Saturday, September 27, 2008
Moving Day
We've moved to a prettier home. Be sure to update your bookmarks with the new blog address because I won't be posting here anymore. I'll see you in our new home!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Cora slept from 9:15-8 this morning! That's her longest stretch yet. She's our good sleeper, typically sleeping about 6-7 hours at a stretch at night. If only Emma would too! She's getting better, though. Last night, she slept from 8:30pm-2:30am. Unfortunately, it went downhill from there. She finally went back to sleep at 4:15am. Then, she started grunting at 5am. She's such a noisy sleeper; she's my snooze alarm. Every 10-15 minutes, she'd toss and turn while grunting and letting out the occasional cry. She did this until 7:15! I didn't get to enjoy Cora's 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep because I was constantly woken up.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
I was recently searching for free templates while up in the middle of the night. I'd love to update the look of this blog, but it definitely needs a new name first. I'm horrible at that sort of thing, so I need your help! I'd love any suggestions you may have. I know they'll be better than anything I could come up with.
Monday, September 08, 2008
The girls had their one month checkup today. They are growing like crazy! Cora was 7lbs. 10.5oz. (5.5lbs. at birth) and 21 inches long (19 in. at birth). Emma was 7lbs. 6.5oz. (5lbs. 1oz. at birth) and 20 in. long (18.5in. at birth). Cora's around the 10th percentile for weight and 25th for length. Emma's around the 10th for both. We couldn't believe they've each put on more than 2lbs. in a month! No wonder their preemie clothes no longer fit.
We also talked about their colic. Their pediatrician gave us formula samples to try when we supplement. Hopefully that'll bring some relief! Everything else she suggested, we've already tried (walking, swaddling, gas drops...). I was thrilled she didn't scold us for letting Cora sleep 6-7 hours a night. I was so worried she was going to tell me Cora needed to wake up more often to eat. If only Emma would sleep so well too!
We also talked about their colic. Their pediatrician gave us formula samples to try when we supplement. Hopefully that'll bring some relief! Everything else she suggested, we've already tried (walking, swaddling, gas drops...). I was thrilled she didn't scold us for letting Cora sleep 6-7 hours a night. I was so worried she was going to tell me Cora needed to wake up more often to eat. If only Emma would sleep so well too!
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Friday, September 05, 2008
One Month Old
My babies are a month old today! It feels as if I was pregnant ages ago yet I can't believe they're already a month old. The girls are both growing like crazy. They're well-baby check is Monday and we're so curious to see how much weight they've put on. They're both starting to lose that emaciated look and are filling out, particularly in their faces.
Unfortunately, BOTH girls are colicky! They get such painful gas our evenings our filled with their screams. I was really hoping we wouldn't go through this again. This weekend was particularly bad since my other sister, Jennifer, and Damon's parents were here. They were overstimulated on top of it, so they screamed for a few hours every evening. Since things have settled here, they don't cry as long (or as hard!), but it's still difficult to listen to them in pain.
On the bright side, once they finally settle down and fall asleep, they're pretty decent sleepers. On 3 different nights, Cora has slept a solid 6-ish hours! From about midnight to 6-ish. Emma was sleeping a good 4 as well, but she might be going through a growth spurt. She's been waking every 2 hours the last few nights. When they wake up in the middle of the night now, they go back to sleep fairly easily. We did have one night this week where one or both were up from 3-6:30am. Then Abby woke me up at 7:30 to take her to school.
Abby does really well with the girls. She gets a little frustrated sometimes when we're all busy and can't play with her, but she tends to take it in stride. She loves to help by holding their bottles for them, but after a minute she complains that her hand is sweaty and needs to stop! For the most part, she's pretty gentle with them. She hasn't gotten jealous of them yet.
Unfortunately, BOTH girls are colicky! They get such painful gas our evenings our filled with their screams. I was really hoping we wouldn't go through this again. This weekend was particularly bad since my other sister, Jennifer, and Damon's parents were here. They were overstimulated on top of it, so they screamed for a few hours every evening. Since things have settled here, they don't cry as long (or as hard!), but it's still difficult to listen to them in pain.
On the bright side, once they finally settle down and fall asleep, they're pretty decent sleepers. On 3 different nights, Cora has slept a solid 6-ish hours! From about midnight to 6-ish. Emma was sleeping a good 4 as well, but she might be going through a growth spurt. She's been waking every 2 hours the last few nights. When they wake up in the middle of the night now, they go back to sleep fairly easily. We did have one night this week where one or both were up from 3-6:30am. Then Abby woke me up at 7:30 to take her to school.
Abby does really well with the girls. She gets a little frustrated sometimes when we're all busy and can't play with her, but she tends to take it in stride. She loves to help by holding their bottles for them, but after a minute she complains that her hand is sweaty and needs to stop! For the most part, she's pretty gentle with them. She hasn't gotten jealous of them yet.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Abby loves school. She was really nervous that first day, but she went in with no problems after giving me a big don't-want-to-let-go hug. Interestingly, the only kids who cried were all boys. When it was time to pick her up, she went on about how much fun it was!
She is really into counting us all right now. She loves to count how many of us there are. I think it started at mealtimes. She enjoys getting the silverware for all of us and she'd ask how much she needed to get. I'd always ask her how many of us there are and tell her that's how much we need. Anyway, when she counts us she always makes sure she's number 3. No one else is allowed to be number 3 since she's 3 years old!
She is really into counting us all right now. She loves to count how many of us there are. I think it started at mealtimes. She enjoys getting the silverware for all of us and she'd ask how much she needed to get. I'd always ask her how many of us there are and tell her that's how much we need. Anyway, when she counts us she always makes sure she's number 3. No one else is allowed to be number 3 since she's 3 years old!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
ONE Day!
That's how long it took for Abby to catch a cold at preschool! In all fairness, it is possible she caught it at the "Kids Cabin" at the gym since she didn't start feeling sick until the weekend, but I still blame preschool. She already had to miss a day of school because of it. I really hope the babies don't get it too!
________________
Damon went back to work yesterday, so we're trying to find our groove without him. So far, it hasn't been too bad. Jessica's been a huge help at night. I swear she's the Baby Whisperer! She somehow manages to get them right back to sleep after a middle-of-the-night changing/feeding. Damon and I really struggle with that because they seem to wake up the second we lay them back down. Cora has also recently gone from our mellow child to the screamer in the middle of the night. The last couple nights that Jessica's been sleeping with me instead of Damon, though, she's hardly fussed!
Today, we got brave and decided to go to lunch then Target. Lunch was a little harried because they both got fussy. I ended up having to eat while holding Emma. Target, on the other hand, went very smoothly. The babies LOVE Target! Ok, they love riding in the cart, but still... As long as I kept the cart moving, they were happy.
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Damon went back to work yesterday, so we're trying to find our groove without him. So far, it hasn't been too bad. Jessica's been a huge help at night. I swear she's the Baby Whisperer! She somehow manages to get them right back to sleep after a middle-of-the-night changing/feeding. Damon and I really struggle with that because they seem to wake up the second we lay them back down. Cora has also recently gone from our mellow child to the screamer in the middle of the night. The last couple nights that Jessica's been sleeping with me instead of Damon, though, she's hardly fussed!
Today, we got brave and decided to go to lunch then Target. Lunch was a little harried because they both got fussy. I ended up having to eat while holding Emma. Target, on the other hand, went very smoothly. The babies LOVE Target! Ok, they love riding in the cart, but still... As long as I kept the cart moving, they were happy.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
My Original Baby starts preschool tomorrow! It's hard to believe she's already old enough for school. I think I'm going to be more of a wreck tomorrow than she will be! She's been so excited to go for some time now. There was an open house last week, so she got to meet her teachers, explore the classroom, and play with some of her classmates. She was pretty slow to warm up to everyone, which is so unlike her, so we'll see how it goes once she'll be there by herself.
Monday, August 18, 2008
The girls had their 2-week checkup this morning. Cora is up to 5lbs. 14oz. and Emma's up to 5lbs. 5oz. Both are up well past their birthweights, and they each gained 8.5oz. in a week! Their doctor was very impressed. She said they expect babies to gain .5-1oz. a day at this point, and both surpassed that.
