By Emily
Jackie loves figs. Littlewazz is the size of a fig. Next Wednesday, we get to check out the little fig at our first echo. I cannot wait!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Figs
By Emily
Jackie loves figs. Littlewazz is the size of a fig. Next Wednesday, we get to check out the little fig at our first echo. I cannot wait!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Hands Off
By Emily
Our first midwife appointment was a few weeks ago and it went well. We met one midwife who works in a team of four. We'll get to know two better and eventually meet all four and then at the birth we get whoever is on call. Assuming we like all the midwives, this shouldn't be a problem. At the appointment we discussed Jackie's medical history and answered some questions. The midwife took Jackie's blood pressure and that was the only medical thing that happened. She didn't even look or touch Jackie's belly/body! The Dutch system appears to be quite hands-off which is taking some getting used to. It does lend itself for me being more involved in Jackie's birth which I am seeing as a wonderful thing!
Last week Jackie had to give blood. SEVEN whole vials!! I went with her to the lab and surprisingly I felt ill and got sweaty from watching!! We don't know the results until mid March when we go back to the midwife and they are just testing for routine stuff.
Our next appointment is our first ultrasound on 18 Feb!! We are looking forward to actually seeing our little baby and hopefully hearing its heartbeat. I have to mention that J's belly is already showing and she's only 10weeks 3days - I keep telling her she has twins in there! Or just a giant viking baby:-)
Our first midwife appointment was a few weeks ago and it went well. We met one midwife who works in a team of four. We'll get to know two better and eventually meet all four and then at the birth we get whoever is on call. Assuming we like all the midwives, this shouldn't be a problem. At the appointment we discussed Jackie's medical history and answered some questions. The midwife took Jackie's blood pressure and that was the only medical thing that happened. She didn't even look or touch Jackie's belly/body! The Dutch system appears to be quite hands-off which is taking some getting used to. It does lend itself for me being more involved in Jackie's birth which I am seeing as a wonderful thing!
Last week Jackie had to give blood. SEVEN whole vials!! I went with her to the lab and surprisingly I felt ill and got sweaty from watching!! We don't know the results until mid March when we go back to the midwife and they are just testing for routine stuff.
Our next appointment is our first ultrasound on 18 Feb!! We are looking forward to actually seeing our little baby and hopefully hearing its heartbeat. I have to mention that J's belly is already showing and she's only 10weeks 3days - I keep telling her she has twins in there! Or just a giant viking baby:-)
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Obama's Inauguration
By Emily
Today Obama was inaugurated as our 44th president! What a historical day! I couldn't help wish I was in DC today as I watched the events unfold on tv. Obama's speech was incredibly moving and I finally feel optimistic about the future of the USA.
Today Obama was inaugurated as our 44th president! What a historical day! I couldn't help wish I was in DC today as I watched the events unfold on tv. Obama's speech was incredibly moving and I finally feel optimistic about the future of the USA.
Geboortecentrum
By Emily
A week from today we have our first midwife appointment!! Our ex neighbors and friends recommended a place called the Geboortecentrum (Birth Center). It's a less than 10 min bike ride from our home! The area is called the Birth Street because there is a baby store, toy store, birth course center, birth center and more - all in a super cute Amsterdam neighborhood. I'm really looking forward to our appointment, we'll be talking with our midwife for about an hour and I hope we get an ultrasound so we can see our little wazzberry! (BTW, our term wazz comes from combining parts of our lasts names.) I'm curious also about learning more personally about Dutch midwives and having a baby in the Netherlands. I have a feeling our experience here is going to spoil us should we ever have a baby in the USA!
A week from today we have our first midwife appointment!! Our ex neighbors and friends recommended a place called the Geboortecentrum (Birth Center). It's a less than 10 min bike ride from our home! The area is called the Birth Street because there is a baby store, toy store, birth course center, birth center and more - all in a super cute Amsterdam neighborhood. I'm really looking forward to our appointment, we'll be talking with our midwife for about an hour and I hope we get an ultrasound so we can see our little wazzberry! (BTW, our term wazz comes from combining parts of our lasts names.) I'm curious also about learning more personally about Dutch midwives and having a baby in the Netherlands. I have a feeling our experience here is going to spoil us should we ever have a baby in the USA!
