Free Shimmers of Pearl (The Pearl Trilogy, Part 3) by Arianne Richmonde

single mother forevermore.
    “How many times have you had sexual intercourse with your partner in the last few weeks?”
    “Er…none.”
    She nods with approval. “Good. You must abstain from sex for the first three months of pregnancy or you risk suffering another miscarriage.”
    Well, that will be easy now that Alexandre is with Laura and I can’t even look at another man, let alone bed down with one.
    The doctor continues, “Any penetration is dangerous for a woman of your age with your medical history. You will not find this written in any textbook and most modern-day doctors would poo-poo this idea but, believe me, old wives’ tales are very often true.”
    I stare at her bemused. Abstain from sex?? What has this got to do with my herbal massage?
    She goes on matter-of-factly, “No penetration but you can do other, non-invasive sexual practices. No massages, least of all with powerful oils that can upset the body’s hormone-balance. You must not even indulge in reflexology; too much stimulation. Some doctors believe abdominal massage is good as it gets the blood flowing. I do not, unless it is very gentle and with your own hands – do not go to a massage therapist for the first three months or you could lose your child. You’re forty; this could be your last chance at pregnancy, you need to take all the precautions you can.”
    I eye her suspiciously. Is she some kind of quack? “I’ve never heard of this before. It seems so extreme.”
    “Once, my dear, people thought it was extreme when they were advised not to smoke and drink whilst pregnant. Believe me, I have been in this business all my life, since I could walk and talk – I have breathed it – every single member of my family, the men included, are doctors. We have picked up a few tips over the years.” She waggles her head in a figure of eight.
    I observe her warily but I’m also fascinated by this information. My mother would have loved this woman – she hated conventional medicine.
    “Now, what I’m going to prescribe for you, Pearl, is simple. One baby aspirin a day. This will safeguard you against any premature clotting. Stay off caffeine, alcohol and away from second-hand smoke - eat plenty of fresh vegetables and protein, but you probably already know all that. No heavy exercise at the gym, no jogging.”
    “Is swimming okay?”
    “Swimming is perfect but don’t train for the Olympics.” She smiles. “Folic acid in a multi-vitamin, B6, B12 and omega 3’s,” she states briskly.
    “I already bought all that at the pharmacy, and fish-oil tablets.”
    “Good. I’m going to give you a painless saliva test to see your progesterone levels and if they are low I’ll prescribe a completely natural progesterone cream. Progesterone is responsible for creating a healthy environment in the womb by creating and maintaining a healthy uterine lining. If more people used this treatment a lot of miscarriages could be avoided. All you need is a pea-sized amount of cream on your finger which you can rub into a different area each time, just once a day - somewhere the skin is thin; your breasts, face, upper thighs. It’s completely natural, no synthetics, no harmful ingredients.”
    She sticks something into my mouth to do the saliva test. My mind wanders off to my baby-to-be - that is, if it can survive the next couple of months up until the first trimester, the most precarious. Will he be blond or dark? Will she have Alexandre’s curvy red lips and his crooked smile? Will she be proud like him? Will he break hearts like his father…
    “Oh, and one more thing,” the doctor says assertively. “Try to keep your cell phone calling to a minimum. Radiation levels are harmful and can impair fetal brain development. Nobody will tell you this and few people want to listen but—”
    “No, you know what, doctor? I think it would be a great idea to dump my phone, once and for all. It’ll be safer for both me and the baby.”
    ***
    Alexandre may