first ultrasound!

Yesterday we had our first doctor appointment with the actual ob. He is awesome. I AM SO RELIEVED. I was afraid that Jeff and I would be reenacting Knocked Up and spend the next few weeks going from one doc to the next until we found one that I liked. Luckily, Dr. Chalmers is awesome. I don't know if he does this with every patient or if he just had extra time because I didn't have to get all the tests done (they were all done with the Fert Doc in Arizona) but he sat in the room and just talked to us for probably a half hour. Not just baby stuff, but what was going on in our lives, where were planned on living, etc. Then he asked if we had any questions about the pregnancy or if I had any ideas about how I wanted the delivery to go. I was glad he asked about that because I have been thinking about that part of the whole process since we first started trying over 2 years ago. When I told him that I didn't want an epidural and that I wanted to spend some time in the tub he was really cool about both. Even though he is an ob/gyn he has done over 100 water births! So, it sucks that the hospital here doesn't allow them, but at least he isn't close-minded about how deliveries should go. And he was AWESOME about me not wanting an epidural. He listed some of the risks that I have read about but I am glad Jeff heard them from a doc, not just me. Also, he said that he thinks it is a neater birth experience all around if a woman goes into it wanting a natural birth but also educated (as much as is actually possible) on how bad it is really going to hurt. So without hesitation he promised that we would not hear one word from him about getting an epidural. Such a relief! We aren't going to use a Doula, but I did ask the doc if he works with them and he said that he does and he thinks they can be great.

The ultrasound.
Okay seriously, probably the most amazing moment in my life thus far. And I am not being dramatic. Technically, it is still and embryo, and not even a fetus yet- BUT WE COULD SEE THE HEART BEAT! And then he checked to see if we could hear it and that was amazing. Jeff had the biggest smile on his face- it was cute. Dr. Chalmers said that at this stage, hearing and seeing the heartbeat and everything else looking good means that the possibility of miscarriage is reduced to about 1%. I like 1% a whole lot better than 15-20%. After the ultrasound, I haven't had any more moments where I start to wonder if I really am pregnant. Or the urge to run into the bathroom and take a pregnancy test. For the 5th time. Now we both know that I haven't just conjured all this up in my head!

Oh yeah, a couple of other things. The cyst on my right ovary is gone! Yay! And he used the wand and it wasn't a quarter as bad as at the fertility doc. THANK GOODNESS.