BFP
By Emily
Here are some photos of our Big Fat Positive.
Verification on Dutch digital HPT a few days later!
Here are some photos of our Big Fat Positive.
Verification on Dutch digital HPT a few days later!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
How we made our baby
December 11, 2008 was the big day!
Our huisarts' (GP) office.
We were surprised to see the size of the "dry shipper"! The tank is refrigerated with liquid nitrogen and surrounded by spongy material to prevent spillage.
The donor straw is held in a tube which is clipped to a metal support rod. The tube facilitates removing the straw from the 10 kilo tank. It was freezing!!
Here is the straw with our donor sperm! We could not believe such a small amount of sperm could make a baby!
Swim spermies swim!!
And that is how we made our baby on the Bloemgracht!!
Our huisarts' (GP) office.
We were surprised to see the size of the "dry shipper"! The tank is refrigerated with liquid nitrogen and surrounded by spongy material to prevent spillage.
The donor straw is held in a tube which is clipped to a metal support rod. The tube facilitates removing the straw from the 10 kilo tank. It was freezing!!
Here is the straw with our donor sperm! We could not believe such a small amount of sperm could make a baby!
Swim spermies swim!!
And that is how we made our baby on the Bloemgracht!!
emotions!
Today, according to how doctors calculate timings and due dates, I am at SIX weeks and ONE day into our pregnancy. Although, if we are going to be technical, the reality is that we inseminated on Thursday 11 December 2008 which truly makes today exactly FOUR weeks since the 11th! But who’s counting? Ok, ok, everybody is counting since exam and sonogram dates need to be scheduled not to mention the count down for my first sip of beeeeer ;) seriously, I’m not really that desperate for it – but isn’t it human nature to just always yearn for the things which are forbidden?!
I’ve been sitting here thinking of all the different emotions I’ve felt since the insemination, the positive test results and just knowing (or not knowing as the case may be) of what the future holds!
Some of the emotions I’ve felt (in no particular order):
• Excited – we’re going to have a family – holy sh*t !!!!!
• Anxious – Am I going to be a good parent? Will we be able to provide for the baby and ourselves sufficiently?!
• Curious – How much is this going to change everything?!
• Disbelief – it only hits me in waves that we are going to have a family – it still doesn’t seem real!
• Gratitude – thankful for Emily's love. I know I will continue learn a lot from her.
• Homesick – I realize more and more I want to be closer to our families and close friends as Em and I go through this wonderful event together! We want to share this with everyone
• Wonder – what a miracle this truly is!
• Nervous – but in a good way!
• Happy – Em and I are going to have a family together !! starting a family with the one I love feels great!!
My plan is took look into the midwife thing today! Or at least start it out. It isn’t until around the 10th week that we actually go in for any tests/sonogram with the midwife. Until then I just need to stay healthy, monitor and listen to my body!
I’ve been sitting here thinking of all the different emotions I’ve felt since the insemination, the positive test results and just knowing (or not knowing as the case may be) of what the future holds!
Some of the emotions I’ve felt (in no particular order):
• Excited – we’re going to have a family – holy sh*t !!!!!
• Anxious – Am I going to be a good parent? Will we be able to provide for the baby and ourselves sufficiently?!
• Curious – How much is this going to change everything?!
• Disbelief – it only hits me in waves that we are going to have a family – it still doesn’t seem real!
• Gratitude – thankful for Emily's love. I know I will continue learn a lot from her.
• Homesick – I realize more and more I want to be closer to our families and close friends as Em and I go through this wonderful event together! We want to share this with everyone
• Wonder – what a miracle this truly is!
• Nervous – but in a good way!
• Happy – Em and I are going to have a family together !! starting a family with the one I love feels great!!
My plan is took look into the midwife thing today! Or at least start it out. It isn’t until around the 10th week that we actually go in for any tests/sonogram with the midwife. Until then I just need to stay healthy, monitor and listen to my body!
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