After their appointment and lab, we decided take them out to lunch in a real restaurant for the first time. It went so much better than the first time we took Abby out! This was their first venture out of the house that didn't involve a doctor's appointment, so we were a little worried. They both slept the entire time!
After their appointment and lab, we decided take them out to lunch in a real restaurant for the first time. It went so much better than the first time we took Abby out! This was their first venture out of the house that didn't involve a doctor's appointment, so we were a little worried. They both slept the entire time!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
On Breastfeeding
Brittany asked why pumping was better at this point, so I though it would be easier to answer in a post of its own instead of in the comments.
It all started with Abby. I thought breastfeeding was going well those first days until we met with a lactation consultant who told us she wasn't latching well at all so she was eating like she should. She wasn't gaining weight and looked awfully yellow. She ended up jaundiced to the point that she needed to spend the night at the hospital under the "tanning bed" lights to get her bilirubin down. It scared me so badly that I ended up pumping for almost 9 months instead of working with her and a lactation consultant to try to breastfeed. When I pumped, it made me feel better to be able to see exactly how much she was eating. I tried breastfeeding her a few times after that, but I was too intimidated to really put any effort into it.
Fast forward to the twins. A lactation consultant came by almost every day to work with us. Cora has the same latch issues that Abby had, so she's been mostly bottlefed. I have tried a few times to breastfeed her, but I'm more of a chew toy than a feeding source to her although she has been able to get some milk. We'll definitely keep trying this time. Emma has a great latch, but she was so small they told us not to push her too hard to breastfeed. Then she kept losing weight in the hospital, so our pediatrician told us to hold off altogether for at least a few days until she put some weight back on. So I was relieved when they kept telling us that at 37 weeks, their sucking reflex might need some work so not to worry too much about breastfeeding until their closer to their actual due date. I know pumping. It's so hard, particularly in the middle of the night when everyone's asleep, but I've done it once so I can do it again.
A few days ago, however, Emma decided she prefered nursing to the bottle! I'd been seriously considering contacting the local breastfeeding store to hire a lactation consultant to come to the house a few times to help me out. We still have to supplement feedings because she tends to fall asleep while nursing, but it's been a big accomplishment for me to be able to actually breastfeed one of my kids! Cora eats like crazy, so we still have to supplement them with formula on top of my pumped breastmilk because I'm just not making enough for both of them.
I did try to tandem feed a couple days ago which was hilarious! Emma spent most of her time looking over at Cora (who was actually doing pretty well!) like "what is she doing here while I eat?" She looked so confused by what was going on!
It all started with Abby. I thought breastfeeding was going well those first days until we met with a lactation consultant who told us she wasn't latching well at all so she was eating like she should. She wasn't gaining weight and looked awfully yellow. She ended up jaundiced to the point that she needed to spend the night at the hospital under the "tanning bed" lights to get her bilirubin down. It scared me so badly that I ended up pumping for almost 9 months instead of working with her and a lactation consultant to try to breastfeed. When I pumped, it made me feel better to be able to see exactly how much she was eating. I tried breastfeeding her a few times after that, but I was too intimidated to really put any effort into it.
Fast forward to the twins. A lactation consultant came by almost every day to work with us. Cora has the same latch issues that Abby had, so she's been mostly bottlefed. I have tried a few times to breastfeed her, but I'm more of a chew toy than a feeding source to her although she has been able to get some milk. We'll definitely keep trying this time. Emma has a great latch, but she was so small they told us not to push her too hard to breastfeed. Then she kept losing weight in the hospital, so our pediatrician told us to hold off altogether for at least a few days until she put some weight back on. So I was relieved when they kept telling us that at 37 weeks, their sucking reflex might need some work so not to worry too much about breastfeeding until their closer to their actual due date. I know pumping. It's so hard, particularly in the middle of the night when everyone's asleep, but I've done it once so I can do it again.
A few days ago, however, Emma decided she prefered nursing to the bottle! I'd been seriously considering contacting the local breastfeeding store to hire a lactation consultant to come to the house a few times to help me out. We still have to supplement feedings because she tends to fall asleep while nursing, but it's been a big accomplishment for me to be able to actually breastfeed one of my kids! Cora eats like crazy, so we still have to supplement them with formula on top of my pumped breastmilk because I'm just not making enough for both of them.
I did try to tandem feed a couple days ago which was hilarious! Emma spent most of her time looking over at Cora (who was actually doing pretty well!) like "what is she doing here while I eat?" She looked so confused by what was going on!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Thank you so much everyone! Your kind words mean so much to us. We're settling in nicely at home. We were only a few minutes late to the girls' first well baby visit this morning! That included getting Abby ready too. Cora is up to 5lbs. 5.5 oz. and Emma's at 4lbs. 12.5oz. so they're growing nicely. Cora gained 3.5oz. since being released Saturday! Everyone keeps telling me not to try too hard with the breastfeeding until they get to 40 weeks gestational age (3 weeks old), so I've been pumping like crazy again. We've also been supplementing with formula because I'm not making enough to fill their voracious appetites yet.
They did have to get their bilirubin levels checked again since their doctor thought they still looked a little yellow. Their bilirubin has been high enough to keep retesting, but not enough to really worry about so far. Worst case we'll have to use those special blankets at home for a bit, but they definitely won't need to be hospitalized and go under the lights like Abby did.
I added a ton of pictures to flickr.
**UPDATE** We just heard back from their pediatrician. Their bilirubin levels have gone down since Saturday, so there's no need to do anything for jaundice this time around!
They did have to get their bilirubin levels checked again since their doctor thought they still looked a little yellow. Their bilirubin has been high enough to keep retesting, but not enough to really worry about so far. Worst case we'll have to use those special blankets at home for a bit, but they definitely won't need to be hospitalized and go under the lights like Abby did.
I added a ton of pictures to flickr.
**UPDATE** We just heard back from their pediatrician. Their bilirubin levels have gone down since Saturday, so there's no need to do anything for jaundice this time around!
Saturday, August 09, 2008
We're going home!
My bp is still up, but my doctor had a hospitalist come in to assess me so I can go. The hospitalist is a doctor who works for a certain practice but only works in the hospital doing rounds. In addition to my blood pressure meds, which have been upped to 3x/day, I now have to take a calcium channel blocker and see my primary doctor once a week for the next month or so. Oh yeah, and I'm very anemic too. I've been on an iron supplement 3x/day as well since the girls were born, so I have to continue that and have that rechecked periodically. He said I'll probably be on iron for a good 6 months. Anemia is one thing I've never had a problem with, so it came as a big surprise. I love red meat! He also talked about putting me on a diuretic to get my Shrek feet back to normal size, but the swelling has been going down quite a bit on its own. Plus, they want me to take prescription Motrin every 8 hours for the next couple weeks, and I got a prescription for Percocet for the pain. I'm going to be a walking pharmacy!
They weighed me this morning and I'm down about 20lbs. from when I came in! I only gained 23lbs., but I had quite a bit to lose before I got pregnant so it won't hurt my feelings one bit if I end up losing more than just the 3 pregnancy pounds left.
I am so happy to be going home! Time to pack up everything that's not nailed down in the hospital room...
They weighed me this morning and I'm down about 20lbs. from when I came in! I only gained 23lbs., but I had quite a bit to lose before I got pregnant so it won't hurt my feelings one bit if I end up losing more than just the 3 pregnancy pounds left.
I am so happy to be going home! Time to pack up everything that's not nailed down in the hospital room...
Friday, August 08, 2008
I figured out a way around the firewalls to post pictures! I still can't upload to flickr, so I'll post a whole lot more once we finally get home. It turns out we're not going home today after all. My blood pressure is still way up, so we have to stay until at least tomorrow. The girls are perfectly healthy and ready to go home!
Emma Jane
Cora Rae
They have more hair than Abby did. It's definitely darker than it looks in the picture.
Emma Jane
Cora Rae
They have more hair than Abby did. It's definitely darker than it looks in the picture.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Finally!
The laptop cord came today, so I can finally post again!
