A major catch up !!

And yet again I have failed at my blogging duties.  I blame twin brain.  #1. I can't comfortably reach the keyboard anymore. #2. I think up all these great posts but when push comes to shove,  Oh LOOK!! Squirrel!!    lol!  I swear these babies have made me soo ADD it's not even funny!

So here we sit at 1 day shy of 35 weeks!  Further than we made it with the last set of twins (born 34w3d).  My Doc assures me that typical gestation is 35 weeks and each day is a victory.. So I'll take it :)

Let's try to play catch up...

Naturally having preggo brain I've probably forgotten half of what I should have posted but we'll just have to deal with it.    This pregnancy has been super smooth!  No bedrest whatsoever!!  Remember last time?  Bed rest at 29weeks!   It still amazes me that I got away with none this time!  Awesome!


So let's go back to 25wks preggo.  We had been trying to figure out a time that both parents could come and do a 3d u/s but it just wasn't working out.  So I went with my bestie T and we did one and gave them the pics/videos for their baby shower present! Lol! 

Things moved along fairly well. Every ultrasound showed each little girl in a different position but never head down.  Stinkers!  I actually contributed this towards not dilating and contracting early like I did with the Spanish Twins.  They were always head down and that pressure on the cervix had to be doing something.   Not these girls, they are happy to float along, usually transverse and almost always with their little heads together like they are telling secrets!  We have soo many pics of just their little heads together. I LOVE IT!! :)

28 weeks came and the lovely Glucose test -- which I failed by 9 measly points! ARGH!! What the heck?? I've never failed one!  So I got to do the lovely 3hr at my 30wk appt. Which I PASSED!  Ha!  Take that stupid glucose test!! :)

The fun thing at my 30week appt was that I was able to schedule it so I got the awesome u/s tech!  She even gave us a little 3D pic preview! Woohoo!  She is awesome!

For some reason no one seems to be able to see Baby B's pic but to me it's perfectly clear. lol.  It's a side shot and she has her arm curled up under her head..  Aren't they adorable?!   I love how much they look like real babies in these pictures!!! :)

 Our next appt was at 32w5d - after having had some contractions off and and the dr decided to check my cervix.  It was just 1 cm so we weren't too concerned! :)  This is my 5th pregnancy after all !  All in all things were going good!

Fast Forward us to last friday ( 34wk2d).  Jill (IM) and her MIL were able to come to the appt!  This one was especially nerve racking because I had to work soo hard to make sure that I didn't slip up and say the babies names.  Only Mom, Dad & I know the names and Gma was hoping with everything that we would slip up. lol.   We made it thru the day with no slip ups though! HA! :)   So we had another u/s with the great u/s lady!  Both babies were measuring right at 5lbs (A was 5lb 2oz, B was 4lb 14oz) and both were head down!  First time EVER!  How cool!  Of course these girls like to do somersaults like there's no tomorrow so I wasn't confident that they'd stay there. lol. They are soo active it's not even funny!  After the u/s we saw the dr.  We discussed the pros & cons of getting the steroid shots (I feel nervous not having them if I'm dilating at all b/c I constantly worry about when to go to the hospital with contractions -- soon enough for shots but I hate being sent home.) Dr told us that they are only good for like 2 weeks which we didn't realize so she would give them if we really wanted them but would prefer we wait until she felt we were closer to delivery so they didn't wear off too soon.  We all agreed with that! :)   Then we discussed birth options.  We have always been pro- vaginal birth.  I've never had a c-section and don't particularly want one.  The last twins were vaginal births, so I'm hoping these are as well.  Still we went over the scenarios.

1. Baby A Breech = c-section

2. Baby A & B head down = go for it! We always have the risk that B flips after A is out but the do their best to prevent that.

3.Baby A head down but B transverse -- now this one I don't recall which as which but dr says if B is transverse but facing down then she could try to rotate her into position and deliver.  If B was transverse but facing up then it was risk to rotate and would do a breech birth. (note- those two scenarios could be flipped, I don't remember which was which now. lol).

4. Baby A head down but B breech = could do a breech extraction b/c they don't rotate a breech baby due to possible cord issues.  I did not know this!

So after researching breech extraction (eek) and the possible complications for both the baby & me, Jill and I agree that we'd rather not risk it.  I worry about Baby B's spine getting injured or her head getting stuck and ending in cuts that could cause me more issues too.   So as of right now, the plan is if both are head down we are going for vaginal.  If any other scenario, then we'll opt for the c-section as the safer option.   Whew..

Anyhoo after this long discussion with the OB,  Jill & MIL stepped out so she could check my cervix. Fun times!!  After a few moments, dr looks at me and says well you are getting steroids today!  Apparently my cervix was now 3.5-4cm!  oops!! After a few minutes of discussing, we decided that I would head to the hospital on Sunday (dr was on call then) and get the first shot and another check, then back to the office on Monday for my 2nd shot.   You know what they say about the best laid plans, right??

