Spring Babies

[Rileydee]

Hi ladies!
Well, I have a little story. Two weeks ago, I called my dr, cause I was in one of those grocery stores with the blood pressure checker, and I checked it, and I was 157/101. They told me to come in immediatly. I went in, and they checked me, and I was still high, so they sent me to labor and delivery to do some test. Well I got there, and they hooked me up to a fetal monitor and told me I was having contractions. I couldn't even feel them, so it must of not been that big a deal. They gave me a shot of something to stop the contractions and it made me really jittery, but my bp went down while I was in there. The nurse told me, just to let you know the possiblities, we may have to deliver you tonight if your bp doesn't come down. That freaked dh and I out! Anyways, they took blood and did a u/a and everything looked fine. They still kept us over night, which was awful, Cannot sleep in a hospital. I've had to go back every other day to get bp check and it is still high, but not as high. He put me on some meds that make me dizzy when I stand up (great). Anyways, I am so freaked out about how close we are all getting!!! I start my childbirth classes tonight.

Jo-so glad to hear how well you are doing!

Anna- I do have very swollen ankles. I have to stand up and work when I can, cause it is uncomfortable to sit down. Are you having the same problem?

I hope the rest of you are all well!!!!

[Lucyluna]

Wow, lots happening! Rittie, I hope you are enjoying your leave. I have started feeling the numbness and pain in my hands and feet at night like you. Did you ever find any relief? It is driving me crazy. Anna, you are almost there, just a couple more days and then you are on leave! Demi, welcome. I am glad you spoke up and said hello. You poor thing, going through all of those troubles in the first 2 trimesters. Hang in there, it will be worth it soon.

Jo, I am so glad to hear things are going well with you and Ellie is home. It is hard to believe she isn't even at her due date yet. She sounds amazing and I hope you will continue to post and keep us updated.

Rileydee, you sound like you had an experience very similar to mine. I am glad your blood pressure went down, but sorry you have had to go on medication to help it. Just keep that baby in there a little bit longer.

I went in yesterday and they have offically put me on partial bed rest. The word partial is to see if I can finish my volunteer hours, but I go back every week to check in and see if that changes. I am still contracting and my blood pressure is still up. On the brighter side, I am not showing signs of preeclampsia, so it is just hypertension at this point. It goes down when I rest, so no medication yet. I'll keep you all posted and let you know if anything changes.

I hope everyone else is ok. Hello Angela, and hi Dione! Has anyone heard from Dione? Last I heard she was going in for a scan and she never got back to us. Hope all is well.

[demi]

Great to hear updates! Lucy and Rileydee, I hope your BP problems go away as you get some rest.

I am also having achy wrists and fingers in the mornings, but they mostly go away during the day. I am thinking of buying wrist wraps to stabilize my wrists at nights. I have not heard of any specific cures, I'll let you know if this helps.

We had a dr visit on Monday and he gave me a shot to take twice, 10 days apart, to help make the babies' lungs be stronger in case they arrive in the next couple of weeks. Have any of you been told about this? It sounded like a good precaution, so I had one shot today and will get another one in 10 days.

Also, we found out that one baby is already head down! I hope that they are patient enough to wait another 6 weeks.

Have a great day everyone!

[DioneT2002]

I am here girls! I was inspired by those who already left work and last Friday was my last day. Been puttering around the house trying to get ready for my third shower, which is this weekend at my house. Also trying to get the nursery in order which is very exhausting. I do about 30 minutes a day so it is coming along finally.
My appointments have been uneventful. No diabetes, no high blood pressure, very little weight gain. Close to perfect I must say. The only real complaint that I have is that the acid reflux gets worse by the day and is starting to keep me up at night. I'm assuming that it won't get better until after delivery.
Another appointment and u/s on Monday, 03/12 (which is also my birthday!).
Lucyluna, partial bedrest? What is that baby doing to you?
So, who's going to be first ladies? Not me! I'm holding these boys in until 37 weeks!

Dione

[WISCONSINGAL]

HI LADIES, DON'T MEAN TO CRASH BUT I HAVE A SERIOUS QUESTION TO ASK....AND I'M HOPING SOMEONE OUT THERE MIGHT HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS ALREADY AND CAN LET ME KNOW MORE INFO ON IT.....

I JUST HAD MY 2ND ULTRA SOUND AND THE BABY HAS A HEARTBEAT BUT IT'S NOT GROWING MUCH. MY HCG IS STILL GOING UP SLOW, AND I SHOULD BE 9 WEEKS ALONG, BUT THE ULTRA SOUND IS ONLY SHOWING 6 WEEKS.....THE DR. SAID IT'S STILL OK BECAUSE THERE'S A HEARTBEAT, BUT THAT IS ALL HE SAID. ANYONE ELSE HAVE A SLOW STARTER AND THEN HAVING BETTER ULTRA SOUNDS DOWN THE ROAD? I THOUGHT I ONLY HAD 3 MORE WEEKS TO GO BEFORE THE 12 WEEK MARK.....AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE I'M ONLY 1/2 WAY THERE NOW. THE BABY WAS A (4) CELL, IF THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT ALL ????