Cora Rae and Emma Jane were born Tuesday morning. Cora at 8:16am and Emma at 8:17am. Cora weighed 5lbs. 8oz. and was 19in. long. Emma weighed 5lbs. 1oz. and was 18.5in. long. Cora needed a little oxygen, but was breathing room air within a couple hours. Emma had to go to the NICU and was on a c-pap machine to breathe and iv to bring her blood sugar up. Damon checked on her around 5pm. Tuesday, and she was already breathing room air! They did keep her overnight in the NICU, but it was for observation than anything else.
We're all doing really well. Recovering from a c-section isn't nearly as horrible as I'd feared it would be. The girls get to come home with me when I get discharged tomorrow! That was always our biggest goal. I'll post pictures tomorrow. The hospital's firewalls aren't letting me tonight.
Cora Rae and Emma Jane were born Tuesday morning. Cora at 8:16am and Emma at 8:17am. Cora weighed 5lbs. 8oz. and was 19in. long. Emma weighed 5lbs. 1oz. and was 18.5in. long. Cora needed a little oxygen, but was breathing room air within a couple hours. Emma had to go to the NICU and was on a c-pap machine to breathe and iv to bring her blood sugar up. Damon checked on her around 5pm. Tuesday, and she was already breathing room air! They did keep her overnight in the NICU, but it was for observation than anything else.
We're all doing really well. Recovering from a c-section isn't nearly as horrible as I'd feared it would be. The girls get to come home with me when I get discharged tomorrow! That was always our biggest goal. I'll post pictures tomorrow. The hospital's firewalls aren't letting me tonight.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
In hospital
In hospital
Originally uploaded by Brandi_
Made it to 37 weeks! Bp is now way up again so c-section scheduled for 730am 8-5. Computers been down at home for 3 weeks. Cord finally coming this week.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Since the babies' birthday is completely up in the air now, I thought it would be fun to start a pool. Go here to enter your guesses!
34 Weeks
I'm going to be pregnant forever! I talked to my doctor this morning about scheduling an induction since he told me 36-37 weeks would be my limit way back when we first found out about the twins. He's now decided that since I'm doing so well, he won't schedule anything until 39 weeks! These babies have absolutely no interest in leaving my belly, so I'll be delivering humongous babies right before my due date. I haven't even had any Braxton-Hicks contractions yet! My cervix is still being too cooperative at 3.03cm. My bp was a little up, but still well within the normal range: 134/80. I'm also up only 3lbs. from two weeks ago--somehow I've only managed to gain 25lbs. total despite eating like a horse!--and I'm measuring 38 weeks. Oh, Whisper (Baby B on my left) is now breech again. Her heartbeat was way up near my lungs.
I will now start going to Maternal Fetal Medicine for bi-weekly non-stress tests starting Thursday. During a non-stress test, they strap a thing that monitors contractions, and another for each of the babies' heartbeats. They check for movement from the babies as well as monitoring heartrates and any contractions I may be having. I was told to eat a light snack on my way there instead of a big meal because they want the babies active.
All along, I've had my sights set on making it to 37 weeks. That seemed doable once I hit the 30-week mark, and it's what's kept me going especially during the night when I'm completely miserable. Those extra 2 weeks are going to be hell.
I will now start going to Maternal Fetal Medicine for bi-weekly non-stress tests starting Thursday. During a non-stress test, they strap a thing that monitors contractions, and another for each of the babies' heartbeats. They check for movement from the babies as well as monitoring heartrates and any contractions I may be having. I was told to eat a light snack on my way there instead of a big meal because they want the babies active.
All along, I've had my sights set on making it to 37 weeks. That seemed doable once I hit the 30-week mark, and it's what's kept me going especially during the night when I'm completely miserable. Those extra 2 weeks are going to be hell.
Friday, July 11, 2008
The Belly at 33 Weeks
I forgot to mention that my belly measured 37 weeks AGAIN. That's the third appointment I've measured the same. My doctor said it's likely because the babies are head down now, so their bodies are laying against my sides. That makes sense since that's exactly how they feel to be laying in there.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
33 Weeks
I can't believe I've made it this far! Back when we found out we were having twins, we were told the goal would be 36-37 weeks, but to hope to get to 32 weeks. We're a weeks past that first goal and I'm still going strong. Amazingly, still no bedrest! Except for the slight cervical issues (which could've been so much worse!) and a couple trips to the hospital for dehydration, I've had a really smooth twin pregnancy. Sure, I'm huge and uncomfortable at this point and I'm so ready to be done after the 8th trip to the bathroom at night, but that's all normal stuff. I haven't had any real complications.
Yesterday, we had a little scare but it turned out to be no big deal. After my cervical check (2.96 this week!), I passed out in the waiting room of my doctor's office! I'm fine, and once they hooked me up to the non-stress test machine (where they monitor the babies' heartbeats and me for contractions), my doctor wasn't worried about it. The babies are fine, and I'm still not having any contractions. I thought surely my doctor was going to send me to the hospital, but he thought I'd be fine. Whew!
Next week will be my last cervical ultrasound. Apparently, after that--since I'll be 35 weeks in 2 weeks--the length of my cervix won't be an issue since the babies will be ok if I were to go into labor. There's a possibility they'll have to stay in the NICU for a few days if I deliver before 36 weeks, but that's nothing compared to the months they would've spent there a few weeks ago. I'll now be seeing my doctor every week and he wants me to start going to Maternal Fetal Medicine at the hospital twice a week for non-stress tests to monitor any contractions.
Speaking of MFM, I had an ultrasound last Thursday there. Baby A (my right) is now 4lbs. 3oz. and Baby B is 4lbs. 1oz. I now have more baby weight than I ever did with Abby! I can't believe I'm carrying around 8lbs. of baby. The ultrasound tech predicted this would be my last ultrasound. He guessed I'll deliver at 35-ish weeks. My next (and definitely my last!) ultrasound is scheduled for 35w6d, so I hope to prove him wrong!
Yesterday, we had a little scare but it turned out to be no big deal. After my cervical check (2.96 this week!), I passed out in the waiting room of my doctor's office! I'm fine, and once they hooked me up to the non-stress test machine (where they monitor the babies' heartbeats and me for contractions), my doctor wasn't worried about it. The babies are fine, and I'm still not having any contractions. I thought surely my doctor was going to send me to the hospital, but he thought I'd be fine. Whew!
Next week will be my last cervical ultrasound. Apparently, after that--since I'll be 35 weeks in 2 weeks--the length of my cervix won't be an issue since the babies will be ok if I were to go into labor. There's a possibility they'll have to stay in the NICU for a few days if I deliver before 36 weeks, but that's nothing compared to the months they would've spent there a few weeks ago. I'll now be seeing my doctor every week and he wants me to start going to Maternal Fetal Medicine at the hospital twice a week for non-stress tests to monitor any contractions.
Speaking of MFM, I had an ultrasound last Thursday there. Baby A (my right) is now 4lbs. 3oz. and Baby B is 4lbs. 1oz. I now have more baby weight than I ever did with Abby! I can't believe I'm carrying around 8lbs. of baby. The ultrasound tech predicted this would be my last ultrasound. He guessed I'll deliver at 35-ish weeks. My next (and definitely my last!) ultrasound is scheduled for 35w6d, so I hope to prove him wrong!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
31 Weeks
I had an uneventful cervical check last week; holding steady at 3cm. Today's appointment was great! My cervix is now up to 3.21, so I avoid bedrest again! And, my regular ob is on vacation, so I met with the nurse practitioner instead. She'd requested the ultrasound tech check the babies' heartbeats so I was able to get a quick peek at them too. There's not a whole lot to see at this point since they're out of room, but it's still good peace of mind. Plus, we were able to see that they're both head down now! Let's just hope they stay that way!
My prenatal appointment was pretty quick since I'm doing so well and we'd already checked heartbeats. My blood pressure is up to 136/70, but that's good. That's pretty much where I should be at this point. I'm also up 2lbs., putting my total weight gain up to 23lbs. This is the best diet ever! I eat like crazy and don't gain much weight. Finally, the belly still measured 37 weeks, the same as 2 weeks ago. The NP wasn't worried, though, since the babies are doing so well.
