Sarah had her last post-baby checkup appointment today with the most amazing OB in the world, Dr. Alan Kaplan. At the end of the appointment she shared pictures of Ethan and taught Dr. Kaplan all about baby blogging. Feeling a bit remiss for not having more classic Kaplan anecdotes in our blog postings, Sarah promised to write a proper tribute to our favorite doctor.
Dr. Kaplan put us at ease from the moment we walked into his office. Being that this was our first pregnancy, we were a bit nervous and neurotic (and let's face it... by we, we really mean Sarah). Dr. Kaplan not only took all of our questions in stride, but also put a spin of humor on everything. His laid-back attitude and East Coast sarcastic personality made each of our visits entertaining as well as informative and reassuring, a combination that is very rare to find in a physician. He always listened to all of our concerns and questions, and never made us feel rushed or as though we were wasting his time. In fact, we quite often spent a few minutes after each appointment chatting about Ryan's photography or Dr. Kaplan's fishing vacation. For all of the fun we had at our appointments, it was never at the expense of top-rate care. We trusted him implicitly, and from our scare with placenta previa to Ethan's eventful delivery, we knew we were always in the very best hands. Thanks, Dr. Kaplan, for bringing our beautiful baby boy into this world safe and sound (and keeping us sane through the entire experience)!
Showing posts with label OB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OB. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Lots of Excitement! - Part Two
Our last doctor's appointment was full of lots of new experiences and information. After getting Sarah's vitals, the doctor turned to Ryan and offered a challenge. "Come on, Daddy, let's see if you can find your baby," he remarked, and handed Ryan the Doppler. Ryan quickly and skillfully located the baby's heartbeat, and we quietly listened to it together for about a minute. It was a great moment for both of us!
We'll visit the Perinatal Specialist on Tuesday for our 30-week ultrasound. We're so excited to see our little boy again, and can't wait to find out how much he has grown! The ultrasound will also check for whether or not the placenta previa is still present. Our doctor says that there is only about a 5% chance that the condition has resolved itself, so while we're hopeful, we're remaining realistic and preparing ourselves for the news that it is still a factor in our pregnancy.
At our next doctor's appointment on May 22nd, we will be scheduling the C-section. We were excited to learn at our last appointment that we'll get to choose the baby's birthday. We had assumed that the date of the procedure was strictly up to our doctor. We'll keep everyone posted once we finalize the date. Of course, the baby could disagree with our choice and decide to arrive early... with as active as he is we have a feeling that he's quite the independent spirit!
We also recently shot the seven month preggie belly photos. Once again, Sarah was astounded by how much she has grown in just four short weeks! The latest pics are below - click on the images to view them in a larger size.
Months three through seven... what an incredible journey so far! 
*A special note for the Redskins fan family members in Washington D.C. - don't worry, those are not Dallas Cowboys booties!
Mommy Update:
- Absolutely overwhelmed by the baby shower surprise and finding it impossible to express her gratitude in words!
- Loved seeing Mary, Daddy, and Cheryl, and can't wait to have both families together in July.
- Feeling huge and awkward, and getting used to her new nicknames (Orca, Big Mama, etc.)... all in good fun!
- Counting the days (about two months!!!) until she gets to see her little man's sweet face for the first time.
We'll visit the Perinatal Specialist on Tuesday for our 30-week ultrasound. We're so excited to see our little boy again, and can't wait to find out how much he has grown! The ultrasound will also check for whether or not the placenta previa is still present. Our doctor says that there is only about a 5% chance that the condition has resolved itself, so while we're hopeful, we're remaining realistic and preparing ourselves for the news that it is still a factor in our pregnancy.
At our next doctor's appointment on May 22nd, we will be scheduling the C-section. We were excited to learn at our last appointment that we'll get to choose the baby's birthday. We had assumed that the date of the procedure was strictly up to our doctor. We'll keep everyone posted once we finalize the date. Of course, the baby could disagree with our choice and decide to arrive early... with as active as he is we have a feeling that he's quite the independent spirit!
We also recently shot the seven month preggie belly photos. Once again, Sarah was astounded by how much she has grown in just four short weeks! The latest pics are below - click on the images to view them in a larger size.
