Thought I'd give a quick update on our latest appointments since we are getting down to the very end of this pregnancy and things are happening rather quickly now.
I had another NST on Friday....I had made plans for a friend and her baby to come over after the appointment and visit with me so I was sure something would go wrong at the appointment and I'd get stuck there seeing an OB, doing more tests or getting sent to the hospital or something! But, everything went surprisingly well. My blood pressure was actually down quite a bit, so everyone was very happy about that. The boys cooperated nicely for the NST. They crack me up because if they are asleep during the NST their heart accelerations aren't that great...they mostly stay in the 140's. But if they are awake their heart accelerations are great, but they move around so much that it's hard to keep them on the monitor (especially my trouble maker, Baby A.) So, I pray that they'll be awake but not moving around too much or I have to stay on the monitors for a lot longer. They need 20 solid minutes of good heart accelerations where they both stay on the monitors for the 20 minutes...not as easy as you'd think with two active boys! Sometimes this takes 30 minutes, but sometimes it has taken up to a few hours! Anyway, I did have a few contractions during the NST but the nurses and OBs know now not to panic....it's just me and I'm not in labor. The contractions did increase a bit more this past week than the last...but they still are not painful.
So, I was out of there within an hour and was told since my blood pressure looked good we'd wait until Monday to see my OB and probably repeat blood work and 24 hour urine at that time. I was happy to hear that because it meant most likely we'd get to 35 weeks....which is definitely the goal!
Over the weekend, Matt and I (well, mostly Matt with my direction) tied up the loose ends we wanted to get done before the boys arrive. He put the twin bassinet up in our bedroom, got the car seats in the car, packed our hospital bags and put them by the door, exchanged a few things at Babies R Us and Old Navy, etc. Over the weekend, I also feel like the babies (or at least baby A) dropped even further....if that is even possible. I felt like there was a lot more pressure on my cervix all of the sudden. Then on Saturday night, I started having regular contractions...which isn't out of the ordinary for me, but we decided to start timing them. Sure enough they were 8-9 minutes apart. But, they did not get closer together, or get more intense and actually let up before we went to bed. I'm starting to wonder if I'll even know when I am in real labor unless my water breaks, because contractions (even consistent ones) sure aren't telling me I'm in labor.
I saw my OB and had another NST this morning. Again, I thought I'd be sent directly to the hospital. But nope! My blood pressure has stayed consistent since we increased my dosage of blood pressure meds...it is still high but not alarmingly high and since my blood work consistently looks good... I am still in the "mild" pre-clampsia category. The boys cooperated again...woo hoo, showing great heart accelerations and lots and lots of movement, but managed to stay on the monitor for the entire time we were on the monitor. My contractions are still about 8-9 minutes apart, but don't seem to be getting any closer and are not painful. Oh and I am up 3 pounds since Friday! I've officially gained 60 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I then saw the OB...which also went off without a hitch. She checked my cervix and it is STILL only dilated to a 3! I can't believe it! She did say baby A is very very low and that my cervix is very ripe, but I'm still not in active labor...so I was sent on my merry way. Not before I asked her if when I'd know when I was in active labor...she told me I'll know because the contractions will be painful and I won't be able to talk through them.
I did have to get the PIH blood tests done after the appointment, but since those have all looked great I'm not too worried about them. I will repeat the 24 hour urine test on Wednesday and bring it in when I go in for my Thursday NST. Then, on Friday I will see the perinatologist and with all of the lab work info they will schedule my c-section. My OB said if I still haven't developed pre-eclampsia then they'll probably schedule the c-section for right around 37 weeks. But she really does not seem to think we'll make it that far, she thinks I'll go into active labor within the week. I feel it is very close too with the amount of contractions I am having, the way Baby A has dropped, and how ripe my cervix is.
Just can't wait to see how this all plays out! Should be the most interesting few weeks of my life coming up! If we make it that far..I will not be updating my blog until after my perinatologist appointment on Friday.
Lilypie First Birthday tickers
Monday, January 30, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
34 Weeks
I realized while I was in the hospital that my week actually turned over to the next week on Wednesdays, so I was actually 34 weeks yesterday....but I think for now I'll keep up the weekly posts on Thursdays, since that's what I've been doing the entire pregnancy. I don't know why I didn't notice this before...even my ticker at the top of my blog says my week turns over on Wednesdays! Oh well! I'm so excited to have made it to 34 weeks....for some reason it makes me feel like the boys will still do great if they were to be born anytime past 34 weeks. I'd LOVE to get to 35-36 weeks, but 34 is awesome too!! Even the perinatologist told me I'd only have to be on full bed rest until 34 weeks...since it would be safe to deliver after that. But, Matt and I decided I'd lay low until at least 35 weeks.
My lastest NST was on Tuesday.....I think I should just get used to these appointments never just being "run of the mill" appointments from here on out. I did my latest 24 hour urine the day before, so I dropped that off at the lab before heading to my appointment. Of course, the boys did great during the NST...lots of movement and heart accelerations. I only had two very minor contractions during the NST (which was about 45 minutes.) But, of course my blood pressure was elevated...because well, it's ALWAYS elevated! So, the nurse insisted I see one of the OBs that was in the office. I told her I'd just dropped off my urine, but she still wanted me to see an OB. So, I waited and waited since I was being squeezed in. Well, the OB didn't know what to do with me...just asked me the same questions that I've been asked a hundred times (any leaking of fluid, any bleeding, any headaches, any blurred vision, any pain above the belly on the right....no no no no no.) So, she ends up calling the perinatolgist who says we basically just need to wait for the 24 urine test to come back, but he wants me to increase my blood pressure meds and wants to repeat the blood tests for PIH. So, the appointment ended up taking almost 3 hours by the time I dropped off the urine, did my NST, saw the OB and had the blood tests done. Nothing is simple anymore at this point!
They called back that afternoon to say the protein in my urine is showing mild pre-eclampsia. They said we won't worry about too much right away because the blood results were all within the normal range. But, the protein in my urine is definitely rising each week as is my blood pressure, so I know I'll have pre-eclampsia soon. I have another NST tomorrow and they'll have me repeat the 24 hour urine to see how fast the proteins are rising. My next OB appointment is on Monday so I guess a decision will be made then...depending on how the pre-e is looking. I have a feeling it is going to be the pre-e that delivers these babies early...not the contractions or my cervix. I hope to get to 35 weeks...since that is my goal but at this point I'll be shocked to make it to 36. We're getting very close now....
How Far Along: 34 Weeks
Size of Baby: I'm excited for our next growth scan in 1 week (if I make it!) Let's hope for 5 pounds each at that appointment.
Picture of Baby: No more pictures. :-(
Maternity Clothes: All!
Weight Gain: Up 3 more pounds, total weight gain 56 pounds (starting weight 105, weighing in at 161.)
Belly:
Sorry, the pic is bad this week. My shirt isn't the greatest to show off the bump and it seems a little blurry.
Stretch Marks: None yet!
Sleep: Not so bad! I'm veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery tired, so as soon as my head hits the pillow I am out! I'm sleeping for longer periods of time and getting up less too. I think my body is just really needing a lot of sleep right now. I nap during the day every other day or so which I love, but when I nap my sleep at night isn't as good. But, if I don't nap I can barely keep my eyes open in the late afternoons.
Best Moment of the Week: Just waking up each morning still pregnant is the best moment of the week.
Movement: Still the same...they are quiet at night during sleep but wake up as soon as I eat breakfast and move on and off throughout the day through their sleeping patterns. Lots of hiccups.....I think Baby A had the hiccups 3 times yesterday, and Baby B one time.
Symptoms: All of the sudden by boobs have started KILLING me...does anyone know why this would happen at this point in the pregnancy? Is it just hormones preparing for my milk to come in? Stuffed up nose (breathe rite strips do not work for me, for those of you who have suggested....they don't do a thing.) SNORING and strange breathing/sounds from the back of my throat when I am asleep. Minor contractions. Mild pre-eclampsia. Mild gestational diabetes....controlled with diet.
