It is 18 June 2010 and time for the first scan in England. Obviously we've met you before when we had the first scan in Italy, but this is the first scheduled NHS scan and as the previous one was such an emotional experience, we are very excited about seeing and hearing you again!
It is also the first time we get to see the St. Thomas Hospital where we are booked in to give birth to you. As experienced sightseers, your parents are very impressed with this hospital's location right on the river opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament! The hospital itself is newly refurbished and seems quite up to the task of welcoming to the world our little princess Iolanda!
The midwife is a nice lady of foreign origin (as are your parents and most people in London!) who does a good job of pointing out all the different parts of your little body that is already developed. We again hear the beating of your heart and again we are moved by the effect it has on us!
Overall everything seems to be fine, and it is confirmed that the expected date of arrival will be at the end of this year, or very early 2011.
Friday 18 June 2010
Tuesday 15 June 2010
First appointment with the midwife.
The first appointment with the midwife is the start of the antenatal care of the NHS. The National Health Service is a fantastic organisation that essentially means that all healthcare, including your birth, will be free of charge (apart from the monthly tax and National Insurance that your parents pay of course!) It will be interesting to see if the NHS in its existing form will still be around by the time you have to give birth to your children as it is, along with other public institutions, facing a massive onslaught of budget cuts!!
Anyway, so Alessandra goes to the health centre that is (literally!) just around the corner from our house on 15 June 2010. This first appointment is all about a long conversation about the medical history of both sides of the family. At the end of this it is assessed as a risk-free pregnancy, which means that for now Alessandra will not see a doctor, but only a midwife. This of course is massively different from both the Italian and Southern African systems where everything pregnancy related is doctor led!
It is also here that Alessandra receives her Maternity record, which is really a big yellow book which contains all the info regarding the pregnancy. The midwife is quite clear that this book has to be carried by Alessandra at all times in case she has to go to the hospital unexpectedly. Naturally it ends up in the bookshelve, only to come out for the next appointment!
This next appointment is scheduled for 24 August, and for now there is nothing to do but wait for the little fagiolin to grow!
Anyway, so Alessandra goes to the health centre that is (literally!) just around the corner from our house on 15 June 2010. This first appointment is all about a long conversation about the medical history of both sides of the family. At the end of this it is assessed as a risk-free pregnancy, which means that for now Alessandra will not see a doctor, but only a midwife. This of course is massively different from both the Italian and Southern African systems where everything pregnancy related is doctor led!
It is also here that Alessandra receives her Maternity record, which is really a big yellow book which contains all the info regarding the pregnancy. The midwife is quite clear that this book has to be carried by Alessandra at all times in case she has to go to the hospital unexpectedly. Naturally it ends up in the bookshelve, only to come out for the next appointment!
This next appointment is scheduled for 24 August, and for now there is nothing to do but wait for the little fagiolin to grow!
Saturday 5 June 2010
First visit to Italy.
With your existence now confirmed, it can now officially be classified as your first visit to Italy! We spend a few days on the island, Isola del Giglio, and as with most places in Italy, it is beautiful!
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The flat that we rent is just few meters from the sea, and your dad is hopeful of a nice relaxing time on the beach. And so it is time for the next lesson about your parents: mom Alessandra doesn't stop! Apart from exploring the village, we rent a boat to explore the whole island and even trek up the mountain to the little village of Giglio! A small concession is made to Heino when she agrees that we can get the bus back to our flat!
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Back in Rome it is time for the real purpose of our visit to Italy, the wedding of Alessandra's friends Daniele and Ilaria. The great news about you is given to all her Italian friends, and predictably they are all absolutely delighted! Alessandra's good friend Emanuele, is even the first one to buy you little presents!
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| Group Picture |
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| with Pasquale,Alessia and Viola. |
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| A toast to the bride and groom: Viva gli sposi!! |
First scan and the "dum dum" of your little heart!
The last three weeks just dragged by so slowly, but finally it is Saturday 5 June and time to meet you!
It means an early rise on our holiday, but we are absolutely fine with it as we go with your Nonna Mariapia to Iperione in Rome. It is here that she has been working every Saturday, for as long as we can remember, as a doctor. In order to see you clearly on the scan, your mom needs to drink a lot of water, which very nearly lead to a little embarrassing accident in the waiting room!
And then we see you for the first time! This, together with hearing your little heart go dum dum, is an almost indescribably moving experience! You are only a few millimeters long, the size of a fagiolin (bean) and we don't know if you are a boy or a girl, but none of this matters even a little bit. We are already so in love with you!
The initial due date is set as 31st December 2010. It feels like an absolute eternity, especially as we know it will be a time full of changes, anxiety and awe of the amazing experience ahead!
On the way back home we meet up with Alessandra's lifelong friend, Silvia. She is every bit as ecstatic as we are. If anything brings home the magnitude of what is happening, it is seeing other people's reactions!
The afternoon is beach time! Iolanda, you'll have to learn from the start that the Italians are absolutely addicted to the sea! But, it is also a bit of practice for us as we are meeting up with Sabrina and Raffaele together with their one year old son, Edoardo. We share the good news with them as well and the rest of the afternoon is spent playing around with little Edo in the sand.
It means an early rise on our holiday, but we are absolutely fine with it as we go with your Nonna Mariapia to Iperione in Rome. It is here that she has been working every Saturday, for as long as we can remember, as a doctor. In order to see you clearly on the scan, your mom needs to drink a lot of water, which very nearly lead to a little embarrassing accident in the waiting room!
And then we see you for the first time! This, together with hearing your little heart go dum dum, is an almost indescribably moving experience! You are only a few millimeters long, the size of a fagiolin (bean) and we don't know if you are a boy or a girl, but none of this matters even a little bit. We are already so in love with you!
The initial due date is set as 31st December 2010. It feels like an absolute eternity, especially as we know it will be a time full of changes, anxiety and awe of the amazing experience ahead!
On the way back home we meet up with Alessandra's lifelong friend, Silvia. She is every bit as ecstatic as we are. If anything brings home the magnitude of what is happening, it is seeing other people's reactions!
The afternoon is beach time! Iolanda, you'll have to learn from the start that the Italians are absolutely addicted to the sea! But, it is also a bit of practice for us as we are meeting up with Sabrina and Raffaele together with their one year old son, Edoardo. We share the good news with them as well and the rest of the afternoon is spent playing around with little Edo in the sand.
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