In Tolerance

This morning I had to take my glucose tolerance test; or at least the baby version of that longer, fasting exam. If I pass this morning's test, there will be no need to take the fasting test.

I worried over this neurotically; I do not want to have gestational diabetes, and from what many of my friends have said it is OVER-diagnosed. So anyway, I drank down this little bottle of "glucola," which tasted exactly like Sprite, and was maybe even a little less sweet than the Sprite at Taco Cabana.

Part of my neurosis is just plain and simple insomnia. My hips still hurt if I lie on my side for too long -- like an hour, hell if you're trying to sleep -- and my mind just won't slow down. Yes, I do all my yogic work to slow it down. No, it doesn't always help. So I was up at 3 am researching pediatricians, so I'd have at least a name today for my doctor's nurse.

I love my doctor's nurse, Kathy. She is from New Orleans and is quite sassy, thorough, and competent.

So I zeroed in on two pediatricians, Samuel Mirrop, and Michael Bayer. Both featured somewhat prominently on austinmama.com and are taking new patients. I read all those mamas' reviews and comments on everything like that.

I don't really understand the whole immunization thing, but I hope to understand it someday. If you have any insights into that, like into WHY a parent wouldn't want their newborn or baby immunized, please explain to me. Maybe share with me some of your experiences and insights, dear readers. Oh, and circumcision. I don't want Hercules to be circumsized, and I think A is leaning in that direction also. What do you think?

I had to time my Sprite just right, so that I could deal with the pouring rain traffic, get to the office by 930, and have them draw blood precisely one hour from the moment I drank my glucose.

It rained like hell for about 45 minutes this morning, flooding Mopac (one of the freeways that connects North to South Austin) northbound -- it looked like a river as I drove past it, feeling sorry for the miles of backed-up drivers -- and my morning dj's were very unfunny today. I was almost 15 minutes late.

Anyway, my doctor was out delivering a baby this morning. So I had my blood drawn almost immediately (one of my top ten least favorite things to do) and had a great visit with nurse Kathy.

Baby's heartbeat was strong! And he kicked her little doppler device. "Hey! It's Aunt Kathy!" she said. My weight gain is going great. She told me she was totally impressed with how healthy I am and what great care I am taking with Hercules. We are in full-on class-taking mode, which pleased her. She kept saying that the prenatal yoga training I did was also great preparation; her daughter, coincidentally, was in the class with me.

Aside from being tired, and some heaviness in my lower abdomen, all seems well. Of course we'll find out from the battery of tests this morning if I have anemia, or diabetes, or whatever. Since my doctor was out of the office temporarily, I had the option of waiting a few minutes to see her or the nurse-midwife, or of going home. I was soooo tired I opted to go home. And regretted it immediately. Why not get an exam? My terror of miscarriage has been replaced with terror of Pre-Term Labor.

So I called and left a message for Kathy, then passed out for two hours. When I woke, I found that she had called and was willing to squeeze me in today, adding, "I was so hoping you were going to just relax and enjoy your pregnancy!" Since I call her every week with some new fear. Which I will never hesitate to do. And which she always honors, and I appreciate that.

So now I'm going in tomorrow afternoon to get my exam. And why not? I can find out that my cervix is still firm and that I'm nowhere near going into Pre-Term Labor and have a great time at my baby shower this weekend.

So there!

Meanwhile, we start our Hypnobirthing class tonight. I am super excited about it. I've been reading the book, and every time I start reading about Hypnobirthing I feel...so relaxed...so calm...so reassured...it's like I get sleepy...very sleepy...and...so...

You think I'm kidding, but I'm not! I am really into how they have changed the language of childbirth. Instead of "contractions" women have "uterine surges" or rushes. Instead of "effacing" or "dilating" the cervix is "thinning" and "opening." Just stuff like that.