Months three through seven... what an incredible journey so far! 
*A special note for the Redskins fan family members in Washington D.C. - don't worry, those are not Dallas Cowboys booties!Mommy Update:
- Absolutely overwhelmed by the baby shower surprise and finding it impossible to express her gratitude in words!
- Loved seeing Mary, Daddy, and Cheryl, and can't wait to have both families together in July.
- Feeling huge and awkward, and getting used to her new nicknames (Orca, Big Mama, etc.)... all in good fun!
- Counting the days (about two months!!!) until she gets to see her little man's sweet face for the first time.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Monkeying Around
We had another doctor's appointment today, and the baby once again earned a great report! Each time we go in, the doctor comments on how active he is and how his heartbeat is really strong. We're so thankful that he's healthy and growing right on track. Our next ultrasound will be on May 13th, and we're counting the days until we get to see him again!
After our doctor's appointment, we took a tour of the Birth Center at the hospital. We are so lucky to live about a mile away from the only state-designated Level III infant trauma center in our area. If this little guy does arrive early, our hospital is the best possible place he could be! If the baby ends up in the NICU, there are video phones that the parents have access to from the postpartum rooms that allow them to see the baby with the touch of a button. We learned that all of the rooms are private, with state of the art features and amenities including a flat screen TV, large wraparound balcony, and a huge master bathroom. We thought we'd pass the "babies in a box" section of the hospital and get a good peek at all of the little newborns. This, however, was the only feature completely missing from our hospital. We were thrilled to learn that instead of being kept in a nursery, the baby stays in the mother's room! Especially considering that our recovery period in the hospital will be be a bit longer due to the C-section, we're glad that the baby will be with us instead of behind a pane of glass!
We're in between preggie photo shoots, so we thought we'd post a silly picture of Sarah's latest completed "bed rest project." Since our nursery colors are baby blue and brown, Sarah thought it would be fun to make a blue and brown sock monkey for the baby.
Mommy Update:
- Can't wait to spend some quality sister time with Aunt Mary when she arrives on May 1st for a visit!
- Thinking a lot about her Pa-Pa, and can't wait to share all of her memories of him with the baby.
- Waiting for the perfect pool day to lounge with a good book in her new maternity bathing suit!
- Feels like everything is more "real" now that she's had the behind the scenes tour of the hospital.
After our doctor's appointment, we took a tour of the Birth Center at the hospital. We are so lucky to live about a mile away from the only state-designated Level III infant trauma center in our area. If this little guy does arrive early, our hospital is the best possible place he could be! If the baby ends up in the NICU, there are video phones that the parents have access to from the postpartum rooms that allow them to see the baby with the touch of a button. We learned that all of the rooms are private, with state of the art features and amenities including a flat screen TV, large wraparound balcony, and a huge master bathroom. We thought we'd pass the "babies in a box" section of the hospital and get a good peek at all of the little newborns. This, however, was the only feature completely missing from our hospital. We were thrilled to learn that instead of being kept in a nursery, the baby stays in the mother's room! Especially considering that our recovery period in the hospital will be be a bit longer due to the C-section, we're glad that the baby will be with us instead of behind a pane of glass!
We're in between preggie photo shoots, so we thought we'd post a silly picture of Sarah's latest completed "bed rest project." Since our nursery colors are baby blue and brown, Sarah thought it would be fun to make a blue and brown sock monkey for the baby.
Mommy Update:
- Can't wait to spend some quality sister time with Aunt Mary when she arrives on May 1st for a visit!
- Thinking a lot about her Pa-Pa, and can't wait to share all of her memories of him with the baby.
- Waiting for the perfect pool day to lounge with a good book in her new maternity bathing suit!
- Feels like everything is more "real" now that she's had the behind the scenes tour of the hospital.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Six Months Down!
We began our seventh month of this adventure with another good report from our doctor's visit today. Our doctor had one other patient with complete placenta previa, but she found out at a recent ultrasound that her condition has resolved and everything has returned to normal! Since that is so rare, it was comforting to hear and it gives us hope of the possibility that we could have the same outcome.