My prenatal appointment was pretty quick since I'm doing so well and we'd already checked heartbeats. My blood pressure is up to 136/70, but that's good. That's pretty much where I should be at this point. I'm also up 2lbs., putting my total weight gain up to 23lbs. This is the best diet ever! I eat like crazy and don't gain much weight. Finally, the belly still measured 37 weeks, the same as 2 weeks ago. The NP wasn't worried, though, since the babies are doing so well.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
29 Weeks
Great news! My cervix grew this week, so I get to avoid bedrest one more week. Last week, it was just under 3 cm and today it was right at 3. My doctor was impressed at how well I'm doing, so unless my cervix starts causing problems again I won't be going on bedrest until about 32 weeks. I still have to take it easy and rest as much as possible, though, so my cervix doesn't shorten again. My bp was 120/72, so hopefully that will continue to not be an issue too.
I also gained 2lbs. in 2 weeks, putting my total weight gain at only 21 lbs. I never expected to gain so little weight while carrying twins! Nor did I expect I'd actually have to work at gaining weight! I've never been one who can eat anything and not gain weight, until now.
I have this huge mole on my cheek, about 2 finger-widths from my ear. Over the weekend, I noticed it suddenly got hard, raised, and crusty. I mentioned it to my ob, and he referred me to the dermatologist in the same building. I also have this skin tag on my inner thigh that's a souvenir from my pregnancy with Abby. This time, it's gotten huge and keeps getting caught in my jeans! They were able to get me in this afternoon at the dermatologist's office, so we ended up having a much busier day than I'd planned.
My cheek is fine and the mole doesn't need to be removed unless I want it to. I'm thrilled! I'm a really moley person, so I have a few moles I'm pretty sentimental about and this is definitely one of them. It was rough on me to think I'd have to get it removed. She did find three moles that were questionable, one of which she was really concerned about, so they're all coming off July 1st. At least this time, Abby's old enough to get herself into her booster seat. Thankfully, she did remove the skin tag today. Good riddance!
I also gained 2lbs. in 2 weeks, putting my total weight gain at only 21 lbs. I never expected to gain so little weight while carrying twins! Nor did I expect I'd actually have to work at gaining weight! I've never been one who can eat anything and not gain weight, until now.
I have this huge mole on my cheek, about 2 finger-widths from my ear. Over the weekend, I noticed it suddenly got hard, raised, and crusty. I mentioned it to my ob, and he referred me to the dermatologist in the same building. I also have this skin tag on my inner thigh that's a souvenir from my pregnancy with Abby. This time, it's gotten huge and keeps getting caught in my jeans! They were able to get me in this afternoon at the dermatologist's office, so we ended up having a much busier day than I'd planned.
My cheek is fine and the mole doesn't need to be removed unless I want it to. I'm thrilled! I'm a really moley person, so I have a few moles I'm pretty sentimental about and this is definitely one of them. It was rough on me to think I'd have to get it removed. She did find three moles that were questionable, one of which she was really concerned about, so they're all coming off July 1st. At least this time, Abby's old enough to get herself into her booster seat. Thankfully, she did remove the skin tag today. Good riddance!
Monday, June 09, 2008
Friday was baby ultrasound day. Unfortunately, they're getting too big and squished in there to get good pictures, but at least they were able to get the measurements they needed. Baby A (on my right) is tranverse and Baby B (left) is breach. Basically, Trouble is sideways with her head by her sister and Whisper is laying feet first. There should still be time for them to get into position, but if they don't move I'll definitely be having a c-section. Also, Baby A weighs 2lbs. 10oz. and Baby B weighs 2lbs. 11oz. It's interesting that they switched. Last time, A weighed an ounce more than her sister.
We did quite a bit of nesting this weekend. Well, more shopping than anything else, but it was fun to go a little crazy at Babies R Us! I feel better having most of the basic stuff done. There's still a lot more to do, but we're making progress a little at a time.
-Canvas bins are bought and filled for the changing table, although I'm going to need more because I used the ones I bought for the second changing table (for the basement) in their closet.
-Changing table pads and covers are bought and covers washed.
-Car seats have been either cleaned or put together (thanks for the second car seat Mom!)
-Preemie-sized basics have been purchased, washed, and put away along with all the clothes we got at the second shower.
-Diaper bag is ready to go to the hospital.
And a belly shot. I took this yesterday. I'm almost 29 weeks here (28w5d):
We did quite a bit of nesting this weekend. Well, more shopping than anything else, but it was fun to go a little crazy at Babies R Us! I feel better having most of the basic stuff done. There's still a lot more to do, but we're making progress a little at a time.
-Canvas bins are bought and filled for the changing table, although I'm going to need more because I used the ones I bought for the second changing table (for the basement) in their closet.
-Changing table pads and covers are bought and covers washed.
-Car seats have been either cleaned or put together (thanks for the second car seat Mom!)
-Preemie-sized basics have been purchased, washed, and put away along with all the clothes we got at the second shower.
-Diaper bag is ready to go to the hospital.
And a belly shot. I took this yesterday. I'm almost 29 weeks here (28w5d):
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
We have a name!
I'm feeling the pressure to get everything done now that I'm having these cervical issues and bedrest is imminent. I need more time to nest! The crib isn't fully put together yet! I hope we can get the co-sleeper back together! The double stroller's still in the box! We need to clean the swings and bouncers! We don't have "coming home from the hospital" outfits for them yet! My list of crazy goes on and on...
One of the biggest things I'm getting anxious about is that we don't have names for the babies. Finally, we did decide on a name this weekend for whoever's born first. The first baby will be Cora (short for Cornelia!). Once we figure out the other baby's first name, we'll still have to figure out middle names. We do have one we'll definitely be using, but we want to wait until we have a second first name before we commit to using it with Cora.
At the rate we're going, the second baby will be named Ethel after all!
One of the biggest things I'm getting anxious about is that we don't have names for the babies. Finally, we did decide on a name this weekend for whoever's born first. The first baby will be Cora (short for Cornelia!). Once we figure out the other baby's first name, we'll still have to figure out middle names. We do have one we'll definitely be using, but we want to wait until we have a second first name before we commit to using it with Cora.
At the rate we're going, the second baby will be named Ethel after all!
28 Weeks
Today was cervical check day. It's shortening, but apparently not at a rate to send me to bedrest. Yet. Last week, it was over 3, and today it was just under 3. If it's shorter again next week, I'll definitely be looking at bedrest. I'm doing what I can to keep these babies in as long as possible. At least if I did go into preterm labor and they couldn't stop it, the babies have a 90% survival rate now. They'd be in NICU for a long time, but they'd make it. That's a huge weight off my shoulders, but the longer we can hold off delivery the better.
I also got the results from my glucose test today. I wasn't too worried about it since my doctor's office hadn't called. No news is good news, right? Sure enough, I passed with flying colors. The nurse said the normal is range is 60-140, and I was at 92. Phew! That's definitely the test I wanted to pass! Now, I can continue to eat like a horse without having to carefully monitor every bite.
Things are definitely getting tight in my belly. Baby A (on my right) is constantly kicking my ribs and pelvis trying to make more room for herself. We call her Trouble because she kicks so hard is always on the move. Baby B is now Whisper because she doesn't kick nearly as much as her sister. I feel more movement than kicks from her. Already, they're both on different schedules. Trouble is up most of the day, while Whisper tends to be at her most active right as I'm trying to go to sleep. She's up a lot at night when I get up to go to the bathroom too.
Oh sleep, how I miss you! I can't remember the last time I got more than a couple hours of sleep between bathroom breaks. It's only gotten worse the last few weeks too. It doesn't matter what time I go to bed, I spend at least 2-3 hours going to the bathroom every 10 minutes. What's worse is that it takes me that long to try and get comfortable, just to have to get up again. It doesn't seem to stop until I'm so exhausted I finally fall asleep. Rarely before 2. Then, I'm up every hour the rest of the night. On a good night, I get right back to sleep every time. Only 9 more weeks to go.
Babycenter has another picture update for twins this week. Go here to read about their development this week.
I also got the results from my glucose test today. I wasn't too worried about it since my doctor's office hadn't called. No news is good news, right? Sure enough, I passed with flying colors. The nurse said the normal is range is 60-140, and I was at 92. Phew! That's definitely the test I wanted to pass! Now, I can continue to eat like a horse without having to carefully monitor every bite.
