**February 2011 Babies**

[PA_FA]

OH Daisy congrats honey!!!!! That's so exciting! Did they give you a due date?

[Stephanieford78]

Daisy - CONGRATS!! YAY for TWINS!! All your hard work has truly paid off, now you get double the pleasure, double the fun. lol Get yourself some packs of double mint gum, hand them out to friends and family, maybe serve some "buns" from the oven and see them guess what that means. LOL I am so happy for you!

Kitty - Taser.. next best thing. lol We did the quad test and the NT scan. The scan turned out to be the best possible results and the blood test for DS came bak the same results. With twins the trisomy 18 can't be accurately determined with twins but I am not worried. I know people who have gotten positive results, go through the amnio just to find out everything is fine too. I think the tests are good to get, but even with a positive blood result, there is still reason not to worry. I am sure you have two perfect little beans.

Pa - I am glad you finally posted in the winter thread. Seeing the HB is such a joy and relief! That anxioty never really goes away. I just started to feel much better about the pregnancy just to be woken up today by a nightmare that my water broke. I really thought that after we were pg we would feel a big sigh of relief, but it just doesn't end there. We want those babies in our arms! So cute you got to see your baby flip and DH's reaction. I bet that was exciting.

Purple - It's ok to laugh. lol I am sure you read about it and picture yourself going through the same thing. It seems so unfair in a way doesn't it? That we be so terribly uncomfortable that we can't sleep the last couple months of pregnancy then the babies are born and we still get no sleep. Thanks to the tampon commercial, I picture that mother nature character pointing her finger at me and laughing her ass off. Joy Joy! lol The things we go through while we watch DH sleep peacefully next to us. Just makes you want to smack him in his sleep a bit doesn't it? LOL Oh and about my friend, she was told by the nurse that she would deliver early because she is carrying high. What?? High is good, low maybe would be a reason to be a little concerned about dialating early and delivering early, but high? Makes no sense, I think that nurse needs to go back to school! Your positioning that you had, right now that is how my twins are. They might move around between now and later, but as of week 22, little girl was breech and kicking her brother in the noggin, kind of swooped under a bit and he was right side down.

[purpleFish]

daisy - congrats! Twins are wonderful!!!

[mev0630]

Daisy - Congratulations on your twins! It's such exciting and overwhelming news, isn't it!?! ENJOY!

AFM - Had my off-schedule visit on Thursday with my OB for a quick scan (just to ease my nerves). Saw both heartbeats again! Whew. I was pretty sure everything was going well, but it's always nice to get to see it to believe it! Glad my OB was so understanding to squeeze this appt in, now for the long wait until Week 20 until I see them again.
My official OB appt is this Friday to do full exam, OB says it'll be too early to use doppler to hear heartbeats (usually Week 12) but I'm going to see if she'll try anyway Also, going to ask her about appropriate weight gain with twins, most books say don't gain too much, but multiples books say to gain steadily especially in 1st trimester. I've put on at least 5 lbs since Week 4.
Going on vacation soon! OB says it's okay to travel, I'm still nervous as it's a 9hr + flight, but I guess as long as I feel okay, drink plently of fluids and take frequent strolls up & down the aisle I should be okay? PA_FA any other advice?

Starting to plan out how we're going to share the news with our other family and friends. We plan on spreading the news mid-August which will put me at 14 weeks. Some by phone and others my email. I say we just share that we're pregnant (not go into any details about how long we've been trying or IVF). Don't get my wrong, I'm not trying to hide IVF as that's how this miracle is taking place and if they ask, I will share, but some won't understand and others just want to know so they can gossip (sad, right?). I don't think we should announce twins yet, I kind of want to wait until we know the sexes then spring the news then. Anyone else gotten this far on when, what, and how to share the good news?
Also, decided I'm not telling the boss or colleagues until later, waiting until mid-Sept when I have a department meeting with all my team members present. Hopefully I won't get the same reactions that others of us have gotten, hopefully they'll be supportive

[purpleFish]

grrrr... I wrote a really nice post to all of you, but it had an error when I went to post it. I will have to do it again tomorrow.