Food Cravings: Same as most of the pregnancy (since the nausea went away)....junk food, sugar, sodas but of course still not giving into any of them. Occasionally I have some ice cream or frozen yogurt in the evenings (if my blood sugars looked good all day.) I'm getting excited to be able to have a cup of coffee in the morning again....I gave it up 2 years ago but am kinda excited to have my one cup a day again....Matt's coffee in the mornings has been smelling sooo good to me!
Gender: Two gorgeous boys!
What I Miss: Eating what I want! Not being so dependent on others for everything! Not having a stuffed up nose! Not getting out of breath just walking up the stairs! Sleeping through the night and sleeping on my stomach. Being able to pick things up that I drop. Put my own shoes and socks on. Being able to carry heavy things and just do things we all usually take for granted like being able to clip my own toenails and shave my "lady parts." Getting in and out of bed, off the couch and out of the car easily.
What I'm Looking Forward to: Meeting my boys any day now (but hopefully 1-2 more weeks!) Perinatologist appointment in 1 week.
Nursery: Done!!
Weekly Wisdom: In twin pregnancy, this far along...take it one day at a time and be thankful for each day you are still pregnant. Try not to plan but have a "go with the flow" attitude.
Milestones: At this point, we are really counting each day as a milestone....each day they are in there is a celebration!
Emotions: Excited (to meet my babies,) anxious (about delivery and NICU time.)
My lastest NST was on Tuesday.....I think I should just get used to these appointments never just being "run of the mill" appointments from here on out. I did my latest 24 hour urine the day before, so I dropped that off at the lab before heading to my appointment. Of course, the boys did great during the NST...lots of movement and heart accelerations. I only had two very minor contractions during the NST (which was about 45 minutes.) But, of course my blood pressure was elevated...because well, it's ALWAYS elevated! So, the nurse insisted I see one of the OBs that was in the office. I told her I'd just dropped off my urine, but she still wanted me to see an OB. So, I waited and waited since I was being squeezed in. Well, the OB didn't know what to do with me...just asked me the same questions that I've been asked a hundred times (any leaking of fluid, any bleeding, any headaches, any blurred vision, any pain above the belly on the right....no no no no no.) So, she ends up calling the perinatolgist who says we basically just need to wait for the 24 urine test to come back, but he wants me to increase my blood pressure meds and wants to repeat the blood tests for PIH. So, the appointment ended up taking almost 3 hours by the time I dropped off the urine, did my NST, saw the OB and had the blood tests done. Nothing is simple anymore at this point!
They called back that afternoon to say the protein in my urine is showing mild pre-eclampsia. They said we won't worry about too much right away because the blood results were all within the normal range. But, the protein in my urine is definitely rising each week as is my blood pressure, so I know I'll have pre-eclampsia soon. I have another NST tomorrow and they'll have me repeat the 24 hour urine to see how fast the proteins are rising. My next OB appointment is on Monday so I guess a decision will be made then...depending on how the pre-e is looking. I have a feeling it is going to be the pre-e that delivers these babies early...not the contractions or my cervix. I hope to get to 35 weeks...since that is my goal but at this point I'll be shocked to make it to 36. We're getting very close now....
How Far Along: 34 Weeks
Size of Baby: I'm excited for our next growth scan in 1 week (if I make it!) Let's hope for 5 pounds each at that appointment.
Picture of Baby: No more pictures. :-(
Maternity Clothes: All!
Weight Gain: Up 3 more pounds, total weight gain 56 pounds (starting weight 105, weighing in at 161.)
Belly:
Sorry, the pic is bad this week. My shirt isn't the greatest to show off the bump and it seems a little blurry.
Stretch Marks: None yet!
Sleep: Not so bad! I'm veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery tired, so as soon as my head hits the pillow I am out! I'm sleeping for longer periods of time and getting up less too. I think my body is just really needing a lot of sleep right now. I nap during the day every other day or so which I love, but when I nap my sleep at night isn't as good. But, if I don't nap I can barely keep my eyes open in the late afternoons.
Best Moment of the Week: Just waking up each morning still pregnant is the best moment of the week.
Movement: Still the same...they are quiet at night during sleep but wake up as soon as I eat breakfast and move on and off throughout the day through their sleeping patterns. Lots of hiccups.....I think Baby A had the hiccups 3 times yesterday, and Baby B one time.
Symptoms: All of the sudden by boobs have started KILLING me...does anyone know why this would happen at this point in the pregnancy? Is it just hormones preparing for my milk to come in? Stuffed up nose (breathe rite strips do not work for me, for those of you who have suggested....they don't do a thing.) SNORING and strange breathing/sounds from the back of my throat when I am asleep. Minor contractions. Mild pre-eclampsia. Mild gestational diabetes....controlled with diet.
Food Cravings: Same as most of the pregnancy (since the nausea went away)....junk food, sugar, sodas but of course still not giving into any of them. Occasionally I have some ice cream or frozen yogurt in the evenings (if my blood sugars looked good all day.) I'm getting excited to be able to have a cup of coffee in the morning again....I gave it up 2 years ago but am kinda excited to have my one cup a day again....Matt's coffee in the mornings has been smelling sooo good to me!
Gender: Two gorgeous boys!
What I Miss: Eating what I want! Not being so dependent on others for everything! Not having a stuffed up nose! Not getting out of breath just walking up the stairs! Sleeping through the night and sleeping on my stomach. Being able to pick things up that I drop. Put my own shoes and socks on. Being able to carry heavy things and just do things we all usually take for granted like being able to clip my own toenails and shave my "lady parts." Getting in and out of bed, off the couch and out of the car easily.
What I'm Looking Forward to: Meeting my boys any day now (but hopefully 1-2 more weeks!) Perinatologist appointment in 1 week.
Nursery: Done!!
Weekly Wisdom: In twin pregnancy, this far along...take it one day at a time and be thankful for each day you are still pregnant. Try not to plan but have a "go with the flow" attitude.
Milestones: At this point, we are really counting each day as a milestone....each day they are in there is a celebration!
Emotions: Excited (to meet my babies,) anxious (about delivery and NICU time.)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Latest NST and OB (1/20/2012)
Now, that I am on full bed rest I feel like I have a lot more time to blog...not to mention now that we are in the homestretch of the pregnancy...there seems to be a lot more to report!
First...congrats to Sharon at Misconceptions about Conception....her twin baby boys were born on Thursday night and are doing great! This made things pretty real for me because Sharon, myself and Marissa have been neck and neck with our pregnancies (twin boys all due within the same week!) Who's next, Marissa? HA!
I had an OB and NST appointment yesterday....again, it went very well! Yippee!! My OB checked my cervix and it still has not moved since it was checked nearly two weeks ago! My belly is measuring right around 38 weeks (so 5 weeks ahead, which makes me nervous...if I go to full-term (38 weeks for twins) my belly will measure like 43 weeks!) We did a quick ultrasound and baby boys have still not moved.....baby A is head down (and still very very low,) and baby B is still very much breech. They both have plenty of fluid and are getting veeeeery long.....they reach from my cervix all the way up to my ribs!
The NST also went well. They were pretty quiet at first, but then I drank some OJ and all of the sudden they started hoppin around in there. Their heart accelerations were perfect! Also....I only had ONE contraction the entire hour I was on the monitor! Woo Hoo!!!
My blood pressure continues to be high (I think it was 145/90,) so I have to do the 24 hour urine test again (which I think I will continue weekly until I deliver.) Not to happy to have to do that again....but I guess it is what it is and I know it is important to catch preeclampsia if I do develop it.
I have two NST appointments next week, I see the OB again next Monday (unless anything happens before then,) and then my next growth scan with the perinatologist in a little under two weeks. I am sooo curious to know how much they will weigh....I am hoping for a little over 5 pounds each at that point (I will be 35 weeks.)
Matt and I are getting soooooooooooo excited to meet these two little guys!
First...congrats to Sharon at Misconceptions about Conception....her twin baby boys were born on Thursday night and are doing great! This made things pretty real for me because Sharon, myself and Marissa have been neck and neck with our pregnancies (twin boys all due within the same week!) Who's next, Marissa? HA!
