Ten Weeks

Have I mentioned how much I love Thursdays at my office???

I found a midwife

I went to my appointment today with Karen Brock, with Specialists for Women. I really liked her, and I was very pleased with the hospital policies that she told me about. Memorial Herman The Woodlands does not require you to be on continous fetal monitoring. They also do not require a iv the entire time. You can labor in the bath, etc. The midwife was very sweet and nice, and made me feel comfortable.

I had an ultrasound today. The baby measured exactly on our dates. 9 weeks 4 days. I also saw and heard a heartbeat of 188 bpm. I would scan in the picture but it really only looks like a blob.

9 weeks!

Kim left me a present on a shelf in my office! I absolutely adore it! I will look forward to the new fruit each Thursday!!!! Thanks for being an awesome Office Manager and friend Kim, and I know everyone will enjoy this each week!

To say I am angry at Blue Cross Blue Shield is an extreme understatement!

So I was suppossed to have an appointment with my midwife at Nativiti Women's Center yesterday. On Wednesday I called my insurance company to give them my midwife's name. (Which I had called before to get in-network benefits since there is not a midwife contracted in 60 miles, and Blue Choice PPO covers should advertises to carry midwifes. They had told me to call back with her name, address, etc and they would give me the referral). In all of my craziness that is my life, I waited until the day before the appointment. The horrible lady on the phone told me that my small group plan has an exclusion and doesn't cover midwifes at all, in-network or out of network. This horrible lady and her supervisor couldn't tell me where this was written in my plan, why this was, and why it was different than other PPO's by BCBS that do cover them. They simply said if it is not referred to in the benefit booklet, they have the right to deny you coverage when asked. Ughhhh! I contacted my agent and the Texas Department of Insurance, and went to town literally. Section 1454 of the Insurance Code defines provider as home health aide, hospital, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, outpatient care center, physician assistant, registered nurse, or surgery center. In this instance they offer me coverage of services that someone other than an OB can give me. Basically they cannot do what they are doing, and I have filed a formal complaint. That can take 4-6 weeks to resolve.

The feelings I had were overwhelming. I interviewed this midwife months before I even got pregnant. I am a planner. Now I am 8 weeks pregnant and we have no idea who is going to deliver this little bean. My choices are to still go to Nativiti and pay out of pocket, go to my old OB (who I like) but the anxiety I would have could be paralyzing, try to see a CNM (certified nurse midwife) who delivers at the hospital (which might make me lie flat on my back, hooked to an iv, and monitored 24-7 due to Hospital rules, not her rules), or have a homebirth (which is the least expensive option). The reason the CNM will still work is because she bills her services under her OB group she is a part of.

As of right now, I have pushed my appointment back at Nativiti and made a new appointment with the CNM for the 19th to ask her my questions about hospital policy. My heart wants to have a Homebirth, but my head is scared. I am not sure how this will transpire, but I will keep you in the loop!

We are here in all the craziness

It has been some time since an update. I have a few Christmas photos, and we have almost finished fixing our new house.

Our time has been split between working and working with people at the new house, and cleaning our current house and jetting out before a showing. Since the week of Christmas we have almost had a showing each day! Our open house on Saturday went very well, and we have heard only positives about our house! We hope for an offer soon!

We plan on moving this weekend. If any of you want our new address please email me and I will be happy to send it out. I should be doing this for everyone I have email addresses for soon!

On the baby front- we have our first midwife appointment Thursday and I am very excited and nervous. I am not sure if Nativiti does early ultrasounds, or if we will be able to hear the heartbeat with a doppler. We will see what comes! I am content either way, but it should be would be exciting! I have not been sick yet, and for that I am sooo lucky. But again, I have never been as tired as I am now.

Hope everyone is doing well adjusting to normal life after the Holidays.


Ayden's school party! Mommy and Daddy got to go!


Gigi and Papa and the boys!


Uncle Chad and Mason


Opening presents at Jojo and Grandpas!