We had our first midwife appointment this morning. Unfortunately, since one of the two midwives was attending a birth in the hospital, things were backed up. We spent the first half hour filling out paperwork on and off. Then we waited for another 20 minutes. Then Nutella went to weigh herself and pee on a urinalysis stick. When she came back to the waiting area, she told me there was no protein in her pee but her glucose level was as high as it could go. We both thought this was strange since she passed the 28-week glucose test with flying colors (118 with a cutoff of 130) Then a student midwife (registered nurse in midwifery training) took us to a room and did a 20 minute interview about health history, etc. Then we waited some more until the midwife was finally able to see us.
This next portion of the appointment was thankfully quick. The midwife looked over all the historical notes and asked a few questions. Then she listened to the baby’s heartbeat (150bpm) and measured fundal height, declaring it “just perfect” which I take to mean 31cm at 31 weeks. She was a bit perturbed at the glucose in Nutella’s urine, asking what she had for breakfast. The answer to that is frosted mini-wheats and lactaid milk. The midwife thought that might have been enough for that much sugar to “spill.” And then we were pretty much done. Next appt at 33 weeks.
Before leaving, Nutella went to the bathroom and peed on another stick. This time, no glucose appeared in her urine. We told the midwife who said her body is handling sugar just the way it should then…quickly!
Finally, it surprises me when healthcare professionals are still shocked when they see lesbians. There’s always that intial second or two of the deer-in-headlights look, although they don’t seem to have any problems with it. In this day and age (and specifically in the area in which we live), I expect it to be a complete non-issue, don’t bat an eyelash sort of thing. Guess we’re just not there yet.
Third Bradley class tonight. Many thanks to the instructor for sending out articles on what it means to be a father.
1 In Vermillion 
Strawberry you will make a wonderful father. Smile. These things crack me up.
Oh my. People are so clueless. I am glad all is well with the baby!
I’m still shocked by the deer in the headlights thing too. I guess I just assume they’ve actually met a lesbian before. I’m glad the appointment went well–good luck at Bradley!
congratulations on the healthy pregnancy you two! that’s wonderful news to hear.
i know the feeling about the lack of immediate understanding. ugh. i often think about giving a graphic description to SPELL IT OUT FOR THEM…but i usually decide it’s just not worth my time or effort.
I am not surprised by the highlight eyes, but I do live in the midwest and it is hard enough to find a doctor that will treat us, let alone not be phased. Interesting about the glucose…guess everything is okay!
I wish it wasn’t such a shock to people. I wish we were at that point where people could just look at us normal but it’s not there. No matter how much we thing things are coming around there will always be someone just around the corner to remind us we are different! It’s too bad really.
yeah, we deal with quite a bit of cluelessness. i feel that if one more person refers to our donor as “the father”, i just may scream.
no one seems to draw the connection that donor does not mean father. it’s annoying and i get tired of constantly correcting people!
Your Bradley instructor is killing me! It’s like a ‘Big Gay Sketch Show’ episode or something.
I know the look you mean, and I wish it wasn’t so. At least they get past it quickly, but there’s definitely a long way to go.
About the deer in the headlights look…It would be nice if people were not shocked by a very loving couple who just happen to both be female. However, I think that society still has most folks so ingrained with the idea that a couple is male/female that those looks will continue. I hope that one day in the not-too-distant future society will stop expecting everyone to be the same.
I hate that deer in the headlights look. I hate it worse when someone assumes that I am just dependent on my gal pal to come to my appointments with me. A nurse actually giggled today when she thought I was having my friend accompany me into the examination room. Ugh.
As for the expectant father issue, I have no words.