No Sweeter Sound

A few weeks ago I had what I believed was going to be my first OB appointment for this pregnancy. Instead it was a referral appointment that would send me on my way to receive the maternity care of my choice at still a later date. As I had waited 6 weeks for this appointment I was disappointed and frustrated to a certain extent, but for the most part I was relieved. You see, I wasn't ready to not hear our baby's heartbeat. Wingnut was on a trip, we had just had a bit of family crisis the night before, and I was absolutely terrified I would not hear a heartbeat. If you've ever experienced the trauma of a missed miscarriage, you know the feeling of abject terror of not hearing a heartbeat. I cried all the way to the doctor's office. When the option to listen for a heartbeat was not even offered I was completely relieved. There was no way I was going to stamp my foot and insist. I just could not handle it that day.

This Wednesday I was finally able to get in for our first visit with the nurse midwives at the birthing center we've chosen. This was one of the best prenatal appointments I've ever had. Not a soul in the center batted an eyelash over my age, in fact they said I was a young mom in comparison to some of their clients. Not a person scoffed at the number of children or pregnancies I've had. "7? That's a small family", they said. For the first time in my motherhood experience I will be allowed to have the birth I want for this child. We are thrilled! I was put so completely at ease, I wasn't even nervous when the time came to listen for that little thumpity-thump. It took mere seconds to find this little one's strong little heart beating away. There is no sweeter sound.