I had an OB and NST appointment yesterday....again, it went very well! Yippee!! My OB checked my cervix and it still has not moved since it was checked nearly two weeks ago! My belly is measuring right around 38 weeks (so 5 weeks ahead, which makes me nervous...if I go to full-term (38 weeks for twins) my belly will measure like 43 weeks!) We did a quick ultrasound and baby boys have still not moved.....baby A is head down (and still very very low,) and baby B is still very much breech. They both have plenty of fluid and are getting veeeeery long.....they reach from my cervix all the way up to my ribs!
The NST also went well. They were pretty quiet at first, but then I drank some OJ and all of the sudden they started hoppin around in there. Their heart accelerations were perfect! Also....I only had ONE contraction the entire hour I was on the monitor! Woo Hoo!!!
My blood pressure continues to be high (I think it was 145/90,) so I have to do the 24 hour urine test again (which I think I will continue weekly until I deliver.) Not to happy to have to do that again....but I guess it is what it is and I know it is important to catch preeclampsia if I do develop it.
I have two NST appointments next week, I see the OB again next Monday (unless anything happens before then,) and then my next growth scan with the perinatologist in a little under two weeks. I am sooo curious to know how much they will weigh....I am hoping for a little over 5 pounds each at that point (I will be 35 weeks.)
Matt and I are getting soooooooooooo excited to meet these two little guys!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
33 Weeks
I've been home for a few days now and so far so good! Thank goodness Matt can work from home...I don't know what we'd do otherwise. He is cooking all of the meals, doing all of the house chores, taking care of the dog, working long days and getting in a long run everyday.....what a man! I feel like a big bump on a log which is hard for me, but I know what my job is right now....cooking up these babes! I went in for another NST on Tuesday and all was fine.....the boys' heart accelerations looked great as usual, and I only had two very small contractions in the hour I was on the monitor. My blood pressure is still elevated, so I am guessing I'll be repeating the 24 hour urine test after my next appointment with my OB tomorrow but hopefully I'll dodge that bullet yet again.The contractions have definitely slowed down to a dull roar...not sure what was causing so many last week, but this week...hardly anything...yay!
How Far Along: 33 Weeks
Size of Baby: I'm excited for our next growth scan in 2 weeks. But, I am guessing they are a little over 4 pounds each now.....they are about the size of a honeydew melon. I can tell they are TALL...they reach my bladder all the way up to my ribs when they stretch! I am told they will start putting on a half a pound each per week at this point, so it would be great to get a few more weeks in so we are at least over 5 pounds each at birth.
Picture of Baby: Surprisingly, I did get a few pics from my ultrasounds in the hospital, but they aren't very good and I don't plan to scan them in.
Maternity Clothes: All!
Weight Gain: Holding steady at 158 pounds. My belly has gotten bigger (I know because I measure it,) but my body hasn't gained anymore weight (or I've lost a few) due to the low carb diet and the fact that I've lost a lot of the water weight I was retaining (because I am off of my feet now....my feet, ankles and legs are actually back down to somewhat normal size.) I am ALL baby these days!
Belly: Belly is getting bigger each day. It seems to be growing at a rapid rate these days. Still no stretch marks and I haven't been very good at using my cocoa butter.....I need to be better at that. My line of nigra is super duper dark too. Something new this week is that my belly button is turning into an outie...that's kinda interesting.
Stretch Marks: None yet!
Sleep: Much better now that I am home...the hospital sleeps weren't good because I wasn't comfortable, getting up to pee and all the interruptions at night...they really don't leave you alone for more than two hours at a time. I am sleeping pretty good at home...if only I didn't have to get up every few hours to pee (I keep telling Matt that I wish I could sleep with a catheter so that I can sleep without having to constantly get up!) I am also napping for an hour or two during the day so I am getting plenty of rest! Trying to get in as much as I can now before these boys arrive!
Best Moment of the Week: Hearing that my cervix hasn't dilated any further and listening to my babies heart beats.
Movement: All the time! They are quiet at night during sleep but wake up as soon as I eat breakfast and move a lot throughout the day. When they are both awake....it is very interesting because my belly looks like a constant wave of movement. Baby B finally found his legs (he had them tucked underneath for a long time,) and now kicks a lot more and shoves his head up in my ribs regularly. They also both seem to constantly have the hiccups...maybe it just seems like constantly to me because there are two in there! They are two very active little guys!
Symptoms: Stuffed up nose (breathe rite strips do not work for me, for those of you who have suggested....they don't do a thing.) SNORING and strange breathing/sounds from the back of my throat when I am asleep. Contractions. High blood pressure (but no pre-eclampsia.) Mild gestational diabetes....controlled with diet.
Food Cravings: Ice cream, sugar, ice cream, sugar, ice cream! Matt is now finding ways to satisfy my sugar cravings without giving me a bunch of sugar. He is baking peaches, pears and apples in the oven with a bit of brown sugar on them....pretty good! I'm also occasionally eating frozen yogurt. All my blood sugars have been within normal limits so I may be able to stop testing soon (which would be nice!)
Gender: Two gorgeous boys!
What I Miss: Eating what I want! Not being so dependent on others for everything! Not having a stuffed up nose! Not getting out of breath just walking up the stairs! Sleeping through the night and sleeping on my stomach. Being able to pick things up that I drop. Put my own shoes and socks on. Being able to carry heavy things and just do things we all usually take for granted like being able to clip my own toenails and shave my "lady parts." Getting in and out of bed, off the couch and out of the car easily.
What I'm Looking Forward to: Meeting my boys in 1-5 weeks (shooting for 3 more weeks!) Perinatologist appointment in 2 weeks (to find out how much they weigh.)
Nursery: Done!!
Weekly Wisdom: Always be safe rather than sorry when it comes to your little one(s,) the hospital stay was hard but I am glad we all got a week of constant monitoring and testing.
Milestones: Reaching 32+ weeks, this means we can deliver at our hospital if they were to be born anytime past this point. At this point, we are really counting each day as a milestone due to the scare last week....each day they are in there is a celebration!
Emotions: Relieved, excited, anxious (about delivery.) Sometimes cranky about losing my independence.
How Far Along: 33 Weeks
Size of Baby: I'm excited for our next growth scan in 2 weeks. But, I am guessing they are a little over 4 pounds each now.....they are about the size of a honeydew melon. I can tell they are TALL...they reach my bladder all the way up to my ribs when they stretch! I am told they will start putting on a half a pound each per week at this point, so it would be great to get a few more weeks in so we are at least over 5 pounds each at birth.
Picture of Baby: Surprisingly, I did get a few pics from my ultrasounds in the hospital, but they aren't very good and I don't plan to scan them in.
Maternity Clothes: All!
Weight Gain: Holding steady at 158 pounds. My belly has gotten bigger (I know because I measure it,) but my body hasn't gained anymore weight (or I've lost a few) due to the low carb diet and the fact that I've lost a lot of the water weight I was retaining (because I am off of my feet now....my feet, ankles and legs are actually back down to somewhat normal size.) I am ALL baby these days!
Belly: Belly is getting bigger each day. It seems to be growing at a rapid rate these days. Still no stretch marks and I haven't been very good at using my cocoa butter.....I need to be better at that. My line of nigra is super duper dark too. Something new this week is that my belly button is turning into an outie...that's kinda interesting.
Stretch Marks: None yet!
Sleep: Much better now that I am home...the hospital sleeps weren't good because I wasn't comfortable, getting up to pee and all the interruptions at night...they really don't leave you alone for more than two hours at a time. I am sleeping pretty good at home...if only I didn't have to get up every few hours to pee (I keep telling Matt that I wish I could sleep with a catheter so that I can sleep without having to constantly get up!) I am also napping for an hour or two during the day so I am getting plenty of rest! Trying to get in as much as I can now before these boys arrive!
Best Moment of the Week: Hearing that my cervix hasn't dilated any further and listening to my babies heart beats.
