Monday 13 July 2009

Into the wild

In just two days we get to have another look at little Fitz.

Hopefully little Fitz will actually be twice-as-big-as-the-last-time Fitz, we are looking for a whole extra centimetre growth.

It might not seem much to most of us out here, but that is a doubling in size within a week and a half, something even Kirstie Alley would be impressed with.

"Why so many ultrasounds?" I hear you cry, or briefly wonder at least.

We're special. That's why.

We are still under the care of the infertility clinic at the hospital, and they like to check twice that everything looks okay. The second of those checks is Wednesday.

After which, all going well, they gently pick us up in their cupped hands, taking care not to squash us, walk to the open window, and let us fly off on our own.

Pregnant and in the wild, looking for assistance.

As much as we didn't want to be there in the first place, as much as we failed to get any hint of a personal touch from 90% of the people we encountered there, and as much as it will be fantastic to be able to go about a 'normal' pregnancy, it will be a little sad to leave them behind.

No amount of relaxing, holidaying, God, well wishing, or pagan rock fornication worked, nor ever would. They made this happen. Medical professionals & medical procedures that we are very grateful to have had access to.

With our backs to that door, we will have a shed load of things to arrange, from finding and having a first consult with a midwife, to begging our respective employers not to fire us for wanting parental leave, to raising the bloody bed to a health & safety accepted height for any nurse visits.

Trust me, from what I've learned so far, squeezing a little Fitz out of ET's nether regions and into the Netherlands is going to be eventful.


42 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the scan and with all that stuff you have to arrange. I am once again grateful to our NHS (even if I chose not to use it last time).

Ms. Moon said...

You will all be fine and I hope you find a midwife you can be happy with, who makes you feel comfortable and safe. Such a journey!

morninglight mama said...

What an exciting stage-- I loved the midwives who helped my three kids come into the world. Now the real fun begins, right?? Here's to the next few months being as stress-free as possible!

AnnD said...

Oooo! I can't wait to read your post after Wednesday's scan!

And as fun as they are, if you are getting a lot in the U.S. it usually means things aren't going well. (As you probably already know)

I hope you find the perfect midwife to bring Lil' Fitz into the world!

..al said...

Liked the way you stated...after this Wednesday, ET and you would be released to the OB? Wow!

Hope Wednesday goes fine! And good luck finding good care for the days ahead!

Mwa said...

It's so nice of them to keep you reassured like that. What a wonderful thing to do.

Childbirth in the Netherlands is indeed a freaky thing. That bed raising thing always puzzles me. They sell kits or something, don't they?

In any case - best of luck! All the Dutch babies I know came out fine. And tall.

Angel said...

I totally get the number of ultrasounds. It would only be wise to be careful right now. I mean, they never really figured out why it was so hard for the two of you to conceive, so it's better safe than sorry, at least for the first trimester. (Which you've almost cleared! Yay!)
My fingers are crossed that Little Fitz has hit a growth spurt like no other! Although, my cousin recently gave birth to a 10lb 10oz. baby. I'm not wishing that on ET or anyone!

MissyBoo said...

Looking forward to hearing about the growth of Lil Fitz on Wednesday :)

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

I thought maybe if I went AWOL you might have a bit of luck but so much for that 'logic' - good luck with the scan!

Amber said...

Eventful. Thats the understatement of the decade. Good luck with the scan :D

Jason Roth said...

Best wishes for a good scan.

Deb said...

I like seeing the little beans as often as possible and have been known to beg for more ultrasounds. Parenting knows no shame.

Bonnie B. said...

"Pagan rock fornication" might just be my favorite phrase ever (and fun to do, too!)

How's ET feeling? Still ready to *ralph* on your shoes??

Jenni said...

Good luck! Let the games begin!

Kori said...

You have such a clever way of putting things; eventful indeed!

AnnB said...

Hurray for Medical science - I say. We'd certainly be up the proverbial creek without a water displacement device, if it weren't for the wonders of modern medicine. The transition to normal is scary and exciting - enjoy!

Rachel said...

You say 'eventful.' I'm sure ET will have other phrases to describe it all...
can't wait to hear about the scan on Wednesday!

Edith said...

It will be scary out there on your own... :)

And you thought trying to get pregnant was the difficult part! ;)

I'm very tired lately, but I'm really happy for you both that things are going so well!

steph said...

Being 'special' does have it's benefits.

Enjoy the pampering and ten fingers and toes crossed for Wednesday.

Blues said...

pagan rock fornication? Holy crap, I've been trying to find geological porn. I'm running out of ideas of here. Excuse me while I dig into your archives.

IrishNYC said...

In the beginning I used to wonder why so many ultrasounds. Then weeks went by where I didn't have any, and I wasn't yet feeling movement. There was nothing I wanted more than more ultrasounds.

Enjoy them while you're getting them.

James (SeattleDad) said...

I sometimes come to your posts and expect it to again be about infertility. Amazing to realize again that you guys did it.

Congrats, again.

Jared said...

9 weeks already? Wow how time flies! Congrats again to you too!

