I had a wonderful visit with the boys today. I skipped my pain meds this morning so that I could drive over there while Andy and Ethan went shopping. I had a great conversation with the nurse about my intentions to attempt breast-feeding. She recommended we get a Parenting Room during their stay. So, even though we live close, I'll have a room to use next week (at least) so that I won't have to run back and forth from the house or spend the entire day in the NICU...I can take a break for a nap, watch some TV, read a book, finish the final touches on the cross-stitch!! This way, I will be able to be there for their feedings every 3 hours...hopefully my being there more often and practicing breast-feeding with both of them while they are in the NICU will increase our chances of success. If breast-feeding doesn't work, I won't be doing the pumping and bottle-feeding that I did for Ethan...it's too much...but I will at least be doing that during their stay at the NICU...I've only been home one night, but it was weird to get up in the middle of the night last night to pump when no babies were home.
What was special about today's visit was that I got to hold Owen skin-to-skin..otherwise known as kangaroo-care. The nurse recommended that I put him to breast during his feeding (by feeding tube) to see what he'd do..." just to play" as she said. She didn't expect him to do much, just poke around, but he latched right on!! Whoa, is that different than pumping!! It's amazing. I never got Ethan to latch and gave up pretty easy...really, I think I was really scared about his size and directing his little head into position. I'm much more comfortable this time around...I know I'm not going to break them...I can gently grasp their head and guide them and that's what helps them until they get the hang of it. Anyways, the nurse was really impressed by him and I am totally encouraged that this might actually work. Next week, I'll be spending lots of time at the NICU/Parenting Room and I've requested a lactation consultant to help me. It's worth a shot.
I wasn't able to have this special time with Dylan this time around so I was really bummed about that. But Andy was able to make it over for the 3:00 feeding and did kangaroo-care with him. The nurses really recommended that dads get in on that too...bonding with both parents is very important!!
I brought over two storage cups of breast-milk when I went over for the noon feeding today. I was thrilled that it was enough (and a little leftover) for both boys' lunches!! Even though each storage cup was three pumpings worth, it felt really great to give them a meal all from me...made waking up at 2am last night definitely worth it!!
I got a quick update from the neonatologist while I was there. Both boys are gaining weight. Owen has been spitting up a little so they backed off on his feedings a little bit. There are no current breathing issues with either of them. The two issues left (breathing was the third) that determine when they will come home is maintaining their temperature and eating from bottle or breast. They are currently getting all their feedings via feeding tube and are in isolettes to maintain their temp. It's just a matter of time, he said...some preemies go home around their 36-week mark (this coming Thurs) and others 37 or 37+...so it's just a waiting game from now on. Dylan does have one "issue" that they are watching...actually, it's on the back-burner...the neonatologist didn't even mention it to me today...I asked just because one of the nurses had mentioned it a few days ago. He has a small murmur that they hear off and on...they check everyday, but are not concerned. If it's still there by the time he is ready to come home, they might run an echo...no details on what that entails yet.
Ethan has been a doll since I've been home...a real snuggle-bug. I really missed him and I believe the feeling was mutual! We had a good snuggle after nap-time today and I totally teared up as he leaned his head against my shoulder...I glanced at the 5 stockings above our fireplace and was overcome by how lucky I am.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Babies! Post One
We had two babies since I last posted!!
Not 5 minutes after I last posted, I was back on the phone with the on-call dr at my clinic. I was bleeding again, but was told to not worry about it unless it continued. It didn't, in an alarming amount anyways, so I stayed at home and tried to sleep again on the couch.
Sunday morning I was still contracting, and all day I was convinced that my water had broke and I had a slow leak. By late afternoon, I called the clinic again and talked to the same dr as the night before...Dr I...he was on-call all weekend, and when I was in triage on Saturday morning and was very helpful, but I'm seriously irked now that I know he was wrong. Not that drs can't be wrong, but he was wrong and his "worst case" was actually the worst case, so I found out today. He told me on Sunday that the worst case would be that my water actually had broken and an infection would throw me into labor, but he said what I had described to him didn't sound like it was enough to be a leak. Anyways, long story short about that...I was right, my water did break...and I found out today that an infection around Baby B (Dylan) had thrown me into labor. Ugh. I am suspicious that my water might have actually broken on Saturday...since the triage nurse was pretty sure it had when I went in that day, but the test they ran came back negative...another type of test was done on Monday morning that came back positive.
Anyways, I trusted my gut, and on Monday morning I was still leaking something and was still contracting and cramping like crazy, so I risked being the most annoying patient ever and called the clinic when they opened. They sent me in, my amniotic fluid test came back positive...and I birthed two boys via C-section later in the day!!
I had very helpful nurses while I was there during the day on Monday....they were very open about the pros and cons of vaginal and C-section deliveries. Now that I know about the infection, I'm not even sure if vaginal delivery would have been an option when it came down to it, but at the time, we had been leaning more towards C-section and I never heard anything about any infection. If we had gone the route of vaginal delivery I had a few options...waiting it out for active labor or speeding it along with Pitocin. I had actually dilated backwards from Saturday and was back down to a 1+ and wasn't contracting actively, but we probably wouldn't have elected to speed it along if we'd chosen vaginal...Regardless, I needed to be done with this pregnancy, and since my water had broken it was pretty much just a question of "today" versus "tomorrow" and we chose today.