[PA_FA]

Purple---I hate it when it does that!!!!!! I have started copy/paste before I hit submit. LOL

Mev- 9 hrs...where are you going? Do not have any worries. This week I have flown to London and back then the next day was Amsterdam and just got back today. Tomorrow back to England again but to Birmingham this time. My advice is to buy the biggest bottle of water you can find ONCE YOU GET INSIDE SECURITY! If you buy it outside they will take it. The FA's will probably not be able to refill it so you may want to buy more than one. I usually drink 1.5L on a 8 hr flight. Sometimes more. Try to get an aisle seat so you can get up and stretch as much as possible. You can also do leg stretches in your seat that help. Moving your ankles around in circles, flexing them up and down, stretching out legs. All these things help prevent DVT (deep vein thrombosis). Bring healthy snacks. Do not depend on the airline to feed you good food. Most of it is crap or super salty, which will lead to more water retention. Not sure about you but I have to eat every couple of hours even if it is just a snack. If you are flying overseas make sure that you only bring what you will eat on the plane. Most fruits and veggies are prohibited for import and export. Even if you buy it in the states and take it, when you bring it back you can get into BIG trouble that equals big fines. Yuck! OH here is a good one...wear warm clothes on the plane. Airplanes are kept colder than most people like because it helps prevent passengers from getting sick. If the plane is too hot people can get sick or there may end up being more heart attacks. Not fun! So wear layers incase pregnancy makes you hot wile you are strolling. UM...always always always wear your seatbelt even if it does not feel bumpy. You can make it lose of course but please keep it on. Turbulence can happen at anytime and that belt can save your life!
OK I have preached enough. Sorry if it seems overwhelming. If you have ANY questions please do not hesitate to ask.
Have a fun and safe vacation.

[purpleFish]

I usually copy and paste it before I post, but I was lazy... that will teach me.

PA - great advice on flying. I will be flying to my parents house near Pittsburgh mid-August. Has your OB given you any kind of time frame for how long you can fly for? I remember last time I wasn't allowed after 30week. What will you do about work? Do they have any type of desk job you can take?

mev - I don't hide IVF, but I don't announce it either. I only share if people ask me directly (I am a horrible liar). I have actually run into quite a few people who are opposed to IVF, which I just find so hard to believe. We already shared the good news with family and friends. We did a little game at dinner with both sets of parents. I think weight gain is hard, all the multiples books say to gain more, but I still feel like the OB thinks less. Last time I gained 70lbs, but I took it all of fairly easily within a year. I figure I will listen to my body and eat when I am hungry and that should be fine.

How is everyone feeling?

[Stephanieford78]

Mev - Glad you got to be seen to ease your mind. I had the same needs but couldn't get seen so I just went to the ER. My OB always uses the u/s on every visit. Finding the hb with a doppler with twins is a task even for the pros. lol He just wheels it in and takes a gander each time to make sure the hearts are beating. Now I have a previa so he checks that too really quick. I am surprised yours won't do something similar and make you wait till week 20 with two in there. As far as weight gain, if you are in a normal weight range, then they want you to gain up to 40, if you had a few extra pounds then upto 30 for twins. Me... I gained 30 during the previous failed cycles so I was overweight when I got preggers. I was told 25-30 would be good for me but I have only gained 5! OB isn't worried about it though, says the babies are perfect parasites and will get what they need from me. I eat healthier now because of them though instead of feeding my face being so nervous from cycling. lol We don't tell people about IVF either. It brings up too much nosey questions. At least for me being around a bunch of gossipy in your face Army wives. They want to know who has what wrong with them. So normally they ask, so is it him or you. DH doesn't want people to know that much about us so we just don't say. Now if I happen to hear someone talking about their need for IVF, I will share my experience. Normally they don't tend to ask the personal questions, they just want to know how it works. For the most part it's kept to ourselves. Oh, I did go to the Army hospital here when I first got pg to get tested so I could see an OB. The old lady behind the counter asked me my last LMP. Of course, can't go by that with IVF so I tried to explain that I had IVF so told her my transfer date. She asked really nasty, whats that? I explained the short and sweet of it and she looked at me and with a disgusted voice said... How unnatural. WHAT?? Are you kidding me you hag?? I wanted to smack her. I told her my due date because LMP was getting us nowhere and all she did was turn the wheel to my due date and wrote down the corresponding LMP. How rude and inaccurate! I don't go there anymore, they were all horrible there so I changed my insurance and go to the best hospital in the area. So happy I am not surrounded by stupid people now. lol

[mev0630]

Hi everyone! Hope everyone is doing well

PA_FA - Thanks for all the great advice on flying! I leave on Sat. on a direct flight for Rome, so 9 hrs and 15 mins total. My husband has been teaching in Florence for the whole month of July. So I am meeting him in Rome and we'll take the train down in Florence as he is still teaching there for one more week. Then we will spend the rest of our time in Rome.
I am very excited as I have never been to Italy and so glad I've been feeling better this week so it should be a good trip
I did reserve an aisle seat so that I have the freedom to do my frequent bathroom trips and walks up and down the aisle.
I think I'll set my watch alarm for every 2 hours so I can stretch my legs. Thanks for the tip on the multiple bottles of water, I'm pretty bad at drinking water so this will help and I'll make sure to bring healthy snacks, probably almonds and dried fruits. I have my outfit planned with layers, socks, and extra leggings. And I'm very diligent about my seatbelt and I make sure I fasten it over my blanket so the FAs know that's it's on!

