Midwife Visit - 29 Weeks

We got to hear Baby Schrades' heartbeat this morning, which is always fun. His h/b was in the 140's, my belly is measuring about 30cm (we're at 29.5 wks), my b/p was 100/58, and I gained another 4 lbs! I told Jeff that my clothes must be heavy today because that seems like a lot in 3 wks, but at least we know the little guy is eating well. Our midwife said that he's still positioned head down with the back of his head and his back against the front of my belly. This is the position that we want, but he still has room to squirm around, so it may change.

We got a surprise call last night from our midwife. The first thing she said was not to worry and that our baby is fine. She then told me that she had decided not to renew her contract with the doctor that she's currently employed by. Her last day will be March 19th, 3wks before our due date. We discussed this last night and then again at our appointment this morning. She may have another job by then, but we can't count on that (she's still a certified midwife, but the law says she has to be working with a doctor in case there are complications). The three of us decided together that we are going to switch practices immediately so that we have the chance to get to know a new midwife. If something changes and she is able to deliver our baby, we'll then seriously consider going back to her (we really like her).

The new practice that we are looking at is a little further away and delivers at a different hospital - Western Wake. This practice has four midwives on staff, which is good because you are guaranteed a midwife birth. We will have to rotate through them on each visit, but I think our situation with only having one person to see before was unique. The hospital has supposedly been remodeled recently and has bathtubs in each room. This is a huge deal to me because that was one of the things that bothered me about Rex Hospital. I've heard that laboring in tubs (not delivering in them) feels great. Another plus is that the couple that talked to us in class on Monday delivered with these midwives at Western Wake, and loved their experience, so the timing of that class couldn't have been better.

It's a little strange that Baby Schades will be here in 10 weeks and we don't know who will deliver him or what hospital he'll be in, but we're not worried...it will all work out....