PAPACITO #03

The pregnancy has really started to feel real. Just five minutes before we were about to head to the chemistry lab at school, my wife announced that folic acid is simply a vitamin and dietary supplement recommended for use right from the start of pregnancy. Okay. How could she possibly know this when we've only been pregnant for a couple of days?

"The ectoderm forms the neural tube, which later becomes the baby's brain and spinal cord. Folic acid is especially important in this process, which is why it's recommended as a dietary supplement."

I'd better go get some folic acid—fast, and a whole lot of it.

We downloaded the Pregnancy+ app to track, display, and guide us through our pregnancy. The previous information about folic acid also came from there. I have to admit, the app is really good. It shows a 3D image of the fetus, what stage the little rascal is at in its development, the fetus's length and weight, and information for that particular week about, among other things, the baby, the mother's body, health tips, and how the partner can be helpful. Clearly, this app was made by a woman. I've just gone from being a loving dad to a helpful slave, and apparently this is just the beginning.

It's not much of a little snail yet. Apparently, though, development is mind-bogglingly fast in the early stages, so I'm eagerly waiting to see how the fetus develops in the coming weeks. I'd love to scroll through every week in advance on the app to see when it starts to even resemble a tiny human being.

After the positive pregnancy test, of course, the first and most important step for everyone was: Googling "positive pregnancy test." I was clearly not alone in this, as the first headline immediately caught my eye: "Positive Pregnancy Test—What Do I Do Now?"—OPEN IT NOW!

The next steps were clear: "Contact your local maternity clinic." A moment later, we had an appointment booked for a couple of weeks from then.

A family of our own—that sounded great. Our little family. At the prenatal clinic, they gave us a lot of information that was apparently important, but—surprise, surprise—I missed so much of it that even my short, spiky hair stood on end. I'll defend myself by saying I'd just come straight from work, tired and having slept poorly anyway.

Well, men don't usually remember what they were told at their first prenatal visit anyway!

Especially since the instructions seemed to be almost entirely for the mother. I do remember one point, though. Apparently, both of us were supposed to go to the dentist and/or for a dental checkup. Wait, what? Both of us?

I didn't dare question something a professional had stated so seriously, but what does my dental hygiene have to do with this pregnancy? At this point in the conversation, WE weren't pregnant anymore—only my dear wife was. Well, it was a good reminder to myself, though, that I, too, am part of the pregnancy.

At the prenatal checkup, the app claimed that "your little one is starting to look like a baby now." – Bullshit, I say. You looked just like a little dinosaur in there, every one of your 9.5 millimeters. In the first four weeks, you'd grown from a tiny speck to 1.5 mm long, and now you're already 9.5 mm.

Just keep up the folic acid, and everything will be fine.

PAPACITO