Sometimes this child is SO active that I wish it would calm down a bit! I wouldn't necessarily say it moves at certain times during the day, but I generally feel it around lunchtime and then some time during the night - any where from 2:00 to 7:00 in the morning. I don't mind the 7:00 times, but if it is rather forceful at 2:00, I would rather it was sleeping so that I could sleep! The other night, the moevements were so strong, I swear I was feeling a body part - most likely the head based on the position. That's a bit creepy for me. It's more like an alien than a child then to me. Something is trying to come out of me - straight through the abdomen.
Otherwise, in answer to the most frequently asked question, I am feeling fine. Tired because of not enough sleep, but I think that is the only reason. We only have 12 weeks to go!
May 16, 2007
The cutest little fetus face
Here's the picture Sarah mentioned in her last blog entry - the one from our latest ultrasound that we had last week that shows Baby's face from the front.
In the picture, Baby app
ears to be sleeping and quite peaceful and serene. But, as I can attest to, it is often active and moving. The other night, Sarah was awake around 2:00 or 3:00 and said Baby was moving forcefully. I put my hand on her stomach and felt a swift kick or jerking from some body part!
We visited the doctor yesterday morning for the follow-up to this ultrasound. She said that a baby's movement is only a sign of health. She also remarked that Baby is big for this stage of the pregnancy! Our fears of a difficult birth are only growing. My theory is that it's like putting lots of fertilizer in the garden - the plants then grow extra large - so I've told Sarah to stop eating so many healthy things so Baby doesn't grow abnormally big!
I also asked if I would be allowed in the delivery room. The doctor said I was allowed everywhere, even in the operating room if they have to do a C-section. She said, however, that gone are the days of fathers having to wear the whole hospital scrubs and masks and all. That was what I was looking forward to - dressing up and playing doctor! The whole fun of it is coming out of the delivery room into the waiting room and ripping the mask off a sweaty face and exclaiming, "It's a boy/girl!"
We're off tomorrow on a long road trip to Normandy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany with future Aunt Lora. Baby is already well-traveled!
In the picture, Baby app
ears to be sleeping and quite peaceful and serene. But, as I can attest to, it is often active and moving. The other night, Sarah was awake around 2:00 or 3:00 and said Baby was moving forcefully. I put my hand on her stomach and felt a swift kick or jerking from some body part!We visited the doctor yesterday morning for the follow-up to this ultrasound. She said that a baby's movement is only a sign of health. She also remarked that Baby is big for this stage of the pregnancy! Our fears of a difficult birth are only growing. My theory is that it's like putting lots of fertilizer in the garden - the plants then grow extra large - so I've told Sarah to stop eating so many healthy things so Baby doesn't grow abnormally big!
I also asked if I would be allowed in the delivery room. The doctor said I was allowed everywhere, even in the operating room if they have to do a C-section. She said, however, that gone are the days of fathers having to wear the whole hospital scrubs and masks and all. That was what I was looking forward to - dressing up and playing doctor! The whole fun of it is coming out of the delivery room into the waiting room and ripping the mask off a sweaty face and exclaiming, "It's a boy/girl!"
We're off tomorrow on a long road trip to Normandy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany with future Aunt Lora. Baby is already well-traveled!
May 13, 2007
Mother's Day
Stephen got me a gift for Mother's Day as a Mother to be. It made me a little teary-eyed. Sometimes, I really can't believe that this is happening and I wonder, "Do we really know what we have gotten into?" We will have to share a picture of this gift, but it might be a while. We leave on Thursday for a road trip through France. This picture is from our most recent trip to France - which included a side trip to Chartres to view the catherdral there.We had another ultrsound on Thursday to check the progress of the baby's thryoid (since I have a low active one). Everything looks good they said. The baby is now approximately 1.2 kilos. It will be around 2.8-3.6 kilograms at birth the technician told us. Supposedly, we are right on track. We also have a picture to share from that but that may also take a while! It's a cute frontal view of the face. Hard to tell who it really looks like, personally.
May 2, 2007
Things are lining up...
We now have a pediatrician! I wouldn't have known really that I needed to look for one in advance except the paperwork for the clinic asked for the name of your pediatrician. So our doctor recommended three names; I managed to find two of them in the phone book (guessed well enough at the spelling of their names); called one and she was accepting new patients. So we have a prenatal appointment the first week of June. Stephen doesn't quite get why we need to go, but the receptionist (with her limited English) said usually one should come in 2 months before the due date. I think it is mainly just to meet this person. One more thing taken care.
We are supposed to start our prenatal classes (in English) in June, but I haven't been able to get the start date confirmed. That is making me a little nervous, but the Swiss are usually good about getting back to you.
An American whose two children were born here told us today that because our baby is being born in Switzerland, if our child does not marry an American and is not living in the US when they have a child, our potential grandchild would not automatically have US citizenship. Interesting and strange ...some things you never think about - and wonder who comes up with these rules!