Anyways, Andy left work early and got to the hospital around 4:30, Dr H arrived in my room at 4:45, we decided on a C-section at 4:55, the team was put together about 10 minutes later and Owen was born at 5:40. It went so fast, which was great because I never really got the chance to get nervous. My nurse told me on the way to surgery that if she'd had the chance to hand-pick my team she would have picked everybody in the OR...My anesthesiologist was kinda eccentric, but awesome and everyone was really reassuring and informative during the whole thing. The whole experience was surreal...not even sure how to describe it. Not being able to feel anything on your body is totally crazy...I couldn't even feel the pushing and pulling that most people describe feeling during the delivery. It was just, hey, there's Owen!! Hey, there's Dylan!! And off they went with Andy to the NICU. Andy, by the way, was totally awesome. He is so calm in these situations...he is so comforting and incredible and exactly what I need when I am spastic and freaked out.
Hopped up on this and that, my memory is kinda spotty for the rest of the night. Andy made lots of phone calls. I got lots of drugs and had a billion leads/IVs hooked up to me. I spent about an hour in the recovery area before being wheeled up to the post-partum floor where I had the best room ever...with two windows!!
I had some bleeding issues during the surgery that I got a shot of something for. I also had some heavy bleeding the first night post-surgery. Bleeding can be heavier after twins because the uterus grows so much larger and therefore has so much more to do when contracting back to a normal size. Also, two placentas were attached and then separated at birth, so those spots have a tendency to bleed more too. It was kinda scary, but I was really out of it so I stayed calm.
OK, given the magnitude and importance of this post, I must break to refresh myself with pain relief...
Look forward to topics such as:
How incredible showering can be
Walking and talking at the same time while on Oxycodone
Those damn contracting leg boots
The unfairness of nurses administering Ambien only to wake you up 2 hours later
How quickly one regrets commenting on low milk flow once they awaken with cement boobies
NICU 101 and our sons' ability to kick-ass at 34w 4d
Not 5 minutes after I last posted, I was back on the phone with the on-call dr at my clinic. I was bleeding again, but was told to not worry about it unless it continued. It didn't, in an alarming amount anyways, so I stayed at home and tried to sleep again on the couch.
Sunday morning I was still contracting, and all day I was convinced that my water had broke and I had a slow leak. By late afternoon, I called the clinic again and talked to the same dr as the night before...Dr I...he was on-call all weekend, and when I was in triage on Saturday morning and was very helpful, but I'm seriously irked now that I know he was wrong. Not that drs can't be wrong, but he was wrong and his "worst case" was actually the worst case, so I found out today. He told me on Sunday that the worst case would be that my water actually had broken and an infection would throw me into labor, but he said what I had described to him didn't sound like it was enough to be a leak. Anyways, long story short about that...I was right, my water did break...and I found out today that an infection around Baby B (Dylan) had thrown me into labor. Ugh. I am suspicious that my water might have actually broken on Saturday...since the triage nurse was pretty sure it had when I went in that day, but the test they ran came back negative...another type of test was done on Monday morning that came back positive.
Anyways, I trusted my gut, and on Monday morning I was still leaking something and was still contracting and cramping like crazy, so I risked being the most annoying patient ever and called the clinic when they opened. They sent me in, my amniotic fluid test came back positive...and I birthed two boys via C-section later in the day!!
I had very helpful nurses while I was there during the day on Monday....they were very open about the pros and cons of vaginal and C-section deliveries. Now that I know about the infection, I'm not even sure if vaginal delivery would have been an option when it came down to it, but at the time, we had been leaning more towards C-section and I never heard anything about any infection. If we had gone the route of vaginal delivery I had a few options...waiting it out for active labor or speeding it along with Pitocin. I had actually dilated backwards from Saturday and was back down to a 1+ and wasn't contracting actively, but we probably wouldn't have elected to speed it along if we'd chosen vaginal...Regardless, I needed to be done with this pregnancy, and since my water had broken it was pretty much just a question of "today" versus "tomorrow" and we chose today.
Anyways, Andy left work early and got to the hospital around 4:30, Dr H arrived in my room at 4:45, we decided on a C-section at 4:55, the team was put together about 10 minutes later and Owen was born at 5:40. It went so fast, which was great because I never really got the chance to get nervous. My nurse told me on the way to surgery that if she'd had the chance to hand-pick my team she would have picked everybody in the OR...My anesthesiologist was kinda eccentric, but awesome and everyone was really reassuring and informative during the whole thing. The whole experience was surreal...not even sure how to describe it. Not being able to feel anything on your body is totally crazy...I couldn't even feel the pushing and pulling that most people describe feeling during the delivery. It was just, hey, there's Owen!! Hey, there's Dylan!! And off they went with Andy to the NICU. Andy, by the way, was totally awesome. He is so calm in these situations...he is so comforting and incredible and exactly what I need when I am spastic and freaked out.
Hopped up on this and that, my memory is kinda spotty for the rest of the night. Andy made lots of phone calls. I got lots of drugs and had a billion leads/IVs hooked up to me. I spent about an hour in the recovery area before being wheeled up to the post-partum floor where I had the best room ever...with two windows!!
