I told my boss first so he would hear it from me. I've then let individuals know, and I figure the ones that I don't work with directly or whom I don't know very well can figure it out as I get bigger. I'll bet you more people have guessed than you think (that was the case with me -- my boss suspected even though I've gained relatively little weight and am not showing much at all).

I recommend going to a specialty shop where they can find the right fit for you. I love Trousseau in Vienna. I'm only 13 weeks and have already gone up one size, and I expect I'll be visiting them again later in the pregnancy. Good luck!

OP - WISDOM is about to have two new full-time midwives come on board. I would email Whitney to get on the wait list right away -- you may have more luck than you think! Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:This is OP: Thanks to all for your support and helpful suggestions! Thanks to the moms for sharing their experiences with natural birth and specific OBs and midwife practices!

As for locations, I'm located in Alexandria, near the King Street Metro. I work near Smithsonian station in DC. While convenience is important (we've yet to buy a car, but looks like we'll need one soon), finding a provider we communicate well with and trust trumps that.

I know it's a bit late in the game, as I've just learned there is an August waiting list at WISDOM as well as BirthCare, but I'll follow up with the several other providers that folks mentioned and keep looking...

If anyone else has additional ideas or suggestions, please let us know.

Thanks again.

I'm expecting and in the exact same situation--thanks for the recs for the snugride. I'll be delivering at GW, and they told me that they wouldn't be able to release me and the baby without an "approved" car seat that was properly installed. Do you know if the snugride is one such car seat?

Thanks for the recommendation. Do you have contact info for her?

I called my midwife about it and she had me come in and do an early exam. She was able to determine that the spotting was coming from outside the uterus, a very good sign. Definitely worth getting checked out. Good luck and congrats!

In case it is useful, here is the link to the nutrition guidelines that my midwives use: http://wisdomwhc.blogspot.com/p/nutrition-in-pregnancy-wisdom.html. Best of luck!

I find the Norstrom dresses are mostly too short for the professional workplace for me -- but I'm six feet so that may not be as much of a concern. I tend to order the tall sizes at the Gap.

All of this information is really helpful. I heard that Cooke has begun its IB program. I've heard of htis before for high schools, but not in the elementary school context -- what exactly does that mean? Thanks!

I'm sorry to hear you're having panic attacks. I've had a few so far during my first trimester, and they've been really scary -- especially since I feel very responsible for chemicals that my be flooding to my child while I am feeling so out-of-control. My psychiatrist and my midwife told me that I absolutely should be taking Xanax when I have a panic attack, even though that is considered a "class D" drug, that generally should be avoided in pregnancy. They both say that the chemicals that flood through the body in a panic attack are worse than the Xanax for the baby. Also, since my panic attacks are sporadic and not daily, it's not like I'm exposing my baby regularly to the Xanax. I also see a therapist every week, which has been really helpful. I do EMDR, traditional talk therapy, and cognitive behavioral work there. I would recommend that you speak with your doctor about the options out there. Good luck and congratulations on your little one!

I'm 35 and got pregnant on my third cycle. I used Pre-Seed lubricant and timed very carefully (tracking with Taking Charge of Your Fertility). I also worked on de-stressing through yoga and meditation, and I swear more than anything that helped. Good luck!

You should go to the next "Meet the Midwife" event. I think (though am not positive) that it's a prerequisite for getting into the practice. I went while I was TTC and emailed (can't call until you're in the practice) to get into the practice as soon as I got a positive test. I was accepted into the practice right away. They are also going to be bringing on more midwives, so even those who are waitlisted have a good shot at getting off if their due date isn't for a while.

I LOVE the practice btw.