The baby was very active during our six-month photo shoot last night. Ryan could even see him kicking from across the room behind the lens! We're happy that our little man is so strong, and that we get a daily reminder between doctor's appointments that he's doing really well.
*Click on the images if you would like to view them in a larger size*
Since the belly is getting so big now, we took a few extra pictures for fun in addition to our usuals. Here's one of our favorites:
Mommy Update:
- Was happy to have Megan over for dinner and is looking forward to a visit from Nelson, Allison, Ingrid, and MacKay this weekend!
- Was shocked to learn that her uterus is now the size of a soccer ball and that it has completely displaced her stomach.
- Is only mildly uncomfortable now, but is hanging on to her hat as she hears the road will get bumpier in the third trimester.
- Is having trouble thinking of new updates since she spends most of her time on the couch... but sometimes no news is good news!
The baby was very active during our six-month photo shoot last night. Ryan could even see him kicking from across the room behind the lens! We're happy that our little man is so strong, and that we get a daily reminder between doctor's appointments that he's doing really well.
*Click on the images if you would like to view them in a larger size*
Since the belly is getting so big now, we took a few extra pictures for fun in addition to our usuals. Here's one of our favorites:
Mommy Update:
- Was happy to have Megan over for dinner and is looking forward to a visit from Nelson, Allison, Ingrid, and MacKay this weekend!
- Was shocked to learn that her uterus is now the size of a soccer ball and that it has completely displaced her stomach.
- Is only mildly uncomfortable now, but is hanging on to her hat as she hears the road will get bumpier in the third trimester.
- Is having trouble thinking of new updates since she spends most of her time on the couch... but sometimes no news is good news!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Still Resting!
As expected, no big news from our last appointment. Everything looks great with both baby and Mommy! Sarah has officially stopped looking at the scale when she weighs in, and the nurse is kind enough not to announce the numbers aloud, which is much appreciated! We've received a few questions regarding the C-section since our last posting. The need for the C-section is due to the previa, which makes a natural birth impossible. There is always the chance that the previa will resolve itself, but with the degree to which Sarah has the condition it's quite unlikely. That said, the doctors will hold off on scheduling the C-section until after the 30-week ultrasound, just in case we fall in that lucky small percentile. We're keeping our fingers crossed, but are okay with whatever the outcome needs to be - all we want is a healthy little boy!
A few days ago, Sarah saw a bump sticking up by her belly button (or what is left of her belly button). When she pushed on it to investigate, she felt it move away. We're guessing that it was a little baby foot, arm, or elbow. We're now anxiously awaiting another opportunity to "feel" the baby, and are amazed by each and every exciting new experience we have with the pregnancy!
Mommy Update:
- Looking forward to the next round of belly pics this weekend, and is anticipating how much bigger she will look this month.
- Is finally realizing that she's not just home on vacation, since all of her teacher friends have returned to work from Spring Break.
- Has developed an obsession with frozen yogurt, and thanks Ingrid for being her Yogurt Castle partner whenever she visits.
- Has started "nesting," and feels the need to reorganize every closet in the apartment (Ryan will be doing all of the lifting, lucky guy).
A few days ago, Sarah saw a bump sticking up by her belly button (or what is left of her belly button). When she pushed on it to investigate, she felt it move away. We're guessing that it was a little baby foot, arm, or elbow. We're now anxiously awaiting another opportunity to "feel" the baby, and are amazed by each and every exciting new experience we have with the pregnancy!
Mommy Update:
- Looking forward to the next round of belly pics this weekend, and is anticipating how much bigger she will look this month.
- Is finally realizing that she's not just home on vacation, since all of her teacher friends have returned to work from Spring Break.
- Has developed an obsession with frozen yogurt, and thanks Ingrid for being her Yogurt Castle partner whenever she visits.
- Has started "nesting," and feels the need to reorganize every closet in the apartment (Ryan will be doing all of the lifting, lucky guy).
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Taking it Easy!
