Friday, September 05, 2008

The World's Most Pregnant Med Student


I am now 38 and a half weeks pregnant. I have had a near dream pregnancy but I am now starting to feel the affects of hauling an extra 35 lbs around the hospital. Fortunately I am on a much less demanding rotation than my last one (neuro consult vs ICU). Unfortunately I am now in a much busier, more crowded hospital. I have had more strangers come up and touch my belly in the last week than all the rest of the my pregnancy.

Aside from the regular excitement over a new life, people, especially other health professionals, are fascinated by my reproductive state while in medical school. I will never get used to people I have never met asking me what my future career plans are while riding in the elevator.
"How can you manage?" "Are you going to take time off?"

I can understand why people are curious. I am a bit of a curiosity. (Step behind the curtain to see the World's Most Pregnant Med Student. Watch while she writes consults on her shelf of an abdomen. Beware the massive swinging belly.) But I am starting to wonder why they all ask me about it. It is interesting how introducing a baby into the picture gives people permission to cross regular lines of privacy.

4 comments:

Tall Medstudent said...

Hey, that is one impressive abdo! :) Hope everything goes well!

med neophyte said...

Thanks.

My doctor said he didn't think it was going to be that big a baby at my last visit. But I think he just said that so that I wouldn't be too afraid.

Dragonfly said...

Make bets on how long she can last between bathroom trips? Make a pool as to when she will go into labour?

In all seriousness...glad you are on a placement that isn't too physically arduous. Hope you have some nice sensible shoes as well. And that ventilation is good....I remember a pregnant classmate suffering at 36 weeks in an overheated hospital ward.

Dragonfly said...

Checked back and realised you must be about full term now. Good luck!!!!