sneak peek

We got a couple sonogram pics from our last visit.  So, these are from the beginning of the 30th week.

Baby B's face hiding behind the hammer looking thing.  You should be able to see his left eye, nose and mouth.

Baby A - hand over her ear (we think) like she's talking on the phone and facing right.

She has always been shy.  First, she didn't want to show her goods so we would know if she were a she or a he, now she's hiding her face from the camera.  I'm not sure how I would produce a shy girl, although I suppose it took me many years to come out of my shell.  Just seems strange considering how not shy I am now...

Pretty amazing to think that they are recognizable babies at this point.  Even more remarkable that we have "photos" from inside my belly. 

I'm feeling really good these days.  Don't know if it's because I'm less stressed about bed rest, so I'm also physically feeling better or if I'm getting used to it or what, but I'm generally optimistic about carrying these kiddos for awhile and adjusting well to the life horizontal.

h20

One of the biggest factors in keeping contractions at bay seems to be hydration.  For those that know me well, they know that one of my quirks is that I do not like water.  People always seemed shocked by this revelation and say, "but it doesn't taste like anything!"  Well, to me, that's the point!  That's why I don't like it.  There's nothing to like.

Ever since my sis-in-law was on bedrest, everyone kept telling me to drink water.  Drink lots of water.  Have you been drinking water?  I really thought I had been drinking enough.  I had all signs that I was perfectly hydrated.  Well, perfectly hydrated for any normal human being, just not for a mom of multiples, it turns out.

In the hospital, I was gifted with my new bff:

It's with me constantly.  I'm supposed to fill it at least 3-4 times a day.  So, apparently a perfectly hydrated gestator needs restroom breaks at least once an hour, but closer to once every 30-45 minutes.  It is the one thing I'm allowed to get up for while on bed rest, so that might inspire my newfound love of water.  OK, love might be a bit strong, but I do find myself thirsting for water more than I ever have.  Cold, flavorless water.

29 weeks!

We hit 29 weeks on Monday--woo hoo!! 

The good news, babies are still growing, they are now both over 3 lbs!  Also, my body has essentially stopped progressing in labor and has held steady since the measurements that were done 2 weeks ago in the hospital, so bed rest is working.  That means that the most important things are moving along nicely.

The not so good news, I had some tests done that came back with not ideal results.  And to top it all off, my doc is out of town this week.  So, I took the test results to a couple other docs to give recs on what to do next.  The two issues were elevated glucose and problems with my thyroid hormone.  In 2008, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (hypothyroid, so slow metabolism).  Fortunately, my fertility doc who is a reproductive endocrinologist offered to help monitor that if my OB wanted and he increased my meds to take care of the thyroid issue. 

As for the glucose test, I sort of fell apart.  I just did a short 1-hour screening test.  The high for normal is somewhere between 135 and 145 depending on how conservative the doctor is.  My results came back at 146.  Which means that I need to go through more testing to see if I have gestational diabetes.  This is typically done through a 3-hour diagnostic test.  Problem for me is that I did this test when I was first diagnosed with PCOS (which likely caused my fertility issues) and it made me really ill.  Plus, I was told that you're not supposed to drink any water for those 3 hours, which could cause more contractions.  So, I was a little terrified of the 3-hour test and ending up in the hospital again for contractions.  My MFM doc told me not to worry about a transient condition (if I do have gestational diabetes, it will go away when the babies are born) and to save my worries for more important things, like the Middle East.  :)  She said rather than the 3-hour test, I can just prick my finger and check my blood sugar 3-4 times a day for 3 days.  Well, I've also always been pretty terrible with shots and needles.  Fortunately, I've had to give myself lots of shots related to the fertility treatments, so I'm a little better, but I know the finger pricks are more painful.  I have watched my nearly 13-year old niece prick her finger without batting an eyelash, so it's time for me to grow up! 

All in all, these are not major issues, just things that need to be managed.  I also asked the MFM if I can sit up a little and she said that would be okay for eating and from time to time.  So, I think I'm somewhere in between strict bed rest and modified bed rest.  In any case, it made me feel much better about how things are going even if I don't change my routine much.

It was a little bit of an eventful day, but at the end of it, I'm very optimistic about how things are going.

getting some z's

Friday night was not a good night.  I awoke with a stomach ache, which also contributed to a series of contractions, which then made me worry we'd end up in the hospital again...  Fortunately, after a few crackers and some serious attempts at putting all that out of my head and just relaxing, the contractions dissipated.  I slept a little more, but probably not what my body needed.

Fortunately, the contractions weren't bad yesterday, but unfortunately, either because of the wear and tear on my body from the contractions or from not sleeping well, yesterday was not a good day.  I ached all over and couldn't get comfortable most of the day.  Which made me a grouch and just generally unpleasant.  Fortunately, last night was back to normal (waking every 2 hours or so for a bathroom break), but otherwise sleeping well.  Today's not over, but I feel a MILLION times better.  Physically, emotionally, everything.  Whereas yesterday I felt selfish for having moments of not wanting to suffer much longer, today I feel like I can make it through the next 42 days.

Hubby seems to be hanging in fairly well, too.  Yesterday was a big day of running errands and comforting his grouchy wife.  He's still happily fetching refills of water (hydration is key to keeping contractions at bay) and whatever whims or needs I might have.  He might even try his hand at baking today!  I wonder if there might be any lingering effects of all of this after the babies arrive...  :)

thumbs up

Doc appointment today.  Kiddos still looking good.  Doc pleased with progress.  And I got to get out of the house.  Yay! 

bed rest and gestating are hard work!

Whoda thunk that lying around all day could be so stinking exhausting?  I anticipated that I would be really antsy to be out of bed and struggle with not having much physical activity.  I have been very shocked to discover that I actually have very little energy and even the simplest things leave me winded and exhausted.  Like talking.  It has always come so naturally and even energized me, yet now, carrying on long conversations leaves me needing a nap!  Not that I'm going to stop having them, of course, I just have to be sure I rest before and after a fun visit with friends and family.  Or perhaps it's God's way of trying to teach me to be a better listener...


Contractions have been really infrequent yesterday and today.  Yay!!

28 weeks!!

Today is a big milestone.  Hooray!  I'm doing a little dance in my head.

Some info on why it's such a big milestone from the book: When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads - Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy by Dr. Barbara Luke and Tamara Eberlein:

The duration of stay for newborns who gestated 25 - 27 weeks is 71 days on average.  From 28 - 30 weeks of gestation, 39 days.  This is similar to what the on call doc in the hospital meant when he said that each day I keep the babies in my belly, it's one week less (fewer? since you can count it? but sounds funny. grammar dork, I know...) in NICU.  Luke and Eberlein describe Weeks 25 - 28 as "very early preterm for mlutiples: The odds of survival are better, but babies born during this period must still spend weeks or months in the NICU.  They are at substantial risk for long-term medical consequences."  Whereas Weeks 29 to 32 is considered "early preterm for multiples: ...Although the babies typically remain in the hospital for several weeks or more, depending on their medical condition, the outlook is generally good.  If the mother received steroids to hasten the babies' lung development prior to delivery [I did], the infants have a distinct advantage."  Of course, I hope we'll deliver in the preterm or term for twins time zone, but I'm pretty happy to be where we are.

I haven't read many pregnancy books, but I do highly recommend this book for anyone preggo with multiples.