Anonymous said...

Lookin' forward to Wednesday's update!

Tara R. said...

This has been an amazing journey to follow, and I'm looking forward to so many more wonderful moments for you all.

mammydiaries said...

I have this image in my head of Adam and Eve, Naked and huddling together outside the garden.

Best of luck to you both.

michelle said...

I always found the ultrasounds ultraexciting. The whole thing is such an adventure. I loved every minute of every pregnancy. As did my husband. I think.

Veronica said...

Pagan rock fornication? Well that's obviously where you were going wrong. Rocks can't get you pregnant silly.

Not long now!

RRP said...

As always, thinking of you guys and hoping all looks delightful on Wednesday.

Wouldn't it be fun if you came to the US of A in a year and Fitz had a little friend to play with? Maybe an American solemate?

Ahh hopeful thinking.

Martin said...

@bsouth - Thanks.

@Ms. Moon - Fun times!

@morninglight mama - yeah, inyteresting times ahead for sure.

@AnnD - we shall see!

@WiseGuy - Thanks :-)

@Mwa - haha, it's more for them than us I dare say.
And it won't, or rather can't, be a Dutch baby.

@Angel - good size that, for a turkey.

@M+B - Same bat channel.

@Quickroute -
I thought maybe if I went AWOL you might have a bit of luck but so much for that 'logic' - good luck with the scan!

13 July 2009 14:59
@Amber - thanks!

@iVegasFamily - Cheers, sir.

@Deb - it is nice to have a look

@Bonnie B. - she's fine, tired, but fine.

@Jenni - bring em on!

@Kori - reality!

@AnnB - that's really what it comes down to, another place and time, and we wouldn't be here.
Scary.

@Rachel - most ofthem begining with 'F...'

@Edith - and likewise :-)

@steph - Thanks!

@Blues - Godspeed!

@IrishNYC - yeah, we will!

@James (SeattleDad) - It often feels like Im not writing posts at all any more.
These posts seem to get written without blood on the fingers.
Strange.

@Jared - Thanks Sir!

@iamstacey - hehe

@Tara R. - aint over yet!

@mammydiaries - we are very pale aren't we?

@michelle - I'm guessing he just agreed with you a lot eh?
;-)

@Veronica - 25 hours 25 minutes...

@RRP - My guess is a year from now we won't be travelling TOO far ;-)

Anonymous said...

Being released from the care of our fertility clinic was a scary thing and I don't think I quit biting my nails for quite a few weeks afterward.

Good luck finding the perfect arrangements for you and ET! And good luck with tomorrow's ultrasound!

Anonymous said...

I hope you find a great midwife! They make all the difference in the world helping you go from a medical mindset about pregnancy/birth to a human, social, maybe spiritual one.

Then, unfortunately, you'll feel the same separation anxiety over the midwife after Fitz is born.... I terribly still miss my OB/GYN that helped me get preggers and my midwife...

Putz said...

i remember this stage....yep, the stay around home stage so nothing gets bummped jostled overdonne over exhuberated......i liked this stage cause i was always a home body...

Putz said...

oh and of course all the best to litlle moranencantaknker mer alias fritz

Jill said...

I swear that the only fun thing about seeing the fertility specialist was the insane number of ultrasounds I had during the 1st trimester. He had me come in every single week until I was in my 2nd trimester (of course, I was in India and I had a note telling the doctor here to follow his protocol). He said it was to help alleviate the fears of the pregnant mom.

I wouldn't say it alleviated my fears (I was still neurotic about having another miscarriage), but it sure did help!

Chelsea Lietz said...

Any chance you'll post a photo of Little Fitz this time?

Martin said...

@Quickroute - Er, you might need to read a bit closer... :-)

@expatswede - It's a funny fear!

@geeksinrome - Agggggggggggh. But thanks!

@Putz - Thank you Mt Putz, it's appreciated.

@Jill - It's nice now and again, I just want to see the progress.

@Chelsea Lietz - 'this time'?
I did last time!

I Am Emily... said...

I'm so happy for the three of you, this is all so wonderful! :-D

A Free Man said...

Thank Christ that you've gotten an opportunity to use nether regions and Netherlands in the same sentence.

Elfinamsterdam said...

LOL, in a way LilFitz's story (so far) represents how I see Life in the land of Nether!

Things get done here, possibly not in the way you thought and in more often than not the most circular route, but things do get done.

Unlike at home, where things just either happen on their own or with the assistance of a brown envelope and a wink or not at all....

LilFitz is the best thing to come out of the Netherlands ever! Even better than pindakass and hagels.

*cuddles to you three*

Martin said...

@Tanya - Thank you ;-)

@A Free Man - 299 posts in too! I surprise myself at my lack of the obvious sometimes.

@Elfinamsterdam - tough call that... I DO quite have a liking for 'gevulde koeken'...

Anonymous said...

I was out of town...sorry for the late entry on this one! Hmmm, would it be better in Ireland?? Then you can have the entire fam with you to greet Little Fitz!