I had some bleeding issues during the surgery that I got a shot of something for. I also had some heavy bleeding the first night post-surgery. Bleeding can be heavier after twins because the uterus grows so much larger and therefore has so much more to do when contracting back to a normal size. Also, two placentas were attached and then separated at birth, so those spots have a tendency to bleed more too. It was kinda scary, but I was really out of it so I stayed calm.
OK, given the magnitude and importance of this post, I must break to refresh myself with pain relief...
Look forward to topics such as:
How incredible showering can be
Walking and talking at the same time while on Oxycodone
Those damn contracting leg boots
The unfairness of nurses administering Ambien only to wake you up 2 hours later
How quickly one regrets commenting on low milk flow once they awaken with cement boobies
NICU 101 and our sons' ability to kick-ass at 34w 4d
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Drumroll please
And the winners are..........
Owen and Dylan!
The demi-god sons were born at about 5:40 PM yesterday via c-section. Owen was born first, and tipped the scales at a respectable 5 pounds 4 ounces. 18 inches of good lookin' baby. Dylan followed him out, and not to be outdone he had beefed up to 5 pounds 6 ounces, and 18.5 inches.
Hilary is on the mend in her room upstairs. She is not very mobile right now, but she was very pleased to have her first trip down in the wheelchair to have some quality time with them.
Gamma brought Ethan for his first visit this morning. The big brother did not like all the equipment surrounding his brothers, but he talked to them and was excited to see them.
Updates to follow.
Mom and Dylan have their first cuddle:
Owen getting a little extra air with the CPAP:
Owen and Dylan!
The demi-god sons were born at about 5:40 PM yesterday via c-section. Owen was born first, and tipped the scales at a respectable 5 pounds 4 ounces. 18 inches of good lookin' baby. Dylan followed him out, and not to be outdone he had beefed up to 5 pounds 6 ounces, and 18.5 inches.
Hilary is on the mend in her room upstairs. She is not very mobile right now, but she was very pleased to have her first trip down in the wheelchair to have some quality time with them.
Gamma brought Ethan for his first visit this morning. The big brother did not like all the equipment surrounding his brothers, but he talked to them and was excited to see them.
Updates to follow.
Mom and Dylan have their first cuddle:
Owen getting a little extra air with the CPAP:
Saturday, December 6, 2008
L&D trips #3 and #4
I had picked December 6th in the unofficial baby pool that Mary Jo, Jessica, Courtney and I are having. This morning, I thought I was right on.
As you've read, I had my weekly prenatal appointment with my doctor on Thursday morning and was dilated a "fingertip"...I was fine for most of the day, a little uncomfortable, but ok. Thursday night I started to feel some good contractions and a lot of it was in my back, low down like pressure on my tail bone. The Terbutaline wasn't doing anything for me. I barely slept and tossed and turned all night. I called my clinic on Friday morning and they told me to go get checked out at Labor and Delivery.
I spent about an hour there before they told me to go home and wait it out. I was contracting, and had dilated to a 1+...but nothing else was going on. My doctor told them not to give me anything to knock out the contractions (like the shot form of Terb which they typically give at the hospital), but I was told I could take the pill-form of the Terb for my comfort. I tried taking it again later in the day, but it truly was/is not doing anything for me.
I felt like shizz all day on Friday...and last night I tried to fall asleep in bed, but ended up coming out to the living room to sleep on the couch around midnight. It was actually more comfortable than our bed. I know I'm not supposed to sleep on my back...but when I lay on my back at an incline with my torso leaning up against the corner of our sectional with my wedge pillow under my rear and two or three pillows behind my back, there is very little pressure on my hips and the babies are out of my rib cage...However, I saw 12:30, 1:45, 3:35 (that was my best stretch of sleep!), 4:20, 5:40, and 6:45. At 6:45 I was awoken by a sharp pain...I got up and went to the bathroom before heading up to Andy (I could hear Ethan singing in his bedroom too!)...I noticed a little bit of blood and then a lot of other stuff...yep, it was the glamorous "bloody show"...really, can't they give it a better name!!
The boys and I lounged in bed for a bit, I showered, and then called my Clinic right before 8. My doctor was on-call and told me to head over to L&D again. I finished packing my bag and Andy called Gamma to see if Ethie could come play at her house. We dropped him off at her house and headed over to the hospital.
On the monitors, I was contracting a lot and was seriously uncomfortable. When we first got there I was still dilated to a 1+ and was seriously bummed that nothing had happened from all the contracting the night before. From checking me, the nurse was suspicious that my water had broke, so they sent a test to the lab (with Ethan there was no question that had happened, but slow leaks also occur). She was pretty sure it had, but they have to verify with a lab test...if it was fluid, they would have kept me there. However, the test came back negative (and I wanted to cry). In the meantime, I had dilated to a 2+ (I'm also 60% effaced). Given the negative amniotic fluid result and the fact that I didn't dilate any more in the hour after I reached 2+, they told us to go home and wait it out..."wait it out"...my most hated phrase from now on.
