Double/Triple+ Trouble 2009

[stefanie]

Hey -


just checking in - I made it to the third trimester! yay!

Last week my boys measured big for 25 1/2 weeks. 2lbs 8 and 2lbs 7! Both facing down and the cervix is good. She said it looks like we'll be able to go for a vaginal birth. Now, to find a doula!

Silver Angel - even though your cervix is shortening a bit it's still good! And I think at this point appointments will be more frequent anyway. My doc said because we're twins we'll be coming in every 2-3 weeks now. Honestly I like that. I like to see them! You're doing great.

I did have a little meltdown at my total fatigue. I sleep long nights and nap every day - doing anything just takes it all out of me. My doc said it's normal w/ twins but I asked her if I could take iron anyway. I just thought I'd be able to do more before the boys came. Oh well. The beginning of just letting go, right?

stefanie

[SilverAngel679]

Good morning all you beautiful ladies!! thought I'd stop by with an update.

After my last sono the doctor said he wanted to see me again in 2 weeks instead of a month just to proactive about the decline in my cervix.

Well, we went in yesterday for it and your not going to believe this, MY CERVIX GREW! It was 3.4 last time and this time it was 3.7!!

I'm not sure how this is possible but my husband and I are very thankful. We where starting to think about what it would be like to come home with out the babies and preparing ourselves for the NICU. We practically skipped out of the office yesterday.

Besides that we had another little treat, The office was almost empty and we had THE BEST technician do our sonogram. Because is was slow she switched the machine to 3D and we where able to get a look at the boys faces!!

My Santino looks just like my husband and I could swear that Tommy has my nose! I was even able to count the fingers in one picture. It was amazing!

I hope you ladies are as happy as I am today. Take care every one and I'll speak to you all on the boards.

[Literatriz]

Hi all,
I am glad to read that the cervixes (plural?) are behaving well, fighting gravity and holding our treasures as they very well need.
I cant' write much as I don't want to miss my "bathroom privileges" still maintained as long as my BP stays under control. Never imagined peeing sitting down as something so valuable (with number 2 being priceless).
Quick response to KB2131 on books I've read that were somehow useful.

Back to Basics - practical advice on pregnancy/birth/baby care: simple and straightforward with tons of good sense advice:
Your pregnancy and birth, 4th Edition (2005); The american College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Advice on triplets and higher level multiples (emphasis on what can go wrong)
Birch, K; Bleyl, J. (2000). Exceptional Pregnancies

A good guide to read along, emphasis on prolonging the pregnancy and keeping mom and baby healthy
LuKe, B., Everlein, T (2004). When you are expecting Twing, Triplets or Quads. New York, NY: Harper Collins (I really liked this one!)

Recipes, guidelines and more...good finger food ideas
Swinney, B. (2000). Eating expectantly. New York, NY: Meadowbrook Press

I hope you have fun reading, logging data and making sense of a ton of information. It helped me to feel more in sync with my own body.

Good luck to all, I am going back to bed!
Best, Literatriz

[jenniferdp]

Hey, it's ben awhile since I posted so I wanted to give everyone a quick update Tomorrow is 2 months that I am in the hospital, and I will start my 31 week in Tuesday! I can't believe how far I have come along. It is just wonderful. As of 2 weeks ago, Michael was measuring at 2.8 and Sophia was at 2.3. My next growth US is on Monday - very excitied. They did give me a stress test today for the babies heart beats and check on the babies fluid and everything is great! So far so good! My goal is to bring these twins home and I'm thinking that may acually be a possbility!!

Hope that all is wonderful with everyone!!!

Jenn

[stefanie]

Hey all -
I'm joining the bedrest brigade!

Mon night I realized I hadn't felt one twin since saturday. called the doc and they said to go to hospital for an ultrasound. while there, the babes were great, but I was having contractions every 4 minutes and didn't even feel it!

so, they gae me the steroid shots for the boys, and tested me for the preterm labor enzyme (negative). My cervix is shorter but still a good length and closed, so my doc sent me home on bedrest, and said if I follow orders she thinks I'll be able to go for quite a while.

