Dr. V.

OK. Yesterday I found my OB! I had a strong intuition about this practice when I found it online, then heard from a friend who had a good experience with her natural birth in June with them. I haven't felt so taken care of in a long time, medically speaking. I mean, 3+ years ago, I didn't even know what it was to need medical care. Then I got quickly and traumatically schooled in all the ways that people don't care for you well.

Yesterday, I walked into a sanctuary-like practice in a converted warehouse building overlooking the Chicago River. The medical assistant kindly escorted me immediately to an exam room where she talked WITH me, not at me, and asked me to leave my clothes ON. They had a little desk area set up for me to complete my paperwork. I waited in the exam room for exactly 12 minutes, then Dr. V. came in with a genuine smile, sat down and took my hand, apologizing for keeping me waiting! (Which was more than the doctor last week did who had kept me waiting half-naked for two full hours.) She was so great right from the start. She struck the perfect balance between concern about my HELLP history, and seeing me as a woman, sitting before her with hopes and dreams about this pregnancy. She knew her pre-e stuff, which made me feel so safe. She did an ultrasound, which was cool since I've never had an early one before. It was fun to see the little shrimp that's inside of me, and whose heart is already beating. She said that the baby looks to be very healthy so far, and then she actually told me that because of that, my miscarriage risk drops from 20% to 5%. What OB says that? I felt so happy and relieved!!

Here's what she is doing already with regards to my HELLP history:

• Blood draw to test liver and kidney function as well as platelets (and other things, 6 vials in all).
• 24 hour urine to be collected the night before my 12 week appoinment.
• Continue on daily baby aspirin throughout the entire pregnancy.
• Taking this pregnancy one day at a time, viewing it as an unfolding journey and not getting too far ahead of ourselves. I loved that she said this!
• Monthly ultrasounds throughout the last trimester to look at the placenta, blood vessels and the baby's growth.

My next appointment with her is Nov. 5. She estimated my due date to be May 15. She's 30 weeks pregnant herself and I'll see the other women in her practice during her 6 week maternity leave. It's kind of fun having a pregnant OB! I also like that she will have had her own birth experience before she attends my birth. I can only imagine that it's her first baby because they PLANNED to have a winter baby. In Chicago. Her due date is a week after Gavin's birthday. Ugh. We promised ourselves no more winter babies after living through that hellish, frigid indoor entrapment in 2007! ;) 

I am so relieved, happy and relaxed. I feel like I can really get into this pregnancy now. When I first found out that I'm pregnant my immediate reaction was this total state of mental calm. I have that back. And it feels incredible!