[Lucyluna]

Hi everyone,

I guess I should have seen it coming. I have officially been put on bed rest . I went in yesterday and my blood pressure was 160/100. They had me lay on my left side and it went down a bit. They ran more bloodwork and are keeping a close eye on things. Since it goes down when I am on my side, they pretty much want me to stay there. I have a home monitor so I can keep checking it, and I am to call if anything changes, etc.

Demi, I have not been told anything about the shots you are taking, but I have read about them before. I hope everyone stays put a bit longer for you!

Riley, is your bp behaving itself? Is the medication helping? I have a history of borderline bp, so they say I am predisposed to these spikes. However, that also puts me at a higher risk for pre-eclampsia. I hope you are doing well.

Wisconsingal, I am sorry I can't help you out. Good luck, I am sure your little one will catch right up.

I hope everyone is doing great and feeling OK. Are you all enjoying your leave? Keep in touch, I will be hanging around more since I am just hanging out here!

[AMck]

Hi Ladies, how is everyone today?

Hello Jo, good to see Ellie is home. Hope all is going well.

Rileydee, I read your story.......sorry to see you had a spell in hospital, hopefully that bp is behaving itself and you are back at home resting those ankles. How are the antenatal classes going?

Lucy, so sorry to see you are on bedrest...what a pain...remember it will all be worth it in the end.

Dione, how was your appointment..all still going well? Can anything be done about the acid reflux?

As for us, I finished work last Friday and am busy sorting and organising the house and garden. We had another Drs appointment on Tuesday, all went well. BP, bloods and urine OK. Baby has turned and is 2 fifths engaged. So it's getting closer!! We finished our antenatal classes this week too, all we need now is for our new bathroom to be finished!

Take care all
Hugs
Anna x

[Rittie2000]

Hi girls,

Long time no post. Sorry about that, I haven't received an email to prompt me that others have written and thought everyone had dropped off the earth. Nevermind. I started my maternity leave on 1st March. It was the best decision I've made. I AM SO TIRED. I assume carrying the twins is really taking effect on my body now. I am 34 weeks and measured 42 weeks singleton at the doctors on Tuesday. Fortunately BP, Urine, Sugar etc all ok. Sleeping has gone from bad to worse. Lucy, sorry to hear you've developed the numbness and pain at night. The only relief I have is to get up and walk around for 30 secs when woken up by pain at night - so sleep is very broken. But when I take a positive attitude that getting 4-5 hours sleep when added together, I stop complaining. The only other symptom I've developed are elephant legs. My legs and feet have swollen up in the last 2 weeks which is a bit of a nuisance. Doctors just brushed me off to say I should consider myself lucky as lots of women suffer swollen legs from the beginning.

I have been so stressed out in the last few weeks. The builders are still in the house and they are finally due to finish next week. That is very late and we do not believe we have enough time to get painters and decorators in to finish the Loft, new bathroom, new landing, nursery room. My body feels different and I only have 3-4 weeks to go if we go full term for the twins. We've made the deicision to set up the cot and super clean our bedroom and get ready for the babies. As soon as the builders are out, we will clean the house of dust, let things settle even unfinished and decorate the nursery as quickly as we can. Have the babies. Then do the rest of the painting and decorating i 3-4 months time. OHHHHHHH, what a mess......

I also had a new housekeeper start in the last week. Fortunately she is SUPER fantastic and I think things are going to work out with her.

Ladies, I am freaking out a bit as its dawning on me (I am feeling) that the babies can come anytime now. As long as I keep calm and go with the contigency plans, house will be unfinished but we will be ok. I really need the builders to leave and I can get some peace and resume some sense of normality. Please pray for me (if you do pray) to stay calm and the babies to stay healthy. My next scan is tomorrow, Tuesday we'll see the consultant to confirm the birth plan.

Lots of love to you all, particularly the girls who have been having scares and problems. Take care of yourselves.

Lots of love
Rittie

[angelamw]

Hi Rittie

I just wanted to say that I know what you are feeling about the house not being ready. I am 29 weeks and we live on the work premises. Within the next month we are moving, both work and house. Until we move I have got nothing set up for the baby, just a really big pile of boxes waiting to be unpacked. People keep telling me that the baby can come this early and I worried about that. The midwife has advised I pack a hospital bag before I move just in case the stress brings on labour.

I am sure it will be all work it and I keep remembering that the baby won't notice what the nursery is like straight away. I hope that you get your house sorted soon.