Crazy time. We're moving - just time to let go and accept help.
stefanie

[babyloves]

Hi ladies,
thought i'd update you all as i've always been placed on bed rest...i was wondering when my crazy life working and commuting would end anyway..

so i actually got dizzy and fainted and fell after which that night i started having braxton hicks every 5 min...continued the next day and went into L&D - the Fetalfibronectin was neg - which means no labor for at least 2 wks (90% chance), and cervix was the same...after that i had my usual u/s at which my precious babies were doing well...3 lbs each!!

But, again had contractions while in bed on bed rest!! - got steroids, and terbutaline and mega fluids. I really think the contractions come when I don't drink enough, so now i'm drinking what i'm supposed to...64 ounces a day of clear fluids...

gotta keep these babes in my belly for as long as possible - i've been told over and over again by everyone...i watch so much tv and movies...total junkie!

silverangel: glad your doing well and the cervix is staying closed...FYI the cervix is measured about 3 or 4 times, and the number they give you is an average, so probably 3.4 and 3.7 are pretty much the same...but so glad it's not reducing...mine is actually only 2.7-3.0 but still closed.

anyway...on a happier note, i love the gift packages coming to us...since i didn't have a shower...i'm so excited with all the family/special friends gifts we've been getting...also put the crib in our room, and kinda feel like we're getting there...

[babyloves]

to the ladies with a ticker:

is your due date reflective of 40 weeks or the most likely date based on twins or trips?

mine is based on 40 wks, so the days left seem a lot longer than what will probably actually happen...

[SilverAngel679]

My ticker is for 40 weeks. My daughter loves it so much because my 40 week due date is on her birthday!! So she loves looking at it because it not only counts the days till her little brothers get here but it also counts the days till she's 11...lol I love my girl.

Sorry to hear every one having to do bed rest. I'm hoping to avoid it altogether and I'm sure you are where too. But hey, what ever gets our babies here safe and sound right?

Has any one had their baby showers yet? Mine was just this past weekend and what a great time we all had!! We got everything we needed for the boys and I'm still so surprised that I made it all fit into the apt that me, my husband and daughter are growing out of.

I had to keep pinching my self at the party to remind myself that this was MY baby shower. And that I wasn't at someones elses, again, wishing to God that it was me who was pregnant. I was the preggo this time!!! I don't know how I didn't just cry the whole day.

I did in a few instances. Like when Santino's God mother gave me the coursage with the two roses painted blue, and when I got two little hand made bonnets made out of hankerchiefs for the boys to wear on their christening day with a poem that said that they should be kept and given to their brides on their wedding day as their "something old"

It's so amazing to open my closet to get out a pair of jeans and see little baby clothes hanging up. Or to get a towel out of the linen closet and see winny the pooh wash cloths and tiny blue hooded towels.

It's becoming so real that are actually going to be two little boys here soon and that my husband and I have made our dream come true. I feel so blessed.

[SilverAngel679]

Hey ladies, I thought I'd move our tickers to this page so that we can all see how we're doing. I know we have some ladies who've joined us after these where made, please send me your due dates and what your having if you know and I'll add yours. I've also deleted some of the girls that don't post on the board any more, if you see that I've deleted you please let me know and I'll re-add you. Enjoy ladies!!!

[babyhope1]

Wow, you ladies are all toward the end of your journey, congrats, I am just starting mine, I am due late August/ early September! I tried to add my lilypie but not sure if this will work...

[babyhope1]

No, that didn't work at all...sorry to try again...

[stefanie]

Hey -

Just checking in -

I'm still on bedrest. Not bored or anything. I have had a few visitors and frankly they exhaust me. It''s hard for me to digest and talk w/out getting winded and tired. so if they bring food.

What has surprised me is how few people have offered to help run an errand for me. I think 2 people have done that. Like, take some stuff to the post office or something. That is the stuff we need to take some of the load of my husband's plate.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but that has bothered me of late. I know people just don't KNOW and one has to ASK or TELL people what you need but it has been a little shocking to me.

Other than that, my doc says I can go to my shower. I'm sure that will have to be kept a little short (and I"ll have to remember not to eat too much there and try to talk.)