Movement: All the time! They are quiet at night during sleep but wake up as soon as I eat breakfast and move a lot throughout the day. When they are both awake....it is very interesting because my belly looks like a constant wave of movement. Baby B finally found his legs (he had them tucked underneath for a long time,) and now kicks a lot more and shoves his head up in my ribs regularly. They also both seem to constantly have the hiccups...maybe it just seems like constantly to me because there are two in there! They are two very active little guys!
Symptoms: Stuffed up nose (breathe rite strips do not work for me, for those of you who have suggested....they don't do a thing.) SNORING and strange breathing/sounds from the back of my throat when I am asleep. Contractions. High blood pressure (but no pre-eclampsia.) Mild gestational diabetes....controlled with diet.
Food Cravings: Ice cream, sugar, ice cream, sugar, ice cream! Matt is now finding ways to satisfy my sugar cravings without giving me a bunch of sugar. He is baking peaches, pears and apples in the oven with a bit of brown sugar on them....pretty good! I'm also occasionally eating frozen yogurt. All my blood sugars have been within normal limits so I may be able to stop testing soon (which would be nice!)
Gender: Two gorgeous boys!
What I Miss: Eating what I want! Not being so dependent on others for everything! Not having a stuffed up nose! Not getting out of breath just walking up the stairs! Sleeping through the night and sleeping on my stomach. Being able to pick things up that I drop. Put my own shoes and socks on. Being able to carry heavy things and just do things we all usually take for granted like being able to clip my own toenails and shave my "lady parts." Getting in and out of bed, off the couch and out of the car easily.
What I'm Looking Forward to: Meeting my boys in 1-5 weeks (shooting for 3 more weeks!) Perinatologist appointment in 2 weeks (to find out how much they weigh.)
Nursery: Done!!
Weekly Wisdom: Always be safe rather than sorry when it comes to your little one(s,) the hospital stay was hard but I am glad we all got a week of constant monitoring and testing.
Milestones: Reaching 32+ weeks, this means we can deliver at our hospital if they were to be born anytime past this point. At this point, we are really counting each day as a milestone due to the scare last week....each day they are in there is a celebration!
Emotions: Relieved, excited, anxious (about delivery.) Sometimes cranky about losing my independence.
Monday, January 16, 2012
I'm Home!
Surprise!!!
The perinatologist came to see me today and my cervix has not progressed AT ALL!!! Woo Hoo! He seems to think I'm just an early "contractor" but that the contractions at this point aren't doing anything to my cervix and I'm not in any type of early labor. I was sooooo happy to hear that! My contractions continue....about 2-6 an hour but they are not painful and I hardly notice them unless I'm really paying attention.
So, the plan right now is to continue the twice weekly NSTs as well as twice weekly visits with my OB, then I will see the perinatologist again in 2 weeks for our last growth scan. I am suppose to call if anything changes in the contractions (more frequent or more intense,) if my water breaks, if I have any bleeding, etc. Right now I am stable so there is no reason to sit in the hospital. I am on full bed rest until 34 weeks (which is only a week away,) then I am free to move around because at that point going into labor would be fine and they wouldn't do anything to stop it (though....I think I'll take it easy until at least 35 weeks, since that is my goal to get to.)
Matt is working from home full time now, so he will be waiting on me hand and foot. We are just so happy that it looks like we'll be able to squeak out at least a few more weeks out of the pregnancy and possibly no NICU time...wouldn't that be awesome?!
The perinatologist came to see me today and my cervix has not progressed AT ALL!!! Woo Hoo! He seems to think I'm just an early "contractor" but that the contractions at this point aren't doing anything to my cervix and I'm not in any type of early labor. I was sooooo happy to hear that! My contractions continue....about 2-6 an hour but they are not painful and I hardly notice them unless I'm really paying attention.
So, the plan right now is to continue the twice weekly NSTs as well as twice weekly visits with my OB, then I will see the perinatologist again in 2 weeks for our last growth scan. I am suppose to call if anything changes in the contractions (more frequent or more intense,) if my water breaks, if I have any bleeding, etc. Right now I am stable so there is no reason to sit in the hospital. I am on full bed rest until 34 weeks (which is only a week away,) then I am free to move around because at that point going into labor would be fine and they wouldn't do anything to stop it (though....I think I'll take it easy until at least 35 weeks, since that is my goal to get to.)
Matt is working from home full time now, so he will be waiting on me hand and foot. We are just so happy that it looks like we'll be able to squeak out at least a few more weeks out of the pregnancy and possibly no NICU time...wouldn't that be awesome?!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Hospital Day 6
Not too much to report today, but I thought I'd keep the ol' blog regularly updated through this big adventure!
Matt spent the day in my room with me...which was really nice. I usually spend the days by myself, but he was able to spend the day with me since it is Sunday (no work) and he got all of the household stuff done yesterday. We mostly hung out in my room watching football (which is fine with me, I just like having him here!) He took me on a wheelchair ride around the hospital...including outside which was really nice...the fresh air felt good...I wish it were a bit warmer outside so we could just go sit out there...but it is chilly in Denver so we could only stay outside for 10 minutes or so.
We were given a tour of the NICU today too. It's hard to think that my boys will have to be in there, but I am trying my best to get used to the idea and wrap my mind around it. Matt and I learned a lot about how things operate in the NICU, what kind of care the boys would need if they were born now, or at 34 weeks, 35, etc. We'd love to bake them two more weeks and get them close to 35 weeks, that seems to be the magic week where they don't seem to need as much care. Matt and I then talked about how we will handle things (like visiting) if they have to stay in there for several weeks. Its good that we have this time to discuss instead of just being thrown into it. We realize our boys will be in the NICU but we are being given time for it to sink in, discuss our feelings and how we will handle having to leave them here while we go home (which will be torturous, of course!)
The boys feel like they are getting bigger and bigger each day. Just like Baby A, Baby B has found his way to my ribs and likes to head butt me up there regularly. They love to stretch and kick each other and put on little shows for me to watch....they are definitely my favorite channel to watch! The monitoring continues to go well.....their heart accelerations always look so good...they are always give a gold star from the OBs. Unfortunately, my contractions continue...I'm not sure if they are making any huge changes to my cervix at this point or not. I don't feel like they've increased in intensity (they are still not painful.) I haven't had my cervix checked since Friday night which showed no change, so I am hoping this means the contractions continue to make no changes. I guess we'll find out tomorrow when the perinatologist comes to visit me!
Thanks for all the supportive comments. I know many of you have mentioned that it is hard staying in the hospital but that it is best for the boys so to hang in there.....and I couldn't agree more. I have no intention of going home unless it is 100% safe and there is no reason for me to be here. Yes, I miss Matt, I miss sleeping in our bed, I miss the dog, I hate being awoken at night for various things, it sucks to be stuck in a hospital bed all day....but I will take all of that for as long as it takes if it means I can squeak out a few more weeks out of this pregnancy. I'd rather lay in this bed for 2 weeks and get to 35 weeks if it means the boys will have to stay even one less day in the NICU!
Matt spent the day in my room with me...which was really nice. I usually spend the days by myself, but he was able to spend the day with me since it is Sunday (no work) and he got all of the household stuff done yesterday. We mostly hung out in my room watching football (which is fine with me, I just like having him here!) He took me on a wheelchair ride around the hospital...including outside which was really nice...the fresh air felt good...I wish it were a bit warmer outside so we could just go sit out there...but it is chilly in Denver so we could only stay outside for 10 minutes or so.
We were given a tour of the NICU today too. It's hard to think that my boys will have to be in there, but I am trying my best to get used to the idea and wrap my mind around it. Matt and I learned a lot about how things operate in the NICU, what kind of care the boys would need if they were born now, or at 34 weeks, 35, etc. We'd love to bake them two more weeks and get them close to 35 weeks, that seems to be the magic week where they don't seem to need as much care. Matt and I then talked about how we will handle things (like visiting) if they have to stay in there for several weeks. Its good that we have this time to discuss instead of just being thrown into it. We realize our boys will be in the NICU but we are being given time for it to sink in, discuss our feelings and how we will handle having to leave them here while we go home (which will be torturous, of course!)
