My bundle of joy

It is January the 24th (2007) today. A bright and lovely day outside. The sun has also come out to rejoice with us on our special day. Sonu and I are going to be parents of a beautiful child. He (I know 'it' is a 'he') is 12-14 weeks old only. My sweet and small baby.

At 8:30 a.m. I walk in the clinic for my first ultrasound with fear and anxiety of the unknown. I was told to have a full bladder. I must drink lots of water one hour prior to the procedure. This will help to move the intestines out of the way and aid in distinguishing various fetal parts. As the technologist takes my health card and asks me to wait, I can only think of going to the washroom to relieve myself. It is too much of a pain to sit still!Few minutes more of waiting, and I am ushered in by a sweet bespectacled lady. I am asked to remove my clothes and instead wear a blue gown, and then join her in room no. 3.

As I enter in after wearing the blue gown, I lie down on my back. She proceeds with the transabdominal ultrasound process of putting a lubricating gel on my growing tummy, and placing a probe over the gel and moving all around on the abdomen. Sound waves pass through my abdomen to the fetus and bounce back to create the fetal image on an electronic monitor.I look at her with growing anxiety, fear knotting my stomach.

Am I pregnant? Is something wrong with the baby? How old is the baby? When am I due? Can I see him? All kinds of questions creep in my mind like snakes in the plane. I finally blurt out, "Am I pregnant"? She gives me an amused look, and asks if I did my pregnancy test. I hesitantly told her I did but I was still confused.

She further probes me if this was my first pregnancy, and if I was new to Canada. I wonder what it has got to do with my pregnancy. Finally she laughs and answered my question: Yes, you are pregnant. I probe her further: how old is the baby? She hesitantly answers, approximately 14 weeks. Wow! I cant believe it. I have to see the baby myself.

After doing few more measurements, she calls in Sonu. Moving the monitor towards us, we watch with anticipation and joy. I see my baby on the screen, yes, with my own eyes! The tiny hands that are going to hold my hands, his newly formed face, eyes, body, limbs, abdomen, shoulder, spinal chord, and his beautiful throbbing heart. Yes, I hear his heart beat too. It is like the sound of a water stream rushing in. I feel tears in my eyes. Is it out of happiness? Disbelief? I have no idea. In a blur, I enter the washroom, change my clothes, and come out with my baby's picture in hand.

Sonu and I come out of the lab smiling. It is true! We are the proud parents of a woderful son. I am determined to give the best to my baby.