The original Baby Egg Pregnancy Countdown Calendar
This is a photo of my friend, Kelly, at a prenatal clinic visit. We took her picture so she could show her friends “See, even though I’m really big, I only have one baby in here!”
I bought this Baby Egg at a Midwifery Today Conference that I attended in Eugene, Oregon. I had to own it when I saw it. I discourage routine ultrasound and recommend that dopplers and imaging devices be kept well away from the developing fetus. I like to kid around with my clients and say “Okay, today we’re going to take a picture of the baby.” They look shocked because they’ve already heard me go on and on about NOT using ultrasound. Then, I bring out the Baby Egg and they get to see their baby actual size and there’s a cute caption on the back that describes what the baby is doing at that week of gestation. I take a photo of them with the egg, like this one, so they can send it to the grandparents or post to Facebook.
The Baby Egg retails for about $16 (U.S.) through Amazon. You can see some sample illustrations on their website at http://babyeggcalendar.com/
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… My wife just said, “That’s cheaper than an ultrasound!” Ha!
Hi Gloria,
My sister was just told during a doctor’s exam that she seems big for her due date and that she may be farther along than previously thought, or that there may be a possibility of twins. She is 18 weeks, I believe, and hasn’t had an ultrasound and wasn’t planning on having one, but now she feels she should. Any advice? How far along would someone have to be in order for a midwife to tell whether or not there were twins via fetascope or just feeling around the belly?
Without ultrasound even with experienced hands approximately 20% of twin pregnancies will be a complete surprise when they deliver — and may not be particularly obvious that there is a possible large uterus with very wriggly “baby/babies” till about 30 weeks. The advantage of an early scan is it’s easier to see if separate placentas which reduce risk of one baby taking more blood supply than the other. The disadvantage is once you start on the roller coaster it’s hard to get off and decline more intervention. The majority of mother nature’s bounty works out well in the end without our input — and sometimes despite it! Good luck!
Hi Leah, she could have a “one swipe” ultrasound. They usually spend an hour measuring things but she can ask to just have one swipe to say “one baby or two”. Same is true if you’re questioning “is the baby breech” at 34 weeks. Just one swipe will confirm head position.
It’s trickier than you would think to diagnose twins via palpation and listening to the heart tones.
Thanks so much!
I love this! They are out of stock on amazon. Do you know of anywhere else I could get one? Thanks!!