The boys feel like they are getting bigger and bigger each day. Just like Baby A, Baby B has found his way to my ribs and likes to head butt me up there regularly. They love to stretch and kick each other and put on little shows for me to watch....they are definitely my favorite channel to watch! The monitoring continues to go well.....their heart accelerations always look so good...they are always give a gold star from the OBs. Unfortunately, my contractions continue...I'm not sure if they are making any huge changes to my cervix at this point or not. I don't feel like they've increased in intensity (they are still not painful.) I haven't had my cervix checked since Friday night which showed no change, so I am hoping this means the contractions continue to make no changes. I guess we'll find out tomorrow when the perinatologist comes to visit me!
Thanks for all the supportive comments. I know many of you have mentioned that it is hard staying in the hospital but that it is best for the boys so to hang in there.....and I couldn't agree more. I have no intention of going home unless it is 100% safe and there is no reason for me to be here. Yes, I miss Matt, I miss sleeping in our bed, I miss the dog, I hate being awoken at night for various things, it sucks to be stuck in a hospital bed all day....but I will take all of that for as long as it takes if it means I can squeak out a few more weeks out of this pregnancy. I'd rather lay in this bed for 2 weeks and get to 35 weeks if it means the boys will have to stay even one less day in the NICU!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Bit of a scare...but hanging in!
We had a bit of a scare last night, but everything seems to have calmed down now.
Matt and I were sitting around watching TV in my room and my nurse came in to hook me up to monitor the babies and my contractions. This has become sort of repetitive and pretty uneventful at this point since they do it 3 times a day for about an hour....so I didn't think much of it. I love listening to the boys' heart rates.....so it is definitely a high part of my day.
We were on the monitors for about 20 minutes and I felt two pretty large contractions. They weren't painful, but I could see on the monitor that they were pretty big. The boys' heart rates were perfect and continued to be so I didn't worry too much. After about 40 minutes the nurse came back and asked me if I was having pain with my contractions....I said no.....I can feel them but I'm not in pain. She said she had talked to the OB while watching the monitors from outside my room and she was concerned. Uh oh! They left me on for another 20 minutes or so when the nurse came back in and said the OB is coming right away to check what is going on and that I needed to have an IV put in immediately...apparently my contractions were consistently 8 minutes apart. I got very scared at that point and thought I was going to start crying, but I held it together...thank goodness Matt was here with me!
The OB was in my room within minutes and said she needed to check my cervix to see if it was dilating and labor was progressing. Again...I think they really thought I'd be having these boys that night! But, she checked my cervix and much to everyone's surprise...I had not progressed past 3.5 centimeters (same as day before.) I was soooooooo relieved to hear that!
It was a very stressful and anxiety-ridden 30 minutes, but I was so thankful to hear my cervix is still hanging in there. No one can seem to explain to me why I am having so many contractions (even regular ones,) but I am actually not in labor. They just keep telling me that this could be the pattern for a few more weeks until real labor starts.
During our monitoring session this morning, I had maybe one or two small contractions in the hour I was hooked up to the monitors....so different from last night. The boys were wide awake and continued to kick the little probes and move around the entire hour so we were having a hard time keeping them on the monitor, but they continue to do awesome and are so busy in there....they crack me up (and the nurses too!,) it's like constantly chasing them around my belly!
So, we continue to hang out and wait for the perinatologist on Monday to see what we are going to do. I'm actually not minding it here too much. The worst part is missing Matt and not being able to sleep in our bed with him. He's started working from home full time now so that he can be home with our dog during the day, then leaves home around 4 or 4:30 and spends the evening with me until about 9pm. We talk on the phone a lot during the day, so that's nice. Today he is grocery shopping, doing laundry, dishes, etc and then will come later to spend the evening with me. It's probably good he isn't here during the day because they keep me so busy! I am on the monitors a lot during the day, the nurses and OB's are constantly in and out. I'm trying to get a bit of sleep during the day, since I am still being awoken a few times a night for vital signs and meds. The food here is dang good too! They have a full menu that you can order off of anytime! I am eating so well....lots of fresh fruits, salads, fresh sandwiches, pastas, pizza, burgers, All-American dishes, Asian and Mexican dishes, big breakfasts, etc. Yum! Matt likes it so much that he's been eating the hospital dinners with me in my room!
That's all to report now.....I think it is nap time for this mama! Thanks for all of the nice comments and continued prayers and support....
Matt and I were sitting around watching TV in my room and my nurse came in to hook me up to monitor the babies and my contractions. This has become sort of repetitive and pretty uneventful at this point since they do it 3 times a day for about an hour....so I didn't think much of it. I love listening to the boys' heart rates.....so it is definitely a high part of my day.
We were on the monitors for about 20 minutes and I felt two pretty large contractions. They weren't painful, but I could see on the monitor that they were pretty big. The boys' heart rates were perfect and continued to be so I didn't worry too much. After about 40 minutes the nurse came back and asked me if I was having pain with my contractions....I said no.....I can feel them but I'm not in pain. She said she had talked to the OB while watching the monitors from outside my room and she was concerned. Uh oh! They left me on for another 20 minutes or so when the nurse came back in and said the OB is coming right away to check what is going on and that I needed to have an IV put in immediately...apparently my contractions were consistently 8 minutes apart. I got very scared at that point and thought I was going to start crying, but I held it together...thank goodness Matt was here with me!
The OB was in my room within minutes and said she needed to check my cervix to see if it was dilating and labor was progressing. Again...I think they really thought I'd be having these boys that night! But, she checked my cervix and much to everyone's surprise...I had not progressed past 3.5 centimeters (same as day before.) I was soooooooo relieved to hear that!
It was a very stressful and anxiety-ridden 30 minutes, but I was so thankful to hear my cervix is still hanging in there. No one can seem to explain to me why I am having so many contractions (even regular ones,) but I am actually not in labor. They just keep telling me that this could be the pattern for a few more weeks until real labor starts.
During our monitoring session this morning, I had maybe one or two small contractions in the hour I was hooked up to the monitors....so different from last night. The boys were wide awake and continued to kick the little probes and move around the entire hour so we were having a hard time keeping them on the monitor, but they continue to do awesome and are so busy in there....they crack me up (and the nurses too!,) it's like constantly chasing them around my belly!
So, we continue to hang out and wait for the perinatologist on Monday to see what we are going to do. I'm actually not minding it here too much. The worst part is missing Matt and not being able to sleep in our bed with him. He's started working from home full time now so that he can be home with our dog during the day, then leaves home around 4 or 4:30 and spends the evening with me until about 9pm. We talk on the phone a lot during the day, so that's nice. Today he is grocery shopping, doing laundry, dishes, etc and then will come later to spend the evening with me. It's probably good he isn't here during the day because they keep me so busy! I am on the monitors a lot during the day, the nurses and OB's are constantly in and out. I'm trying to get a bit of sleep during the day, since I am still being awoken a few times a night for vital signs and meds. The food here is dang good too! They have a full menu that you can order off of anytime! I am eating so well....lots of fresh fruits, salads, fresh sandwiches, pastas, pizza, burgers, All-American dishes, Asian and Mexican dishes, big breakfasts, etc. Yum! Matt likes it so much that he's been eating the hospital dinners with me in my room!
That's all to report now.....I think it is nap time for this mama! Thanks for all of the nice comments and continued prayers and support....
Friday, January 13, 2012
My New Home on L&D (32 weeks)
Yep....you read the title correctly....I am now living on the labor and delivery floor.
On Tuesday morning I went in for my very first non-stress test....not really thinking much of it, just excited to sit and listen to the boys' heart rates for awhile. After about 20 minutes of being hooked me up to the monitor both boys had passed the test with flying colors. However, after about 45 minutes I was informed that I was having regular contractions....about 6 minutes apart at that point. I knew I had been having contractions for some time, but each time I'd tell my OB or perinatologist they'd tell me not to worry...they were just braxton hicks contractions and as long as they weren't regular or painful....I shouldn't worry. I really did not think they were regular and they definitely are not painful so I never thought anything of them.