Things are definitely getting tight in my belly. Baby A (on my right) is constantly kicking my ribs and pelvis trying to make more room for herself. We call her Trouble because she kicks so hard is always on the move. Baby B is now Whisper because she doesn't kick nearly as much as her sister. I feel more movement than kicks from her. Already, they're both on different schedules. Trouble is up most of the day, while Whisper tends to be at her most active right as I'm trying to go to sleep. She's up a lot at night when I get up to go to the bathroom too.
Oh sleep, how I miss you! I can't remember the last time I got more than a couple hours of sleep between bathroom breaks. It's only gotten worse the last few weeks too. It doesn't matter what time I go to bed, I spend at least 2-3 hours going to the bathroom every 10 minutes. What's worse is that it takes me that long to try and get comfortable, just to have to get up again. It doesn't seem to stop until I'm so exhausted I finally fall asleep. Rarely before 2. Then, I'm up every hour the rest of the night. On a good night, I get right back to sleep every time. Only 9 more weeks to go.
Babycenter has another picture update for twins this week. Go here to read about their development this week.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
27 Weeks
I had a prenatal appointment this morning. Things are getting interesting. I was really uncomfortable and just plain miserable for most of the weekend, so I mentioned it to my doctor. He had me go in for a cervical length ultrasound right then and there with his u/s tech. The tech said that it was within the normal range, but something spooked them. I now have to go to my doctor's office for an ultrasound to check my cervix every week, along with my prenatal appointments every other week. Plus, I still have to go to Maternal Fetal Medicine at the hospital every four weeks for ultrasounds to check the babies' growth. Whew!
On the bright side, the babies heartbeats were nice and strong so they're fine. The biggest worry at this point is that I'll go into preterm labor. While all these appointments are a pain, it's a comfort to know that my doctor is really staying on top of it. I'd much rather have to go in constantly than get blown off.
I've also been told to slow down even more. I'm lazy, so it's no hardship, but I'm already barely leaving the house. If I take it any easier, I'll be on bedrest before I'm required to be!
The weather's been great around here, so we've been spending some time in the backyard the last couple weekends. It's so great for both Abby and me to get out and enjoy it!
On the bright side, the babies heartbeats were nice and strong so they're fine. The biggest worry at this point is that I'll go into preterm labor. While all these appointments are a pain, it's a comfort to know that my doctor is really staying on top of it. I'd much rather have to go in constantly than get blown off.
I've also been told to slow down even more. I'm lazy, so it's no hardship, but I'm already barely leaving the house. If I take it any easier, I'll be on bedrest before I'm required to be!
The weather's been great around here, so we've been spending some time in the backyard the last couple weekends. It's so great for both Abby and me to get out and enjoy it!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
25 Weeks
Last Friday, the ultrasound tech called me fat! Ok, he didn't actually say fat, but it was what he meant. He kept going on and on about how huge I look even for having twins. That's because I'm all belly! He's lucky I'm not easily offended. I am growing like crazy these days though.
Last week:
Today:
Despite calling me fat, the tech was really good at his job. It helped that he was funny too, so he made us feel pretty comfortable. The doctor I saw this time was really great too. She explained everything in so much more detail than the other doctors. I wish I would've requested her when I made my next appointment!
When I started going to Maternal Fetal Medicine at the hospital for ultrasounds, they switched babies on me. Baby A used to be the one on my left and Baby B on my right, but the first time I went to them they switched their "names" because the one on my right was now the one closest to my cervix. They kept the same names this time, so from now on (I hope) Baby A is now the one on my right and Baby B is on my left.
Now that I've totally confused everyone...Baby A weighed 1lb. 10oz. and Baby B weighed 1lb. 9oz. Just a little under average for twins at this gestational age. They were also able to get a better shot of the placenta and are pretty confident the twins are fraternal. What really surprised us was when the tech switched wands and did a "4-D" ultrasound! We had no idea they'd be doing that, so it was a huge surprise to be able to get a better look at their little faces. Unfortunately, he forgot to label them "Baby A or B" so I have no idea which baby is which.
This is the only one properly labeled:
Last week:
Today:
Despite calling me fat, the tech was really good at his job. It helped that he was funny too, so he made us feel pretty comfortable. The doctor I saw this time was really great too. She explained everything in so much more detail than the other doctors. I wish I would've requested her when I made my next appointment!
When I started going to Maternal Fetal Medicine at the hospital for ultrasounds, they switched babies on me. Baby A used to be the one on my left and Baby B on my right, but the first time I went to them they switched their "names" because the one on my right was now the one closest to my cervix. They kept the same names this time, so from now on (I hope) Baby A is now the one on my right and Baby B is on my left.
Now that I've totally confused everyone...Baby A weighed 1lb. 10oz. and Baby B weighed 1lb. 9oz. Just a little under average for twins at this gestational age. They were also able to get a better shot of the placenta and are pretty confident the twins are fraternal. What really surprised us was when the tech switched wands and did a "4-D" ultrasound! We had no idea they'd be doing that, so it was a huge surprise to be able to get a better look at their little faces. Unfortunately, he forgot to label them "Baby A or B" so I have no idea which baby is which.
This is the only one properly labeled:
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Babycenter
I just discovered something neat at Babycenter. One thing I've really liked aobut the developmental weekly emails is the picture showing what the baby looks like inside the uterus that week. I just realized they also offer the picture for women having twins!
One thing I forgot to mention before was that the babies are at the point of viability. If for some reason they had to be delivered this week, they have a better than 50% survival rate. And that goes up every week we can keep them in there! So far, we've been really fortunate not to have any complications, and it'll hopefully stay that way.
One thing I forgot to mention before was that the babies are at the point of viability. If for some reason they had to be delivered this week, they have a better than 50% survival rate. And that goes up every week we can keep them in there! So far, we've been really fortunate not to have any complications, and it'll hopefully stay that way.
24 Weeks
Has it really been 4 weeks since my last post? Oops!
A lot has happened in these four weeks. The day of those appointments, Abby threw up all over town. It started at Target after my prenatal visit, in the Lawn & Garden section where I'd stopped to sit. At least we were in a convenient place since we could buy her a clean outfit to wear. Unfortunately, that meant taking her with us to the ultrasound appointment instead of to my friend's house. After a couple false alarms in the bathroom while we waited our turn, she threw up again all over the ultrasound room right before we got started! This was a really long ultrasound, so she got bored. Poor Damon had to take her to the bathroom a dozen times since she kept saying she was going to throw up again. She threw up again in the car when were about a block from our house. She's now in a booster seat because I can't stomach cleaning it and Damon hasn't gotten around to it (that car seat is going in the trash!).
About a week later, I caught her stomach bug. I was up all night throwing up again, which is so much worse after having a several week break from it. Once again, we ended up in the hospital in the morning. This time, I was not only severely dehydrated, but my potassium level was very low. I ended up there for about 12 hours because I had to get hooked up to a potassium drip. That took 5 hours to empty. Then another 2 hours before they could draw blood to retest me. It was a loooong day! Thankfully, that seems to have been the last of the pukiness for me!
In other news, my neighbors threw us a baby shower about a week ago. Damon's mom, Rita, was able to make the trip here for it. I couldn't believe how many gifts we got! Particularly from strangers! We received gifts from people who haven't even broken ground on their houses yet! Several of those who haven't even met us yet couldn't make the party, but sent a gift anyway. I think we received a gift from almost every single person in the neighborhood! I spent all of last weekend making cinnamon rolls and delivering them to everyone who already lives here.
I had another prenatal appointment this morning. Surprisingly, I haven't gained any weight in the last 4 weeks despite eating everything in sight! If only it were that easy when I'm not pregnant! My blood pressure was fine, and I measured 31 weeks, right where I should be. The babies' heartbeats were also good and strong. I've now been given official orders to "slow down" and "take it easy." I'm so not one of those people who can't sit still and must be doing something at all times, so taking it easy isn't that hard for me to do. Lately, I can't even make it through the grocery store without getting really sore! I go in Friday to MFM for another ultrasound. Hopefully I'll upload the last ultrasound pictures before then!