I've been feeling really depressed today, more so than I have in the past week or two. I just don't know what to do with myself. I am so uncomfortable and it's been hard to go through these false starts the past few days. Also, I'm so confused about when to go back in...I'm supposed to go back in when my contractions get more intense and closer together...when I start to bleed more...or when my water breaks...But will I really be able to know...how bad do the contractions need to be, how much bleeding, what is a slow leak like?...It scares me that it's all up to me to be the one to make the call on when we go in again...noone else can help me identify the signs. It's very frustrating.
What I do know is that we will likely meet these guys soon...at least if this labor runs in the same fashion as Ethan's...however, the nurse told me today that she's seen people sit at even 5cm for a few weeks...NOT what I want to hear.
Andy's out tonight enjoying his last night out pre-babies...When I told him I'd picked Dec 6th in the baby pool, he joked that the 7th would really be more convenient for him since he had plans on the 6th. This morning, I thought I had unintentionally foiled those plans, but I'm glad he gets to have some fun before the craziness sets in. My last night "out" was the night before I found out I was pregnant in early May so I'm really ready to have a night out...guessing it will be next June or so!
Ethan is excited for the babies too. When I ask him who is in my belly, he kisses my belly and tells me who's in there. I told him the names last weekend and told him "Shhh, don't tell, it's a secret"...'course he's been running his mouth and I'm suspicious that some people may know already. I knew he might tell, but I really wanted to hear him say the names...and I was right...it's stinkin' cute!! But don't ask him...he'll tell you!!
As you've read, I had my weekly prenatal appointment with my doctor on Thursday morning and was dilated a "fingertip"...I was fine for most of the day, a little uncomfortable, but ok. Thursday night I started to feel some good contractions and a lot of it was in my back, low down like pressure on my tail bone. The Terbutaline wasn't doing anything for me. I barely slept and tossed and turned all night. I called my clinic on Friday morning and they told me to go get checked out at Labor and Delivery.
I spent about an hour there before they told me to go home and wait it out. I was contracting, and had dilated to a 1+...but nothing else was going on. My doctor told them not to give me anything to knock out the contractions (like the shot form of Terb which they typically give at the hospital), but I was told I could take the pill-form of the Terb for my comfort. I tried taking it again later in the day, but it truly was/is not doing anything for me.
I felt like shizz all day on Friday...and last night I tried to fall asleep in bed, but ended up coming out to the living room to sleep on the couch around midnight. It was actually more comfortable than our bed. I know I'm not supposed to sleep on my back...but when I lay on my back at an incline with my torso leaning up against the corner of our sectional with my wedge pillow under my rear and two or three pillows behind my back, there is very little pressure on my hips and the babies are out of my rib cage...However, I saw 12:30, 1:45, 3:35 (that was my best stretch of sleep!), 4:20, 5:40, and 6:45. At 6:45 I was awoken by a sharp pain...I got up and went to the bathroom before heading up to Andy (I could hear Ethan singing in his bedroom too!)...I noticed a little bit of blood and then a lot of other stuff...yep, it was the glamorous "bloody show"...really, can't they give it a better name!!
The boys and I lounged in bed for a bit, I showered, and then called my Clinic right before 8. My doctor was on-call and told me to head over to L&D again. I finished packing my bag and Andy called Gamma to see if Ethie could come play at her house. We dropped him off at her house and headed over to the hospital.
On the monitors, I was contracting a lot and was seriously uncomfortable. When we first got there I was still dilated to a 1+ and was seriously bummed that nothing had happened from all the contracting the night before. From checking me, the nurse was suspicious that my water had broke, so they sent a test to the lab (with Ethan there was no question that had happened, but slow leaks also occur). She was pretty sure it had, but they have to verify with a lab test...if it was fluid, they would have kept me there. However, the test came back negative (and I wanted to cry). In the meantime, I had dilated to a 2+ (I'm also 60% effaced). Given the negative amniotic fluid result and the fact that I didn't dilate any more in the hour after I reached 2+, they told us to go home and wait it out..."wait it out"...my most hated phrase from now on.
I've been feeling really depressed today, more so than I have in the past week or two. I just don't know what to do with myself. I am so uncomfortable and it's been hard to go through these false starts the past few days. Also, I'm so confused about when to go back in...I'm supposed to go back in when my contractions get more intense and closer together...when I start to bleed more...or when my water breaks...But will I really be able to know...how bad do the contractions need to be, how much bleeding, what is a slow leak like?...It scares me that it's all up to me to be the one to make the call on when we go in again...noone else can help me identify the signs. It's very frustrating.
What I do know is that we will likely meet these guys soon...at least if this labor runs in the same fashion as Ethan's...however, the nurse told me today that she's seen people sit at even 5cm for a few weeks...NOT what I want to hear.
Andy's out tonight enjoying his last night out pre-babies...When I told him I'd picked Dec 6th in the baby pool, he joked that the 7th would really be more convenient for him since he had plans on the 6th. This morning, I thought I had unintentionally foiled those plans, but I'm glad he gets to have some fun before the craziness sets in. My last night "out" was the night before I found out I was pregnant in early May so I'm really ready to have a night out...guessing it will be next June or so!
