Stressing about Dentist Visits

You might ask yourself, what does a visit to the dentist have to do with this blog? Nothing and everything would be the answer. Tomorrow I am taking all three girls for the first time together to the dentist (I have been taking the older two for some time now but it's the littlest's first cleaning!). Aside from the fact that it's the middle of winter and taking all three kids anywhere at the same time, especially when we need to be there by a specific time, is stressful, there is another source of stress for me. One that makes my stomach do flip flops in anticipation.

I have not been to the dentist since this pregnancy has been obvious. I am nervous about answering questions regarding the pregnancy and how I will respond. My husband and I also frequent this dentist office so the staff knows us pretty well. So, I have a few options. One, I can keep my jacket closed (which by some miracle I can still wear my normal winter jacket which is slimming black) and hope no one notices my enlarged profile. Two, I can unbutton my jacket and take any questions if/when they come. Then my dilemma is how to answer those questions. Do I paste on a smile and say we don't know the baby's gender and that baby will arrive in March and leave it at that knowing that in six months I will see these same people and they will remember the belly and ask how my baby is doing? Do I tell them as gently as possible that we do not know the gender of the baby but that we do not anticipate the baby will survive? There is no good option, eventually I will have to answer at least one question which will put out there that our baby either will die or has died. Oh, and my next cleaning, on Valentine's Day - ugh!

It is one of the things that made my sickest when we first learned of this baby's potter's syndrome. Dealing with all of those well meaning questions. Oddly enough, not one person, no strangers or acquaintances, who did not know about our situation, ask me about this baby/pregnancy. I suppose me not leaving the house all that often and since it's winter wearing my "slimming" black jacket zippered up tightly helps.