A lot has happened in these four weeks. The day of those appointments, Abby threw up all over town. It started at Target after my prenatal visit, in the Lawn & Garden section where I'd stopped to sit. At least we were in a convenient place since we could buy her a clean outfit to wear. Unfortunately, that meant taking her with us to the ultrasound appointment instead of to my friend's house. After a couple false alarms in the bathroom while we waited our turn, she threw up again all over the ultrasound room right before we got started! This was a really long ultrasound, so she got bored. Poor Damon had to take her to the bathroom a dozen times since she kept saying she was going to throw up again. She threw up again in the car when were about a block from our house. She's now in a booster seat because I can't stomach cleaning it and Damon hasn't gotten around to it (that car seat is going in the trash!).
About a week later, I caught her stomach bug. I was up all night throwing up again, which is so much worse after having a several week break from it. Once again, we ended up in the hospital in the morning. This time, I was not only severely dehydrated, but my potassium level was very low. I ended up there for about 12 hours because I had to get hooked up to a potassium drip. That took 5 hours to empty. Then another 2 hours before they could draw blood to retest me. It was a loooong day! Thankfully, that seems to have been the last of the pukiness for me!
In other news, my neighbors threw us a baby shower about a week ago. Damon's mom, Rita, was able to make the trip here for it. I couldn't believe how many gifts we got! Particularly from strangers! We received gifts from people who haven't even broken ground on their houses yet! Several of those who haven't even met us yet couldn't make the party, but sent a gift anyway. I think we received a gift from almost every single person in the neighborhood! I spent all of last weekend making cinnamon rolls and delivering them to everyone who already lives here.
I had another prenatal appointment this morning. Surprisingly, I haven't gained any weight in the last 4 weeks despite eating everything in sight! If only it were that easy when I'm not pregnant! My blood pressure was fine, and I measured 31 weeks, right where I should be. The babies' heartbeats were also good and strong. I've now been given official orders to "slow down" and "take it easy." I'm so not one of those people who can't sit still and must be doing something at all times, so taking it easy isn't that hard for me to do. Lately, I can't even make it through the grocery store without getting really sore! I go in Friday to MFM for another ultrasound. Hopefully I'll upload the last ultrasound pictures before then!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
20 Weeks
I've been feeling much better since I went to the hospital. I got a little sick a couple days in the week after, but that's it. Now, I'm just fat and uncomfortable! And hot! I have no idea how I'm going to make it through the summer if I'm already cooking when it's only in the 50s and 60s! At today's prenatal visit, I measured 28 weeks. One thing my doctor mentioned was that at my 28-week appointment, we'll be talking about putting me on bed rest. It's not a matter of if, but when.
The really big news was that I had my first ultrasound appointment with the Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists and we found out what we're having! 2 more girls! Everything looked good at the ultrasound. Both babies weigh 12 ounces each, which is right on target for 20 weeks. They didn't measure their lengths, just individual body parts, but everything was where it's supposed to be. They are definitely active little girls! They were all over the place, and we almost left with "I think one of the babies might possibly be a girl" for an answer, but luckily she flipped around at the last minute, so they were able to clearly see that she's a girl. Now we have to seriously think of names, so we need ideas. The first initials have to be C and E.
One interesting thing about the ultrasound was that there's a possibility they'll be identical. They are in separate sacs, but it's not clear whether the two placentas fused together or if there was only one all along. If they fused together, they're fraternal. If there's only one, they're identical. Unfortunately, they can't know for sure until they're born, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Pictures tomorrow!
The really big news was that I had my first ultrasound appointment with the Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists and we found out what we're having! 2 more girls! Everything looked good at the ultrasound. Both babies weigh 12 ounces each, which is right on target for 20 weeks. They didn't measure their lengths, just individual body parts, but everything was where it's supposed to be. They are definitely active little girls! They were all over the place, and we almost left with "I think one of the babies might possibly be a girl" for an answer, but luckily she flipped around at the last minute, so they were able to clearly see that she's a girl. Now we have to seriously think of names, so we need ideas. The first initials have to be C and E.
One interesting thing about the ultrasound was that there's a possibility they'll be identical. They are in separate sacs, but it's not clear whether the two placentas fused together or if there was only one all along. If they fused together, they're fraternal. If there's only one, they're identical. Unfortunately, they can't know for sure until they're born, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Pictures tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Our first (and hopefully last!) visit to the ER
Monday was awful. I woke up feeling really crampy and had a bad backache. Thanks to the pain, I couldn't keep anything down. Not even water. My body caught on to the Benadryl trick about a week-and-a-half ago, but I'd been doing really well and had only been sick a few times since. It's like my body saved it all up for Monday.
What really scared me was that every so often, I would get a sharp pain in my back that would radiate forward to my belly and cause severe cramping. I was so worried I was having contractions that I ended up calling Damon in the morning to come home. Fortunately, I happened to have a prenatal visit already scheduled for that afternoon. I had traces of protein in my urine, and my blood pressure was slightly elevated. Combined with the back pain, my doctor thought I might have a bladder infection. To be on the safe side, though, he had me schedule an ultrasound for the next day (his tech is only there Tuesdays and Thursdays) to check the length of my cervix. This is to check whether I'm in preterm labor. I also had to go to the lab to have blood drawn and my urine checked again.
I did pretty well after we got home. I managed to keep a little food and fluids down. Until bedtime. I felt so awful I went to bed to read at 6:30. About an hour later, I got diarrhea. This caused some major vomiting. When I felt a little better, I tried to eat and drink a little more. About an hour after the first incident, I suddenly felt even worse in bed. My right hand felt tingly and I was so hot and nauseous, so I got up to go to the bathroom again.
I made it to the small hallway that separates the bedroom and bathroom before I felt like I was going to faint. Now, I've had my share of fainting spells in the past, but I've never had it happen so quickly before. I managed to slide down the wall and sit. I vaguely remember asking Damon for some juice. He asked me what kind, and I said I didn't care. That's the last thing I remember. The next thing I know, I'm starting to come to and I feel myself shaking like crazy. That's what really made me panic. When I was Abby's age, I would get really high fevers and have seizures, but I can't remember ever fainting and shaking like that before. Damon was still downstairs getting juice when I woke up, so I know I wasn't even out for a minute but it felt like hours. As soon as I felt awake enough, I flew to the bathroom and got majorly sick again. I sipped the orange juice Damon brought me and called my doctor.
The fainting and the shaking is what ultimately had me calling my doctor's after-hours nurse hotline. After a bunch of questions, the nurse told me to go to the hospital to get checked out. The hospital my doctor is affiliated with is brand-new and only about 10 minutes from our house, so despite the circumstances, I was pretty excited to see inside. I couldn't believe how smoothly everything went! They didn't even give me a chance to sit down in the er waiting room before they were ushering me in. By the time we got there, I was feeling pretty good all things considered. They checked my vitals, then the nurse drew some blood and hooked an iv needle to my arm.
That's when everything went downhill again.
I'm a wimp when it comes to needles. Remember I mentioned I've been known to faint in the past? 90% of the time has been because of needles or procedures done at a doctor's office. Since she drew a few vials of blood and had to hook me up to the iv, it took a while. I could feel myself slipping while she worked. The on-call doctor came in shortly after that to ask me questions, and I barely remember maybe half of what was said. When he left, I told the nurse I really needed to vomit. I thought I was well enough to walk to the bathroom assisted. What a mistake! I made to the nurses' station a few feet outside my room when I had to stop and hold on. All I wanted todo was slump down and pass out, but the nurse wouldn't let me. A few more feet, and she had another nurse bring a wheeled desk chair over to get me back to my room.
I felt so much better once I did get to vomit. In a bag. Yuck! While I was getting sick, the nurse hooked me up to oxygen and the iv drip. After that, it was a waiting game. Waiting to get the fluid in me. Waiting for the blood results. I went through 2 bags of fluid, and my bloodwork came back normal. They decided that the fainting was caused by severe dehydration.
The best part of the night came at the end. Before they released me, they brought in a portable ultrasound machine to check on the babies. They were laying horizontally across my belly, touching feet. Their little feet weren't just touching, though, they were kicking each other like crazy. It was hilarious to watch! They were fighting for space in there. Baby B is definitely going to be a handful. He (or she) was the one starting it. He (or she) would pull back and wait for Baby A to stretch out, then would kick and shove like crazy. Baby A didn't put up with that and fought back! Sorry Rita, we didn't get to take any pictures home that time. We would've loved to have a video of that!
