and she didn’t even smell!” implying that I was perhaps exaggerating a bit last time I left her office in tears. But he also acknowledged that I was very firm and clear and concise in my questions and that she responded well to that. Anyway, I’m happy he got to meet her on the chance that she does actually deliver our child. As for baby: she’s “probably” head down, but it’s not absolutely certain. There’s a hard bit up by my ribs which is also “probably” her bum but I’m going for another ultrasound to be one hundred percent certain. We don’t want any surprises during delivery and I’m more than happy to get another opportunity to see my beautiful baby girl. Also, baby is measuring in the seventieth percentile and the midwife is pretty sure that she’ll be born weighing around the same as when I was born: a healthy eight pounds! I was imagining an average of mine and Toby’s birth weight (5.8lbs!) but am perfectly happy pushing out an eight pounder!