The nurse went to tell the OB in the office and I was whisked back to an exam room. Unfortunately, it was at this point that they decided to take my blood pressure...which was of course pretty dang elevated, they checked it a few more times and it came down but only slightly. The OB soon came in and checked my cervical length....it was just about 2 centimeters long which is the "danger zone." She then checked my cervix and immediately told me she could feel one of the baby's heads and I was 3 centimeters dilated. She left the room to go call the hospital to let them know I was coming. I called Matt and told him to immediately leave work and meet me at the hospital.
I arrived there about 30 minutes later and was hooked up to monitors to monitor babies heart rates and my contractions. I was also put on a constant BP cuff to check my BP every 10 minutes, given an IV, given my first steroid shot to mature the babies lungs and brain, had a bunch of blood drawn for various things (which eventually all came out normal) and did an ultrasound to see how the boys were situated to see how they'd be delivered. I think they really thought these boys were going to be delivered that day!! While starting the monitoring we started the 24 urine test to check for pre-eclampsia (which they were all sure I'd have,) and the OB ran the fetal fibromectin test which I was told will give them a pretty good idea if the babies will be delivered within the week. Then we waited....
I was on the monitors for 7 hours at the hospital.....the boys did great all day, their heart rates were excellent, nothing to worry about with them. But, I continued having contractions....some as close to 3 minutes apart. We finally received the fetal fibromectin test back late that afternoon and received good news....it was negative! This meant the boys probably would not be delivered within a week...woo hoo! But, my contractions were still there and they wanted me to stay overnight to finish the 24 hour urine and also get another steroid shot the next day. So, Matt and I settled in for the night.
It's been a blur over the past few days, with constant monitoring (4 times a day for an hour, constant BP checks, ultrasounds of the boys, etc,) but I'll try to remember the events in order. On Wednesday afternoon, we got the very good news that I still do NOT have pre-eclampsia! They had told me I'd definitely have to stay until the boys were born if I did have it...they were sure I would. The contractions also slowed down some on Wednesday. I was told that since I didn't have pre-e, my blood pressures had stabilized and the contractions had slowed that if there were no changes in my cervix on Thursday then I could probably go home on full bed rest.
On Thursday, we continued the monitoring of the boys' heart rates and my contractions. The boys continued to kick ass...their heart accelerations are perfect and they are just moving like crazy in there...they are happy as can be and have no idea what is going on out here! But, my contractions unfortunately picked up again on Thursday morning...not as bad, but about every 10 minutes. The OB came in that afternoon to do another cervical check (ugh!) to see if I could go home....he wasn't too happy about the contractions that had picked up. He did my cervical length first and it had shortened to under 2 centimeters (boooo,) and I was dilated to just about 3.5 centimeters (boooo,) I was obviously not going anywhere! But, on the ultrasound the boys still looked great...moving around, plenty of fluid, etc.
They've since started me on a drug called procardia every 4 hours, this is like a muscle relaxant and is supposed to help slow the contractions down, which in turn should help to slow cervical changes. I've been on it for about 24 hours now and the contractions have definitely slowed some. They've gone from about 6 an hour to maybe 2 an hour and they aren't as big.
The plan now is to keep me here over the weekend. The perinatologist will be here on Monday to check me again, and in the meantime I am staying on the procardia, getting constant BP checks (which have all been excellent,) 4 blood sugar checks a day (which have all also been excellent, not one over the level,) and constant monitoring of the boys and my contractions.
It's been a scary last few days, but I am staying positive and hanging in there. I'm hoping this medicine works and my contractions go away completely and my cervix stops changing, so I can possibly go home on complete bed rest sometime next week. But, I'll stay in the hospital if that's what it takes too. They sure do take good care of you here....the constant interruptions (especially in the middle of the night) definitely take some getting used to.....but I am getting used to the hour long monitoring, the constant BP and glucose checks, the around the clock meds, the OB visits every few hours, etc. I am learning to sleep when I can because they wake me up twice a night to give me meds, check my BP and check heart rates. It's definitely interesting! But, I am just happy that my boys are doing well.....please keep us in your prayers that we can continue to bake them up for a few more weeks (which would be ideal,) or as long as possible!
I'll keep you all updated!
On Tuesday morning I went in for my very first non-stress test....not really thinking much of it, just excited to sit and listen to the boys' heart rates for awhile. After about 20 minutes of being hooked me up to the monitor both boys had passed the test with flying colors. However, after about 45 minutes I was informed that I was having regular contractions....about 6 minutes apart at that point. I knew I had been having contractions for some time, but each time I'd tell my OB or perinatologist they'd tell me not to worry...they were just braxton hicks contractions and as long as they weren't regular or painful....I shouldn't worry. I really did not think they were regular and they definitely are not painful so I never thought anything of them.
The nurse went to tell the OB in the office and I was whisked back to an exam room. Unfortunately, it was at this point that they decided to take my blood pressure...which was of course pretty dang elevated, they checked it a few more times and it came down but only slightly. The OB soon came in and checked my cervical length....it was just about 2 centimeters long which is the "danger zone." She then checked my cervix and immediately told me she could feel one of the baby's heads and I was 3 centimeters dilated. She left the room to go call the hospital to let them know I was coming. I called Matt and told him to immediately leave work and meet me at the hospital.
I arrived there about 30 minutes later and was hooked up to monitors to monitor babies heart rates and my contractions. I was also put on a constant BP cuff to check my BP every 10 minutes, given an IV, given my first steroid shot to mature the babies lungs and brain, had a bunch of blood drawn for various things (which eventually all came out normal) and did an ultrasound to see how the boys were situated to see how they'd be delivered. I think they really thought these boys were going to be delivered that day!! While starting the monitoring we started the 24 urine test to check for pre-eclampsia (which they were all sure I'd have,) and the OB ran the fetal fibromectin test which I was told will give them a pretty good idea if the babies will be delivered within the week. Then we waited....
I was on the monitors for 7 hours at the hospital.....the boys did great all day, their heart rates were excellent, nothing to worry about with them. But, I continued having contractions....some as close to 3 minutes apart. We finally received the fetal fibromectin test back late that afternoon and received good news....it was negative! This meant the boys probably would not be delivered within a week...woo hoo! But, my contractions were still there and they wanted me to stay overnight to finish the 24 hour urine and also get another steroid shot the next day. So, Matt and I settled in for the night.
It's been a blur over the past few days, with constant monitoring (4 times a day for an hour, constant BP checks, ultrasounds of the boys, etc,) but I'll try to remember the events in order. On Wednesday afternoon, we got the very good news that I still do NOT have pre-eclampsia! They had told me I'd definitely have to stay until the boys were born if I did have it...they were sure I would. The contractions also slowed down some on Wednesday. I was told that since I didn't have pre-e, my blood pressures had stabilized and the contractions had slowed that if there were no changes in my cervix on Thursday then I could probably go home on full bed rest.
On Thursday, we continued the monitoring of the boys' heart rates and my contractions. The boys continued to kick ass...their heart accelerations are perfect and they are just moving like crazy in there...they are happy as can be and have no idea what is going on out here! But, my contractions unfortunately picked up again on Thursday morning...not as bad, but about every 10 minutes. The OB came in that afternoon to do another cervical check (ugh!) to see if I could go home....he wasn't too happy about the contractions that had picked up. He did my cervical length first and it had shortened to under 2 centimeters (boooo,) and I was dilated to just about 3.5 centimeters (boooo,) I was obviously not going anywhere! But, on the ultrasound the boys still looked great...moving around, plenty of fluid, etc.
They've since started me on a drug called procardia every 4 hours, this is like a muscle relaxant and is supposed to help slow the contractions down, which in turn should help to slow cervical changes. I've been on it for about 24 hours now and the contractions have definitely slowed some. They've gone from about 6 an hour to maybe 2 an hour and they aren't as big.
