Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Ultrasound and Bonus Conversation

First of all, thanks for your loving support. I'm in better space today. The house is still a wreck. The studying far from done. But... I'm not weepy. This is progress. And I was in bed for almost 12 hours last night, sleeping for a good chunk of that. That helped. I read in the bathtub and in bed this morning, also good and restful.

The ultrasound was fine. I found it a bit disappointing as the baby is now so crammed in there, and was, once again facing my back, so... little could be seen. Eventually she got a good shot of the profile (face) and viewed it in 3D and that's the shot we got to bring home. If we can figure it out we'll scan and post it. The only reason for doing the ultrasound was to check the placement of the placenta. Well, the tech really couldn't see the placenta. Which is good news. Because she could see the os, the opening to the cervix, and not one bit of placenta could be seen. So, we're clear for a home birth. Assuming all else continues to go well.

The heart rate was 154, we heard it loud and clear. And the baby was moving around a lot. Oh, and the baby is still head down.

The baby seems to have taken a liking to sticking its butt out. It happened during the ultrasound and it confirmed that that is what I had been experiencing in the bathtub earlier in the morning when a weird protrusion would pop up on the left side.

After the ultrasound I dropped Kev back on campus and then headed to the farmer's market which also houses an international grocery store. I found a sweet potato and chick pea curry recipe I wanted to try making and I needed tamarind paste to make it. The market is dubbed as "international", but it is really mostly Indian. (Did you know Pillsbury makes and sells frozen Naan- sweet!) Anyhow... I found the tamarind paste I needed and the naan, which I wanted, and then went to check out. The man at the counter asked if that was all I was getting and I said yes, and then he rang up the two items. But then I saw little bags of cashews and I said "I'll have one of these, too."

Kind Indian Grocer: He raised his eyebrows and then said "Is it for you?"

Pregnant Woman Seeking Protein: Yes.

K.I.G.: And you are pregnant?

P.W.S.P.: Yes.

K.I.G.: Cashews are not good for you then. They are too strong.

P.W.S.P.: Really? I hadn't read that.

K.I.G.: Yes, cashews, papayas, not good for the pregnant women.

P.W.S.P.: Oh, well, o.k. then... I guess I won't get them.

K.I.G.: I don't want to lose a sale, but I don't want to hurt you or your baby either.

P.W.S.P.: Well, thanks, I appreciate that.

K.I.G.: How many months are you?

P.W.S.P.: Well, I have five weeks to go.

K.I.G.: A month and a half then. And have you had the sonography? Do you know if it is a boy or if it is a girl?

P.W.S.P.: We have had ultrasounds, just had one in fact, but we did not find out the gend...

K.I.G.: A broad smile spreads across his face as he cuts me off. Oh this is good, very good, much better this way. It does not matter boy or girl. It only matters that the baby comes healthy and safely and the way babies are supposed to come and when the baby comes, boy or girl, you just thank God for it. Yes, thank God for the baby, it does not matter boy or girl.

P.W.S.P.: Yes.... either way it is a great gift.

He blessed me and sent me on my way.

4 comments:

LittleMary said...

super sweet:)

Sneaksleep said...

Yes, that's very sweet. Did you know that in India it's illegal for doctors to tell parents the gender of the baby before birth? Unfortunately not enough parents think like your Kind Indian Grocer, and if they knew they were having a girl, they might choose not to have it.

Sandwitchedin said...

What a wonderful conversation. Yes, thank God for a healthy baby (and Mama).

I remember not wanting pregnancy then nursing, then discovery of "firsts" to end. With the end of each stage comes an equally amazing stage of development, for both you and your baby. It is a forever kind of thing.

Love,
Aunt Debbie

daisy said...

what a wise, gentle man, anybody know anything about cashews? By the way I looked in Penney's catalog, they have the matress pads I mentioned, Love, mom Mamie to be, Daisy