Double Trouble

[LauraLou]

The baby shower was wonderful! Everyone was so generous! I believe I now have everything I need for the babies. I hope so as there is no more room left in the nursery! I have two cribs, a dresser, a changing table, a bookcase, 2 car seats, 2 swings, 2 bouncie seats, a stroller, diaper bags, bottles, a boopie, bathtub, clothing, blankets, diapers, wipes, etc all stuffed in the room!

I had a dr's appt this morning and everything still looks good. My blood pressure is holding steady at 140/80 and everything else is great. She thinks I may last another month. I know that's great for the babies, but I am SO ready to have them. She said we would set a date for my c/s at next week's appt. So I am looking foward to having a firm date to count down to.

I'm glad everyone is doing so well!

Laura

[buckeyegal]

Laura Lou---Congrats on all the fun stuff! You are really lucky to have everything. I know after my shower on Saturday that there will still be tons to get. It sounds like you had a great appt! Keep those babies in there to cook--they'll be better off for it. I know you probably feel like popping, but hang in there!

[Xrayem]

Hi guys,

Laura, I just had my baby shower/BBQ yesterday and I was overwhelmed with the generosity of our friends and the enormous support that we have. I had friends and rellies that travelled over 5 hours to be here and my heart is so warm for it. I guess its easy to forget how many people love you when you are spread all over the country!

Hope all of you are well!

Em

[kholtan]

Lauralou and Xrayem~ It sounds like you both had beautiful baby showers. What a great way to spend some time with people you both really love and care about. I bet you both have had a great time playing with all the itty bitty clothes and soft cuddley items. There is nothing that can compare to feeling of knowing your little ones will soon fill all those items! Congrats!

Buckeyegal~ How was your shower? Can't wait to hear about it!

We had an OB appointment Wednesday and all is well. The little hb's are 157 & 162. Have gained a total of 5 lbs. now and the babies are finally starting to show enough that I look pg and not just like I drank a 12 pack of beer. Is anyone saving the cord blood? My RE said we don't have any indicators of illnesses in our family that it could help but it was totally up to us. I was just wondering if anyone else is doing it and what your opinions are on it. Other than that we find out the sex on the 29th!!!! We are sooooo excited. It's going to be a long wait for sure!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Since I sent DH off with the boys a the last minute this weekend mine had been pretty relaxing and quiet. Went out to buy my car seats and ended up ordering the model I really wanted off the internet because they dont' carry it here locally anymore. Luckily they had free shipping so it didn't cost me any more.

When I nannied during college I took a car seat safety course and have been obsessed with making sure every car seat I know of is installed properly since. Sadly, 85% are not installed correctly and it truly is just a matter of minutes that makes the difference. Any local fire station will show you how it's done if there are any questions. Even though I have taken the course I still plan on popping in so they can double check that it's correct.

Better get my day rolling or It'll be over before I know it. I hope your weekends were relaxing and all the babies are doing well. Take care!
Kimberly

[buckeyegal]

Em--I'm glad your shower went so well! That was very nice for your family to travel so far. You're very blessed! My family is a bit dysfunctional (well, the extended family anyway), so my shower was pretty small. We had a very nice time though. I got some gender neutral sleepers, my 2nd car seat, a diaper champ, and a double jogger stroller! I'm very excited to be able to take my babes jogging! I'm not a great runner, but it's my favorite way to exercise...it'll probably be a little while before I can use it, but it's going to be pretty handy. My first grade students are throwing me another shower on Friday...I"m sure it'll be precious! I'm not expecting many gifts, but I'm sure they'll make things for the babies. Treasures!

kIMBERLY--I'm already planning on taking the seats to the fire station...I don't want to take any chances! Good for you to only have gained 5 pounds....I think I gained more than that just with IVF! Yikes! Are you pretty tall? I'm short and very active, yet the weight started piling on my tummy almost immediately. As for the core blood, we are not going to bank it, since our family doesn't have any indicators for the diseases that it can currently help. However, I really want to donate the cord blood. Maybe it could help someone else? I have to check into how to handle that.

By the way, gals. My coworker's daughter just gave birth to twin boys on Friday. She was 36 weeks, and labor went so quickly that she managed to deliver both babies (identical twins, no less) vaginally and without drugs! AMazing, huh? She's my hero! Both babies were around 6 pounds 9 oz....that's good motivation for us!

good night...hugs to your bellies!