purplefish - Yeah, I'm a terrible liar too so that's why I don't want to announce that we're pregnant through IVF as I know that will invite lots of question. So, we'll stick to "we're pregnant" and respond honestly to IVF questions as they come. Regarding weight gain, I think I'm comfortable with a 40 lb weight gain at this point but I'm flexible as the pregnancy progresses and whatever is best for the babies. I did put on a bit of weight before this cycle so I'm not sure what my starting point is. But I think I'm 10lbs heavier, which is fine as I'm 10 weeks along so, so far 1 lb a week

Stephanie - Yeah, I am surprised too that my OB doesn't think we need more frequent USs. I'll talk to her tomorrow and see if we can come up with a better schedule. I will go crazy for the another 10 weeks without seeing them. I'm sorry to hear that you have previa. I'm guessing you're on bedrest, are you having bleeding issues? Are you on special meds (steroids) for the twins? I'll keep you in my thoughts and hope that things are okay. I'm also pissed to hear how the lady at the Army hospital treated you, how rude! Some people just have no tact or even try to understand something different.

I just want to say that I am so grateful for the wonderful, supportive, understanding friendships that I have formed through this board. I don't know what I would do without all of you. It is great to be with like-minded, obviously very strong-willed, brave-hearted, and life-loving individuals and to share and experience these awe-inspiring milestones together. Thank you girls!

[PA_FA]

Mev- I am guessing you are not on Continental. If you are though let me know. I looked up both crews and know people on both. Have a wonderful time in Italy. It is one of my favorite places. I could eat my way through that country and never be bored. The pasta is nothing like what we have in the states. It's absolutely orgasmic. LOL

purplefish- At my company we are allowed to work until 27 weeks. After that we have to go on leave. It's not such a big deal for me because I work out of NJ and they have a law that pays you. I'm not making sense. UM...since pregnancy is considered a "disability" and you have to leave your job NJ gives you disability pay. It's a % based on how much you made over the last 8 weeks prior to leave. Even if I was sent out early I would be paid. Pay continues until 12 weeks after the baby is born. It's actually a pretty good gig. We can stay out for up to a year after the baby is born but after the first 12 weeks it is unpaid. I am pretty happy that I'll have off for all of the holidays this year!!!

Stephanie- Those nosey Army wives!!!!!!! I totally get it! My ex-fiance is Army. He's actually stationed at Ft Hood where you are. He was reserves when we were together but went back active a few years ago. Lord the drama!!!! I don't miss that at all. I do miss the formals though. LOL

[mev0630]

Hi everyone!

PA_FA - No, I'm on American Airlines. I'm in Chicago so I typically fly United or American since it's their hub, but oh how I hate O'Hare airport! That would've been great to meet some of your colleagues. Yes, although I am excited about the sight-seeing and some shopping, I am most excited to eat! Not sure if that's because I'm pregnant, but I can't wait!
I'm sad that I won't be able to fully experience Italian coffee or wine, but I might at least take a sip here and there.

Sounds like you have a great gig for your "disability" to have all that time off paid! How fabulous! I need to start looking into all that at my job. I'm already feeling pretty negative because I understand that you don't get extra time "just" for having twins and you only get a mere 2 weeks extra if delivery is C-section (that must have been decided by a man! )
I had to have my appendix taken out 10 years ago and that recovery was brutal and a much smaller and less painful incision!

AFM - Just got back from my Week 11 OB appointment. Not very exciting, no ultrasound, no doppler, nada. She said she wasn't even going to try to use the doppler since uterus still isn't above pubic bone at this point. Even though I am slightly because I'm carrying twins, she just wasn't going try. I did get to address a few more questions though and she have a few more pointers about traveling. I will see her again when I get back at Week 14 where we will definitely get the doppler. Which probably works out better anyway since my husband will get to be at that appt and we can experience hearing the heartbeats together . After that she said we could do our 2nd trimester screening at Week 16 which will include a level II US. We'll see her again at Week 18 after which we'll see her every 2 weeks with US at every visit beginning at Week 20.

So, I'm satisfied with the schedule and happy that our next two appointments will either include hearing or seeing the twins, which I think have now passed the embryo stage and are now officially fetuses!?! It depends on the book I read, which are many. In any case, I used to be a big "Friends" fan and I recall the episode where Phoebe sings, "Are you in there little fetus?, in 9 months will you come greet us?, I will buy you some Adidas!" I can't get it out of my head.

