Due February 2016

@Nix - I am so happy everything went well at the doc's! Thats such great news! That little blip is the best sound to hear! As for him guessing the gender of your baby, I think he was making use of the chinese birth calendar (www.babycenter.com/chinese-gender-predictor) there are some other ones also relating to this Chinese chart, but this is the gist of it. Based on this I will have a girl! but we will wait and see

AFM - I got my quantitative results back yesterday which placed me firmly in the 4+ week mark (exactly where I thought I'd be ). I am only seeing the doc today in 3 weeks!! Such a long wait, but it will be almost exactly the same as with my first pregnancy's first check-up, we just want to make sure we can hear the little bean's heart beat. Based on my count I only have one in there which is fine with me! I always like the thought of twins, but I think in practice I have no idea how you would do it, as with everything else baby related, I think you you just do it.

Anyhoo - hope you ladies have a great day!

I am only considering a c-sec if it's an emergency or baby doesn't turn. I have done a lot of reading on natural birth vs c-secs and I would actually love a home birth. I won't be having one though as it's our first and DH is not at all open to the idea. I am in CPT at Durbanville medi clinic with Dr Truter.

Hi Ladies,

Appointment went well, we saw the little "worm's" heart beat. Measures 6 weeks 2 days on ultrasound but doc said that can be off so early because it's so tiny. We will have a better idea at the next appointment for a more accurate due date. Currently the due date is Valentine’s Day.

His prediction is a boy, not based on anything scientific but some formula involving my age and the due date lol Will be funny if he is right! He's a great guy, was cracking jokes and very easy going.

I don't mind if we have a boy or a girl, I can visualise a boy more clearly for some reason though.

I told my colleagues today after I got back to the office. Just wanted to see that heart beat first. I know we have a long way to go but I can't keep happy secrets like this for long, just too excited. Everyone is very happy for us as most of them know that this is something I have always wanted.

Have you told your bosses/colleagues yet?

@Nix - really hoping you doc visit went well. Let us know what he said!

So lets have some fun ladies! What are you hoping for and what do you think your baby is? Are you guys going to find out what your babies are?

I have to say that i am hoping for a girl, but I will be overjoyed with a boy as well, such a cliche, but i really just want a healthy baby.

Thanks for the insight Carien, We will definitely read up on pros & cons of both ways. I think by the time that you have labored for 24hours and offered a c-section you take it with both hands - lol.

Will let you know how it goes with the doc appointment

So regarding a natural birth, it will really win 9 times out of 10 - b/c that is what your body is made to do. I am really converted, initially I really just wanted a c-section with my son until i did some thorough research and found that a natural birth really is the way to go, that is why I also went so long till I was willing to give in to the c-section, but by the time I got it my son's heart rate had slowed down to 80 BPM which is dangerously low so they had to get him out quickly.

You will really get people for both of the types of births, best you can do is inform yourself and prepare as best you can. When I was pregnant with my son I wrote a post here that I got some really good feedback on if you want to take a look: www.moomie.co.za/71-labour-and-birth/238...h-with-drugs-or-am-i

I am not one of those extremists that some of the replies seemed to be to that post, but it gave nice information.

I do agree, skin on skin contact is definately a requirement, but for me, I didnt want my baby to be "gooy" when I got him so even if he was born naturally I wanted him to be cleaned off first before they gave him to me. For my delivery my blood pressure dropped very badly so I was completely out of it and really dont remember much at all, so I could not really hold him till a few hours after he was born which was not great, but anyway, it is what it is, he was born safely and that is really all that matters.

One thing that I can tell you is that I still have side effects from my c-section today, I have a patch on the left side of my stomach above my scar that is completely numb still and strangely, my right heel is completely numb. Apparently there are some nerve connections. If I was able to deliver naturally I would not have had these things, but again, it is what it is. I could not deliver naturally b/c my son was just too big.

Dont know the doc you are seeing, but I totally agree with your husband, liking the doc is the most important thing. My doc is also a female (makes me more comfortable since she has the same lady parts as me) and has had 3 of her own children, trust her completely!