31 weeks!!!!!

Over 4 weeks of bed rest down.  Only 27 days left until Labor Day.  Woo hoo!!


Contractions are picking up a little, and I'm now taking my contraction meds as necessary rather than on a regular schedule (which might contribute to their picking up a little).  But, the contraction meds raise my blood glucose and I'm also testing that right now, so I'm trying to find the right balance of meds, blood glucose, etc.  Of course, also a part of that equation is work, rest, and whatever else I do with my day.  So, what that means is that I'm tracking pretty much my every move.  It's tiresome.  I'm starting to figure out a few tricks to make it easier.  Most of the time I just suck it up, but every once in awhile I lose it.  Tracking everything, watching what I eat, when I eat it, how much I eat, not being able to take care of myself so others having to deal with all these restrictions.  You get the idea.  Oh, and throw in only sleeping about an hour at a time at night, maybe one 2.5 hour bit at some point each night and raging hormones, I'm sure.  So, men out there (if there are any out there that read a preggo lady's blog...), be very patient and understanding with your preggo wives.

Time to prick the finger.  Which, by the way, I've started to master.  Now, if only I could learn to swallow pills with just water, I'd really be a grownup!  

c-section or v***nal delivery?

Many people have asked me whether I'm planning on having a C-section or a v***nal delivery.  The hubs doesn't like the v-word, hence the code name.  This is a difficult question for me.  Years ago, I would have said that doctors too often default to a C-section because they have more control and why don't they let more women deliver v***nally?  Now, after coming to terms with fertility and all the other drugs and medical treatment I'm undergoing to ensure the health of these little guys, I have more of an attitude that the most important thing is having two healthy babies in our arms and some of the details surrounding how they came to be are not that important.  The overwhelming feeling I have about all of this, in spite of all the medical help, is that it is a miraculous journey.

On top of that, I'm incredibly terrified of having one baby v***nally and then having to have a C-section for the other and having to recover from both!!  My doc is very laid back and happy to do whatever we want to do (unless there's a major issue, of course).  His wife delivered her twins v***nally, so I know he's comfortable with that.  I have been trying to learn what the benefits are to having a v***nal delivery, because with twins, it is definitely less risky to have a C-section for the safety of the babies.  My doc said the main thing is not having the scar tissue for future pregnancies.

I know many people have some very strong opinions on the matter and I would love to hear them!  (I may not agree end up deciding what you think is best, but I do want to hear.)

Please be respectful of others who may disagree, but otherwise, post away!

all is good!

One of the big lessons for me in this adventure is that much of medicine is an art, not a science.  Of course, the doctors work within a framework, but within that, there is quite a bit of variation on how to address various things and what the "right" decision is.  So, when searching for a doctor, seems to me, the biggest criteria shouldn't be whether you neighbor likes them, but whether they ascribe to a similar philosophy and approach as you do.

I don't think my 2 docs could be more different.  One is VERY laid back and not worried about very much, really.  The other, very strict and conservative about most everything.  So, went to the laid back doc today and he doesn't seem to be worried about anything.  I recently did the 1-hour glucose test and had slightly elevated glucose.  I opted out of the 3-hour because it made me so ill before.  So, I've just been testing my blood sugar to see if I might have gestational diabetes.  My numbers are not ideal, some elevated, some okay.  Today's doc is not concerned about a few spikes here and there, so long as there isn't a pattern of it getting worse.  He did mention that my other doc would probably disagree and would probably put me on insulin.  But, since I have twins and will deliver early, anyway, he's not terribly concerned.  Monitor it and continue a healthy diet, but I'm allowed to splurge on Italian Ice from time to time.  How does he know me so well?!?!  He also said I could reduce my contraction medicine and see how my body does because he thinks I might be able to get off of that.  That will also help my glucose levels because that medication causes my glucose to go up, so hopefully the contractions will continue to stay away and I can get off of that medicine and that will help keep the glucose in check.

So, all in all, I think everything is moving along well.  I have been much more exhausted these past few days than in the past, and continue to realize what a toll this is taking on my body!

