Twelve weeks
Had an appointment a few days ago with Dr T, surely Perth's busiest and most charismatic obstetrician. My mother insists he reminds her of King George V (in looks, presumably; as far as I know my mother was not on intimate medical terms with King G, but then, she is a woman full of surprises). Dr T is a large and bearded man with a dynamic approach to patient processing. His rooms are a virtual blur as dozens of pregnant Perth-ites are whizzed in and out. Lying on the couch, I asked him how many babies he had delivered over the course of his career. Answer: around 12,000. Unbelievable.
Dr T was the man who delivered baby H 18 months ago, pretty much saving his life in the process. This event, so routine for him, is such an emotional milestone for me that I now feel tear-pricking devotion and complete trust in Dr T's every utterance. It is a huge relief to know that he will be at the helm again this time around. Knowing this has removed a big chunk of the stress and anxiety that I felt through most of my last pregnancy.
However, it is rather unfashionable to be in thrall to one's obstetrician's skills. I know a lot gets said about the over-medicalisation of births and the need to reclaim birth as some kind of mystical feminine experience, but it's not that way for me. In most areas of my life I prefer to be in control and making decisions. But when it came to giving birth last time, no amount of reading or research could have prepared me to make correct and informed decisions. (H went into acute fetal distress at a point where I had no idea that anything was wrong.) It's self-evident that Dr T and his hugely experienced team did and do know best. I know other people want positive low-intervention births at home and that those choices are very important to them. But the outcome had I chosen to go down that route last time would have been disastrous.
So how grateful am I to be in first-world Australia, to be booked into a safe, clean hospital, and to know that the best possible expertise and care will be directed to me and my new baby? I am among the luckiest women in the world.
Dr T was the man who delivered baby H 18 months ago, pretty much saving his life in the process. This event, so routine for him, is such an emotional milestone for me that I now feel tear-pricking devotion and complete trust in Dr T's every utterance. It is a huge relief to know that he will be at the helm again this time around. Knowing this has removed a big chunk of the stress and anxiety that I felt through most of my last pregnancy.
However, it is rather unfashionable to be in thrall to one's obstetrician's skills. I know a lot gets said about the over-medicalisation of births and the need to reclaim birth as some kind of mystical feminine experience, but it's not that way for me. In most areas of my life I prefer to be in control and making decisions. But when it came to giving birth last time, no amount of reading or research could have prepared me to make correct and informed decisions. (H went into acute fetal distress at a point where I had no idea that anything was wrong.) It's self-evident that Dr T and his hugely experienced team did and do know best. I know other people want positive low-intervention births at home and that those choices are very important to them. But the outcome had I chosen to go down that route last time would have been disastrous.
So how grateful am I to be in first-world Australia, to be booked into a safe, clean hospital, and to know that the best possible expertise and care will be directed to me and my new baby? I am among the luckiest women in the world.
posted by MotherFluker @ 9:29 pm
<< Home