hi again - need advice!

Hi everybody,

I'm not sure if anyone remembers me, but I posted quite a few times on this board about a year ago, as my husband was just starting medical school. We're in the DC area. My questions back then mainly centered around when was good timing to start a family when he's in med school (we are both 28 ).

WELL GUESS WHAT... I'm pregnant!!!! (I still haven't gotten used to saying that -- it's only been a few days that we've known!). This was the biggest "oops" ever. But a welcome oops. Originally, we were going to start to try for a family this Oct (I guess that is NOW), aiming to give birth July 2003 or later. My husband will take his first round of boards in late June, so that was our main concern. Well then he got cold feet. We agreed to put it off til after he's done with school, at the beginning of residency. I was upset. But what could I do? And I was worried about the timing with his hellish first year of residency. He wants to do otolaryngology/head&neck surgery.

So now, with this wonderful Oops (which I swear I had nothing to do with - it really just happened), I am due around June 8. Eeeeeekkkkk!!! I am really nervous.

So I am looking advice from you guys, who have been there, done that. His boards will be just a few weeks after the birth (if all goes well) and we hope to have family fly out to help out for that time period. We haven't gone public yet with this news to family or most friends.... waiting til after my 8-week dr appointment to make sure all is well.

Any advice you can offer for what we have in store, both to get us through the pregnancy as he is studying like a maniac, usually out of the house, and also for when our new arrival comes?

I still can't believe this!

Thanks in advance!

Amy

[mommax3]

Congratulations, Amy! I hope you have a happy and healthy nine months! I had my oldest the April before boards, and everything went fine and my husband did well -- I am sure the same will be true for you. My only advice to you is to treasure the months of your pregnancy -- the first pregnancy is so special. Try to make time for yourselves as a couple and if at all possible, have some kind of a special getaway before the baby comes. Your lives will never be the same -- but I don't say that in a patronizing, "watch out" kind of way -- they will be so much richer for having a child. Enjoy every bit of it that you can and post often!

Sally

[PrincessFiona]

Congrats!

Amy, congratulations!!!!!!! Thomas and I had been married for two weeks before I found out that I was pregnant 8) . Andrew was born nearly 9 months from the date of our wedding!!!! It was definately a surprise, but a welcome one.

I agree with Sally...ENJOY this time!!! Go and get a book with the pictures of developing embryos (oh...you probably have several in a bookshelf ) and figure out what that little worm looks like right now!

Congrats, you'll be great! Keep us posted.

Kris

Thanks, guys! And Kris, I have already done that for sure! I've also been using all sorts of online pregnancy calendars. This week, our little peanut looks like a sub sandwich

Thanks again.
Amy

Congratulations Amy!!!!

What an exciting time for you. I agree with what everyone else said. Enjoy this time. I spent a lot of time, in addition to the embryo pictures, looking at baby name books. I would make lists of names that I liked and then hand them to my hubby as he was off to school. He would come home with most of them crossed off and I would start again!

I know your husband will be very busy this year but it is important to spend time together and help him feel involved in the pregnancy. It will work out GREAT!!!

Here's to a wonderful pregnancy!!!

Robin

[houseelf]

AMY!!!

Congratulations...you will never know a stronger love or greater happiness. As far as the boards exams & med-school-with-baby-anxiety, the fear of something is far worse than actually doing it. Seriously, I think that we all delude ourselves that there is some perfect timing, when we just need to let go and let our lives happen. Life is messy---enjoy. Go out and rent the movies "Parenthood" and "She's Having A Baby" to kick of a great 9 months.

(Note to those of you who know me well and are rolling your eyes at the hypocrisy of this statement---I know that I need to take my own advice.)

Best wishes,

Kelly

[peggyfromwastate]

Hi Amy- are you still checking this thread? My name is peggy, I'm new to this forum (somewhat), and I've posted with lots of arduous questions under the "military spouses" site because it looks like my husband will be going that route next year (USUHS-he just interviewed and thought it was great and got really positive feedback from everyone...)

Well- I've had 2 pregnancies- I can say that during the first few weeks you are so intensely tuned into your baby that the husband often feels kind of "left out", especially if you are nursing! If you nurse, you can bring the baby into bed and the baby will nurse back to sleep, and night feedings aren't nearly so painful. If you do bottles, some mothers who want to let their husbands sleep just take baby and bottle to another room... With my second pregnancy I had twins, and I can say that with twins I really needed his help in that time, and we both were exhausted to the extreme. But, had that been a singleton, I think my husband would have been overall well-rested! I guess my point is that you shouldn't stress about the timing (baby being born before the boards), and just think that when the baby starts getting more interactive and alert and all your husband will have some down time, having finished the exams. Try to get people to bring you meals, though! That is so helpful!

Well, best of luck to you! It's amazing how we try to plan things just so, and then we're pregnant at a time that wasn't "as planned/hoped", but that pregnancy soon becomes just perfect!

Peggy

[Meenah]

Congratulations!!!
The best thing I ever did was have children. Cherish every moment.
Luanne