We're happy to report that everything is going really well! Sarah has been officially resting for ten days, and is so far only a *little* stir crazy. She's been keeping herself busy with books, movies, and craft projects - the latest of which is making sock monkeys for the baby. She's also spent a lot of time researching baby "stuff" online. For those of you who have asked, we have taken advantage of Sarah's free time to finish our registry, and included a link in the left-hand column of the blog page. What a process... who knew that there were so many baby items out there? We've decided on a monkey theme and a color scheme of baby blue and walnut. Even though we're months away, it seems as though July is fast approaching. There are so many preparations to make before the little man arrives, and we are loving every minute of it!
If we learn anything new at our next doctor's appointment on Monday we'll post another update. We don't expect to get any real news until our 30-week ultrasound on May 13th. We'll probably be given the date of our scheduled C-section shortly after that appointment, which will help everyone who wants to make travel plans!
Mommy Update:
- Always game for any good book or movie recommendations, as she has a ton of time on her hands to fill now!
- Slowly slipping into Ryan's nocturnal schedule since she doesn't need to wake up early, but still far from going to bed at 6am!
- Is lucky to have such a great family and group of friends that are visiting, emailing, calling, and sending goodies her way!
- Will be tackling a knitting project next, hopefully ending up with a hat and booties set for when we bring the baby home!
If we learn anything new at our next doctor's appointment on Monday we'll post another update. We don't expect to get any real news until our 30-week ultrasound on May 13th. We'll probably be given the date of our scheduled C-section shortly after that appointment, which will help everyone who wants to make travel plans!
Mommy Update:
- Always game for any good book or movie recommendations, as she has a ton of time on her hands to fill now!
- Slowly slipping into Ryan's nocturnal schedule since she doesn't need to wake up early, but still far from going to bed at 6am!
- Is lucky to have such a great family and group of friends that are visiting, emailing, calling, and sending goodies her way!
- Will be tackling a knitting project next, hopefully ending up with a hat and booties set for when we bring the baby home!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Look at that Belly Grow!
Our month five preggie photo shoot revealed an even BIGGER belly than last time... not sure why it's so shocking to see the expansion every month, but it is! Here are the shots from months three, four, and five, composited together so you can compare how much has changed!
We had a doctor's appointment yesterday to review the results of our 20-week ultrasound. The baby looks AMAZING and is growing perfectly in every way! Unfortunately, there's a bit of a complication for Sarah, called placenta previa. Due to the risks associated with this condition, the doctor ordered her to immediate bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy - working, traveling, and even taking the dog for a walk around the block are all off limits. It's certainly not the original plan that we had in mind, but if this is what we need to do to give our baby boy the best chance of a healthy delivery, so be it! The doctor said that he runs into this condition every two or three years, and in each of his cases if the mothers held to the recommendations of significantly limited activity, everything ended up as a happily ever after! We'll keep everyone posted as we learn more.
Mommy Update:
- Feeling a bit nervous about the placenta previa, but following the doctor's orders to the letter with the support of her incredible husband!
- Can't help but be uplifted every time she feels her strong little boy kicking... he even woke her up the other morning with all of his movement!
- Excited that Aunt Mary will be coming out for a visit in May, and can't wait to see everyone else and share in this experience with them!
- So grateful for all of the support, encouragement, and optimism from everyone... it really does a gal good when she is surrounded by such positive, caring people!
We had a doctor's appointment yesterday to review the results of our 20-week ultrasound. The baby looks AMAZING and is growing perfectly in every way! Unfortunately, there's a bit of a complication for Sarah, called placenta previa. Due to the risks associated with this condition, the doctor ordered her to immediate bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy - working, traveling, and even taking the dog for a walk around the block are all off limits. It's certainly not the original plan that we had in mind, but if this is what we need to do to give our baby boy the best chance of a healthy delivery, so be it! The doctor said that he runs into this condition every two or three years, and in each of his cases if the mothers held to the recommendations of significantly limited activity, everything ended up as a happily ever after! We'll keep everyone posted as we learn more.
Mommy Update:
- Feeling a bit nervous about the placenta previa, but following the doctor's orders to the letter with the support of her incredible husband!
- Can't help but be uplifted every time she feels her strong little boy kicking... he even woke her up the other morning with all of his movement!
- Excited that Aunt Mary will be coming out for a visit in May, and can't wait to see everyone else and share in this experience with them!
