What's That Line?

This was originally written on February 1, 2008:

My doctor’s appt. was canceled yesterday because she had to leave for a delivery. Fortunately, the nurse called me before I’d left the house and rescheduled my appt. to today at 4:30. Unfortunately, it turned into the longest wait I've ever had at the doctor's office. Joe & I actually arrived early, like at 4:10. (Bad move: never arrive to a doctor's office early!)

The receptionist at the clinic was glad that I was a patient for my doctor because the other two doctors there had been called out more than once to deliver babies--but she hadn't today. However, the receptionist's smile quickly turned to a frown when she couldn't find my file.

She looked me up on the computer and realized that they'd forgotten to put me on the schedule for today! So, the receptionist called back to the nurses and asked if my doctor could fit me in. They said, "Yes, at 4:45."

By now it was 4:20 and I thought, what the heck I just want to get this over with--so I said that'd be okay, rather than reschedule to ANOTHER day.

I sat down next to Joe and we chatted. . .and chatted. . .and chatted. Pretty soon the busy doctor's office became emptier and emptier until I was the last person sitting there at 5 pm! So I went up to the front desk and asked how much longer it was going to be. There was only one receptionist left and she said "any minute". . .but I was about to go up again at 5:15 when the nurse finally came out to get me.

Joe and I were so relieved as she took my weight, blood pressure, and urine sample. But I should have known when she put me in another doctor's room that our wait wasn't over (my doctor's rooms were all full).

Joe and I were soooo hungry, hot, and exhausted--we couldn't believe it when it got to be 5:30 and then 5:45. We had been there over an hour-and-a-half by the time she finally came in! She apologized tremendously--I told her it wasn't her fault, I wish that the staff would have told me that she was way behind schedule and then I would have just rescheduled, rather than think I could get in just 15 minutes later. Apparently her first 20 patients that day all had major problems. It was two hours later by the time we left.

Oh well, my appointment was easy and I got my question answered about the numbness on the top of my stomach. Supposedly it's pretty common and nothing to worry about. The reason: as the baby gets bigger, more and more organs are pushed upward into the breast bone. The ribs flare out into the nerves, and so the numbness is a sensory thing. When I'm sitting down, everything is being smashed together even more, and so that's why I feel it most then. Apparently it's just on the top skin/surface, it has nothing to do with the baby. Whew.

L.J.'s heartbeat was between 140-150 (she coudn't get an accurate read because, do I even need to say this, he was moving so much). His kicks are getting to sometimes be uncomfortable, but it's still fun (and funny right now--lately it feels like he's running)!

The best news was that L.J. is ahead on his development! He weighs almost 3 lbs and is almost 15 inches long, so my due date may be more like May 2nd now! I had no idea it could go from the 13th to the 9th to the 2nd, LOL! I'm so glad he's so healthy. It really makes the suffering for me worth it if I'm making such a super baby :-)

It's a good thing we started childbirth classes last night, since time is going even faster now! It was from 7-9 pm. We'd never been to the particular hospital before--and it seemed like a really nice place. It’s 25 minutes from here, and we had to park in the south entrance and take the north elevators up to the sixth floor, so we were a couple of minutes late, which I hate (usually I’m early everywhere)! But there were two couples that came in after us, so at least we weren’t last.

I was surprised at how big the class was. I’d say there were about 50 people total. We had to bring two bed-sized pillows, and we saw that other people had put them on the mats laying out, so Joe found two open seats and then a mat in the other area for our pillows. (We were in a big conference room.)

The first hour our instructor basically went over what we’re going through at this stage in our pregnancy. It was nice to be surrounded by all pregnant women! For once I didn’t feel like an odd ball—or so huge! (In fact, I was the smallest because most are due in April, but there are two others in the class besides us who due in May. One is the 5th, I think, and the other is the 17th.)

We all had to introduce ourselves and answer a couple of questions, like what we’re having, etc. There is going to be a baby boom of boys this spring! I should have counted how many, because that is by far the majority of what our class is having.

At 8 pm we took a snack break (they provided drinks and food) and then the instructor talked about labor signs. We didn't have enough time to use the mats for learning relaxation techniques, so that will be next class.

It was encouraging to know that so many other women are experiencing horrible back pain right now, too--and it was easy to see why from a graphic that the instructor showed us. The image displayed how as the baby grows, a pregnant woman’s back has to move to make room for everything. Your posture is forced to change.

Speaking of which, since a couple of days ago I went over the pregnancy symptoms of the first trimester, over the next week I’ll be going over the pregnancy symptoms of the second & third trimesters. I'll start with skin changes. This info is taken from the same book as last time (Your Pregnancy Week By Week.). Aside from acne breakouts (caused by an increase of hormones):

"Your skin may change in various ways during pregnancy. In many women, skin down the middle of the abdomen becomes markedly darker or pigmented with a brown-black color. It forms a vertical line called the linea nigra."

This is what I meant in the title "what's that line?" (I have attached a picture that someone sent in a "forward" about a year ago that I found fascinating. I've heard many women can see feet, elbows, etc. through their stomachs but I have yet to experience it yet. Anyway, this photo shows a light linea nigra.)

I had seen it on pregnant women in magazines as well as on A Baby Story. . .but I was hoping I'd be one of the 10% of women who don't get it. Riiiight. (But according to my mom, she was one of them.) Mine appeared around Christmas and immediately made me self-conscious. Not that I've ever been one to show off my mid-riff anyway, but I wondered if I'd ever be able to wear a two-piece swimsuit again. Fortunately, my doctor said that the line isn't permanent. It's the placenta that causes skin to grow darker in some areas--and that's one of the areas, as well as pregnant womens nipples.

Strangely, the linea nigra appeared just as my "indents" went away. Very quickly after I got pregnant, I noticed indentations form around my rib cage. I didn't know what they were and was worried they'd be permanent, too. They were similar to red lines/marks on the skin when you've been wearing clothing that's too tight--only mine never changed despite my clothes, time of day, etc. . .until I got the linea nigra. Suddenly, the red lines/indents were gone and haven't been back. I think it might have been my ribs separating and my body making room for expansion.

It's scary to see these changes happening and not know if your body will ever go back to the way it was before. Losing weight seems easier than changing your skin!

A lot of women get varicose veins and stretch marks which--knock on wood--I haven't gotten yet. Fortunately, there are over-the-counter products out there to minimize them if these are still noticeable after you've had your baby. In fact, I have been using Palmer's Cocoa Butter since September, as that is supposed to prevent stretch marks. So far, it's worked for me.

If minimizers doesn't work for you, remember that you're probably going to be the only one who really cares about these skin changes. Most people aren't going to be close enough to your body to even notice. There are far worse skin problems out there--people with deformaties, those who have been in severe accidents, fires, etc. Our skin changes are the result of something happy, positive, and very beautiful. Wear your scars like a proud tattoo!