Tuesday, April 15, 2008

OB Appointment (with update: Nonstress Test)

So from now until Baby B arrives, I guess I get to be one of those women who's under the care of both a midwife and an OB. Interesting.

My OB - it still feels strange to type or say that - kind of looks like Lurch. While we were waiting at the hospital last week to meet him, Lillian warned us that he didn't have much of a bedside manner. However, I don't mind him at all. I know he's not there to placate me or hold my hand - he's there because something is a teensy bit abnormal at this stage of the pregnancy, and it's his job to minimize the consequences of that. To my eye, he's doing a great job.

So, I met Lillian at Dr. Lurch's office today to follow up on how I'm doing. I reported that I've been resting a lot and feeling a lot better for it. I don't have any of the secondary symptoms of pre-eclampsia (headaches, upper GI pain, vision disturbances), and my blood pressure is hovering right around the borderline (140/90). Dr. Lurch checked my blood pressure, urine, and the baby's heartrate, and everything is well on track. He wants me to continue what I'm doing (or more specifically, what I'm not doing), have nonstress tests twice a week, and wait for labour.

All sounds good to me!

EDIT: Another difference between obstetrical and midwifery care? I just got back from the first of the bi-weekly nonstress tests, and other than the fact that they obviously let me out of the hospital when it was done, I have no idea how it went. My blood pressure was taken twice while I was there but the results were not shared with me. Nor was the baby's heartrate, though I could hear that it sounded pretty similar to how it usually sounds, so I'm not worried. It's just different not to be included in the flow of information.

Surreal Moment:
Nurse: So, where do you work?
Me: Actually, I work for VIHA. I do data entry for Mental Health.
Nurse: Oh, so you work across the street [from the hospital]?
Me: Yep.
Nurse: And your membranes haven't ruptured?
Me: Uh, no.
Nurse: I used to know a woman who worked in Mental Health, her name was Melanie.
Me: Oh yeah.

2 comments:

Vanessa said...

I wasn't worried until I clicked on the link for a picture of Lurch...

=P

Kat said...

Just wanted to say that I read all your posts although I don't have much to say except stay on the sofa!!!

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