I was sent home with a prescription for Zofran (anti-nausea medication they give to chemo patients and pregnant women) and was told to fill it before we went home, so we went to a 24-hour Walgreens. I was starving by then, which was the first time I'd been hungry all day, so we stopped at McDonald's. Their cheeseburgers never tasted so good!
Yesterday morning, we went back to my doctor's office for the cervical ultrasound and were told everything looked fine. No preterm labor. Whew! We didn't get to see the babies, but it was a relief knowing everything's going to be fime.
I felt better than I have in months yesterday! I couldn't believe how great I felt after how horrible I felt the day before. I couldn't seem to get enough to eat and drink all day and I never once felt the least bit nauseous. I can't remember the last time that happened!
What really scared me was that every so often, I would get a sharp pain in my back that would radiate forward to my belly and cause severe cramping. I was so worried I was having contractions that I ended up calling Damon in the morning to come home. Fortunately, I happened to have a prenatal visit already scheduled for that afternoon. I had traces of protein in my urine, and my blood pressure was slightly elevated. Combined with the back pain, my doctor thought I might have a bladder infection. To be on the safe side, though, he had me schedule an ultrasound for the next day (his tech is only there Tuesdays and Thursdays) to check the length of my cervix. This is to check whether I'm in preterm labor. I also had to go to the lab to have blood drawn and my urine checked again.
I did pretty well after we got home. I managed to keep a little food and fluids down. Until bedtime. I felt so awful I went to bed to read at 6:30. About an hour later, I got diarrhea. This caused some major vomiting. When I felt a little better, I tried to eat and drink a little more. About an hour after the first incident, I suddenly felt even worse in bed. My right hand felt tingly and I was so hot and nauseous, so I got up to go to the bathroom again.
I made it to the small hallway that separates the bedroom and bathroom before I felt like I was going to faint. Now, I've had my share of fainting spells in the past, but I've never had it happen so quickly before. I managed to slide down the wall and sit. I vaguely remember asking Damon for some juice. He asked me what kind, and I said I didn't care. That's the last thing I remember. The next thing I know, I'm starting to come to and I feel myself shaking like crazy. That's what really made me panic. When I was Abby's age, I would get really high fevers and have seizures, but I can't remember ever fainting and shaking like that before. Damon was still downstairs getting juice when I woke up, so I know I wasn't even out for a minute but it felt like hours. As soon as I felt awake enough, I flew to the bathroom and got majorly sick again. I sipped the orange juice Damon brought me and called my doctor.
The fainting and the shaking is what ultimately had me calling my doctor's after-hours nurse hotline. After a bunch of questions, the nurse told me to go to the hospital to get checked out. The hospital my doctor is affiliated with is brand-new and only about 10 minutes from our house, so despite the circumstances, I was pretty excited to see inside. I couldn't believe how smoothly everything went! They didn't even give me a chance to sit down in the er waiting room before they were ushering me in. By the time we got there, I was feeling pretty good all things considered. They checked my vitals, then the nurse drew some blood and hooked an iv needle to my arm.
That's when everything went downhill again.
I'm a wimp when it comes to needles. Remember I mentioned I've been known to faint in the past? 90% of the time has been because of needles or procedures done at a doctor's office. Since she drew a few vials of blood and had to hook me up to the iv, it took a while. I could feel myself slipping while she worked. The on-call doctor came in shortly after that to ask me questions, and I barely remember maybe half of what was said. When he left, I told the nurse I really needed to vomit. I thought I was well enough to walk to the bathroom assisted. What a mistake! I made to the nurses' station a few feet outside my room when I had to stop and hold on. All I wanted todo was slump down and pass out, but the nurse wouldn't let me. A few more feet, and she had another nurse bring a wheeled desk chair over to get me back to my room.
I felt so much better once I did get to vomit. In a bag. Yuck! While I was getting sick, the nurse hooked me up to oxygen and the iv drip. After that, it was a waiting game. Waiting to get the fluid in me. Waiting for the blood results. I went through 2 bags of fluid, and my bloodwork came back normal. They decided that the fainting was caused by severe dehydration.
The best part of the night came at the end. Before they released me, they brought in a portable ultrasound machine to check on the babies. They were laying horizontally across my belly, touching feet. Their little feet weren't just touching, though, they were kicking each other like crazy. It was hilarious to watch! They were fighting for space in there. Baby B is definitely going to be a handful. He (or she) was the one starting it. He (or she) would pull back and wait for Baby A to stretch out, then would kick and shove like crazy. Baby A didn't put up with that and fought back! Sorry Rita, we didn't get to take any pictures home that time. We would've loved to have a video of that!
I was sent home with a prescription for Zofran (anti-nausea medication they give to chemo patients and pregnant women) and was told to fill it before we went home, so we went to a 24-hour Walgreens. I was starving by then, which was the first time I'd been hungry all day, so we stopped at McDonald's. Their cheeseburgers never tasted so good!
Yesterday morning, we went back to my doctor's office for the cervical ultrasound and were told everything looked fine. No preterm labor. Whew! We didn't get to see the babies, but it was a relief knowing everything's going to be fime.
I felt better than I have in months yesterday! I couldn't believe how great I felt after how horrible I felt the day before. I couldn't seem to get enough to eat and drink all day and I never once felt the least bit nauseous. I can't remember the last time that happened!
17 Weeks
I had a prenatal appointment yesterday. Everything looked good; babies' heartbeats were well within the normal range. I, on the other hand, had a really bad day that I'll go into more detail about later.
My doctor again measured my uterus and this time I measured at 25 weeks! I can't remember if I explained before, but basically that means that my uterus is currently 25 cm from pelvic bone to the top. In a woman who's pregnant with one baby, the number of cm should more or less correspond with the number of weeks pregnant she is, so I already look like I'm 25 weeks pregnant! Yeah. Obviously, that's not the case when carrying twins. What's really crazy about this is that at my last visit 4 weeks ago, I measured 15 weeks. In 4 weeks, my uterus almost doubled in size! I can't believe I grew a full 10 cm in 4 weeks. And only gained 3 pounds. No wonder I've been so sick!
The best thing about my appointment was that I found out that I'll now be going to a perinatologist for an ultrasound every 4 weeks in addition to seeing my ob regularly. Yay! A perinatologist is essentially a high risk ob, so they have better equipment than my regular ob. They should be calling me in the next day or so to schedule my first appointment. My ob wants me to see them as soon as they're available since it's been 4 weeks since my last ultrasound. He also said that they should be able to tell us what we're having at that first appointment, if the babies cooperate!
Thanks to my really awful day yesterday, I have to go back to my ob's office for an ultrasound to measure the length of my cervix. I'm fine now, but yesterday was a scary day. The babies are definitely doing really well too, so there's nothing for everyone to worry about.
My doctor again measured my uterus and this time I measured at 25 weeks! I can't remember if I explained before, but basically that means that my uterus is currently 25 cm from pelvic bone to the top. In a woman who's pregnant with one baby, the number of cm should more or less correspond with the number of weeks pregnant she is, so I already look like I'm 25 weeks pregnant! Yeah. Obviously, that's not the case when carrying twins. What's really crazy about this is that at my last visit 4 weeks ago, I measured 15 weeks. In 4 weeks, my uterus almost doubled in size! I can't believe I grew a full 10 cm in 4 weeks. And only gained 3 pounds. No wonder I've been so sick!
The best thing about my appointment was that I found out that I'll now be going to a perinatologist for an ultrasound every 4 weeks in addition to seeing my ob regularly. Yay! A perinatologist is essentially a high risk ob, so they have better equipment than my regular ob. They should be calling me in the next day or so to schedule my first appointment. My ob wants me to see them as soon as they're available since it's been 4 weeks since my last ultrasound. He also said that they should be able to tell us what we're having at that first appointment, if the babies cooperate!
Thanks to my really awful day yesterday, I have to go back to my ob's office for an ultrasound to measure the length of my cervix. I'm fine now, but yesterday was a scary day. The babies are definitely doing really well too, so there's nothing for everyone to worry about.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Happy Birthday Rita
My mother in law, Rita, has been asking and asking for the ultrasound pictures from a few weeks ago. It finally dawned on me last night to take a picture of each with my camera since my scanner still isn't working. I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner! It just so happens that today is her birthday. Good timing! Happy birthday Rita!