Ciao Ladies! Talk to you in a couple of weeks. Until then take care!

[Stephanieford78]

Mev - No bed rest for me yet. Just pelvic rest and my ob just informed me that I can have the occasional "O" I just can't have anytihng go in. lol I am sure that little bit of good news won't last too much longer though. I want to smack your ob for not giving you an u/s! It only takes a moment. Are you getting a nuchal translucency scan? It's suppose to be done in the first trimester. It's a good excuse to get to see your babies even if you aren't afraid of downs. I had one at 13 weeks, even though I am young I used IVF as an excuse but it can be done up to 14 weeks. Maybe you can schedule it now for when you get back?

Pa - I haven't been to a formal yet actually. My DH's unit is rediculous to say the least. They make the soldiers feel like they are crap if they don't go but make it so hard for everyone to go. They held the last one over an hour away, the tickets were outragously priced and if you did go, because it was held late at night and so far away, you could get a room, a nice expensive room. They offered daycare but even that was expensive. We just can't afford something like that on a tight budget with twins. I don't like those people anyway. lol

[purpleFish]

stephanie - I am so sorry you have to deal with gossipy wives. I don't understand how some women can be like that, I just wish that everyone could be discreet supportive instead, wouldn't it just make everyone's life easier=) I am sorry about the previa too. I know a lot of people that have been through it though and all the babies are healthy active 2-3 year olds now, so I am sure you will be just fine! I hope you aren't too nerve-racked over it, I know it can be very stressful. I too had a horrible experience with fertility treatments and some bad reactions, it makes me want to smack people. I was at my husband's sister's wedding and was 5 months pregnant with William and Hannah (from an IUI). My mother-in-law had told her relatives that we had done fertility treatments (I think she was just so excited we were finally pregnant and wanted everyone to understand what a miracle it was). I had one of my husband's extended relatives (great aunt-in-law or something), tell me that I didn't deserve these children and that if God had meant for me to have children I would have and that they were going to be evil devil children (I kid you not). I don't understand why some people have to be so mean and judgmental, if they only knew the pain of not being able to conceive naturally.

PA - your disability and leave sound great. I am laughing (in a nice way) at the thought of you fitting down the isles at 27 weeks. Hopefully though you have a stress-free pregnancy and are able to work up until then.

mev - two weeks... ugh! Do you have any vacation you can take on top of that or will they let you take a few weeks unpaid leave? Your trip sounds amazing! I would be so excited too! I am sure the flight will be smooth for you! Don't forget to drink plenty of water on your trip too, don't get dehydrated seeing all the amazing sights! I too am grateful for everyone on these boards. I love how open supportive and non-judmental everyone is! It is so inspirational. I also know that for all the struggles everyone is going to be amazing parents, just think about how much we love our little beans already!

[PA_FA]

purplefish- O...M...G I think I would have smacked her, relative and and elder or not. What a witch!!!!!! How dare she! OH geez it makes me angry just to think of someone treating you or anyone doing fertility treatments like that!
Yeah I laugh at the thought of me making my way down that aisle at 27 weeks too. LOL Lucky for me I usually work in first class. (Bigger aisles)

Stephanie- I understand about the cost...I remember it well. I only got to go to one since my ex turned out to be a big cheater but it was like a fun prom with booze! Ours was local in town so we didn't have to get a hotel room. Geez that would just be an extra expense I wouldn't want either!

Mev- Have a wonderful trip tomorrow!!!!!!!!!! We'll miss you until you come back. Try the gnocci and spinachi. Even if you are not a spinach fan as I was not...spinachi is out of this world. Sauteed spinach with garlic and olive oil. OMG so good! Be safe and drink lots of water!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and keep those hands washed. Airplanes are gross!

[kitty_mom]

Morning all
I was just reading about all that great italian food now not only and I jealous for your trip but I'm super hungry too

Nothing new here. Impatiently waiting for my appointment on Monday. I've turned into quite the worrier with these two. I thinnk it is because I have virtually no symptoms (I know I'm not complaining but I think there is something comforting in having them since you "feel" pregnant. I borrowed a friends fetal doppler (I wasnt expecting much since she had warned me that she never heard a heartbeat at all even at 35 weeks) hoping I would hear something and it would ease my mind, but nothing not even my own heartbeat! Any tips on the worrying? I know you'll all say welsome to mommyhood, cause that's what everyone seems to say. I guess I just need some piece of mind in between appointments. Does that make sense or am I going a little crazy?

Hope everyone is well OH and PURPLE-I cant believe what your DH's aunt said. I give you kudos for self control cause I dont think I could have controlled myself and not freaked out on her!