The plan now is to keep me here over the weekend. The perinatologist will be here on Monday to check me again, and in the meantime I am staying on the procardia, getting constant BP checks (which have all been excellent,) 4 blood sugar checks a day (which have all also been excellent, not one over the level,) and constant monitoring of the boys and my contractions.
It's been a scary last few days, but I am staying positive and hanging in there. I'm hoping this medicine works and my contractions go away completely and my cervix stops changing, so I can possibly go home on complete bed rest sometime next week. But, I'll stay in the hospital if that's what it takes too. They sure do take good care of you here....the constant interruptions (especially in the middle of the night) definitely take some getting used to.....but I am getting used to the hour long monitoring, the constant BP and glucose checks, the around the clock meds, the OB visits every few hours, etc. I am learning to sleep when I can because they wake me up twice a night to give me meds, check my BP and check heart rates. It's definitely interesting! But, I am just happy that my boys are doing well.....please keep us in your prayers that we can continue to bake them up for a few more weeks (which would be ideal,) or as long as possible!
I'll keep you all updated!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
31 Weeks - What a Week!
Sorry I've been so crappy about commenting on everyone's blogs lately. I have been trying my best to keep up with you all, but things have been a bit crazy, so I haven't had a chance to actually comment.
I had my phone meeting with the dietitian for my GD a week ago. It went well I suppose. She figured out my calorie and carb intake and said I should be eating 2900 calories a day, with 300 grams of carbs, cut out all sugars and desserts (all the good stuff....boooo,) and stick to proteins and veggies as much as possible. It's been going well and even though I miss all the "good" stuff, I've been testing my blood sugars 4 times a day and haven't had one that was too high...so I am thankful for that.
On Friday morning, I had an appointment with the nurse to learn how to use my blood sugar monitor. I was told to stop at the pharmacy before my appointment and pick up the monitor. Unfortunately, when I got to the pharmacy, I was told that no one had called in the monitor for me....ugh! Luckily, I was there about an hour early because I had a feeling the pharmacy was going to be crazy because of the holiday weekend (which is was.) So, I waited another 30 minutes and decided to go ask again if the monitor was ready. I was told that they had left a message with the OB office but no one had called them back yet! I told them my appointment was in 20 minutes and I needed the monitor! So, after about 20 more minutes they finally talked to someone in OB and the pharmacist rushed my "prescription" and I got the monitor in the nick of time (an hour later, mind you!) I showed up to my appointment right on time and still had to wait 25 minutes to see the nurse! I was finally called back and first thing she did was check my vitals...unfortunately my blood pressure was elevated (144/90,) so she said we'd check it again at the end of the appointment. The appointment took about an hour...she went on and on about GD, how they don't know what causes it, the diet, how I need to count baby kicks (do they have any idea how difficult that is with twins?!,) learning how to use the monitor, making my weekly appointments with my OB, etc. She took my BP again at the end of the appointment and unfortunately, it was still slightly elevated. So, she had to go track down one of the OB's to see what to do. She came back in 15 minutes later and told me the OB wants me to have the PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) labs done today. Bleh! So, down to the lab I went.....took about another hour or so to do the urine sample, wait to be called back and have my blood drawn. So, in total I was there for over 3 hours for an appointment I thought would take 30 minutes!
That night (Friday) around 6:30 I got a call from the hospital....it was the OB that was working that night. She said my blood results all came back fine, but that I had a slight amount of protein in my urine (I think she said it needs to be under .2 and mine was .23 or something like that.) So, she wanted me to do the 24 hour urine test ASAP! She told us we'd need to drive to the hospital that night to pick up the urine jug and start the test first thing in the morning. So, at 7pm on Friday night Matt and I had to drive 30 minutes to the hospital to pick up the damn thing! I started it on Saturday morning and on Sunday morning we had to drive the urine back to the hospital to drop it off. Unfortunately, it was New Years day so most of the hospital was closed. We roamed around trying to figure out where we were supposed to drop it off. The security guard finally told us to go to the ER. The ER didn't know what to do with us, but finally figured it out after multiple calls. We had to get completely checked in before they'd take the urine which took 30 minutes! Then they found someone from the lab to come and get the damn urine! A few hours later the OB that was working at the hospital called me and said my urine was perfectly fine, no sign of pre-eclampsia...hallelujah, finally some good news!! But, he did say I'd probably have to do this test a few more times before the boys get here. But, crisis averted for the time being! It was definitely a crazy week!!
Yesterday, I met with the perinatologist. Matt wasn't able to go with me due to his work schedule which I was bummed about. After the week I'd had I was sure I was going to get some bad news and be there all alone! But, both boys looked spectacular! Even the perinatologist commented that she wished all of their twins looked as good at mine....made me feel soooo good! They are both just under 4 pounds now (I can't believe I am packing 7.5 pounds of baby right now!) Both heart rates were great, all measurements looked perfect, they are measuring within 5% of each other. Baby A is still head down and right on my bladder/cervix and Baby B has turned breech.
I have no signs of pre-term labor at this point but as a precaution she put me on a sort of modified bed rest and said this is standard for twins at this point in the pregnancy. Basically, if I were working I'd have to stop, and I have to rest as much as possible. No out and about shopping for long periods of time or house chores that take more than a few minutes. I can still drive places as long as I'm not on my feet a lot, I can still make myself light meals, etc. I pretty much can't do anything where I'd be on my feet for more than 10 minutes without resting. Thank goodness the nursery is done and I have left my job already!
I'll also be starting twice a week non-stress tests next week. So, between seeing my OB once a week, twice a week non-stress tests and my perinatologist appointments, I'm going to be busy with appointments! But, we only have 5-7 more weeks to get through so I can do it!! We also have 3 more prenatal classes over the next 3 weekends, so even our weekends are booked up! On my way home yesterday, I stopped at Babies R Us and purchased enough diapers to get us through the first few months.....so I'm pretty sure at this point we have everything we need for these two little guys. Now....we just wait.....
How Far Along: 31 weeks
Size of Baby: Both are around 3.75 pounds each now....about the size of a squash!
Picture of Baby: They are so squished in there and in such funny positions, I don't think we'll get anymore pics at this point in the pregnancy. You can't even see Baby A's face anymore he is so far down. I did see Baby B's profile today...he has some chubby cheeks!
Maternity Clothes: All!
Weight Gain: Up 3 more pounds, total gain 53 pounds (starting weight 105, weighed 158 today.)
Belly:
Stretch Marks: None yet!
Sleep: I've been tired lately, I know this is because I am in the last few weeks of a twin pregnancy. I pretty much hit a brick wall every day in the afternoon and need to go take a hour or two nap...I know I need it because I fall asleep instantly and make all kinds of weird noises! Unfortunately, Baby A is right on my bladder so I have to get up about once an hour to pee. It's like really urgent too and then just a trickle...ugh! I guess I am getting ready for their arrival with waking up once an hour!
Best Moment of the Week: Seeing my two sweeties, hearing their heart beats and hearing that they look perfect!
Movement: Both are pretty quiet at night when I am sleeping...but they wake up as soon as I eat breakfast and move throughout the day. They get very very busy right after dinner. It seems like they are most busy right after I eat. Their kicks are getting harder and harder too....I love it!
Symptoms: Horrible swollen feet, ankles and even knees! Stuffed up nose (breathe rite strips do not work for me, for those of you who have suggested....they don't do a thing.) SNORING and strange breathing/sounds when I am asleep. Can't stand for long periods and tire out easily. Braxton Hicks contractions for the past month. Gestational Diabetes.
Food Cravings: Junk food...everything I can't have.....ice cream, subway, soda, chicken mcnuggets, muffins, etc.
Gender: Two gorgeous boys!
What I Miss: Eating what I want! Not getting out of breath just walking up the stairs! Sleeping through the night and sleeping on my stomach. Being able to pick things up that I drop. Put my own shoes and socks on. Being able to carry heavy things and just do things we all usually take for granted like being able to clip my own toenails and shave my "lady parts." Getting in and out of bed, off the couch and out of the car easily.
What I'm Looking Forward to: Meeting my boys in 5-7 weeks!