- So grateful for all of the support, encouragement, and optimism from everyone... it really does a gal good when she is surrounded by such positive, caring people!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
It's a BOY!!!
Very exciting news today - we learned that we will welcome a baby boy in July! The doctor's visit went really well, and our little man looks fantastic! We learned that he is camera shy, though... every time the doctor attempted to get a good profile shot he would turn his head away. Ryan will break him of that habit soon enough after he is born! He was also positioned in such a way that most of his body fell in a shadow, so the ultrasound pictures aren't great this time. We'll be sure to post the best of the bunch within the next few days!
Mommy Update:
- Getting bigger every day, feeling well, and enjoying the second trimester much more than the first!
- Excited to add one more male to her house full of boys (she's already outnumbered by Ryan and Max)!
- Feeling lots of kicks and movement lately, and looking forward to when Ryan will be able to feel them, too!
- Finding that those famous San Francisco hills are getting harder and harder to climb!
Mommy Update:
- Getting bigger every day, feeling well, and enjoying the second trimester much more than the first!
- Excited to add one more male to her house full of boys (she's already outnumbered by Ryan and Max)!
- Feeling lots of kicks and movement lately, and looking forward to when Ryan will be able to feel them, too!
- Finding that those famous San Francisco hills are getting harder and harder to climb!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Yes, Sir, That's Our Baby!
Fantastic news!!! Our test results came back, and the baby is in the lowest risk category (1 in 10,000) for genetic defects! We are so happy and relieved!
Everything is on track and progressing nicely! As promised, here's the latest ultrasound picture - doesn't the baby look like an actual baby now?
You can see the baby's profile, with the little fist balled up next to the mouth. It's already trying to suck its thumb! The legs fade back into the darkness, but we verified - they're there! During the ultrasound, the little one was super active, and kept flipping around the wrong way. A few gentle taps on Mommy's belly guided it to flip back over - we were shocked that it was responding to touch! It also kept opening and closing its mouth, kicking its feet, and moving its arms. The skin is so translucent at this point that we could see the full spinal cord. It's still small, measuring at about 3.5 inches from crown to rump (not head to toes, as I originally thought - they don't even attempt to measure those active little legs!). It was incredible to learn that all major components of the body have been formed already! From now on, the baby's development will consist primarily of organ maturity, growth, and body refinement.
We find out the gender on March 5th. Those who are willing to put their guess on the table are generally saying boy... which means it has as much, if not more of a chance of being a girl! :) Our next appointment is on February 11th, which will be about the same time as round two of the belly pics. That's also about when we may first be able to feel the baby moving! So exciting!
Mommy Update:
- Happy to have the all clear from the doctor to use the foot massager Grandpa and Grandma Emerson sent for Christmas!
- Excited about the baby presents from Aunt Kelly, especially the dog sound desensitization CD to get Max used to hearing baby cries!
- Wondering if she should load the sound desensitization CD into her iPod so that she can get used to hearing baby cries!
- Has gained only 3 to 5 pounds (depending on the day she steps on the scale), and wonders how that is possible with her new body shape!
Everything is on track and progressing nicely! As promised, here's the latest ultrasound picture - doesn't the baby look like an actual baby now?
You can see the baby's profile, with the little fist balled up next to the mouth. It's already trying to suck its thumb! The legs fade back into the darkness, but we verified - they're there! During the ultrasound, the little one was super active, and kept flipping around the wrong way. A few gentle taps on Mommy's belly guided it to flip back over - we were shocked that it was responding to touch! It also kept opening and closing its mouth, kicking its feet, and moving its arms. The skin is so translucent at this point that we could see the full spinal cord. It's still small, measuring at about 3.5 inches from crown to rump (not head to toes, as I originally thought - they don't even attempt to measure those active little legs!). It was incredible to learn that all major components of the body have been formed already! From now on, the baby's development will consist primarily of organ maturity, growth, and body refinement.
We find out the gender on March 5th. Those who are willing to put their guess on the table are generally saying boy... which means it has as much, if not more of a chance of being a girl! :) Our next appointment is on February 11th, which will be about the same time as round two of the belly pics. That's also about when we may first be able to feel the baby moving! So exciting!
