I have lived in Brooklyn 10 years but would go back to Long Island where I grew up, for that once per year dreaded gynecological exam. I figured my commute east for these office visits would bite me in the ass some day, but there a million things more comforting than having to find a new gynecologist.

Good times at the gyno

So when I found out I was pregnant, the first thing I did was look up doctors who were close by where I lived. I knew there would be many appointments in my future and I wasn’t working, so being in walking distance of the doctor’s office was important to me.

That’s when I met Dr. Scott Postell at Long Island College Hospital. After some further testing confirmed my pregnancy, he fed me his credentials and shpeel on the thousands of babies he’s delivered and assured me that a merger with SUNY Downstate Medical Center would not hinder my birthing plans. He spoke in layman’s terms often, but he had a personable quality that made me more at ease about exposing my vajayjay. Plus, the walk to his office was only five minutes from my home.

We were fortunate to have a hospital in our neighborhood and thus it felt it was only right to have our baby in the community we loved and lived in for so many years. It was decided. We would have our baby with Dr. Postell at LICH. All of a sudden I was having visions of walking (or waddling) myself to the emergency room when I went into labor!

Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, NY

Of course I made this decision before I did my homework and combed the web for reviews. Turns out the message boards were ripe with negativity about giving birth at LICH. One woman wrote in the comments to an article about births being down at LICH that she wouldn’t let her dog give birth there. Well if you read this blog then you know how I feel about people who think their life has greater value than that of an animal’s.

But there were also comments from moms who had great things to say about giving birth at LICH. Like the woman who was in labor 65 hours (yikes!) and called labor and delivery at LICH “top rate.” Hopefully I can second that motion. The top rate comment, NOT the 65 hour labor!

Unveiling the bump at 15 weeks and three pounds gained…

I woke up from a nap on the couch Friday night, and as I made my way towards the bathroom to get ready for bed I felt it. It stopped me dead in my tracks. I didn’t know what it was at first and described it to my husband Jason as a swooshing sensation through my lower abdomen. Forgetting for a moment that I am pregnant, I told him that I felt possessed, like something was inside of me. He reminded me that something was in fact inside of me! What can I say, I was drowsy.

The bambino is the size of this delicious apple. Yum.

When I looked it up on Dr. Google I found out what I felt is called quickening. American Pregnancy Association describes quickening, or flutters, as the first fetal movements. Wow, is this very surreal or what?!