Epidural checkup

Off to the Clinique St Roch today in the middle of Montpellier for my appointment to see the anaesthetist about the epidural.

I got off the tram at the Stade Phillipides - got totally lost with only 5 mins before my appointment was due... I'm waddling and Alicia says she's tired.

After going to the wrong department (and even taking a ticket - it was here last time I was here 4 years ago...) I was redirected and then got signed in very quickly - waited only 5 minutes and was called in before anybody else in the waiting room. The doctor was extremely tanned - wearing scrubs and had a St Christopher around his neck... he asked Alicia her name and introduced himself as Christian. After reading my notes, he took my blood pressure and asked my weight before pregnancy and today and asked if I smoked. He didn't even look at my back. I was out in 5 minutes.

Euro28 thank you very much. They didn't accept carte vitales ... so another brown form.
... and a form to fill in for my husband in case I need someone to switch off the life support machine.

And the big news - I finished packing the hospital bag - after a visit to Kiabi to buy nighties and nursing bras.

Third Scan at the Gyne

We have an appointment today with the stand-in gyne (it's August - EVERYBODY IS ON HOLIDAY) at 0930hrs - we turn up early at 0915hrs - 2 minutes in the waiting room and we're straight in.

A 15 minutes scan and baby is well and is a good weight etc for 33/34 weeks - he asks if we are definitely booked in for another c-section - I said my normal gyne said he didn't know if it would be a normal birth or not. It looks like we are going to have an x-ray of my pelvis done next time.

Then I'm weighed and given a quick internal examination - Euro90 later and we're out of the office before 0945hrs!

Next appointment 22 August, with the appointment at the hospital to check for the epidural on 29th August.

Epidural and Clinique

Today I finally get around to filling in the form to book my space at the clinic. Details they want include:

• My name, and contact details, date of birth and so on. As well as my profession and employer.
• My social security number.
• My Mutuelle details.
• Name of my GP
• Name of my gyne / Obst.
• Next of kin details
• and finally whether I want a standard double room to share with bathroom - or a single room with a put-you-up bed for Euro57/ day extra - or a double comfort room with 2 beds (daddy can sleep over) for Euro65 / day extra.

I also call and make an appointment for the end of August for my epidural check up - generally they ask questions on your health and look at your spine....

My next gyne appointment - 19 weeks

Just a normal check up. All is well - he says I've only gained 2 kilos - I think his scales are broke!

I come away with a prescription to go to the lab. for a diabetes test (more on that later) and a toxoplasmosis test.

I also get a prescription for my 2nd and big scan to be taken at the end May / Beg June, I have to go to an expert scanning chappy (the same guy that did the scan when I had my amnio) ..... a bit of paper for me to book an appointment to have a check up for an epidural for the end of August.... and a bit of paper to book me into the clinique... phew!

Euro45 and I'm back home smartish as we are moving home today - I wouldn't have booked a gyne appointment for today normally, but the doctor was off sick on Monday and I got my appointment changed...