We are supposed to start our prenatal classes (in English) in June, but I haven't been able to get the start date confirmed. That is making me a little nervous, but the Swiss are usually good about getting back to you.
An American whose two children were born here told us today that because our baby is being born in Switzerland, if our child does not marry an American and is not living in the US when they have a child, our potential grandchild would not automatically have US citizenship. Interesting and strange ...some things you never think about - and wonder who comes up with these rules!
April 28, 2007
Baby Stuff
Time is flying by. We basically only have 3 months to go. As we get into warmer clothes, people are commenting on my size - I think mostly because they can see more! As you can see from the picture attached, I am getting as big as the domes of this cathedral! (According to Stephen, that is!)
We are trying to figure out what 'accoutrements' we need. Trying not to buy everything (partly because of knowing we will move, also cost is a factor). Two Saturdays ago we went to a baby shop Stephen had found in France. The number of stroller options is amazing. We have basically figured out that we want a three - in -one: a bassinet/carrycot that straps on to the stroller with the car seat that you can strap on instead and then the stroller finally acting as a stroller for an older kid. These things are really expensive though and there are lots ot brands too. I am part of this e-mail group for moms in Switzerland and sometimes people post things for sale there. But we haven't gotten anything that way and it's hard to tell from pictures if what they are selling is what we want exactly. I don't really want to buy new, but I feel limited here in finding used things.
We do now have one useful item - a baby bathtub! We had gone to dinner at one of Stephen's former co-workers and they passed along their bathtub. So one thing down! (We are also collecting an assortment of clothes....) Pricing diapers has also been interesting...that is certainly a cost outlay. We may look into a more ecological option!
On our visit to Mosocw, I think I really wore myself out one day - we ended up resting most of the afternoon and Stephen did some things on his own. I know I have to take it easy - it's just hard to not be able to do everything you want to do! But Stephen is being very patient with me which I appreciate!
April 15, 2007
Those elegant French speakers
On Thursday we had another check-up with the baby doctor. Its main purpose was for Sarah to take the screening test for diabetes that one can contract during pregnancy. This involved drinking a sugar powder dissolved in water an hour before the appointment and the drawing of blood. The check-up was also to follow up with us on the major ultrasound we had a few weeks ago. All is normal and well from that, the doctor said. She didn’t do another ultrasound herself because this other one had been done a few weeks ago, and she didn’t feel listening to the baby’s heartbeat was necessary at this visit either because she feels the baby is moving enough. Sarah says the baby is moving a lot. We found out yesterday that the results from the diabetes screening were normal – no further tests are necessary. But with the baby moving a lot, you’d think that Baby is on a sugar high a lot from something, wouldn’t you? I don’t think Sarah has cut back on her chocolate consumption during this pregnancy (we found a good flavor of a favorite brand in Copenhagen last weekend). Spending these nine months in the womb in Switzerland, Baby will be used to Swiss cheese and chocolate before it is born!
While at the doctor’s, she asked Sarah if her assistant had taken a urine sample, using that very word. But then, as the conversation continued, she switched to using the word “pee-pee” and used it several times thereafter, never using “urine” again. I thought this was so funny. Of course, the doctor speaks with a French accent, and French speakers can make anything sound elegant, even talk about “le pee-pee” or “le poo-poo.” (I saw a great commercial in French a few months ago that explained the two flush buttons – one big, one small – on our toilet and many other toilets in Europe: A real-estate agent was showing a couple a house, and in the bathroom he pointed to the two buttons that delivered big and small flushes for – you can guess – either “le pee-pee” or “le poo-poo.”) Sorry, I know some may be disgusted by talk of this, but I think we’ve got the best terminology in French for dealing with a toddler!
There was also talk at the doctor about Sarah’s size. I’ve noticed in the past few weeks that she is looking big, but, you know, I haven’t been around pregnant women a lot before to know how one’s physical growth progresses over the months. The doctor said Sarah has gained a normal amount of weight at this stage, but she also said if one grows large during pregnancy, that means one could have a big baby. If we didn’t have anything to worry about in this pregnancy before, now we’re worried about having a large baby (well, I’m worried for Sarah having to deliver a big baby). But what can we do?
Now the search is on for a pediatrician. The baby doctor recommended a few. There are many things to line up and get in place for the delivery – all the arrangements (including a sort of rendez-vous) at the clinic, making sure all the right doctors will be there, etc. Again, after living in Europe for several years and learning about the Middle Ages so much here, I keep asking how women during that time managed to have babies. They didn’t have regular doctor visits and have to worry about getting everything lined up for the delivery. And all the mail from our insurance company! Luckily Sarah’s in charge of processing all the bills and reimbursements (if you think an insurance company’s bureaucracy and paperwork is hard enough, try doing most of it in French!).