Ethan is excited for the babies too. When I ask him who is in my belly, he kisses my belly and tells me who's in there. I told him the names last weekend and told him "Shhh, don't tell, it's a secret"...'course he's been running his mouth and I'm suspicious that some people may know already. I knew he might tell, but I really wanted to hear him say the names...and I was right...it's stinkin' cute!! But don't ask him...he'll tell you!!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
34 weeks
A fingertip!! I'm dilated a fingertip. That means...not much, but something!! It's not like I want to go into labor tomorrow, but this is an indicator that the babies are at least thinking about being born.
My eyes popped out of my head when I stepped on the scale today. Mind you, I've had like zero appetite for a few weeks now, but have still been trying to eat some...I just haven't been eating much...not as much as the rest of my pregnancy when my weight gain was slow and steady. However, with zero appetite I have gained 7 lbs in the past week (since last Friday, actually)...that's 12 lbs in 2 weeks. I asked my Dr if that was a concern to anyone but me. She said it was very typical of what happens "near the end"...fluid weight. She said I'll drop it in a snap once they are born...sweat, pee, breastfeeding...it drops off. Phew. I'm at 50 lbs total.
She measured me and commented on how my skin appears to be giving up the fight. The few stretch marks I had last week have become a few more. As I whined to her about it, she said that anyone having multiples just needs to expect stretch marks...just starting budgeting for the tummy tuck. Boo. Maybe I'll just get my boobs done at the same time :>
Baby A is at 160 and Baby B is at 150. They are usually the opposite...B is usually faster & more active, but A was all over the place during the appt...B must have been taking a nap.
Typically, people go into labor when the uterus has reached it's maximum capacity. Given my skin and measurements, it's probably pretty much at capacity. Another sign that we might be close to "the end" is that babies usually jump ship when they can't get everything they need via the placenta. Given my total lack of appetite (I seriously am giving it my best!!), I'm guessing that it might indicate a need to come out too. Peanut butter sandwiches, honey nut cheerios, orange juice, milk, and water...those have become my staples.
If I went into labor today, they wouldn't try to stop it (with magnesium sulfate or terbutaline)...but they wouldn't help push it along either (pitocin). Andy and I have been discussing and are feeling a little more comfortable with delivery via C-section due to the fear of a complication for Baby B...but since both babies are vertex, I wondered if any Drs would fight with us over this decision. I know my Dr wouldn't since I've talked to her about our concerns (heck, she created them!)...she's putting a note in my chart that we're leaning towards C-section. However, if I came in dilated to an 8 and A's head is right there, they'd all encourage me to deliver vaginally. She talked to me about breech extraction for B if he moves out of the vertex position and now I feel much more comfortable about it. So...we settled on leaving the note that we are leaning towards C-section, but we will just see what happens when it is time. I've never been tied to a birth plan so I'm all for doing what's right for the babies and right for us given the situation we find ourselves in at the time of labor.
I parked in a spot without a car to the left of me so I could easily get out of the van today. When I returned, some A-hole had parked ridiculously close to the driver's side. In my regular state I might have been able to shimmy myself through, but there was no way I was getting into the car in my current shape. I had to enter the car via the passenger side. That was still difficult...trying to get my leg over the console (even though it's low since it's a van) and under the steering wheel above the driver's seat. When I told Andy about it after my appt, he suggested coming in through the back seat and climbing around the driver's seat...duh...next time (I have this same issue in the hospital parking ramp...I really do need a handicap sign for my vehicle!) Regardless, I looked around to see if anyone was watching before I entered the passenger side...I'm sure it was quite the sight. Don't laugh at me.
***
Here are some recent Ethan funnies...
The other night, I gave Ethan some apple juice (water with a splash of juice) in a big boy cup and sat next to him as he sat in his little lounge chair in the living room...Sometimes after he takes a sip he will say "Ahhhh"...That night, I decided to take it further and asked him to say "Ahhh, that's refreshing!" after a sip. He did it each time he took a sip...too funny. I love this stage of talking...too early for much back-talk, but I can make him repeat things for my own amusement. Awesome.
This one is TMI...stop reading if you don't like potty talk. Ethan isn't potty-trained yet, nor are we anywhere close...but he is pretty aware of when he is going potty in his diaper. He thinks it's cool when he pees in the tub and he likes to be left alone when he is pooping and will typically find a private spot behind the couch or something so we don't look at him. Most of the time he will announce that "Ethan pooped" or "Ethan has poopy diaper"...The other night, he was laying his head on my belly as we were reading a book together and my stomach was making lots of loud noises (I don't think my stomach size can handle all the water I drink)...Ethan looked up at me with excitement and said proudly, "Mommy pooping!"...it was SO funny. I try not to laugh at him when he says things like this because I don't want to make him feel silly, so I just explained that sometimes our tummies make noises after we eat. But on multiple occasions after he went to bed that night I randomly started laughing as I thought about the look of excitement on his face when he said that to me.
