So far, during her pregnancy, Darwin has every reason to be thankful because Veronica has never complained about anything strange or irrational. Even in her second-trimester pregnancy, Veronica appears to behave calmly and peacefully.
During this time, Darwin has never heard any unusual complaints or requests from Veronica. So, the weird experiences that Kennedy often shares or Luna’s cravings and strange requests have never happened to her at all.
“We’ve arrived,” Darwin said when the car he was driving had stopped and was neatly parked in the VIP area of one of the renowned hospitals. This afternoon was indeed their routine schedule to accompany Veronica for her prenatal checkup.
Darwin was full of enthusiasm as he opened the car door and led Veronica to enter the hospital. They patiently waited in the OB-GYN clinic’s patient queue. After a short while, Veronica’s name was called, and they were both escorted by a nurse to enter Dr. Olivia’s examination room.
“Good afternoon, welcome, Mr. Darwin, Mrs. Veronica,” greeted Dr. Olivia as she invited her guests to sit.
“Good afternoon as well, doctor,” they both replied simultaneously.
While Darwin sat in the waiting chair, Veronica was directed to lie down on the patient’s bed by a nurse. The doctor then began a series of ultrasound examinations to check the development of the fetus inside Veronica’s belly.
“How’s the condition of the baby in my wife’s belly?” Darwin asked curiously.
In almost every meeting or consultation session, Darwin seemed most enthusiastic about following all the developments of the unborn baby inside Veronica’s womb. He was not willing to miss any moments that occurred with his wife and their future child.
Darwin did his best to make Veronica comfortable in every way possible. Moreover, he always made an effort to promptly fulfill all of her requests. Once again, Darwin was relieved because none of Veronica’s requests caused him any trouble or difficulty.
“At 22 weeks of pregnancy, the baby’s length has reached about 28. 9 cm from head to heel, and the weight is now around 500 grams. In addition, the fetus can now sense touch stimuli. Brain and nerve development in the fetus is also starting to form perfectly. Vision and hearing are also improving.”
The doctor explained in detail, from the smallest details to the most important ones. Both Darwin and Veronica were equally captivated by this explanation, growing more impatient as time passed, eager to see their baby born into the world.
“What about my wife’s condition, doc? Is she perfectly fine, right? Or is there something to be concerned about?”
Doctor Olivia nodded with a smile. She enjoyed seeing expressive husbands like Darwin.
“So far, Veronica’s health condition is excellent. As far as I can tell, there don’t seem to be any significant issues.”
“I’ve never had any cravings, doc,” Veronica informed the doctor. Indeed, during this pregnancy, she hadn’t experienced any of the typical things pregnant women go through. She didn’t have the desire to experience strange cravings or unusual desires like most people talked about.
“Yeah, doc. Is this normal, right? My wife has never had cravings, it seems,” Darwin chimed in. “I rarely see my wife feeling nauseous or vomiting severely like other pregnant women. As for her appetite, it’s normal, and there are no issues at all. I mean, she doesn’t ask for anything strange like most pregnant women out there. Or maybe her cravings transferred to me, doc?” Darwin’s story made the doctor chuckle.
“Has Mr. Darwin felt anything unusual lately? Or something out of the ordinary happening to you?”
Darwin immediately nodded.
“Actually, from the very beginning of the pregnancy until now, I’ve often felt things like having a cold or stomach discomfort, as if my stomach acid is rising. I frequently get headaches, feel tired quickly, and sometimes get nauseous from the smell of perfume or strong cooking odors. But previously, I never experienced these things. And, funny thing is, I often suddenly crave to eat something spontaneously. Yet, I’m not someone who usually enjoys eating,” Veronica explained.
Doctor Olivia couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Seeing Darwin’s facial expressions while he was talking, she was sure that Veronica’s husband had been quite distressed by what he had been experiencing lately. Actually, it wasn’t just Darwin; many husbands complained of the same things as the man had just described.
“It’s okay, Mr. Darwin. What happened to you is very normal. What you’re experiencing is called sympathetic pregnancy syndrome or couvade syndrome. It means that husbands can experience pregnancy symptoms similar to what pregnant women usually go through. Whether it’s nausea, headaches, fatigue, back pain, or mood swings. And this can last until the third trimester or when the pregnancy reaches nine months,” explained Dr. Olivia. She tried to provide as much information as possible so that Darwin wouldn’t be surprised anymore.
“That means the fever I had a while ago could also be due to this. I even felt down for a few days,” Darwin guessed. After thinking about it, what he had experienced recently was exactly what the doctor had just explained to him.
“It’s possible that it’s related. So, Mr. Darwin, just be patient and try to control your emotions. If you’re feeling uncomfortable, it’s better to take a moment to calm down and then breathe deeply several times until this feeling of weakness, fatigue, and nausea goes away on its own.”
Darwin nodded in understanding. He then glanced at Veronica, who was still lying down, and smiled at his wife.
“No problem, doc. I think what I’m feeling is nothing compared to what my wife is going through.”
“Understanding like this is necessary, Mr. Darwin. As long as your wife’s mood and mind are relaxed and comfortable, the baby in her belly will also be healthy and experience the same. Because a fetus is the most sensitive creature. If we are sad, angry, or feeling something, they will surely react by moving unusually in the womb.”
“But, doc,” Darwin continued after the doctor finished speaking, “at this stage of pregnancy, can both of us find out the gender of our baby?”
The doctor nodded.
“Yes, Mr. Darwin, would you like to know? We can confirm it again at seven or eight months of pregnancy.”
Darwin and Veronica both nodded in agreement. Afterward, the doctor conducted another examination and then informed them of the baby’s gender.
***