Here's both of them together. Baby A is laying with his/her head by Baby B and the body going away from Baby B. Baby B is laying vertically in my belly with his/her head down by Baby A (that's why only the head shows up in this pic).
Here's both of them together. Baby A is laying with his/her head by Baby B and the body going away from Baby B. Baby B is laying vertically in my belly with his/her head down by Baby A (that's why only the head shows up in this pic).
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Birthday Party
I finally got around to posting the few pictures I took at Abby's birthday party to flickr. We had close to 20 kids here, so it was pretty chaotic! Unfortunately, that meant I didn't get to take too many pictures. Most of them are from before everyone got here, waiting with my mom and sisters.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Benadryl is my new best friend!
At a previous prenatal vist, my doctor gave me a list of safe over-the-counter medications and the illnesses they aid. Benadryl was listed under nausea. Huh? I had no idea! I was leary to try it because Benadryl puts me right to sleep. Finally, last week I couldn't take the constant vomiting anymore, so I bought some children's chewables. I decided I'd rather be sleepy constantly than sick, and really I'm tired all the time anyway so it hasn't made much difference. I have a hard time swallowing pills on a good day, let alone now, so I thought chewables was the way to go. Two chewables are the same as one adult pill, so I've been taking 2 chewables twice a day. What a difference! I haven't gotten sick once since I started taking Benadryl! I did get sick yesterday, but that was my own fault. I forgot to take it in the morning, so I decided to try a day without it to see how I felt. That lasted until about 3 o'clock, but by then the damage was done. I felt so awful that not even the Benadryl helped.
Here's a more current belly shot. I took this Saturday. Same top as before.
And since Abby's been neglected around here lately, here's a picture from her birthday party back in the beginning of January! I have a bunch of pictures I need to post to flickr now that I'm feeling better. Hopefully I'll get to them soon.
Here's a more current belly shot. I took this Saturday. Same top as before.
And since Abby's been neglected around here lately, here's a picture from her birthday party back in the beginning of January! I have a bunch of pictures I need to post to flickr now that I'm feeling better. Hopefully I'll get to them soon.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
14 Weeks
Thank you all so much for your kind words of encouragement! We really appreciate it. After we let it sink in for a few days, we started to get over the shock and got more and more excited. Going to the bookstore and buying a couple books on being pregnant with twins really set us at ease. Now, we are thrilled!
I'm just so tired of puking! So far, there's no end in sight. I'd hoped it would all go away now that I'm out of the first trimester, but no such luck. I went an entire day last week without getting sick! That's been the only day all month so far. My body paid me back by not letting me keep one bite down for several days after. Since I haven't been able to keep much food down, I didn't gain any weight between doctor's visits. That means that I now need to gain a good 10-15 pounds in the next 6 weeks! It's pretty hard to do right now, but I'm trying.
Last week, I went in for a nuchal translucency screen. Basically, they measure something in the babies' neck and compare the results to my blood test. It's to test for things like Downs Syndrome, but it doesn't tell us whether the babies have it, just whether there's a risk. You can read more about it here. I'm not really concerned with the results since it doesn't really tell us anything definitive. I just agreed to it for the extra ultrasound! I'll happily take an ultrasound whenever it's offered. I'll post pictures once I can figure out what's wrong with my printer/scanner/copier all-in-one thingamabob. For now, I can't scan them.
The babies looked good and measured where they're supposed at this age. Twin A was 6.9 cm long (about 2.7 inches) and Twin B was 7.5 cm long (just a hair under 3 inches). They were moving around like crazy, but I didn't feel a thing yet. Twin A stayed in pretty much the same position, but we did see her/him squirm around. Twin B was all over the place! At the start of the ultrasound, Twin A was laying horizontally across my belly, while Twin B was vertical along my right side feet down. The tech took some measurements of each then went back to Twin A to give us some pictures to take home. By then, Twin B was in the same spot but head down so their heads from the corner of an L. I had my prenatal visit with my doctor after going to the lab to get blood drawn (we waited over an hour for what only took a minute!). When my doctor used the doppler to find their heartbeats, he found them pretty much on top of each other.
At my prenatal visit, my doctor also measured my uterus. That measurement should correspond pretty well with how many weeks pregnant a woman is when carrying one child. At 13 weeks, I measured 15 weeks. So I'm as big as I would be at 15 weeks if I was only pregnant with one. It sounds like I'll be measuring even bigger than that as I progress in this prenancy.
I took a picture of the belly a couple weeks ago, at 12 weeks, that I'm finally getting around to post. I've definitely grown more since then!
I'm just so tired of puking! So far, there's no end in sight. I'd hoped it would all go away now that I'm out of the first trimester, but no such luck. I went an entire day last week without getting sick! That's been the only day all month so far. My body paid me back by not letting me keep one bite down for several days after. Since I haven't been able to keep much food down, I didn't gain any weight between doctor's visits. That means that I now need to gain a good 10-15 pounds in the next 6 weeks! It's pretty hard to do right now, but I'm trying.
Last week, I went in for a nuchal translucency screen. Basically, they measure something in the babies' neck and compare the results to my blood test. It's to test for things like Downs Syndrome, but it doesn't tell us whether the babies have it, just whether there's a risk. You can read more about it here. I'm not really concerned with the results since it doesn't really tell us anything definitive. I just agreed to it for the extra ultrasound! I'll happily take an ultrasound whenever it's offered. I'll post pictures once I can figure out what's wrong with my printer/scanner/copier all-in-one thingamabob. For now, I can't scan them.
The babies looked good and measured where they're supposed at this age. Twin A was 6.9 cm long (about 2.7 inches) and Twin B was 7.5 cm long (just a hair under 3 inches). They were moving around like crazy, but I didn't feel a thing yet. Twin A stayed in pretty much the same position, but we did see her/him squirm around. Twin B was all over the place! At the start of the ultrasound, Twin A was laying horizontally across my belly, while Twin B was vertical along my right side feet down. The tech took some measurements of each then went back to Twin A to give us some pictures to take home. By then, Twin B was in the same spot but head down so their heads from the corner of an L. I had my prenatal visit with my doctor after going to the lab to get blood drawn (we waited over an hour for what only took a minute!). When my doctor used the doppler to find their heartbeats, he found them pretty much on top of each other.
At my prenatal visit, my doctor also measured my uterus. That measurement should correspond pretty well with how many weeks pregnant a woman is when carrying one child. At 13 weeks, I measured 15 weeks. So I'm as big as I would be at 15 weeks if I was only pregnant with one. It sounds like I'll be measuring even bigger than that as I progress in this prenancy.
I took a picture of the belly a couple weeks ago, at 12 weeks, that I'm finally getting around to post. I've definitely grown more since then!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
10%
That's how much Clomid increases the likelihood of twins. 10 measly percent.
Guess what I'm having.
I was only on Clomid for 2 months, and on the lowest dosage both times! One thing none of us took into account was the fact that my sisters are twins, so I'm already genetically predisposed to them. My mother-in-law also mentioned that her grandparents had twins, so it's Damon too. Whoever said it skips a generation lied!
I'm a little freaked out by it right now. How am I ever going to go to the grocery store with 2 infants and a preschooler? What if one, or God forbid BOTH, has colic like Abby did? That was a nightmare when I didn't have anyone else to take care of. My mom didn't sleep for 2 years because one would wake up, then the other would wake up right after the first went back to sleep. TWO babies! I know it will all work out, and it'll be a blast when they're older. I just hope we can all survive the infant stage.
Guess what I'm having.
I was only on Clomid for 2 months, and on the lowest dosage both times! One thing none of us took into account was the fact that my sisters are twins, so I'm already genetically predisposed to them. My mother-in-law also mentioned that her grandparents had twins, so it's Damon too. Whoever said it skips a generation lied!
I'm a little freaked out by it right now. How am I ever going to go to the grocery store with 2 infants and a preschooler? What if one, or God forbid BOTH, has colic like Abby did? That was a nightmare when I didn't have anyone else to take care of. My mom didn't sleep for 2 years because one would wake up, then the other would wake up right after the first went back to sleep. TWO babies! I know it will all work out, and it'll be a blast when they're older. I just hope we can all survive the infant stage.
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