Ethan has a little platform that he can stand on that elevates him to counter-height called the Learning Tower. When someone is in the kitchen cooking, he runs to it saying something like "I need Learning Tower...I help Daddy/Mommy cooking"...I haven't been cooking in the kitchen much, but I holler to him from the living room to be careful on the Learning Tower because the little monkey tries to climb over the top of it to get in versus climbing through the middle space that's intended. Last night, he was helping Daddy cook and yelled to me "Mommy, I'm being careful in the Learning Tower!" Not only is that a spectacular sentence, but it proves that he listens to me at least a little bit! :>
My eyes popped out of my head when I stepped on the scale today. Mind you, I've had like zero appetite for a few weeks now, but have still been trying to eat some...I just haven't been eating much...not as much as the rest of my pregnancy when my weight gain was slow and steady. However, with zero appetite I have gained 7 lbs in the past week (since last Friday, actually)...that's 12 lbs in 2 weeks. I asked my Dr if that was a concern to anyone but me. She said it was very typical of what happens "near the end"...fluid weight. She said I'll drop it in a snap once they are born...sweat, pee, breastfeeding...it drops off. Phew. I'm at 50 lbs total.
She measured me and commented on how my skin appears to be giving up the fight. The few stretch marks I had last week have become a few more. As I whined to her about it, she said that anyone having multiples just needs to expect stretch marks...just starting budgeting for the tummy tuck. Boo. Maybe I'll just get my boobs done at the same time :>
Baby A is at 160 and Baby B is at 150. They are usually the opposite...B is usually faster & more active, but A was all over the place during the appt...B must have been taking a nap.
Typically, people go into labor when the uterus has reached it's maximum capacity. Given my skin and measurements, it's probably pretty much at capacity. Another sign that we might be close to "the end" is that babies usually jump ship when they can't get everything they need via the placenta. Given my total lack of appetite (I seriously am giving it my best!!), I'm guessing that it might indicate a need to come out too. Peanut butter sandwiches, honey nut cheerios, orange juice, milk, and water...those have become my staples.
If I went into labor today, they wouldn't try to stop it (with magnesium sulfate or terbutaline)...but they wouldn't help push it along either (pitocin). Andy and I have been discussing and are feeling a little more comfortable with delivery via C-section due to the fear of a complication for Baby B...but since both babies are vertex, I wondered if any Drs would fight with us over this decision. I know my Dr wouldn't since I've talked to her about our concerns (heck, she created them!)...she's putting a note in my chart that we're leaning towards C-section. However, if I came in dilated to an 8 and A's head is right there, they'd all encourage me to deliver vaginally. She talked to me about breech extraction for B if he moves out of the vertex position and now I feel much more comfortable about it. So...we settled on leaving the note that we are leaning towards C-section, but we will just see what happens when it is time. I've never been tied to a birth plan so I'm all for doing what's right for the babies and right for us given the situation we find ourselves in at the time of labor.
I parked in a spot without a car to the left of me so I could easily get out of the van today. When I returned, some A-hole had parked ridiculously close to the driver's side. In my regular state I might have been able to shimmy myself through, but there was no way I was getting into the car in my current shape. I had to enter the car via the passenger side. That was still difficult...trying to get my leg over the console (even though it's low since it's a van) and under the steering wheel above the driver's seat. When I told Andy about it after my appt, he suggested coming in through the back seat and climbing around the driver's seat...duh...next time (I have this same issue in the hospital parking ramp...I really do need a handicap sign for my vehicle!) Regardless, I looked around to see if anyone was watching before I entered the passenger side...I'm sure it was quite the sight. Don't laugh at me.
***
Here are some recent Ethan funnies...
The other night, I gave Ethan some apple juice (water with a splash of juice) in a big boy cup and sat next to him as he sat in his little lounge chair in the living room...Sometimes after he takes a sip he will say "Ahhhh"...That night, I decided to take it further and asked him to say "Ahhh, that's refreshing!" after a sip. He did it each time he took a sip...too funny. I love this stage of talking...too early for much back-talk, but I can make him repeat things for my own amusement. Awesome.
This one is TMI...stop reading if you don't like potty talk. Ethan isn't potty-trained yet, nor are we anywhere close...but he is pretty aware of when he is going potty in his diaper. He thinks it's cool when he pees in the tub and he likes to be left alone when he is pooping and will typically find a private spot behind the couch or something so we don't look at him. Most of the time he will announce that "Ethan pooped" or "Ethan has poopy diaper"...The other night, he was laying his head on my belly as we were reading a book together and my stomach was making lots of loud noises (I don't think my stomach size can handle all the water I drink)...Ethan looked up at me with excitement and said proudly, "Mommy pooping!"...it was SO funny. I try not to laugh at him when he says things like this because I don't want to make him feel silly, so I just explained that sometimes our tummies make noises after we eat. But on multiple occasions after he went to bed that night I randomly started laughing as I thought about the look of excitement on his face when he said that to me.