[kholtan]

Buckeyegal~ You shower sounds like it was very sweet. Dysfunction seems to be a theme because heaven knows I'll be dealing with that as well. Doesn't matter how many people as long as they are people you love and want to share these new lives with.

About the weight thing. . .I need to quit worrying about it because my RE isn't worried. I'm only 5'2" so I thought I would gain it faster because I'm a petite person. Also, I am usually very active with my sports. Because we are so active I thought that when I slowed down it would pile on but it hasn't. My concern was just that I wasn't gaining enough but as Rae76 wrote to me, we all just gain it differently and at different stages. I know it's true and I need to just let it be. Thanks for the support.

Your friend is AMAZING!!!! Twins, naturally!!!! That would be my first option if I can do it. It's encouraging that she did it. Naturally is our plan A, epidural is plan B, C-section is plan C but it no way in heck do I want a vaginal delivery and a C-section!!!!! Thanks for the encouragement from your friend!!!!!

What a great idea about donating cord blood. We don't have any indicators that we should save it either and since our twins are fraternal we would have to save both unless they were a match and that's not something we would know until they were born. I don't think we are going to do it either but I like to know what others are thinking about it.

Have a great night and I hope those babies let you sleep well! Take care everyone~
Kimberly

[LauraLou]

I'm glad everyone had such nice baby showers! I agree about getting your carseats professionally installed. I had mine done by the hospital. There is definitely a trick to getting them in right, so finding a certified person to install them is a smart idea.

We aren't going to bank cord blood either. It is so expensive and my doctor told me the amount they get is so small that it is only helpful if a problem is detected during infancy. If your child develops a problem after the first year or so, there isn't enough cord blood to do any good.

I am feeling a little down after my dr's appt on Friday. They did another sono and the babies didn't gain much weight, only about 9-10 oz in 3 weeks. One weighs 4lbs 2oz and other 3lbs 11oz. It appears my elevated blood pressure is restricting their growth a bit. I had really hoped that the babies would be about 5lbs at birth, but it doesn't look like they will make that, but perhaps they will surprise me.

My blood pressure has also gone up a little, from 140/80 to 140/90. It's not a big increase but enough to worry the dr. I am now going to see my OB every Monday and the perinatologist every Thursday until delivery. If my bp goes up anymore, they may put me in the hospital. Needless to say, I really want to avoid that.

I keep telling myself it's just another few weeks and even if the babies come today, they are big enough that they will do just fine. I really would like them to be able to come home with me, but even if they have to spend some time in the NICU, it won't be for anything serious, just to fatten them up.

Laura

[rebecca79]

Well ladies I reached the 12 week mark on Thursday. I was so excited we told everyone!!! However on Sunday afternoon I had a bowel movement and noticed pink blood dripping in the toliet. I absolutely went into a panic attack. My husband put me in the car and drove me to the emergency room. I checked in and the room was packed so I settled in for a long night. I must have gone to the bathroom every 10 minutes for 2 hours....and no more blood. Not a drop. I was like what the heck was going on. However, I was determined that I was not going home until I knew my babies had a heartbeat. They took me back to the ultrasound and both babies were in there doing summer saults. Heartbeats were 176 and 168. The checked my cervix and it was tightly closed. Also they ran blood work and everything came back normal.

I still do not know what caused the bleeding. I have not had anymore today (knock on wood). However I am having some cramping. I have an appt with my regular OBGYN tonight, hopefully we can get some resolve. I'm a nervous wreck. What is going on?

[LauraLou]

Rebecca- Since the bleeding happened after a bowel movement, it could be hemorrhoids. The extra iron in prenatal vitamins causes constipation which leads to hemorrhoids which leads to bleeding. It's really common, scary but not serious.

[buckeyegal]

Kimberly--Your plan sounds like mine...except I have a very strong feeling I'd go for the epidural pretty easily! I figure I didn't conceive these babies naturally, so I don't need to prove anything by having them naturally!

Laura Lou--don't worry too much sweetie! They're both nearly 4 pounds....that's very good! Make sure you keep resting so you keep that BP down!

