September 15, 2007 - The First Kick

I went to Marin Maternity Services to meet with one of the many nurses to have a checkup. Marin General Hospital requires us to use their services just in case I need to deliver in the hospital. When the nurse came in to examine me, she started to feel around my uterus. She was checking to see how much the baby had grown. Then she looked at me and said, "I can't feel the baby. Have you been feeling the baby move?" I answered, "No, but I am still only at the beginning of my 18th week, and sometimes mothers do not feel movement until 20-22 weeks." Then she said, "Well, have you been sleeping on your back? Because you know that this can harm your baby by pressing up against the Vena Cava which supplies oxygen to the fetus." I thought about it and replied: "Yes, I still have not found a comfortable way to sleep and have found myself sometimes for long periods on my back." She said quite seriously "Well I need to make sure the baby is still okay and breathing in there, so I want to do an ultrasound." At this point I began to freak out and thought "Oh no, could I have hurt my little baby?" The nurse left the room to find the machine and as I laid there I felt nervous and worried. The baby must have felt the change in my energy field because all of a sudden I felt a thump in my lower belly. At first I wasn't really sure if I had felt something because I had never felt movement before and wasn't quite sure what to expect. Yet, it lifted my spirits immediately, the way hope does, and when the nurse came back in I told her what happened and that I thought the baby was okay. She asked with doubt "Are you sure?"
I told her I can't be sure but I think so with a smile on my face. Then, just at that moment, I felt another two thumps. It was as if the baby wanted to reassure me, remove any worries or doubts, and let me know everything was okay. I felt so connected to the baby in that moment and thought how amazing it was that the baby could communicate to me, just when I needed it to. Thank you Baby J for letting Mama know you are doing just fine and that you are a little powerful being.