Ethan has a little platform that he can stand on that elevates him to counter-height called the Learning Tower. When someone is in the kitchen cooking, he runs to it saying something like "I need Learning Tower...I help Daddy/Mommy cooking"...I haven't been cooking in the kitchen much, but I holler to him from the living room to be careful on the Learning Tower because the little monkey tries to climb over the top of it to get in versus climbing through the middle space that's intended. Last night, he was helping Daddy cook and yelled to me "Mommy, I'm being careful in the Learning Tower!" Not only is that a spectacular sentence, but it proves that he listens to me at least a little bit! :>
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
33w 6d update
Well, here we are at 33w 6d. I just got back from my weekly BPP ultrasound at the Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) clinic. The boys passed again with perfect scores!! I swear the nurses at MFM are going to throw me a party once these boys are born. Today, I was greeted with such enthusiasm...."Hilary, you look great! You've just done so awesome...look how far you've made it...." Lots of comments about what the hell happened with my first pregnancy...it doesn't make sense that I'd carry twins this long. But here we are...yay! That being said...I must have these babies by Christmas week...that will be 37 weeks so it's not like I'm trading the health of my babies for anything...BUT...my short-term-disability runs out on the 26th and we have $1500 left in our FSA for 2008...but, finances are finances and are absolutely secondary. So, how about the fact that I can barely walk...let that be the reason for delivery at 37 weeks...that is 3 weeks away though, so why worry now. I do, however, find it interesting that my clinic won't deliver before 38 weeks and the Twins book I'm reading doesn't even cover anything past 36 weeks since that is full-term for twins. There is a 28-32 week chapter and a 32-36 week chapter...and that's it!! There is NO 36-40 weeks chapter!!!
The Twins book also has a chapter on what to expect in the NICU and it's organized in pre-34 weeks and 34 weeks and greater...making it to 34 weeks makes such a difference in the health of the babies...'course all babies are different...Ethan at 32 weeks had typical preemie issues, but not as severe as your average 32-weeker (ventilator for only 12 hours!!)...some 34-weekers might go home, and some might have some pre-34-week issues...you see what I'm saying?...regardless, it's great. I am so much more comfortable with the idea of delivering at this point on. The January 2009 EDD message board on babycenter.com already has lots of birth announcements...lots of twins born in November, and even October...parents hoping to bring their preemies home by Christmas. I'm hoping to have ours here by Christmas too, just without the NICU time.
After my appointment, I stopped by Target to pick up the Terbutaline refill I called in yesterday. The pharmacist that helped me was the same one that helped me last time...she remembered me and asked how the boys were doing...she even remembered their names...uh oh...don't head to the York Ave Target Pharmacy and start asking around!! I told her the names when she asked me last time I saw her...thinking, seriously, I don't know this woman and she doesn't know anyone I know.
I am such a spectacle out in public. You'd laugh if you saw me get in and out of the van...I actually think I'm getting to the point where it might not be such a good idea for me to be driving myself around anymore...but the options are limited!! It's also cold in MN and I can't button my regular winter jacket. So I wear a long scarf and cross it over my belly and then button the top button of my jacket to hold the scarf in place. It's goofy-looking, but I'm past the point of being vain!
Wherever I go, someone asks me about my due-date or talks to me about something pregnancy-related. I went to the Starbucks in the Target before leaving to get a fake coffee and the clerk was 25-weeks and she asked me all about caffeine during pregnancy...I'm no expert, I just decided not to drink any (Andy did make me a cup with decaf beans/caf beans/milk last Sunday...it was pretty milky so I think I ingested minimal caffeine...but I drank it in like 3 sips it was so good). I ordered a medium decaf mocha with skim milk but said yes to the whip cream....apparently this was very funny. It's half-healthy, and really, do you think I'm concerned about the calories of the whip at this point?! I ordered skim out of habit and because I think all other milk looks chunky and the idea of it in my "coffee" makes me want to gag.
I was supposed to have my shot this morning...I never received the FedEx with my next 2 shots (my old nurse, Pam, forgot to order it until yesterday)...So I called Jen this morning and she picked up a vial on her way...but forgot the syringe. So, we did the rest of the visit stuff and she's coming back to shoot me up this evening. I think next week is my last week...still uncertain if we're going through 35 or 36 weeks with these shots.
Tomorrow morning is my weekly prenatal visit. Curious to see if I'm dilated at all...they couldn't tell at the US today because Baby A is like WAY down there...like, they were shocked how far down he was and that I wasn't dilated (according to last Friday's check)..so given that, and some recent wicked contractions (knocked out with Terb still), I am hoping for a 1 or a 2...come on, boys...give me something here!! You can still hang out until 36/37 weeks, but give me some sign that you are at least thinking about coming out to meet us!!
The Twins book also has a chapter on what to expect in the NICU and it's organized in pre-34 weeks and 34 weeks and greater...making it to 34 weeks makes such a difference in the health of the babies...'course all babies are different...Ethan at 32 weeks had typical preemie issues, but not as severe as your average 32-weeker (ventilator for only 12 hours!!)...some 34-weekers might go home, and some might have some pre-34-week issues...you see what I'm saying?...regardless, it's great. I am so much more comfortable with the idea of delivering at this point on. The January 2009 EDD message board on babycenter.com already has lots of birth announcements...lots of twins born in November, and even October...parents hoping to bring their preemies home by Christmas. I'm hoping to have ours here by Christmas too, just without the NICU time.
After my appointment, I stopped by Target to pick up the Terbutaline refill I called in yesterday. The pharmacist that helped me was the same one that helped me last time...she remembered me and asked how the boys were doing...she even remembered their names...uh oh...don't head to the York Ave Target Pharmacy and start asking around!! I told her the names when she asked me last time I saw her...thinking, seriously, I don't know this woman and she doesn't know anyone I know.