We might be getting closer on baby boy's name...

the nursery - part 2

We (and by we, I mean the hubby since all I did was lie on the sofa and chat with him while he worked) made some great progress on the nursery this weekend!  Ok, I did do a little online shopping, which counts, but the fruit of that labor has yet to arrive on our doorstep.

My sis and I had started the painting in the nursery and the hubby put on the final finishing touches this weekend.  He also hung Dr. Seuss pics and applied wall stickers to the walls and door.  But, probably the biggest improvement is that we started putting away diapers and getting things out of their boxes.  I should have taken a before pic, but the room was quite full of boxes before the hubby cleaned out the closet and started putting things away.  I think we filled our recycling bin (and we have the giant trash can sized ones) with all the broken down empty boxes. 

Here are a few pics, taken with my phone, so not great quality, but you get the idea. 

30 weeks!!

I celebrate just about every day that passes, but the weekly milestones are really big deals.  34 days until Labor Day.  One more month, kiddos, we can do it!!

Below is the belly for those interested in its growth.  Some days it feels like the belly's not getting any bigger, the kids are just invading the space for my lungs, my stomach, my bladder, etc.  I've always felt lots of movement out of Sylvia.  In the hospital, they said it was because of her position.  Baby B, however, was the one who was really active in the hospital.  Which is comforting since I didn't feel his movements much.  Well, now I'm feeling them both.  And often.  I'm getting used to it, although there are definitely times when it takes me by surprise. 

cross stitch

The most surprising thing to many has been that I work on cross stitch.  (Well, no, the most surprising thing to many is that I very rarely turn on the tv.)  My mom really loves doing cross stitch and taught me as a young child to enjoy this art.  Well, sometime around high school my mom started making Christmas stockings for each of her kids.  Since I enjoyed hanging with my mom while she did this and enjoyed stitching myself, I started on the one she got for me.  Mom has since finished numerous stockings and various other projects, but mine has been stagnant for years.  Every 5 years or so, Mom would ask how my stocking was coming along and I always was pretty impressed with myself that it had survived the latest move and I knew that it still existed.  So, when I was relegated to bed rest, I told Mom, maybe I can finish my stocking!!  This is a great bed rest activity because it's very relaxing, fairly easy to do lying down, and very satisfying in that I can look and see that I've accomplished something during my time in bed.  I should have taken a true "before" picture to show where I left off sometime in the early 90s, but didn't think about it, so here's what the stocking looks like after a few weeks of working on it.  Hopefully, I can post an "after" picture when I finish before I'm consumed by two crying babies with no time or energy to complete this project.

"activities"

I am often asked if I get bored being on bed rest.  I haven't really gotten bored, there are just too many things I enjoy doing, even horizontally.  I get uncomfortable and want to be more active, but that's not really the same thing as being bored.  My typical schedule has been something like this:

6am - wake up, check email, read news

7am - breakfast in bed

8am - morning exercises

9am - read in bed, continue checking email and start responding to and delegating work responsibilities

10 am - prepare for big move

11 am - go downstairs to sofa bed for change of scenery

noon - work, read, cross stitch, crossword puzzles

1pm - lunch

2pm - more work, reading, cross stitch, crossword puzzles

6pm - hang out with the hubby and chat about his day

7pm - dinner 

8pm - watch baseball with the hubby

9pm - prepare to go upstairs

10pm - go upstairs and evening exercises

3am - read news, emails, facebook, preggo people daily updates, daily devotional, check news again in case something new broke, count backwards from 300 by 3s trying to go back to sleep

[repeat]

Bear in mind that these are the main, everyday things.  Numerous visitors have come to bring lunch or dinner or just to chat and catch up, which is wonderful.  I've also had to go to a few doctor's appointments and tests, which gets me out of the house!!  Most of those activities don't fill each hour, either, just a guideline.  I have very frequent bathroom breaks and also rest and listen to music quite often in between all of those activities throughout the day. 

Below is where I spend my days.  I have permission to go up and down the stairs once a day, so I spend a few hours in the morning upstairs in a our bedroom and a couple more in the evenings.