26 Week Checkup

OK, this ultrasound photo is from 6 weeks ago, but I thought I should include it at some point, since I just started the blog, that time is now. He is so cute.
Today I went in for my 26 week checkup with Lynn Artibee NM (Nurse Midwife). It was a successful and positive appointment. I took the glucose test which consisted of me drinking a 1/2 cup of really really sweet orange soda-esque glucose then having my blood drawn 1 hour later. The idea is to see if my blood responds correctly to sugar, if not, I need to go in for a 3 hour test that will determine whether or not I am at risk for gestational diabetes. I must have passed the test because I haven't heard anyting from the Medical Center.
Baby's heartbeat was around 155-normal. Besides these two tests we were able to ask the Nurse Midwife quite a few questions about the birth. We have been working on our birth plan and needed to know what and who we are dealing with. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the standard protocol with the N.M.s is just what we hoped. For one, they have birthing rooms equipped with aromatherapy, dimmed lights, soothing music, birthing tubs, birthing (exercise) balls along with the other stuff, like a birthing bed... They also encourage the mom to deliver the baby herself (after the head is out) so she can immediately bring the baby to her belly, then the partner is encouraged to cut the cord once the placenta is out, then they rip my gown off and I move the baby up for his first feeding. Apparently the baby is ready to feed immediately, and if he waits longer, he will already be so exhausted for the next 24 hours that it will be more difficult for him to get a good first feeding. With that first feeding under his belt the baby is more likely to be a good breast feeder throughout babyhood. It was a good appointment. Now I start going every 2 weeks to get checked out.