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Saturday, January 29, 2011

25 weeks

Yesterday I hit the 25 week mark, every week is truly becoming a huge milestone. Especially every week that is complication free. I am counting my blessings each and everyday that goes by smoothly because I know it might not always be like this between now and when the girls enter this world.

I am still feeling pretty good overall. Heartburn is nearly constant, my heart feels like it is always racing, and breathing is becoming more and more labored everyday. When I fantasized about being pregnant with twins so many years ago, never did I imagine or envision the challenges that come with carrying multiples. This is definitely a time when being just a tad bit taller might make this adventure just a wee bit easier. But I am certainly not going to complain one ounce about these challenges. They come with the territory and I am blessed beyond belief to be this far along and complication free. Many Moms in my online May 07 twin group are already plagued with complications, some too emotionally draining to even consider.

So here is to another week of being pregnant with my precious girls who keep me up at night, elbow me after dinner, and move wildly when they hear their Daddy!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Lots of packages for the girls today

I am in online shopping heaven right now!! 4 packages arrived in the mail today, all for the twins. One was a surprise gift but the other 3 were things I bought a few weeks ago that finally arrived. I am so excited!! Not only did 6 of my cloth diapers arrive and they are adorable in perfect condition but the covers I bought for them also arrived. Of the things I bought myself I am SUPER DUPER excited about the diaper bag. I bought a new Vera Bradley Get Carried Away Tote bag for my diaper bag. I got the super cute night and day pattern. Let me tell you, this bag is enormous!! But I love how it is organized. No it doesn't have all the typical bells and whistles of a diaper bag, i.e. bottle pouches, plastic liner, changing pad, etc. But the cost of this bag and it's size far outweighed my other diaper bag options geared more towards twins. There are plenty of pockets to stash things like bottles if I end up pumping, I can also just add one of the changing pads from an older diaper bag to this new bag. The inside size is beyond huge, I can only imagine how heavy it will be when I pack it full with 2 of everything so we can venture out and about. I love it though, I can't wait to be able to put it to good use!

I love the adorable matching onesies 3 packs and bibs that my dear friend Jenn and her daughters sent for the twins. Not only are they in cute pink colors but they have Zebra's and other safari animals on them, so cute!! Thanks again Jenn!!

My viability date

Today marks the date that the girls are considered "viable". Really it is an ugly term but it has so much meaning and importance. Basically it translates to the fact that after 24 weeks my girls have a better chance of surviving outside of my belly. Of course I want them to "cook" for a lot longer but knowing that their odds of survival have gone up now that I am past 24 weeks puts my mind a little more at ease. For Moms of multiples, the point of viability has special meaning.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

24 week OB appointment update

Yesterday was my 24 week appointment. Technically I was 23w5d. After a long half hour delay the kids and I finally got called back for the u/s. My younger 2 watched a movie while the older one sat and watched his sisters on the overhead TV screen which transmits the u/s images. The twins looked great on u/s. They are both kicking one another in the face, :).

Jillian (baby A) is:

  • measuring one day ahead of where I was gestationally 
  • is estimated to weigh 1lb5oz. 
  • she has gained 10oz in the past 4 weeks.
  • still in a transverse position along the bottom of my belly
  • measuring in the 48th percentile
Britian (baby B) is:
  • measured at 24w4d which is 5 days ahead of where I was gestationally
  • is estimated to weigh 1lb8oz
  • she has gained 13oz in the past 4 weeks
  • now in a breech position, was vertex previously
  • measuring in the 60th percentile
I am measuring 3 weeks ahead, 27cm fundal height

My OB did mention that as long as Jillian presents in a head down position at the time of delivery I can try for another VBAC. She is not concerned at all about how Britian presents at the time of delivery. She is fine delivering her breech if necessary just so long as Jillian presents in a normal head down orientation. I was shocked but happy to hear this from her. So many OBs out there will either not even try for a vaginal delivery for twins or will force an emergency c/s with Baby B after A delivers vaginally if B switches to a breech position. If I went the VBAC route I didn't want to end up with a c/s just because B turned breech. However, no knowing that my OB will deliver Britian breech I am much more comfortable trying for another VBAC.

At my next appointment I get to enjoy the 1hr glucose test and all that goes with that ordeal. This next appointment will be my last one on the once a month schedule. After 28 weeks I will have two 3 week spaced visits which takes me to 34 weeks. After 34 weeks I will begin having weekly NSTs appointments (my kids are going to love that, NOT).

Oh and in the midst of all this. . .it looks like Garrett will be taking a new job closer to home thankfully but of course it also means another change in our health insurance. We have to have the new insurance in place by April 1st if we are going to avoid the incredibly costly price tag of delivery. Our current insurance stinks to high hell and is going to cost us more than we can afford to deliver these girls. 

Also, it looks like we are going to start the house hunting process again. We've decided to stay here in Iowa versus moving home to CA. But our current house is just too small for 2 more children once they need their own bedroom space. So the hunt is on. . .so many changes for one family in a year. I am ready for it all to settle down and resemble something normal.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Diving right in. . .

My initial plan was to get this blog all set up and decorated before I started adding content. After a few weeks of doing absolutely nothing to get that accomplished I've decided I might as well just dive in a start writing. If I wait much longer I will forget everything about this trimester and never be able to recover any of those memories with any sort of accuracy.

Just for documenting purposes:
12/20 found out we are expecting identical twin girls. At that u/s appointment I was 19w5d. Both girls were estimated to weigh 11oz. I can't remember what my fundal height was, I know it was at least 3cm bigger than "normal" for a singleton.

1/19 is my next appointment (tomorrow)

What I have been feeling and experiencing since the 12/20 appointment:
Baby A who will be named Jillian is my active one. She moves all the time. Baby B who will be named Britian moves a whole lot less than her sister. So much less at times that this past weekend I called my on call nurse to find out what I needed to do or whether I should be concerned. She had me do kick counts. Thankfully it turned out to be fine, Britian  moved the required 4 times or more within the hour. Since that day I have rested for at least an hour everyday with the exclusive purpose of counting Britian's movements.  Thankfully today Brit stuck her bottom out and wiggled around while I took a bath so I know all is well with her today.

I am really feeling stretched to the limit today. Not only physically but emotionally as well. I think cabin fever has set in with the kids and I. Thankfully tomorrow we are headed to town for errands and such so that will be a nice change from being inside all day due to the cold and snow. My stomach is tight beyond belief and I know I have a lot more growing to do. Where am I going to put it on my small frame? Today I not only feel "out" there but I also feel like I have grown sideways. What once was a flat-sided belly is now more ball-like feeling. Resting my arms on my sides I can clearly feel a more rounded side of my belly where that was previously flat. Either the girls are running out of room in front or one of them is moving positions and is forcing the altered shape of my stomach temporarily. Maybe tomorrow I will know which is the true reason for this new shape.

Sleeping is becoming ever increasingly difficult. I can no longer simply roll over to change positions. Rather I have to fully sit up to shift the weight of my belly and lay back down on the alternate side. This is making getting a complete nights rest very difficult. Perhaps this is what is contributing to my low emotional state during the day. Some days are better than others but I can feel my patience wearing thin with my kids. They are all too old for naps which leaves me little options for resting during the day.

I should close this novel entry for now. . .but will surely update tomorrow after my OB appointment.