After the fun cervical check (at 9am!) I spent the rest of the day with my back just killing me. I could not get comfortable and had some noticeable contractions but mainly just a horrible back ache.  MIL had mentioned that she had back labor for Nate (dad) and we all wondered if that was what was going on.  So after talking to the nurse line, I headed to the hospital just in case for a check. 

L&D trip #1 -  We got triage 3 (ha! same a with the last twins!) Now by the time we went in, I wasn't feeling a lot of contractions just mainly back pain. Just pretty uncomfy.  We got upstairs and got all hooked up to the monitors. My BP was a bit high for me (130/77) which I guess just proves I wasn't comfy? lol.  Our nurse was super nice but I feel maybe a bit new? She put the contraction monitor way high where it wouldn't pick anything up anyway.  After a bit of no contractions she went ahead and did a cervical check - announced my cervix was really hard to find (my dr says WTH? you have the easiest cervix in the world to find!) and decided that I was still the same dilation as this morning with the dr.  We did go ahead and get the first steroid shot and was told to come back the next night fo the 2nd one.

Horrible backache , some contractions on Saturday until it finally tapered off that evening (Go figure).  I arrived at the hospital for the next shot.


L&D trip #2 - We showed up for our shot and another very pg lady showed up with us and let me just say I think she waited a tad too long before showing up.  This woman was ready to go! lol!  She got in the wheelchair (I elected to walk) and we waited for the guard to show up and escort us up to L&D.  Meanwhile her husband said he'd just run out to the car and turn it off but he really went to the car, parked it, grabbed the bags ect.  So our guard showed up and the husband was MIA.   Our very pg lady said a few choice words and we decided to leave him behind and get her upstairs!  So off we go!  We just got into the elevator when the guard shack calls to tell our escort that the husband is on his way.  Again more choice words (and lots of moaning) from our pg lady.  We waited a minute or so but apparently the husband got lost and we left him. lol.  Poor woman, I felt for her.  I know that husband is going to get it when she gets her hands on him!  She kept saying- he was just supposed o turn the car off. *&^**&^&  lol.

So we arrive up in L&D and they whisk pg woman off to her room.  They asked me if I was having any contractions to which I said nope, not at this time!  So they decided that rather than go thru an entire triage process again, I could just go down to the ER and get my 2nd shot.   Works for me!

Downstairs to ER we went.  While we were waiting, a man came in all hyped up telling the receptionist that his wife was in labor!! (apparently he didn't do a tour and didn't know that you don't go to the ER b/c L&D has it's own entrance).  He went back to get her out of the car with a wheelchair.  In comes this calm woman. She calmly tells them she's 41wks, having contractions every 3-5mins. Her husband comes bouncing back in with a bag of McD's (omg ya'll ! They stopped at McD's for food on the way! LOL) and they are taken upstairs.   It was just hilarious the complete difference between the two situations.

So I got my shot and home again we went.    Sunday was another day of some back ache... some contractions (about 20mins apart) which eventually just tapered off.    I woke up Monday feeling great! I had actually slept for 7 hours and no contractions or back ache! Wooohoo!!

Onto our next dr appt  (now 34w5d). BP was up a bit again (135/80) but I had a headache.  Dr assured me that it was a bit high for me but wasn't high enough for them to be worried yet.  Belly measured 46weeks :)   Then for our cervical check --  apparently all those sporadic contractions over the weekend were doing something.  From 3.5-4 on Friday to 4.5 (possibly 5) on Monday.   Ooops!

And that's where we sit today.  Another appt tomorrow, if I get any further dilated my dr suggests a hotel close to the hospital b/c I have an hour drive from home. She thinks they will arrive within a week....  We shall see.  Things have been pretty calm the rest of yesterday and today so I think these girls are just chillin out.  Get everyone riled up and then sit back and giggle together.. lol.


Until next time...

27-34 Weeks..

Well I certainly slacked off there didn't I?

I would now be 38wk + 4days if I were still pregnant..  Instead the twins are now 4 weeks old!

Yes, you've missed a LOT..  I'm going to try to condense those last7 weeks into one post.

When we last chatted, I had made my very first non-delivery trip to L & D.  It was not to be my last.

At my 29.5 week appt,  I was dilated to 1.5  and given my first steroid shot to help mature the babies lungs *just in case*.   I had to go back the next day for a second shot. Instead I had some cramping that evening and the following morning so the Dr had me just go straight to L & D to be checked and get my 2nd shot there. - aka Trip # 2 to L & D.   Hooked up to the monitors and it just showed irritable uterus - no further dilation (yay).  I earned another check up at the Dr the following day though..   I was now 2.5cm dilated and I'd been having the cramping ect and so we started Procardia to help calm my uterus.  I began the - take it easy but not completely strict bedrest.  Back to the dr on Monday to check things and thankfully there was no more progression.

