At my doctor visit the other day, my doctor was telling me that I looked small. Then she said something to the effect of, "You're not what we typically think as an American. Most Americans are...large." I agreed and told her it was because they eat bad things. Nice to know that Germans think we're all overweight...
The prenatal visits here are different than they are in the US, and I thought some of you might be interested to know the differences. I realize that experiences will differ between doctors and locations in the US, so I'll be comparing this to my experience in Maryland.
In the US you have an exam, blood draw and ultrasound at your very first visit (8 weeks or whenever). At 20 weeks you have the full ultrasound. At about 28 weeks you have a glucose test (which involves drinking a liquid they give you and then having your blood drawn once one hour after drinking it). At 37+ weeks they may start checking you for dilation. Once you've gone over 40 weeks they'll hook you up to the fetal monitor for a non-stress test. At all the visits aside from the ones mentioned, you simply have your belly measured, listen to the baby's heart beat, and have questions answered. They are quick and painless.
I do feel that Germany has a good medical system, but boy are they thorough when it comes to pregnancy! At every single visit you have an exam (including cervix check), blood draw (I HATE this, I hate needles), and ultrasound (the only good part). At every visit in the 3rd trimester you have to be hooked up to the fetal monitor for 20 minutes to record the baby's heart beat. The glucose test I had last week was awful! First I had to have my blood drawn and then drink the liquid, an hour later have my blood drawn again, an hour later have my blood drawn again....and had to stay in their office all this time. Three blood draws in one morning -- I got sick! Soon my appointments will start being 3 weeks and then 2 weeks apart. I might have to tell them they can't take any more blood...
As you can imagine, these prenatal visits take much longer than American visits with all these extra things. Meanwhile, I have to have someone watching Jack.
9 comments:
German doctors are very thorough, especially when it comes to children's health. Wait until you are in the hospital with the birth of this second son!!
Wow, it sounds like a bother, but the 3-D ultrasound sure is cool!
Germany is even more thorough than my high risk OB was about my twin pregnancy. Every visit after about 20 weeks consisted of a very thorough ultrasound where they measured the bones and heads of both babies and then made charts comparing how they were growing (very uncomfortable at the end, since I had weekly visits and had to lie on my back for a 20 minute ultrasound).
Wow! I think I would hate having the exam each time. I just don't like that part. The blood I could handle.
It sounds like you are being well cared for though and that is never a bad thing.
That baby does look like Jaxon - How funny!
Cherie -- I hate that part too! Every time I'm thinking, "Is this really necessary?" Now I'm nervous about the actual birth if they're this bad at the visits! Pretty much everything about living here is an "adventure."
Overkill if you ask me, but I guess it's better than not enough. The glucose test-ugh! They do that here too, called GTT (glucose tolerance test), but they only do it if you fail the mini test. I had to do it with Elsie and it was horrible. I had to fast all night and then drink that crap. It totally made me sick. So I actually ended up having to do it twice because I threw up partway through the first time. Suck.
In my defense, as an American who eats well and STILL gets large during pregnancy, some of us are not so lucky as to stay so slim while pregant...I blame it on genetics ;-) i do hate the cervical exam every time, yuck.
I thought you would be going to a doctor on a base somewhere, and having it in a US army-based hospital. But I guess not! You are brave. It sounds like a real goof time. Sheesh! And yes, Germans think we are all Fatties.
It actually sounds like my experiences on base to tell you the truth. I thought you were supposed to have blood drawn every visit. I'm sure everyone's experiences are different, but my visits sounded pretty much like yours. But I was also high risk and you aren't. The glucose test will always be nasty.
Yay on the ultrasound pictures. I can't wait to see pictures when he comes out.
Ahh - now I'm freaked out more! Brooke,they won't let us gov workers use the base for medical care - but regardless, they don't have OB care on the bases nor do deliveries...at least not here in Stuttgart, so everyone has to go to German hospitals, doctors for OB care. I hate cervix tests - I'm not sure I want to agree to that!!! I'm pretty sure that's what caused/contributed greatly to my 1st pre-term labor episode at 32 weeks. Blood tests aren't fun, but bearable - although that sounds like way too much! Well, thanks for the thorough information Harmony - all anyone had told me before was that you get extra ultrasounds, but with my last "high-risk" pregnancy I got a lot of ultrasounds too, so maybe I wasn't quite as excited. Harmony you are much tinier than the average healthy American and I've seen my fair share of robust Germans - but a good reminder for us all to try harder to eat better! :)
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