[luvrbbs]

My 10th week starts tomorrow. I have been enduring the crazy mind--- thinking I am not pregnant to the tune of buying more tests and taking them just to prove to myself.... silliness and I know it is the enemy filling my head with doubts.

My husband is still not kean on my notions to have UP and UC. He would feel better if I saw a doctor (gag me with a spoon).

However I have been longing for an ultrasound. I have sneaking suspision that there may be 2 weeones and if I had an ultrasound this time (completely opposite of previous pregnancies) I would want to know the sex for planning- we have to start all over with clothing etc.

So - anyone know a place to get an u/s with no doctor? And please share your thoughts on this longing- is this just more doubts?

I am so tired of being in a world that has life all messed up- it is like swimming upstream in a sea of porcupines. I am feeling out of place and the temptation to go the other way is lurking.

I do not want to be treated the way I was with my previous 2 deliveries. But I also want to submitt to my husband- is his push for assisted pregnancy from God- is there something that I need from the assistance??? Here goes the crazy mind again.

Thanks for your thoughts and support!

Jackelyn

[bydesign]

Only you and your husband can decide if ultrasound is right for you. Thankfully you have the internet and you can research the pros and cons and make an informed choice.

Most, though not all, UCers come to a place either before the pregnancy or during that cements the decision to birth unassisted. For most, it is a journey to get to the point. If you are still deciding, then you are still on the journey, and that's ok. There is really no time limit, other than the birth itself, for deciding where and how to birth. Even at the last minute you can go to a hospital, they will take you in. The benefit in deciding sooner is that you can become fully confident and really relax and enjoy your pregnancy without the worries of decision making during the entire 9 months.

As for getting an ultrasound without a doctor, it depends on where you live and what resources are available. Some crisis pregnancy centers (pregnancy care centers, or pregnancy support centers) offer ultrasounds. Some reserve the ultrasounds only for their clients who are considering abortion, others offer them to all women because it gives an opportunity for the technician to get more experience.

In other places, a home birth midwife can refer you to a physician for an ultrasound. Some physicians will see you and do an ultrasound without insisting you commit to birthing with him/her. You can say you are still deciding whether or not to have a home birth and the ultrasound will help you make that choice... many doctors will respect that.

For those who avoid ultrasounds because of the possible damage it can do to a baby, it makes sense to wait a bit longer until the baby is larger. There isn't much benefit to knowing you are having twins at 10 weeks versus finding out at 16 or 18 weeks. But again, it really is a personal decision and you may have reasons that don't need to be justified to other women, especially other women on the internet that don't know you. :D

[Jewel]

I would suggest checking out a crisis pg center such as carenet, etc..

[Gentile]

i got mine done at the local community college...they have a tech program there...it was free.

[Solace]

In addition to the helpful feedback already offered, the only thing I can say is this ---Remember that at the pregnancy care centers or whatever they may not be able to go as diagnostic as you would like....but if you want to have a hope at the gender I would wait until closer to 20 weeks. I don't worry as much about the ultrasound exposure b/c 10 seconds of doppler is = to a 1/2 hour ultrasound...so if you use a doppler at all I would much rather have the ultrasound a get a peek at babykins. Some of the ultrasound boutiques make you have a dr. note or proof you have already had the 20 week diagnostic u/s...but I am betting that not all of them do this. (similar to when you purchase birth supplies through certain places you have to make a statement that you are a medical professional but I have rarely heard of someone being asked to prove it)

[LisaS]

Can you feel your uterus yet??

As someone experienced in this matter, stay as close to your hubby as you can on decision making. It's hard enough being pg, but being pg and disagreeing with your dh makes life so stressful. Pray pray pray.

I recall one pg I took a pg test every few days just to prove to myself I was pg during those early weeks. It can become obsessive. Just think, only a few more weeks and you will be feeling your baby!

And I encourage you to continue your reading and research...

[luvrbbs]

LisaS, on 28 February 2010 - 11:22 PM, said:

Can you feel your uterus yet??

As someone experienced in this matter, stay as close to your hubby as you can on decision making. It's hard enough being pg, but being pg and disagreeing with your dh makes life so stressful. Pray pray pray.

I recall one pg I took a pg test every few days just to prove to myself I was pg during those early weeks. It can become obsessive. Just think, only a few more weeks and you will be feeling your baby!

And I encourage you to continue your reading and research...

[luvrbbs]

Thank you all for the feedback. Well I guess God has answered my should I see a doctor just in hopes of getting the ultrasound...
My husband lost his job and therefore we are loosing our insurance. Also we talked this weekend and he does not want to know the gender... that surprised me a little. But ok.

God is so good, he has already provided an interview this week for my husband. He applied for a cleaning job even thought that is not his field and the business called and offered him an interview in his field!!! For a job that they have not advertised yet! Thank you Lord for your perfect timing.

I am feeling less un-pregnant :) Looking forward to the 12th-14th weeks when I have previously started feeling movement.

I am not certain if what I feel is my uterus or not. I have an obeses abdomen.

I need more information about the doppler being equal to 30 mins of ultrasound. I bought a doppler with the intention of using it to check the heartrate during labor but also to hear the heartbeat a few times during pregnancy. So far I have not been able to locate the heart rate the 2 times I tried. I am planning to try again around 12 weeks.

Again thank you all for your support.

[Solace]

luvrbbs, on 01 March 2010 - 09:39 AM, said:

I am feeling less un-pregnant :) Looking forward to the 12th-14th weeks when I have previously started feeling movement.

I am not certain if what I feel is my uterus or not. I have an obeses abdomen.

I need more information about the doppler being equal to 30 mins of ultrasound. I bought a doppler with the intention of using it to check the heartrate during labor but also to hear the heartbeat a few times during pregnancy. So far I have not been able to locate the heart rate the 2 times I tried. I am planning to try again around 12 weeks.

Again thank you all for your support.

I have some extra padding in my abdominal area too... I couldn't feel my fundus at first, I suspected I could ...but wasn't sure... now that it is above my belly button, (as evidenced by a swift kick or two by babykins, I have an easier time feeling the outline...I can actually feel the top and work my way around the sides. It is easier to feel when I am laying in bed in the morning..I think having a full bladder..which makes me have braxton hicks, makes it easier.) You will feel it soon!

I went to the gentle birth archives and found this...

"The information about 1 min of Doppler = 35 min of ultrasound is in Anne Frye's Holistic Midwifery and her Understanding Diagnostic Tests in the Childbearing Year. This is because the waves used in a Doppler are continuous while the ones from an imaging ultrasound are pulsed. Electronic fetal monitors are continuous Doppler. "