I'm not having any trouble w/ boredom. Between the internet, DVR, and pregnancy books, naps and lists to make, I'm doing great on that front. I actually enjoy the quiet.

Hope I don't sound like a grouch.. I had a visitor today - a friend doing her first IVF shots ever (and I was helping her) and she stayed a little long and it really wiped me out. Hope everyone is well.

Also my next wave of hormones have kicked in, and I have definitely started crying or feeling annoyed a little more. I had a smooth early pregnancy in that regard, but I certainly have my moments now.

My doc is aiming for 36 weeks w/ me which would be around April 5th.

stefanie

[kb2131]

Hi everyone! I'm so excited for everyone as you get closer to your due dates. We are due july 21st and find out the sexes March 5th! Question for all of you. This is our 1st pregnancy and with having a miscarriage last year we are more worried than usual. We are currently 18 weeks and so far everything has looked great. Our ultrasound at 16 weeks showed 2 healthy babies and although they told us the 20 week is the major one for organs etc they said from what they could see at the 16 week everything looked good. The last few days bridget has felt a bit of heaviness and achiness in her lower abdomen/pelvic area. No sharp pain at all no spotting. Is this normal with multiples? Is it just the weight and growing so quickly or something we should go in and get a doopler for? I told her at this point if something was wrong she would probably have a sign given we are well into out 2nd trimester. Our 1st pregnancy was a miscarriage in the 1st and was completely silent no heartbeat suddenly on ultrasound and I think that's what makes her worried. Also she felt movement a few days ago but its very sporadic. With multiples when Did you All feel your babies first move and was it spaced at first and then more regular at how many weeks? I'm sorry for all the questions! Any input would be appreciated

[babyloves]

Hi ladies!
Stephanie: hang in there girl...you'll be having your precious gift very shortly...i too get stressed out and emotional lately...i've been practicing singing lullabies that my mom used to sing to me, and start crying...
i think bed rest definitely weakens our muscles and lungs, so that any activity is more difficult to do. I went out shopping (while on bed rest - i know it was bad of me)...and i couldn't do it for more than 2 hrs. I still have stuff to buy as i didn't have a shower!! Anyway...take it easy...ask DH to do things...this is the only time we have to rely on them fully, after that no more pampering for us

kb: hello! the lower pressure in the pelvis could be round ligament pain esp if it gets better with different positions, but just to be sure i'd let your ob know...sometimes they like to monitor the babies, do vaginal and urine cultures to rule out infection, etc. Never hesitate to call them esp with twins and your previous history. I had this type of pain too at 26 wks or so, and it was just round ligament pain, but you never know.

As far as movement, i felt it late...prob as a first time mom..i didn't know what to feel..around 26 wks it was still faint, but then at 28 wks, it was definite...now at 33 wks, it is a boxing tournament in there, most at night when i want to sleep. It will be exciting for you when you too can thru it thru her abdomen...good luck, i'm sure things are just fine!!

[TwinMommy]

Hello there! I think I posted a LONG time ago with you ladies but I thought I would check in to see how things were going!

To all you ladies with cervix issues stay in bed! That is the issue I had thus preterm labor. But my fetalfibronectin came back positive each time they did it to me. They put me on Procardia to stop the contractions and I did magnesium twice. I was in and out of the hospital till my water finally broke at home. I wish they would have left me in the hospital. ANYWHOO, I will keep you in my prayers! No more shortening!

I will tell you that the first few months are a blurr and you are wicked tired. Mine were in the NICU for 6 and 7 weeks which gave me time to rest but when they both came home it was a whirlwind! They are so much fun though and when you get your first smiles and laughs it is all worth it! Twins are just wonderful!

As far as the emotional stuff, Stephanie, it did not go away for me after they were born. I still deal with them! haha. It does get better.

Also, ask people for help. Some people will offer it but if it is a good friend or family member ask them to help you out. Take out the trash, dishes, laundry, go to the post office, etc. Most people will amaze you and help out a lot. I did not use the help as much as I should have.


To you ladies over 31 weeks congrats! I wish I had made it further! I will keep checking in time to time on you. I miss being pregnant! I just hope next time it is a singleton!