12/6/12: 10 weeks 1 day. First OB visit

Seeing our babies is the best thing EVER right now!!! :)

I went back to my regular OB/GYN, Dr. R (he's been my doc for almost 8 years now).  He's who referred me to the fertility clinic; so I was really excited to go back to share our excitement.  It was all very normal and typical.  Weight, which I have not gained (yet)!!  Blood pressure, also the same as usual —great! :)  Leave a urine sample.  Can you believe that they actually ran a pregnancy test?!  Even though they have access to my entire medical file from the fertility clinic!  I thought it was a waste of time and just an easy way to charge the insurance some extra $$.

Dr. R was very happy to see us back.  I got my usual hug and kiss, on the cheek, from him (something that was kind of strange to me for a while) and Chris got a huge hand shake and "big bear hug"!  We quickly talked about our experience at RMA (the fertility clinic) and then I told him I have a list of questions for him but that I'd love to check on the babies first.  So, to the sonogram machine he went!

I was expecting the usual transvaginal ultrasound, but was completely surprised and excited when he started the transabdominal.  He said that we should be able to see them just fine, since they were 10 weeks now.  He was right!  They were dancing away... well, Teeny (baby A) was the wiggle worm!  Tiny was just calm and resting —waving an arm or two every few seconds.  But nothing like Teeny.  LOL!!  Teeny was trying to do back flips already.  hee hee  It was absolutely the best thing I've seen so far!!! :D

Teeny's heart rate was 174 at the 8 week check up and today, it was 179.  That was a surprise.  Tiny's heartbeat was right about the same, in the low 160's.

Because it was not an actual "sono appointment", we didn't get pictures printed out.  Now, I'm sure if I would have asked for some he would have done it for us, but since he took an extra long sono, so we could record it on our phone, I didn't want to ask for more.  And, unfortunately, Chris thought he was recording all the movements and wiggles but then realized that he somehow stopped recording six seconds into it. :(  Thankfully, Dr. R was waiting for us in his office, to answer my list of questions, and was willing to come back in and do another sono for us to record.  Again, unfortunately, during the second sono, Teeny was already done with the "show" and was back to resting.  So, the recording we have does not have the same wiggle-wiggle movements that we saw the first time. :(  BUT... we love having that memory between just the two of us.  We will never forget that moment!

A screen shot from the recording we got. 

So, about the many questions that I had for Dr. R...


Basically, I want a VERY natural birth experience.  Now, I am aware that things can come up and change what I want.  However, my goal is to have someone with the same goals, or be just as supportive.  Dr. R is only 100% on board with that plan as long as both babies are head down.  He says that if one baby is breech then it's a scheduled c-section.  He said there is no time frame requirements and that he will confirm baby positions up until I go in to labor.  But I really really really don't like that he doesn't even try to turn them before going through with a c-section.  :(

I had/have a midwife in mind and I hear that she is the best midwife, when it comes to delivering twins.  I was all on board with looking into a home birth even...  But now, after hearing all the "scary" scenarios that Dr. R presented, Chris is not so much on board with me anymore.  Honestly, even I didn't feel so sure after hearing what Dr. R said.  However, I know that, if I still took time to talk with the midwife, she would, more than likely, be able to have better scenarios to present to us because it's her area of expertise.

I feel like Dr. R told us what he did because he does not agree or even understand the point in birthing at home.  He did say, however, that if I was pregnant with a singleton then  he would say that was a great option for us.  But that because it's twins it just shouldn't even be an option.  He compared it to buckling up our kids in the car or not letting them ride in the front seat.  He said that we could choose not to buckle our child in the car because we might not experience a car accident... but we just don't even take that chance because of the serious risk it would be.  Same with a twin home birth, he says.  There is that slight possibility that everything could go well but why even take that chance?!  —The risks would be too great to chance it.  He said that he's been my doctor for a very long time and he knows all that we've gone through to get to this point —pregnant.  He wants everything to go as smoothly as possible, with the best possible results.

So, can you see how it jolted my thoughts just a bit.  I agree with what he says... BUT it's hard for me to accept that it's the only option.  He says that a twin pregnancy is a high-risk pregnancy.  I have a hard time agreeing with that too.  I see it as a pregnancy... because I believe that there can be very normal, healthy, twin pregnancies.

I don't know.  I need to talk things over with my bff (who's an awesome doula!!).  I'm sure she'll be able to help me sift through all these confusing thoughts.  BUT all in all, I was happy to see Dr. R again and share our excitement.

Our next appointment with Dr. R is scheduled for Christmas Eve, at 9:15am.  What a GREAT Christmas present... seeing and hearing our little Twinkies again!