And THAT'S the Baby!

This morning was a big deal.

Scratch that. A HUGE deal.

This morning was our first regular OB/GYN appointment.

I had been in to see Dr. S once before in this pregnancy, but that was for the passing out business, and I had made it very clear that I did not want anything put up my girly bits at that appointment.

So, today, I knew I would have to face the music of a pap smear and physical. I even shaved my legs!

Imagine my surprise when they didn't ask me to undress. All we had to do today was talk to Dr. S and ask a few questions:

1) Exercise? Now that I am out of the first trimester, what is safe and how much?

Turns out that he only wants me doing 15 minutes per day, maximum, basically because I have been a lazy arse for the first trimester (per my RE's orders, but still, lazy). Even when I am back on a more regular program, no more than thirty minutes and my heartrate can't get above 140. He said to stay away from hard impact exercise (such as horseback riding), but that everything else is okay.

2) Travel? I know that I can continue my regular job, but what about cross-country flights (most specifically, the flight to Boston scheduled in April for a week long sales meeting)?

Well, that's kind of up to me. There probably isn't a medical reason, per se, but he said that minimizing stress will continue to be important, given our history and that my blood pressure is a bit higher than normal at this point. We will talk about it at our next monthly appointment, but he didn't have a problem writing me out of that meeting if that is what I want (or what is deemed medically necessary as time goes on).

3) Now, the biggie. I blushed when I asked about it (and this is a man who will be elbows in to my girly bits come August). . . but S-E-X. We've been on full pelvic rest per the RE's orders for the first trimester. So, what about now?

He chuckled and said it would be just fine. He looked at my husband when he said that and said that he needs to take advantage of the increased sex drive of the first and second trimester. My husband probably needs the reassurance more than I do. Or maybe not. Logically, we both know that sex probably can't hurt the baby, but if something did happen. . . Ugh. Our sex life would never recover.

Then, came the BIG moment. Dr. S picked up the doppler. I rolled my pants down, he applied the goo, and about ten seconds (kind of felt like years) later, we heard a heartbeat. My husband and I got all excited, but the doctor shook his head and said quietly, "That's Mom's heartbeat."

Then, he moved the probe down about an inch. . . and we heard the much faster bump, bump, bump of our baby's heartbeat. Dr. S smiled, showed us the display with 160 BPM flashing, and said, "And THAT'S the baby!"

Wow.

I made the nurse cry when I started crying.

That's the baby!