First hospital visit!

Well, today I was scheduled for my first hospital visit.
When I had originally made the appointment, for the end-of-first-trimester ultrasound, it had been calculated based on my original due date.
The purpose of this first ultrasound is to look for abnormalities like Down Syndrome, etc.


The ideal time frame for doing it is during the 11th-12th week of pregnancy.
I would have had my visit at the ideal time based on my original dates, but with the change in dates, the baby was too small to be able to do what they needed at this appointment.

To me, this wasn't a big deal. It actually means that I get a "free" ultrasound through the public system. (Seeing as I never go to the doctor for anything, it's about time that I get something out of the exhorbitant amounts that Mauri pays out each week for our "free" medicine.)

Anyways, although I'm sure I have made it quite apparent that I am in no way a fan of the no-choices/normally no-privacy... public health system, I do have to admit that the new hospital in no way, shape or form compares to the old hospital. I guess that is no surprise. I mean, I guess it obviously couldn't have been worse than the old-falling apart hospital whose dingy gray hallways were always filled with cots to accomodate the too many patients. (I even heard from a friend last week who gave birth to her baby in the supply closet in the old hospital because there wasn't a room for her.) I had always said that there was no way I would ever be pregnant and give birth in the old hospital, and never even considered getting pregnant here until the new hospital was open.
Still, I have to admit that everything has been improved. Many say that it is because the new hospital, that while public, has private management. Who knows? I can't be certain that there weren't any cots in the hallways, as I only saw a small part of the hospital, and didn't make it to the patient rooms section. (People do complain that this hospital isn't really much bigger than the last. On the other hand, they have left the other one open for chronic, terminal and psychiatric cases, from what I hear). If there were cots running through the hallways, at least I didn't see it.

The hospital was clean, had lots of windows and light, and was pretty well organized (huge shock!!!). They even had counters to check in at each part of the hospital. This was great improvement over the old hospital, where you would guess where you were supposed to be, hoped you were right, crossed your fingers and hoped that eventually someone would come out of the closed door that you had decided to stand by, and call your name. (Fortunately, I only had the "pleasure" of having to go to a hospital appointment there once in my life.)

The wait at the new hospital wasn't even that long, and I was called in to the room to have my ultrasound done.
I could hear the heartbeat again, and could now see much more than I could at my other visits. As you can see from the picture, my baby has a pretty nice profile. (If I do say so myself) He or she looks quite comfortably reclined, and seems to be just chilling out.
From the measurements, you can see that the crown to rump length is now 4cm. So, the baby is about 1 and 2/3 of an inch, supposedly the size of a plum.
Anyways, although the appointment didn't serve its purpose, it was nice to be able to see that the baby looks good, and its heart is beating. They made a new appointment for me for another ultrasound on March 4th, ironically the same day that I have my appointment at the private office. Since the appointment went well, and was quite effortless, the only thing I have to worry about for my next visit is trying to find parking. (That IS impossible at this hospital.)
As for my private appointment, I had changed my original appointment with the doctor (Feb. 23) so that I wouldn't have my ultrasounds all on the same day. Now, I have them on the same day again!! Oh well. I would change the appointment, but I've already changed once...
Tomorrow I have my appointment with the midwife, so I'll be checking in again afterwards!