I am such a spectacle out in public. You'd laugh if you saw me get in and out of the van...I actually think I'm getting to the point where it might not be such a good idea for me to be driving myself around anymore...but the options are limited!! It's also cold in MN and I can't button my regular winter jacket. So I wear a long scarf and cross it over my belly and then button the top button of my jacket to hold the scarf in place. It's goofy-looking, but I'm past the point of being vain!
Wherever I go, someone asks me about my due-date or talks to me about something pregnancy-related. I went to the Starbucks in the Target before leaving to get a fake coffee and the clerk was 25-weeks and she asked me all about caffeine during pregnancy...I'm no expert, I just decided not to drink any (Andy did make me a cup with decaf beans/caf beans/milk last Sunday...it was pretty milky so I think I ingested minimal caffeine...but I drank it in like 3 sips it was so good). I ordered a medium decaf mocha with skim milk but said yes to the whip cream....apparently this was very funny. It's half-healthy, and really, do you think I'm concerned about the calories of the whip at this point?! I ordered skim out of habit and because I think all other milk looks chunky and the idea of it in my "coffee" makes me want to gag.
I was supposed to have my shot this morning...I never received the FedEx with my next 2 shots (my old nurse, Pam, forgot to order it until yesterday)...So I called Jen this morning and she picked up a vial on her way...but forgot the syringe. So, we did the rest of the visit stuff and she's coming back to shoot me up this evening. I think next week is my last week...still uncertain if we're going through 35 or 36 weeks with these shots.
Tomorrow morning is my weekly prenatal visit. Curious to see if I'm dilated at all...they couldn't tell at the US today because Baby A is like WAY down there...like, they were shocked how far down he was and that I wasn't dilated (according to last Friday's check)..so given that, and some recent wicked contractions (knocked out with Terb still), I am hoping for a 1 or a 2...come on, boys...give me something here!! You can still hang out until 36/37 weeks, but give me some sign that you are at least thinking about coming out to meet us!!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Best tree ever...
Like I wrote yesterday, Ethan was SO excited about the Christmas tree. Ethan spent most of the day yesterday playing over at Gamma and Gampa's house, but while he was gone, Andy put up the lights on the tree. I didn't turn them on until Ethan got home because I wanted to see his reaction to the lights coming on. Andy got a remote for the lights so that you don't need to shimmy under the tree to plug in the lights...you can just press the "on" button. So, I showed Ethan where to press and he turned on the lights. Biggest smile ever!
I didn't do any decorating when he was gone either...I was kinda curious to see if he'd be into it and want to participate. After dinner last night, we gave it a try and he was SO helpful! I opened the box of ornaments and he picked them out and handed them to me to put on the tree...telling me what each one was...the funniest was a plain red bulb that he called an apple. We have lots of santas and snowmen on our tree...they were his favorite. He tried to put some on the tree himself which he was very excited about...a stuffed Elmo that I got from my mom when I was in college...a pooh and piglet ornament from his first Christmas...an apple (not the red bulb mentioned above, an actual apple ornament)...a pig...a puppy with Santa hat...we have a fun tree this year. The problem is, I had to cut him off after a while...we have TOO many ornaments (he was not pleased and called for "more decorations, more decorations!")...I would say that we probably don't even have half of the ornaments on the tree...maybe next year we'll do two trees...a fun one and a "pretty" one with all the fancy bulbs. But, next year we'll have two crawlers/possible-walkers by this time so who knows what our tree-situation will be...maybe we'll only have half the room we have even this year as we decorate the tree only above the two feet mark!!
Anyways, decorating the tree last night with Ethan trumped even my fondest memories of decorating Christmas trees...those which included a lit fireplace, Christmas music, and fancy wine...a tough combo to beat, but we had a great time last night...and please, no more ornaments!!
**
It's Dec 1 and I'm pregnant...and in awe of it.
I didn't do any decorating when he was gone either...I was kinda curious to see if he'd be into it and want to participate. After dinner last night, we gave it a try and he was SO helpful! I opened the box of ornaments and he picked them out and handed them to me to put on the tree...telling me what each one was...the funniest was a plain red bulb that he called an apple. We have lots of santas and snowmen on our tree...they were his favorite. He tried to put some on the tree himself which he was very excited about...a stuffed Elmo that I got from my mom when I was in college...a pooh and piglet ornament from his first Christmas...an apple (not the red bulb mentioned above, an actual apple ornament)...a pig...a puppy with Santa hat...we have a fun tree this year. The problem is, I had to cut him off after a while...we have TOO many ornaments (he was not pleased and called for "more decorations, more decorations!")...I would say that we probably don't even have half of the ornaments on the tree...maybe next year we'll do two trees...a fun one and a "pretty" one with all the fancy bulbs. But, next year we'll have two crawlers/possible-walkers by this time so who knows what our tree-situation will be...maybe we'll only have half the room we have even this year as we decorate the tree only above the two feet mark!!
Anyways, decorating the tree last night with Ethan trumped even my fondest memories of decorating Christmas trees...those which included a lit fireplace, Christmas music, and fancy wine...a tough combo to beat, but we had a great time last night...and please, no more ornaments!!
**
It's Dec 1 and I'm pregnant...and in awe of it.
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