My next Dr appt wasn't until 31 wk + 4days..  If we learned anything it was watched uterus does nothing (last appts were Friday til Monday - no progression... ) yet if you feel comfy and wait a week + between appointments then naturally you'll change..  I was up to 3cm and back to 2 xweek appts.

So far all our ultrasounds had looked good.. The babies were doing well and I wasn't have any huge contractions, just the irritable uterus..  My appt at 31 wk + 6days was back to showing no change.. Still my Dr thought it might be a good idea if my IPs were to come soon.. Initially she told me if we got to 4cm I would be on hospital bedrest.. EEK..  We did up the dosage of procardia to hopefully hold things off a bit long. I was reminded that if I had any painful contractions I should go to L&D immediately b/c she did not want me to have these babies in the car on the way to the hospital.  At the time I laughed at her... My labors have always been very long and this quick delivery she kept predicting was something that would never happen to me.. My shortest labor was 11 hours and that was induced...

Still I heeded her advice and went back to L&D a few days later.  I had the single worst experience of my life.  The man-handed nurse kept declaring that I was no more than 2cm and barely effaced.. She wasn't picking up any contractions until she readjusted the monitor and realized hmm I guess she is having some (2 in 20mins before she took the monitor off and sent me home)...  I swore not to go back to the hospital unless my water had broken..

My next appt (32w+4days) and I was up to 3.5cm  90 % effaced..  Getting close to that 4cm cut off but she was content to let me go home.  !   My IPs were due to fly in the following week so I repeatedly told the babies that they had to wait for Mommy & Daddy to arrive.

We were able to go to our last OB appt together (33weeks+3days) where my IPs got to see an u/s. We did a BPP (biophysical profile) of the babies and also looked at Baby Boy's cord b/c he was measuring smaller at the previous u/s.   Both babies got perfect scores on the BPP (yay babies) - Baby Boy practiced his breathing like a pro & Baby Girl had some hiccups..   Baby Boy was now measuring 15% smaller but still a good size for his gestation.  Still it worried me some that they had always been 1-2% apart in their measuring and suddenly he was dropping back...

Once my IPs were here- things calmed down.. I think the babies chilled out and were like 'nevermind, we'll just hang out'.    I was still on bedrest and going a bit stir crazy.  One of my best friends had been up every day taking care of the kids, cleaning my house and constantly reminding me how grumpy I had become.. lol.. What are friends for?!  I was getting darn uncomfortable - considering I was measuring 53 weeks (yes that's over a YEAR pregnant) I'd say it was understandable..   Getting off the couch/ out of bed/ off to toilet was pretty much an adventure in itself.  The family laughed and then helped me up.   I was beginning to wonder how big the belly could possibly get without the uterus rupturing..

The last several weeks I could not reach the keyboard around my belly (part of why I never posted anywhere... ha) and Baby Girl was constantly in my ribs.  Boy oh Boy did she like it up there.. I was always shoving her back down again..

Every morning my IM would come downstairs (they were staying at the house with us), look at me and say "Ohh you are bigger!".   lol..  She would definitely agree with an earlier statement I made that my belly was much bigger in person that it was in pictures.

We were told that when we hit 34weeks (July 26) I could go off my Procardia.. We decided to go ahead and just finish out the bottle which would take me roughly to July 29th.. My Dr was going on vacation that week so I had informed the twins that they would stay put no matter WHAT until she got back in town..  We all know what happens when you tell a child anything...

July 28th- I was sure was the day.. It was a Monday. I spent most of Sunday completely uncomfortable and finally Monday morning I had enough and was ready to to the hospital.  I'd been timing my contractions every 5mins for several hours..  My Dr was suppposed to be on vacation and I knew it was just my luck.  We got around and when my IPs woke up, we told them that we were going to go to the hospital to get checked out.  I assured them that the didn't have to come with us because with my luck I'd get sent home again but IM wanted to be there.

Into L&D we went.. I got Triage room 3 (the same room of the horrible experience from last time) and had already informed DH that if he saw ManHand nurse he was to make sure that she was NOT my nurse no matter what he had to do.  Thankfully we had a nice nurse this time around.  I got hooked up to the monitors and could see the contractions every 5mins plus lots of irritable uterus.  I stayed for an hour and since there was no change I was sent home again..  "Irritable uterus".  *sigh*  I give up.   I swore this was it.   So since I was now having painful contractions every 5mins I was told to come back if the intensity got worse or they got closer together..  It was beginning to seem like no matter what happened these babies weren't going to make an appearance.

**Note- I did not want these babies to come early at all but at this point in the pregnancy we were at the "safe zone" and contractions were wearing me down..

Stay tuned for the birth story....