Nursery: It is pretty much done...the paintings have been delivered and Matt plans to hang them up this weekend. We also assembled both swings and put them in our family room. So, the only things we have left are to assemble the bassinet, install car seats and have them checked and clean bottles (though hopefully breast feeding goes well and we won't need those for awhile!) If all goes well with hanging up the art work, I'll post some pics this week! I really like the way it turned it out!
Weekly Wisdom: Sorry.....I got nothing this week....my brain is pretty mushy these days!
Milestones: We are delivering our boys NEXT MONTH!!!
Emotions: Excited and anxious....want everything to go smooth from here on out!
I had my phone meeting with the dietitian for my GD a week ago. It went well I suppose. She figured out my calorie and carb intake and said I should be eating 2900 calories a day, with 300 grams of carbs, cut out all sugars and desserts (all the good stuff....boooo,) and stick to proteins and veggies as much as possible. It's been going well and even though I miss all the "good" stuff, I've been testing my blood sugars 4 times a day and haven't had one that was too high...so I am thankful for that.
On Friday morning, I had an appointment with the nurse to learn how to use my blood sugar monitor. I was told to stop at the pharmacy before my appointment and pick up the monitor. Unfortunately, when I got to the pharmacy, I was told that no one had called in the monitor for me....ugh! Luckily, I was there about an hour early because I had a feeling the pharmacy was going to be crazy because of the holiday weekend (which is was.) So, I waited another 30 minutes and decided to go ask again if the monitor was ready. I was told that they had left a message with the OB office but no one had called them back yet! I told them my appointment was in 20 minutes and I needed the monitor! So, after about 20 more minutes they finally talked to someone in OB and the pharmacist rushed my "prescription" and I got the monitor in the nick of time (an hour later, mind you!) I showed up to my appointment right on time and still had to wait 25 minutes to see the nurse! I was finally called back and first thing she did was check my vitals...unfortunately my blood pressure was elevated (144/90,) so she said we'd check it again at the end of the appointment. The appointment took about an hour...she went on and on about GD, how they don't know what causes it, the diet, how I need to count baby kicks (do they have any idea how difficult that is with twins?!,) learning how to use the monitor, making my weekly appointments with my OB, etc. She took my BP again at the end of the appointment and unfortunately, it was still slightly elevated. So, she had to go track down one of the OB's to see what to do. She came back in 15 minutes later and told me the OB wants me to have the PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) labs done today. Bleh! So, down to the lab I went.....took about another hour or so to do the urine sample, wait to be called back and have my blood drawn. So, in total I was there for over 3 hours for an appointment I thought would take 30 minutes!
That night (Friday) around 6:30 I got a call from the hospital....it was the OB that was working that night. She said my blood results all came back fine, but that I had a slight amount of protein in my urine (I think she said it needs to be under .2 and mine was .23 or something like that.) So, she wanted me to do the 24 hour urine test ASAP! She told us we'd need to drive to the hospital that night to pick up the urine jug and start the test first thing in the morning. So, at 7pm on Friday night Matt and I had to drive 30 minutes to the hospital to pick up the damn thing! I started it on Saturday morning and on Sunday morning we had to drive the urine back to the hospital to drop it off. Unfortunately, it was New Years day so most of the hospital was closed. We roamed around trying to figure out where we were supposed to drop it off. The security guard finally told us to go to the ER. The ER didn't know what to do with us, but finally figured it out after multiple calls. We had to get completely checked in before they'd take the urine which took 30 minutes! Then they found someone from the lab to come and get the damn urine! A few hours later the OB that was working at the hospital called me and said my urine was perfectly fine, no sign of pre-eclampsia...hallelujah, finally some good news!! But, he did say I'd probably have to do this test a few more times before the boys get here. But, crisis averted for the time being! It was definitely a crazy week!!
Yesterday, I met with the perinatologist. Matt wasn't able to go with me due to his work schedule which I was bummed about. After the week I'd had I was sure I was going to get some bad news and be there all alone! But, both boys looked spectacular! Even the perinatologist commented that she wished all of their twins looked as good at mine....made me feel soooo good! They are both just under 4 pounds now (I can't believe I am packing 7.5 pounds of baby right now!) Both heart rates were great, all measurements looked perfect, they are measuring within 5% of each other. Baby A is still head down and right on my bladder/cervix and Baby B has turned breech.
I have no signs of pre-term labor at this point but as a precaution she put me on a sort of modified bed rest and said this is standard for twins at this point in the pregnancy. Basically, if I were working I'd have to stop, and I have to rest as much as possible. No out and about shopping for long periods of time or house chores that take more than a few minutes. I can still drive places as long as I'm not on my feet a lot, I can still make myself light meals, etc. I pretty much can't do anything where I'd be on my feet for more than 10 minutes without resting. Thank goodness the nursery is done and I have left my job already!
I'll also be starting twice a week non-stress tests next week. So, between seeing my OB once a week, twice a week non-stress tests and my perinatologist appointments, I'm going to be busy with appointments! But, we only have 5-7 more weeks to get through so I can do it!! We also have 3 more prenatal classes over the next 3 weekends, so even our weekends are booked up! On my way home yesterday, I stopped at Babies R Us and purchased enough diapers to get us through the first few months.....so I'm pretty sure at this point we have everything we need for these two little guys. Now....we just wait.....
How Far Along: 31 weeks
Size of Baby: Both are around 3.75 pounds each now....about the size of a squash!
Picture of Baby: They are so squished in there and in such funny positions, I don't think we'll get anymore pics at this point in the pregnancy. You can't even see Baby A's face anymore he is so far down. I did see Baby B's profile today...he has some chubby cheeks!
Maternity Clothes: All!
Weight Gain: Up 3 more pounds, total gain 53 pounds (starting weight 105, weighed 158 today.)
Belly:
Stretch Marks: None yet!
Sleep: I've been tired lately, I know this is because I am in the last few weeks of a twin pregnancy. I pretty much hit a brick wall every day in the afternoon and need to go take a hour or two nap...I know I need it because I fall asleep instantly and make all kinds of weird noises! Unfortunately, Baby A is right on my bladder so I have to get up about once an hour to pee. It's like really urgent too and then just a trickle...ugh! I guess I am getting ready for their arrival with waking up once an hour!
Best Moment of the Week: Seeing my two sweeties, hearing their heart beats and hearing that they look perfect!
Movement: Both are pretty quiet at night when I am sleeping...but they wake up as soon as I eat breakfast and move throughout the day. They get very very busy right after dinner. It seems like they are most busy right after I eat. Their kicks are getting harder and harder too....I love it!
Symptoms: Horrible swollen feet, ankles and even knees! Stuffed up nose (breathe rite strips do not work for me, for those of you who have suggested....they don't do a thing.) SNORING and strange breathing/sounds when I am asleep. Can't stand for long periods and tire out easily. Braxton Hicks contractions for the past month. Gestational Diabetes.
Food Cravings: Junk food...everything I can't have.....ice cream, subway, soda, chicken mcnuggets, muffins, etc.
Gender: Two gorgeous boys!
What I Miss: Eating what I want! Not getting out of breath just walking up the stairs! Sleeping through the night and sleeping on my stomach. Being able to pick things up that I drop. Put my own shoes and socks on. Being able to carry heavy things and just do things we all usually take for granted like being able to clip my own toenails and shave my "lady parts." Getting in and out of bed, off the couch and out of the car easily.
What I'm Looking Forward to: Meeting my boys in 5-7 weeks!
Nursery: It is pretty much done...the paintings have been delivered and Matt plans to hang them up this weekend. We also assembled both swings and put them in our family room. So, the only things we have left are to assemble the bassinet, install car seats and have them checked and clean bottles (though hopefully breast feeding goes well and we won't need those for awhile!) If all goes well with hanging up the art work, I'll post some pics this week! I really like the way it turned it out!
Weekly Wisdom: Sorry.....I got nothing this week....my brain is pretty mushy these days!
Milestones: We are delivering our boys NEXT MONTH!!!
Emotions: Excited and anxious....want everything to go smooth from here on out!
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