//------------------------------// // Twenty Six - Regular Appointments // Story: MommAdagio // by EagleOfDeath15 //------------------------------// - 1 Week Later - [7 Months, 2 Weeks Into Pregnancy] “Sorry if I’ve bothered you both on such short notice. Just following important standard procedures.”       A few days have passed since Adagio’s birthday. We were back again in Canterlot General Hospital after Dr. Whooves called us asking if we could both come in. My girlfriend grunted tiredly beside me but I squeezed her hand gently, ensuring I was right beside her which she replied to with a weak smile. “It’s no problem. So what did you call us in for doc?” I asked.     “I wanted to inform you both that appointment attendances will be changing from a monthly basis to every two weeks. Currently, Adagio is thirty weeks into her cycle and it’s important we discuss with every pregnant individual in regards to the upcoming birth. On occasion, there may be additional appointments so expect regular physical exams and late pregnancy tests. This is not always the case though for every woman though,” he explained.      Adagio groaned louder, a clear hint of annoyance in her voice. I squeezed her hand gently again as a reminder. “To start things off, how’re you feeling at the moment, Adagio?”         “Well, I still usually feel tired and hungry, sometimes my baby moves around but that’s about it.” To emphasize, she giggled a little and patted her swollen belly. The doctor and I smiled. “That’s good to hear. It’s a normal thing for mothers-to-be so there’s not much to worry about. What about contractions, swellings, headaches or other pains?” “Just the occasional headaches, nothing else.” Dr. Whooves nodded and noted it down on a piece of paper. “Alright. The next thing I wanted to ask you was whether there’s any issues or concerns you’d like to raise in regards from your previous appointments?” Adagio hummed softly while in thought. “Nothing as of now. Though I feel scared when the time comes to deliver the baby.” Dr. Whooves leaned over and placed a hand gently onto her hand comfortingly. “Dear, I may not be a woman, but as a doctor, I’ve gone through this with women and I understand their fears. I assure you I’ll do the best I can to help you and ease your fears. It may seem scary at first glance, but it’s not as bad as you would think. The best advice I can give you is to imagine seeing that little bundle of joy opening its eyes for the first time,” Dr. Whooves suggested.   Adagio smiled, feeling relieved. I imagined it too and couldn’t help but smile myself. I remember having discussed this before with her once and knew it was a scary moment for pregnant women. Still, I was willing to weather the storm with her. “Next question I’d like to ask is about the child. How much are you feeling it’s movements?" “She’s become quite active after I felt her first movements,” Adagio answered. “That’s great.” Dr. Whooves noted the additional information down. “I’d like to remind you that it’s important to give the hospital a call at any time if your baby seems less active than usual. This is for health reasons to ensure your safety and safe deliverance at the date of birth. If it helps, I advise you to pay attention to your babies movements by counting its movements for a set period of time each day,” he explained. Adagio nodded and took note of it for the present and near future.         “Now onto the physical exam. Prior to some previous appointments, I may have to ask you to give a urine example to check for signs of pre-eclampsia, urinary tract infections and any other problems.” “What’s pre-eclampsia?” I asked.        “Pre-eclampsia is a condition that affects some pregnant women, usually occurring during the second half of pregnancy from around 20 weeks and over. Sometimes it can happen after the baby’s birth,” Dr. Whooves described. “What’re the usual signs of this condition?” Adagio questioned.    “A main symptom can be high blood pressure or better known as hypertension. Other symptoms can include swelling of the feet, ankles, face and hands caused by fluid retention, severe headache, vision problems or pain just below the ribs.”     Dr. Whooves began the physical exam and checked her feet, ankles, hands and face for symptoms of swelling. Gladly, there were none which was a huge relief to the both of us. The last thing we needed was to bring harm to our child when things were so close. Next, Adagio returned carrying a small container with a urine sample and handed it over to the doctor for further testing. Dr. Whooves then measured her blood pressure which still remained normal at 110/70, showing she was still in a relaxed, healthy condition.  Next, her weight was measured on an electronic scale. I already knew I would receive the end of the barrel’s blame and for a reason I quote ‘Look what you did to me! You made me fat!’. The scale’s reading stopped and displayed 75.1kg. I guess that wasn’t much of an increase from last time. As if Adagio seemed to read my mind, she threw me a deathly glare.        After he had taken the necessary samples and updated information, he used a stethoscope and checked the baby’s heartbeat. We were given the opportunity to listen and felt the familiar beating of a heart.      BA-BUMP BA-BUMP BA-BUMP It was a joyful experience to hear our child alive, healthy and strong, the characteristics that I could attribute more to Adagio than I. Afterwards, he gently felt her belly with his hands to get a rough estimate of the baby’s size. He also measured the distance between her pubic bone and the top of her uterus which he called in medical terms, her fundal height. It allowed him to compare the baby’s gestational age as well as the measurements from the previous visit to make sure the baby’s growth rate was normal.         Time felt slow as the procedure continued on. Luckily, Dr. Whooves clasped his hands together and sighed. “Well, that concludes everything for today’s appointment. I shall see you both in two weeks time. Here is a copy of today’s appointment. I thought you may need it as a reminder.”         I received the piece of paper containing information for Adagio.        “Thanks again Dr. Whooves,” Adagio thanked. Dr. Whooves shook his head modestly. “Just doing my job my dear. Again, my sincere apologies for having disturbed your rest. Anyway, I’ll shoo you both off so you can have the day off. Take care and see you soon!”      Adagio and I exchanged a wave of goodbye with our good doctor and left for home.       “Just a little more, Dagi. We’ll see Aria soon,” I assured. Adagio giggled agreeingly and grasped my hand into hers.