Houston, we have a Heartbeat!

Well, FINALLY I've heard it! The baby's heartbeat that is. It's been 12 long weeks, and I was SO looking forward to this morning's appointment.

I switched Dr's this time around. The other Dr delivered both boys, but something was always missing. After 2 pregnancies, and countless office visits, they still couldn't pronounce my name right. Okay, so this happens alot in my life, all the time in fact, but seriously after all the money I've paid you, and I've tried being polite about it, could you at least try. This wasn't the only reason... There was the fact that not just the first time around, but the second time too, and even 30 minutes before B was born, they were PUSHING me to have an epidural. Really pushing, and not respecting my wishes, my past experience, etc. So I decided not to deal with that again.

Instead I'm going to an awesome midwife. She's been great so far, and I've heard good things. She practices in an office with an OB/GYN but I never have to see him, and she will delivery me pretty much guaranteed (unless something goes really haywire-which I just don't anticipate). So I switched and the only down-side I thought, was that they don't to the early ultrasound (that fun internal one), so I couldn't hear the heartbeat last month at 8 weeks.

So, I go to my appointment today, at 9:45 am. I walked in the door at 9:46....oops 1 minute late. Do you know what time I made it out of the waiting room? 10:48. The midwife made it in to the exam room at 11, and by 11:09 I was back in my car. SERIOUSLY??? Yup, seriously. The full story gets even better....

At 10:40, I walked up to the receptionist to ask when I would be seen. After all, I had to pick-up T from school and needed time to get back there. Now, those of you that know me IRL, can imagine that cranky Mommy would be up there biting her head off, being rude and pushy. So what happened? When I tried to talk to her, no words came out, just tears running down my face. I couldn't spit the words out to ask. Who knows why....I'm an emotional basket case right now! 10 minutes later they called me back.

She walks in and asks me how I am. Thru tears (still) I tell her I was crying a lot less an hour ago. She apolgizes for the wait (that's good) and then complains about her tough/busy morning with all her sick patients and double-booked appointments (bad). Bad....because that's not my problem, and it's not what I want to hear right now. So we ran thru the basics, she took out the doppler and listened to the heartbeat, answered my questions and was gone. SERIOUSLY?? And how much is she gonna charge insurance for that? Can I charge her for my time? And my babysitter's time??

I really just wish that when you got there and checked in, they would tell you, "Oh, it's been a busy morning she's running x minutes behind." That gives you the warning you need, the option to reschedule if you have a busy morning, and it's just plain courteous! Maybe I could have run out, done my errands, and come back..... I think next month, I'm going to call first thing in the AM and see if she's running on time or is double-booked. I recall from my days as a dr office receptionist, that a few patients would do this so they didn't have to just sit there waiting (and wasting their time!).

On the plus side, the heartbeat was pure music to my ears. 160 beats per minute to be exact. I knew how much I wanted to hear it, and it didn't let me down. The relief flooded thru me, and more tears too! Only later, when talking to Steve, did he ask, "Just 1 heartbeat?" to which I said yes. I forgot he'd been joking, and other friends too, that we were going to have twin girls just to even things out around here!!! Oh my wouldn't that have been fun!

I think for a few minutes in all the emotion this morning, it also hit me how close I am to the original due date from when I misscarried earlier this year. Baby would have been here on 10/25.... so I'm sure that's adding to my emotional baggage!