Hooray we're expecting! Pregnancy number 2 didn't come as much of a shock as the first one, but still just as exciting!
I was lucky enough to be able to nurse Fletcher for 14 months, and we started trying for baby #2 right after that. Jesse left (surprise surprise) right in the middle of our first fertility window, so I didn't have high hopes. I took a pregnancy test anyway, which was negative, and then I started to get bummed out a little. He was scheduled to be gone for two months, and I was afraid it would take us a long time with the crazy summer det schedule. We got pregnant with Fletcher so easily, and I'm not exactly the most patient person. I had this feeling that I was pregnant, but four pregnancy tests told me otherwise. I was actually starting to get irritated, and then the fifth test came back positive. Holy cow! Of course I had to take three more just to be sure :)
My plan was to wait to tell Jesse until he came home. I bought a big brother shirt for Fletcher which I thought was an excellent (and oh so original) way to tell Jesse when he was exiting his jet. But for some reason he decided to ask me via FaceTime if I was pregnant yet. I decided to tell the truth because I could only imagine the confusion he would experience if I lied, and then told him in public that I was in fact pregnant. He was thrilled, of course!
Tricare makes you wait until 10 weeks for your first ultrasound, which feels like foreeverrrrrrrrrrrr. Jesse left again the day of that appointment (noticing any trends here?) but all went well and they let me take a video to send to him (the military is at least absent-husband friendly :) ).
The next appointment wasn't until 15 weeks, and that was just to listen to the heartbeat. Jesse was gone for that one too he he. Our doctor initially couldn't find a heartbeat. He decided to use the ultrasound machine instead, and still couldn't find a heartbeat. Surprisingly, I wasn't getting nervous at that point. He told me to go potty and come back, and fortunately that did the trick. He wouldn't let me see the screen though, so no 15 week photo. The sound of the heartbeat was enough for me!
Normally, the next appointment would be the 20 week anatomy screen at the Japanese hospital. Since I had some mild issues with Fletcher's labor and delivery, our doctor put in a referral for us to see the ObGyn from Yokosuka, who was visiting the following week. This is where things start to get complicated...
We don't have an American military hospital here in Iwakuni. We have an out-patient clinic on base where we go for routine appointments. In the event of an emergency, we are sent out in town to a Japanese hospital.
Yokosuka is the Navy base north of us. It's a 6 hour bullet train ride away, and our only option for delivering at an American/military hospital. The inconvenience, other than being 6 hours away, is that you are required to go there at 37 weeks. You stay in what's called "the stork's nest" which is essentially donation-run barracks. There are no perks, no kitchen, no table and chairs...you get a bed and a microwave and a shower that apparently cuts off every 5 minutes. So you go at 37 weeks, and then might not actually deliver until 41 weeks. Now insert a toddler into the situation. You can see why I'm not so thrilled.
Option #2 is Dr. Shoji who is the head doctor at the older Japanese hospital here in Iwakuni. He's super old school, the hospital is super old, there is no central air, BUT he's apparently pretty good. The downside is that the hospital is very small and there is only one laboring room and one delivering room (and you have to climb onto the table by yourself lol). The Japanese prefer natural births and they primarily let you labor on your own, until it's time to push. They do offer epidurals, however. There is also only one private room, and it is reserved for c-section patients, if there is only one at the time.
Option #3 is ICC, the new Japanese hospital here in Iwakuni. It is new and fancy, however they do not have private rooms, toddlers aren't allowed to visit, your husband isn't allowed to spend the night, and the baby does not stay with you in your room. You have to actually walk to the nursery to nurse. The hospital is also big on the baby not losing any weight prior to being discharged, so they typically formula feed your baby whether you want them to or not. Not ideal.
Further complications: So I met with the visiting ObGyn from Yokosuka last Tuesday. She informed me that due to the size of Fletcher, I am not a candidate for a vbac, so I will automatically be scheduled for a repeat c-section. Additionally, since I was pre-eclamptic with Fletcher, I have a 30% chance of it occurring again, and my protein levels are already over 200 (over 300 is pre-eclampsia).
Our first choice for delivery is Dr. Shoji because he's local and he performs lower transverse incisions. The problem is that he doesn't accept patients with pre-eclampsia.
ICC does accept patients with pre-eclampsia, however they only perform vertical c-section incisions (out.of.the.question.).
If I go to Yokosuka, then I will be scheduled for delivery at 39 weeks. If I'm pre-eclamptic then they'll deliver the baby at 37 weeks (not so ideal either).
So basically we aren't sure what we're going to do. Jesse will be home in a few days and we have an appointment with Dr. Shoji on Monday to discuss whether or not he'll take me as a patient, given the fact that I'm not yet pre-eclamptic (and hopefully won't be at all!).
I suppose our plan will be to have a c-section with Dr. Shoji here in Iwakuni, unless I become pre-eclamptic, in which case we'll make the hike to Yokosuka. Ideally my mom will be here by then to watch Fletcher, or we'll leave the rascal with friends so he doesn't have to go with us. The risk being that if we plan to stay in Iwakuni, I become pre-eclamptic, AND I go into labor before we can get to Yokosuka...that'll mean a vertical incision at ICC...ew.
Jesse keeps saying not to worry, everything will be fine. And I know it will be, it's just the stress and anticipation of not being able to plan the way I want to. The good news is that, as of right now, Jesse should be home in February. Our command is really good about not sending guys on det if their wives are about to pop out a baby. So as long as our enemies chill out for the next 6 or so months, we should be good to go :)
