Gender Bender

So, what'll it be? Boy or Girl? Girl or Boy?
Some parents wait until their due date to find out but I am that kind of really curious person who would peek at Christmas presents if I thought I wouldn't get caught!
Today is the day of our 20 week scan. Both my husband and I are hoping to find out the sex of our baby. Not that it matters mind you... I suppose we're hoping for a boy but only because of all the girls born in the family already (7 girls and no boys in the youngest generation so far).
There are a number of less scientific methods of predicting the sex of your baby. Are you hairy? It's a boy! Is the bump low? It's a boy! Is the bump high and visible from the back? It's a girl! Does your wedding ring swing like a pendulum over your stomach when suspended from a strand of your hair? It's a boy. Does your wedding ring move in a circle over your stomach when suspended from a strand of your hair? It's a girl. Is the fetal heart rate over 140? It's a girl. Do you crave cheese and meat? Boy. Do you crave sweets? Girl. Is your right breast bigger than your left? Boy! There are also various online quizzes which will tell you - mine have said boy. And last but not least if the year you conceived in and the age which you conceived at are both odd numbers then it's a girl.
It's all very confusing really so I'm really looking forward to something scientific today! Is it a boy? We'll see but we won't be disappointed either way.

Finally, a Midwife...I hope.

I am now 16 weeks pregnant and a bit anxious about maternity care. I have been to the GP twice and have had my first ultrasound, but I don't have a lead maternity carer (LMC). In New Zealand, midwives are the most common LMCs as they are free and if you want to be followed for the duration of your pregancy by an obstetrician, it will cost several thousand dollars. I suppose one of the reasons I've been anxious about this is because a coworker who is also pregnant shared her frustrations about all the midwives in her area being "booked up" or "full" early on.
Today I finally managed to get a real person on the phone and chat about meeting for a first appointment, which is actually tomorrow. Working full time hours has made it hard for me to call when there might be someone in their office to speak to and I've not got any replies to voice messages I've left. The hours I work also makes it difficult to find a time that will work, so I was lucky to set up a meeting tomorrow so I can get it out of the way.
At the first appointment, it's about getting to know the LMC and asking any questions you may have about their style, beliefs, back up person, etc. I've not thought too much about this, but managed to find an excellent list of possible questions that the GP gave me which is put out by the Ministry of Health here in NZ. Some of the questions I may ask are:
-How long have you been attending births?
-How many other patients of yours are due about the same time as me?
-Will you provide all of my care or will others be involved?
-Who will provide back up care if you're not able to be there and will I be able to meet them?
-What birthing options do you offer?
-Which hospitals do you have access to?
-How many antenatal visits can I expect to have?
-What happens if I need specialist care during my pregnancy or labour?
-What will your role be if specialist care (including caesarean section) is needed?
-How many post natal visits can I expect?
-Will post natal visits be in the hospital or at home?
-What is the best way to contact you if I have any questions or concerns at any time?

Hopefully with the help of those questions, I will be able to decide if this midwife is right for me. This is someone who I will be seeing relatively often for the next several months and who will be taking a big role in my health at a very important time in my life. Fingers crossed that this one is nice and I won't have to go around making heaps of visits before I find someone I like.