I hope that everyone else is well.
Angela

[DioneT2002]

Hello ladies! Sounds like we are all in the same boat as far as nerves go. At 33 weeks, 4 days, I too just realized that they can come at any time and I am freaking out as well. I am SO not ready. I mean, the nursery will be finished by the end of the week, I think I have everything I need for the boys, but I am not ready. I'm ready to regain my body but not quite ready for my life to change. I'm getting scared.
I've been experiencing contractions since the wee hours of this morning and DH is very nervous. It's too soon and they need to stay in for a bit longer. My dr. wants us to deliver at 37 weeks so just a few more to go. I have rested all day today after a long night of working on the nursery last night. Trying to keep calm about the contractions as they are not often or regular. Have an activity scan of the babies in the morning as well as a dr appointment so hopefully there will be no changes for me until I get there tomorrow.
I had a scan last week and my boys are growing quite big! One of them is just over 4.5 pounds and the other is 4 pounds. I am quite pleased! Still, they need these last three weeks to gain more.
Hopefully I'll return from my appointment with good news in that these babies are NOT prepping for delivery. I will pray for all of you...please pray for us too.

Take care,
Dione

[DioneT2002]

[DioneT2002]

[Rittie2000]

Hi Ladies,

Had my growth scan this afternoon. Am pleased to report that the babies are weighing in at 5.3lbs and 5.1lbs. Length, circumference, sizes are all spot on average as per singleton babies at 34 weeks. I am sooooooo pleased as all I was aiming for was a 5lb birth weight for each. I feel more settled today. Both babies are still sideways so tomorrow I think I'll be booking a C-section date with the consultant as the babies are unlikely to turn from here....

Thank you Dione and Angela for sharing your experience and anxieties. I am feeling better now I've booked someone to do the nursery and made the decision to postpone decorating the rest of the new build. But I must get stuck into drawing up a feed/sleep schedule template per recommendation by Gina Ford that I'm going to try. Of course we don't know whether we'll be successful with this but I want to give it a go.

Dione, I know what you mean about being ready to regain the body but not the rest. I'm don't dare even think about it further than the things I can prepare. The rest will have to fall into place. BTW I have not had any contraction like symptoms. I'm always worried that I'll go into labour without knowing it until something like a head or an arm sticks out. Hehehe, just one of my irrational fears.

Angela, when are you moving exactly? Good luck with it, hopefully you'll be able to settle into the new place soon even if you only manage to get the basics right.

Lucy, how is the bedrest going?

Anna, how are you getting on?

Hope everyone's well.

Lots of love
Rittie

[AMck]

Hello ladies, how is everyone today?

Rittie , you are in my thought and prayers. Glad to see your growth scan went well. Good luck with the builders.

Dione, hope your appointments went well. Your babies are good sizes too! Crossing fingers that they stay put for a little while longer.

Angela, goodness lots going on with you. Hope the move goes as planned...have you packed your bag yet?

Rileydee, any news yet? Thinking of you. Hope all is OK. xx

Lucy, how are you doing? Hopefully you are feeling Ok and the bedrest is helping. Take care..

Must admit to getting slightly anxious now, am soooo not ready for this baby....AND our bathroom still not finished! Our friend who is doing the work for us admitted today that he thought the baby was due the beginning of May, not the beginning of April. I very kindly gave him my due date again and asked him if he could get a wiggle on and get it finished!!! As I am here alll day it is difficult for us, I have no loo!!! He very kindly plumbs everything back in at the end of the day but I have taken to going to our local Waitrose for a wee!! He is using our 'Nursery' as a work station so it is full of tools and stuff, so I can't even get that sorted either, everything covered in plaster dust and no use cleaning until he has finished AAARRRGGGHHH!!! Frustrated to the nth degree. Deep breaths now....hee hee .... thank you for letting me rant.

Anyway off for a swim and some pampering at the local health club now, am booked for a pedicure today.....relax....relax....

Take care of those bumps girls

Hugs to all here
Anna x

[Lucyluna]

Goodness girls, your lives are sounding pretty stressful right now. Construction, moving, and even an early induction? We are obviously at the very end and wrapping things up. Anna, no bathroom?! I can't imagine. As much as I am in the bathroom every day... I hope you get the plumbing done soon.

Dione, did those contractions stop? I know that I would have them when I was overworked, so rest yourself and shoot for that 37 week mark. Keep us posted.

Angela, you be sure get some rest during all of that moving. That is a lot on your already overly worked body.

Rittie, thanks for the suggestion on the numbness and pain in my hands at night. Pretty much movement has been the only thing I can do to help as well. I find that my sleep position is key, but unfortunately I can't control what I do in my sleep! Congrats on your new super housekeeper. I am so jealous.

I am doing well. Went to the doctor yesterday and the bp is still high, but all test are showing no signs of toxemia. They said I can get up a bit more and move around the house and even take a little trip occasionally out of the house. They are going to continue to keep a closer eye on me and run tests each week. Next week I will have an unscheduled scan to make sure my girl is growing properly. Overall I feel a bit more comfortable with how things are looking. It is good that I can get the bp to go down when I am laying down, so I still have to spend most of my time that way.

I AM freaking out though like most of you. I have so much left to do, and I am nervous about how life will be when she gets here.

Enjoy these last few weeks of your big bellies and take care.