While at the doctor’s, she asked Sarah if her assistant had taken a urine sample, using that very word. But then, as the conversation continued, she switched to using the word “pee-pee” and used it several times thereafter, never using “urine” again. I thought this was so funny. Of course, the doctor speaks with a French accent, and French speakers can make anything sound elegant, even talk about “le pee-pee” or “le poo-poo.” (I saw a great commercial in French a few months ago that explained the two flush buttons – one big, one small – on our toilet and many other toilets in Europe: A real-estate agent was showing a couple a house, and in the bathroom he pointed to the two buttons that delivered big and small flushes for – you can guess – either “le pee-pee” or “le poo-poo.”) Sorry, I know some may be disgusted by talk of this, but I think we’ve got the best terminology in French for dealing with a toddler!
There was also talk at the doctor about Sarah’s size. I’ve noticed in the past few weeks that she is looking big, but, you know, I haven’t been around pregnant women a lot before to know how one’s physical growth progresses over the months. The doctor said Sarah has gained a normal amount of weight at this stage, but she also said if one grows large during pregnancy, that means one could have a big baby. If we didn’t have anything to worry about in this pregnancy before, now we’re worried about having a large baby (well, I’m worried for Sarah having to deliver a big baby). But what can we do?
Now the search is on for a pediatrician. The baby doctor recommended a few. There are many things to line up and get in place for the delivery – all the arrangements (including a sort of rendez-vous) at the clinic, making sure all the right doctors will be there, etc. Again, after living in Europe for several years and learning about the Middle Ages so much here, I keep asking how women during that time managed to have babies. They didn’t have regular doctor visits and have to worry about getting everything lined up for the delivery. And all the mail from our insurance company! Luckily Sarah’s in charge of processing all the bills and reimbursements (if you think an insurance company’s bureaucracy and paperwork is hard enough, try doing most of it in French!).
April 4, 2007
(Almost) Better than anywhere
In one of the books about pregnancy that we have, Sarah was reading the other day a section in which real people (supposedly) had their questions answered by the authors (doctors). One question was from a pregnant woman who wanted to take a long vacation in western Europe but was worried about the medical care available to her in that region should she need it.
Lest this would be you asking this question, lest you also think we are still living in the Middle Ages here, my answer to you, if you have any concerns about the medical care Sarah has received so far or will receive at the hospital/clinic where she will deliver, is in the survey that came out this week by Mercer Human Resource Consulting that puts Geneva - our home for the past 3 1/2 years - at a close number 2 for overall quality of life in the whole world. Geneva was beaten - but only by a hair - by Zurich. If it would make anybody feel better, we could consider Zurich for a delivery location - it's only 3 or so hours away. But then we would - or should - be considering German names for Baby, which is already confused enough by any reference in French to it.
Geneva has consistently ranked high in this annual survey, which has health care as one of its factors. Indeed, if you haven't figured it out yet, Baby's parents have been living high on the hog for the last few years with our European lifestyle and living as tourists in the heart of The Continent with salaries to match the high cost of living here, but still enough to allow us to take countless weekend trips all over the place (I must end this soon so I can prepare for our long weekend in Copenhagen). Bill at church has now started to request a slide show of all of our travels around Europe, which outnumber his, and he's been here a good seven years.
So, to conclude, not only will Baby be well-traveled before he/she is even born, but he/she is receiving adequate medical care and attention in this city of high standards for everything (you know, they even occasionally wipe down the signs with the street names on them so they don't get too dirty). Besides, Mommy is eating well and is also providing lots of in-utero mental nourishment in the form of concerts and cultural events that she and Daddy attend. With several more months of living here for us, why don't you join us for a visit and check out our great standard of living for yourself?
Lest this would be you asking this question, lest you also think we are still living in the Middle Ages here, my answer to you, if you have any concerns about the medical care Sarah has received so far or will receive at the hospital/clinic where she will deliver, is in the survey that came out this week by Mercer Human Resource Consulting that puts Geneva - our home for the past 3 1/2 years - at a close number 2 for overall quality of life in the whole world. Geneva was beaten - but only by a hair - by Zurich. If it would make anybody feel better, we could consider Zurich for a delivery location - it's only 3 or so hours away. But then we would - or should - be considering German names for Baby, which is already confused enough by any reference in French to it.
Geneva has consistently ranked high in this annual survey, which has health care as one of its factors. Indeed, if you haven't figured it out yet, Baby's parents have been living high on the hog for the last few years with our European lifestyle and living as tourists in the heart of The Continent with salaries to match the high cost of living here, but still enough to allow us to take countless weekend trips all over the place (I must end this soon so I can prepare for our long weekend in Copenhagen). Bill at church has now started to request a slide show of all of our travels around Europe, which outnumber his, and he's been here a good seven years.
So, to conclude, not only will Baby be well-traveled before he/she is even born, but he/she is receiving adequate medical care and attention in this city of high standards for everything (you know, they even occasionally wipe down the signs with the street names on them so they don't get too dirty). Besides, Mommy is eating well and is also providing lots of in-utero mental nourishment in the form of concerts and cultural events that she and Daddy attend. With several more months of living here for us, why don't you join us for a visit and check out our great standard of living for yourself?
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