Rebecca--Congratulations on making it 12 weeks! Yeah! I'm sorry to hear about your scare. I actually did have some spotting around week 13, so I know how you feel. Just keep your OB posted. Mine said small amounts are not serious...it's more heavy bleeding you need to be worried about. Good luck!

[Xrayem]

Hi guys,

Well, I just found out that I failed my glucose challenge test and I'm feeling pretty bad. I was a little overweight before we started IVF and I gained quite a bit with it and now I feel like everyone is going to look at me and say "look what fatty has done to herself now!!"

An absolute miserable Em.

[wannababyIVF]

Hi Ladies,
I hope you don’t mind me popping in. I'm new to this thread. Congratulations to all of you on your double joy...and double trouble! Isn't it exciting? I'm so happy for those of you that are about to give birth. Honestly, I can't wait until I'm there.

I'm 13 weeks pregnant with twins. For those of you that are about as far along as I am and for those of you that remember...is cramping normal? I have had cramps (like AF cramps) off and on every day for the past couple of days. Especially if I sit for longer than 10 minutes or so. If hurts really bad for a while and then once I start to walk it's not as bad. I asked my sister in law who just had a baby if she felt the cramping and she said not at all. I was wondering if this was something normal. Something you just feel with twins? Or should I call my doctor?

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying not to worry or stress about it.

[LauraLou]

Em- So sorry to hear that you failed the GTT, but please don't think it is because of your weight. I have seen numerous tiny little girls who weighed 95 lbs when they got pregnant develop gestational diabetes. Having twins increases the odds of getting it, so pls don't feel bad about yourself.

WannababyIVF- With twins, you are going to have more aches and pains than a regular pregnancy. You could be experiencing round ligament pain, which is when your growing uterus stretches the ligaments that support it. This develops a lot earlier in twins because your uterus gets bigger faster.

I am feeling better today. I saw my regular OB yesterday and she isn't as alarming as the the perinatologist. She said I look good for now and the babies are doing well. We set a firm date for my c-section, either May 31 or June 1, depending on when the hospital has an opening. I will be 37 1/2 weeks. I can't wait!!!

Laura

[kholtan]

Wow! You mommies have been busy! Feels like I only missed a day or so but a lot has happened.

LauraLou~ Congrats on getting a date!! It gives you a plan and I love that! Their birth weight may end up surprising you in the end but even if it doesn't I think they sound perfectly and petitely healthy! My SIL was told my nephew was going to be like 8 lbs! When he made is arrival he was 9lbs. 10 oz.!!!! Just take care of you and your bp and I'm sure they will be happy healthy little babies in just a few weeks. Good luck and I think we are all getting super excited for our next mommy-to-be!!!!!

Rebecca~ Sorry to hear about your scare. I don't blame you for staying until they let you hear hb's or see them. I would have been petrified as well but I'm glad it all turned out welll after all. Congrats on your 12 weeks mark! The baby steps feel so good don't they? I'm excited for you! Keep taking great care of yourself.

Em~ Don't be down over your test dear! I agree with what was wrote about people of any size or weight failing it and we are at a higher risk. We can't help what are bodies do as long as we are taking the best care possible of ourselves. Things will happen and I'm sure your RE will guide you through this and help you the best way he knows how. We will all be thinking of you in the mean time. Take care and don't be down. After all you are going to be a mommy of twins!!!!! How great is that!!!!!

Welcome over Wannababyivf! Congrats on twins! I'm only about 5+ weeks ahead of you so we are really close. Best of luck to you and don't worry about your cramping. We all have had something wierd here and there!

Take care everyone!
Kibmerly

[buckeyegal]

Hi gals--

WannababyIVF--I think I remember you from an earlier post on another board. Congratulations! I got the round ligament stretching around week 15 or so, so it could totally be that. However, I'd still keep your OB informed, so they can make sure. Better safe than sorry. Chances are your uterus is just in shock right now and growing quickly for your two buns in the oven! Yeah!


Em--So sorry about the GTT. It's a bummer, but manageable. HEy, at least you only have a handful of weeks left...then your sugars should get back to normal!

Have a good night gals. I'm off to walk the dog and then watch American Idol--I'm such a sucker for mindless TV!