First Trimester

Is pregnancy really this easy?

My first trimester was rather uneventful.  Bryon was gone in Texas for the majority of this period of time, but he didn't miss out on too much.  Fortunately, I didn't experience any of the common pregnancy side effects and symptoms.  Not a single day of morning sickness, no nausea, no mood swings, no food aversions, no cravings and no fatigue (not enough to interfere with my day at least).  

The most stressful part of the first trimester was deciding who to see and where I would deliver my baby.  Prior to becoming pregnant, we'd researched different birthing options and knew we wanted to pursue a natural, drug-free childbirth.  However, given where the military has stationed us (Barksdale AFB, LA), our options are pretty much non-existent.  I toured the most recommended hospital in town or "natural-friendly" birthing.  After being berated by the nurse and having her try to convince me that I was about to experience the most painful event of my life, as well as receiving a list of all of the "musts" that the hospital required (IV drip, electronic fetal monitoring, etc.), I nearly started to cry as I walked out of the hospital doors.  This wasn't what I wanted.

I'd have loved to have pursued a midwife, but there isn't a single midwife (CNM or CPM) in the area.  No midwives, no birthing centers.  I visited the closest birthing center with a midwife - which was able an hour away and across the TX border.  She was the only option within an hour radius of town, but I felt uneasy about not having a handful of midwives to choose from.  I also felt uneasy about the hour drive it would take just to get to her birthing center for delivery.  Add to that, the fact that she prefers driving emergency births back to Shreveport, if possible, because the local hospital that is across the street from her birthing center isn't the greatest.  Needless to say, I just couldn't bring myself to feel comfortable with her services/center for my delivery either.

I decided instead to research OB's in the area that were open to natural birthing techniques.  There were about 4 that were recommended - and of those, I'd say none were as open to "natural" of a birthing experience as we would have liked.  I contacted the OB who was the #1 recommendation by everyone I'd spoken with - just to find out that she was retiring at the end of 2011.  ("Of course she is!")  I quickly pursued a referral from our insurance to the #2 recommendation.  I was able to get my referral, but by the time it came in the mail, the doctor said I was too far along for her to see me (I was approaching my last week of my 1st trimester and she couldn't get me in that week, and she did not see patients who hadn't been in for prenatal exams during their 1st trimester).  I was ready to give up.  I simply picked a random OB from the remainder of the list, called in to Tricare for my referral and booked my appointment - hoping for the best.

Bryon flew back to Louisiana on the day of my first prenatal appointment.  After sitting for 1 1/2 hours in the waiting room, he became impatient and asked what was going on.  The receptionist replied, "Lindsey's up next in line for her ultrasound."  "Wait, what?  Ultrasound?!?!"  That was almost the end of our experience at this OB!  We quickly informed the girl that we didn't want an ultrasound, but she kept insisting that EVERYONE is required to get an ultrasound on their first visit.  We were able to convince the receptionist that we just wanted to speak with the OB and have a consult prior to agreeing to any tests or screenings.  Luckily, we were able to meet Dr. Bellmann.

Dr. Bellmann seemed opposed to our desires to not have any ultrasounds - not to mention her reaction to us declining the use of Doppler to hear the fetal heartbeat.  She asked me, "How am I supposed to know there is a baby inside of you?"  I replied, "The same way I do.  Believing in the bloodwork and urine analysis."  She agreed to monitor my pregnancy as best as she could, without using modern technology (unless an emergency situation arises).  Ever since, our prenatal appointments have been pretty boring.  At each visit, she jokingly states, "As an OB, you two are going to be the death of me!"  We don't see sonograms; we don't hear heartbeats.  I haven't gained weight, so we don't even see physical changes yet.

Everybody always complains about the ill side effects of pregnancy.  I'm beginning to think it's all a hoax.  Is pregnancy really this easy?