Hospital tour #2

We were officially released from the RE on the day of our 8 week ultrasound. Our OB told us that we wouldn't be having an ultrasound again until 12 weeks. I freaked out a bit about this. It was very easy to get used to weekly ultrasounds at the RE. I joked with Elizabeth that I should go to the emergency room and say that I had been bleeding in order to get another ultrasound. Of course, I would NEVER actually do that. I don't want to take up space in a busy ER. And I'm also a bit superstitious. It's like that rule that you never fake a funeral in order to get a day off work.

Well on Sunday I started bleeding. Bright red. Serves me right for even joking about lying to get another ultrasound. I called the OB to see what I should do, and they scheduled me for an ultrasound the next evening. I had barfing butterflies in my stomach all day long. When I hopped onto the table, the ultrasound screen was turned in such a way that I would not see it at all. But Elizabeth could see the screen, so I just watched her face. After a few seconds, her eyes welled with tears. She mouthed the words "they're moving!" to me. And indeed they were. After a few minutes, the tech flipped on a TV screen in front of me. Baby A had heart rate of 164bpm. Baby B (formerly known as C) had a heart rate of 176bpm and was wiggling away. I think B is going to be our wild child. The scan didn't reveal any bleeding near the placentas or anything else abnormal. The OB is convinced that it has something to do with the empty third sac. Apparently, it's common for women with an empty sac to experience bleeding.

Tonight, we had our tour of Medium Hospital. I was a bit nervous since the hospital has Saint in its name. Fortunately, it was nothing like I expected. Although it's a Catholic hospital, they have a kosher kitchen too, which I take to be sign that they are very inclusive. The nurse who led the tour was fabulous. She used the word "support person" instead of "husband". Elizabeth appreciated this so much that she thanked the nurse after the tour. Unlike the nurse at Small Hospital, the nurse at Medium Hospital actually smiled and made eye contact with Elizabeth. Medium Hospital also has one of the top NICUs in the state, something that's very important for me with a twin pregnancy. They encourage babies rooming-in, breast feeding, and immediate bonding between mother and baby. But the nurse also stressed that they respect the mother's wishes and don't make judgements. If the mother wants to bottle feed, nobody is going to push her. If the mother just wants to sleep and would like the baby to be in the nursery for a few hours, that's okay too. Overall, I just got a much better feeling about Medium Hospital. And it didn't hurt that the nurse pulled me aside and told me that since I'm having twins, I'm all but guaranteed a private room. Two tours down, one to go!