Mommy Update:
- Happy to have the all clear from the doctor to use the foot massager Grandpa and Grandma Emerson sent for Christmas!
- Excited about the baby presents from Aunt Kelly, especially the dog sound desensitization CD to get Max used to hearing baby cries!
- Wondering if she should load the sound desensitization CD into her iPod so that she can get used to hearing baby cries!
- Has gained only 3 to 5 pounds (depending on the day she steps on the scale), and wonders how that is possible with her new body shape!
Monday, January 14, 2008
One Trimester Down, Two to Go!
Lots of exciting baby stuff going on this week! Our next doctor's appointment is on Wednesday, and we had our first prenatal screening today. The ultrasound combined with a blood test will tell us our risk for genetic defects. Unless we come back in a high risk category, it keeps us from having to go through more invasive testing. We should have the results by the end of the week. So far, things look fantastic, but we're anxious to get the full test results before breathing a sigh of relief!
We also took round one of the long-awaited belly portraits last night. We're looking forward to seeing the growth and changes over the next six months... we're amazed by how much has changed already!
Mommy Update:
- Gave in and bought maternity pants, now living in comfort ALL day long and not just when at home in PJs! :)
- Excited that the noticeable baby bump results in sharing our joy with friends, colleagues, and sometimes even strangers!
- Almost completely morning sickness free and feeling much more energetic - happy to be back to *somewhat* normal again!
- Guilty of sending Daddy on his first midnight snack run... but, hey, the baby wanted Twizzlers and juice!
Yep, there's only one in there. We're sure.
Three months pregnant and already spilling out of those jeans! :)
We also took round one of the long-awaited belly portraits last night. We're looking forward to seeing the growth and changes over the next six months... we're amazed by how much has changed already!
Mommy Update:
- Gave in and bought maternity pants, now living in comfort ALL day long and not just when at home in PJs! :)
- Excited that the noticeable baby bump results in sharing our joy with friends, colleagues, and sometimes even strangers!
- Almost completely morning sickness free and feeling much more energetic - happy to be back to *somewhat* normal again!
- Guilty of sending Daddy on his first midnight snack run... but, hey, the baby wanted Twizzlers and juice!
Yep, there's only one in there. We're sure.
Three months pregnant and already spilling out of those jeans! :)
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Happy Holidays!
Thanks to everyone for sending your congratulations and well wishes! We hope you're having a very happy holiday season, and send our love to all!
We had our second ultrasound today, and were shocked by all of the changes! The baby's arms and legs were moving around, which we didn't see during the last visit! Also, the umbilical cord is now visible, and we could even make out fingers and some emerging facial features! Goodbye blob, hello baby! Unfortunately, the doctor didn't freeze-frame the ultrasound at a good angle, so all of these exciting differences are not visible in our picture. Our next appointment is in four weeks, so we'll wait until then to upload another ultrasound. Ryan will also be shooting the first installment of the belly portraits soon!
Mommy Update:
- Still feeling all typical symptoms and driving Ryan batty with the frequency of Mexican food requests
- Super sniffer spreading holiday cheer as Christmas tree can be smelled from all rooms of the apartment (yay!)
- Happy to be on vacation and able to spend time resting on the couch in comfy PJ pants
We had our second ultrasound today, and were shocked by all of the changes! The baby's arms and legs were moving around, which we didn't see during the last visit! Also, the umbilical cord is now visible, and we could even make out fingers and some emerging facial features! Goodbye blob, hello baby! Unfortunately, the doctor didn't freeze-frame the ultrasound at a good angle, so all of these exciting differences are not visible in our picture. Our next appointment is in four weeks, so we'll wait until then to upload another ultrasound. Ryan will also be shooting the first installment of the belly portraits soon!
Mommy Update:
- Still feeling all typical symptoms and driving Ryan batty with the frequency of Mexican food requests
- Super sniffer spreading holiday cheer as Christmas tree can be smelled from all rooms of the apartment (yay!)
- Happy to be on vacation and able to spend time resting on the couch in comfy PJ pants
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