One of the jobs I have wished to do since I was very little was to be a midwife–midhusband?–baby doctor. Whatever.
I love healthcare-related stuff, and I’m especially fascinated with babies and their journeys to get here. I always feel my excitement pique when I’m sitting through an ultrasound screening.
Maybe I should pursue sonography if I can’t be a doctor. Perhaps when I retire….
Sonographers are the first ones to see the baby. I’m always a bit jealous of that. I love new babies. Being one of the first to see a new baby feels like a tremendous honor to me.
And I’m always bummed out to find out second-hand that a baby arrived. [insert grumpy face] Babies are meant to be celebrated! (Don’t forget to call me next time, RJ!)
Anyhoo… I had the privilege of sitting through a screening yesterday. I am still thrilled about it. Sorry, maybe it’s too much, but I really get excited; although, I’m pretty sure the sonographer couldn’t tell.
It’s so fascinating to watch a skilled person do a screening. The machine emits high-frequency sound waves and has a receiver to detect sounds waves that are bounced back. The more solid the surface the sound waves hit, the more are bounced back. The less solid, the fewer are bounced back.
Based on infinitesimal variations, dimension and depth can be perceived with great accuracy. Comparing with incredible banks of data, the sonographer can project a baby’s size and weight. Taking all sorts of internal measurements of the heart, lungs, spine, teeth buds, fingers, toes–you name it–any number of valuable observations can be made.
We’ve used this sonographer for three pregnancies now, and we really like her, a lady named Susan. She’s a believer and talks about God’s handiwork the whole while she’s working. “Oh, look! There you can see the four chambers of the baby’s heart. See how they form a cross? That tells me that God has made a place for Himself inside each one of our hearts.”
She’s a dear, sweet lady.
When she discovered we hope to have a home birth, she said, “Well, if you’re confident and comfortable with that, it can be a great experience. But that reminds me of one fellow who said he was comfortable delivering their baby because he had delivered lots of calves!That is not the same thing! I wouldn’t want him delivering my baby!”
What’s humorous is that she told that same story to us around two years ago. What’s slightly more humorous is I know the man who said something like that to her around four years ago. Fancy that!
We’re thankful that the baby is healthy and growing well. The sonographer said the baby checked in near the 80th percentile for head size and body weight (no surprise, considering the other deliveries) and near the 50th percentile for leg length (no surprise there, considering how shrimpy the parents are).
Happy sigh!
The estimated due date, also known as the date sandwiched between multiple weeks on either side during which the baby may or may not arrive, is September 23.
P.S. We are not revealing the baby’s gender.
P.P.S. We’ve chosen to name the baby with the initials W. A. S.
P.P.P.S. That stands for Walter Anthony Schmidt.
Juan David 