I Heard Baby's Heart Beat

It's 8am, Friday and i have an appointment at the polyclinic at 8:20am.


Both me and Z found it diff to wake up. i nagged and nagged at him to go and shower cos he takes like 30min in the bathroom.


I, on the other hand, was ready in 10min (ok maybe 15min). I hate to be late. esp for clinical appts and esp at polyclinics cos they'd make u wait if u missed ur slot. I dashed out (w/o Z), hailed a cab, paid $4.30 and reached there with 2 min to spare!

OK ... so i cheated a bit. I have never in my life, cut a queue before. This shall be the first. But you would too if you were me. See... At the registration line, there are 3 computer panels to scan your IC to get your number. One officer was attending to an elderly man helping him thru the procedure with 6 others behind him. What the?

I just walked up quickly to one machine, pressed English and scanned my appointment card and grabbed the Q ticket. Less than 8sec! At that, the pple behind in the Q also started going to the other machine.

BUt the nurse took a long time to call me. And then i took a long time to do my urine test in the toilet.





Guess what? i actually lost 1.5kg! The nurse was very worried bcos its not like i keep vomitting out my food or what. So i told her that im fasting and she, a malay muslim elderly lady, reprimanded me for doing so! She said something to this effect, "Fasting is not good for you.. Later, the baby won't grow." BULL!



Ok... not 100% BS... I know they are just trying to cover their backs but still... I read an article that whatever it is my body will prioritise nutritions to the baby FIRST. Anyways, I told her that if i felt that i couldn't take it, i broke my fast. Total now 5 days i missed.



The irony is that, normally i would even actually GAIN weight during fasting month because of the heavy morning meal and break fast... how come when i'm pregnant i lost weight? So funny.



So next was seeing the gynae herself. It's another Indian lady but not the one who was chatting on Skype. This one was very nice.


Firstly Z complained to her about me fasting and might be hampering the baby's growth. However, the doc said that she couldn't comment much on religious matter (that some believed that if a pregnant lady fasts would be much better for the baby and such). Did say that if i could do it some other time (ie qada') then better still but agree that if i felt i cldnt take it, should break the fast.


However, she was also against Z telling me i shldnt fast tmrw, said it would traumatise me. I so agree bcos im torn between what my family say and what my hub say. Traumatizing indeed! Hence, the compromise like what im doing presently.


Next, she explained about my blood test report. It was as i had feared. 3 readings were below the recommended range namely MCH and MCV and white blood cells are above the range if im not mistaken (wasn't given copy). Haemogoblin just managed to hit the lowest range.


I told her that when i was 12 yrs old, i was diagnosed with anaemia and was given iron tablets (which im sure i didnt take now that i think of it hahaha). She asked if any further tests were done if i had thalassemia. Nope there was not.


Fortunately, Zubair's blood was all peachy dandy. He was so proud of it. LOL. I hope that would balance it up for the baby. Hmmm i need to do research about this medical condition!!!


So she ordered me to do a further specific blood test for thalassemia, also gave me iron tablets. I complained to her of my constipation and that iron would make it worse. She said yeah indeed, just to take more fruits, vege n water. i decided i wld take it After Ramadhan ends.


NExt up was Scanning with the doppler to listen for baby's heart beat. I was sooo amazed at how she could locate the baby by just tapping her wrists lightly. But gosh it took a longggggggggg time to get the heart beat. ok maybe it was just over 3 - 4 min but it felt like a long time for an anxious parent. (WhAT? I'm actually gonna be a PARENT? *shivers*)


I hafta say the probing was VERY uncomfortable. The doc was poking me quite deeply searching for the baby. At one point the doc even said, "Where are you hiding, dear?" heheh so cute. then she also said, "If painful tell me ok." I said ok but in my heart i was saying, "Its ok, give it to me i'll bear with it, I just wanna hear the heart beat."


She explains to the nursing student / trainee that a baby's heartbeat is between 130 - 160, normal adult's is around 90(?).


Just as i thought i cldnt take the wait any longer, she said, "Ah there it is!" But it was there for just 2 seconds, really! She got in while probing near my belly button, facing down. She tried to get it again to let me hear, but baby's hiding again. Z proudly announced, "I heard it already. Cos im musician." Meaning he can easily recognise a beat of 160.


The doc attributed the difficulty in finding the heartbeat to age and position of baby... and then she added, "i think its fatty tummy lah." LOL! Most importantly, i felt a huge sense of RELIEF. My baby's alive! I was having bouts of paranoia that with my constant depression and weepiness as well as crankiness, it might affect baby's health or something...


Anyways, She sent me to the lab for blood test telling me to come back in another 4 weeks = 18th week then she will refer me to KK for my scanning!!! *dance around*


Next Appt: 24th October 08 @ 3pm. Hmmm i do believe that is the date i first msg Z on Love Happens! he he he.


Cost:

Consultation = $9
Antenatal package = $17.50
Thalassemia Screening Prog Stage 2 = $35.70!!!!
Folic Acid & Iron = $3

TOTAL : $65.20


*faint*