So Many Things "TWO" Consider
I knew pregnancy would be a fun time. So many women rubbed their growing bellies exclaiming, “I love being pregnant.” Now that I’ve been pregnant and know what it feels like, I just have one thing to say: Those women are crazy. With all my book reading and internet research, I knew twin pregnancy was going to be difficult. I just didn’t know how difficult.
At times it seemed that the birth was years away and wouldn’t get here soon enough. Other times, I realized how much there was to do to prepare for bringing babies home. I read a lot on the internet, joined an online M.O.M. (Moms of Multiples) group, and bought the What to Expect book to thumb through in the evenings. I signed up through my health insurance for a program that guides you through pregnancy. WeeCare offered pamphlets on every topic imaginable, a free book (I chose Dr Barbara Luke’s When You’re Expecting Twins), and advice from a nurse with just a phone call.
The first few months, Ryan and I would go to bed at the same time and I’d read him bits and pieces from this or that book. I’d chat with him about names. I’d blab to him about what I wanted the nursery to look like, what gear I’d researched that day or how our lives would be different once the babies came. He went along with it. He knew I was so tired that I couldn’t babble too long before falling asleep.
Ahead of the Rest
Everything comes earlier for twins – What to Expect book was good, but definitely not twin-specific. Helpful for a general idea of what to expect. But becomes more and more ‘off’ the further along you are. Comparing ultrasound estimates of size to the facts of the book became useless.
Everything I read also says that the morning sickness most women experience can start sooner and come on stronger when pregnant with twins than a singleton pregnancy. Oh, joy! And looking back, it was true. Knowing dates and weeks gestation, I counted backwards. I started experiencing nausea and horrible strong scents probably around 2 weeks pregnant - well before I knew I was expecting one, let alone two babies.
Morning Sickness
Oh, the lovely morning sickness. Not many people tell you that morning sickness lasts all day. That was the worst part of it. If I didn't keep eating solids and keep hydrated, I got sick quite easily. I was constantly nauseated but never threw up. I kept saltine crackers at the ready.
There are so many remedies for morning sickness. The best one is to just keep eating and drinking, even when it sounds disgusting and especially then. The thing that helped me get over that yucky feeling even when I had been eating and drinking was to sip some peppermint tea. Go to any health food store and there's tea of every variety. When you have an upset tummy, Grandma always gives you peppermint candy. Read up on it if you want, but peppermint has a calming effect on the stomach. So I'd drink peppermint tea. It was hard to get used to the minty brown brew for a non-tea drinker. But it did the trick. I would slowly sip, and slowly but surely, I would feel better. Ask any woman and she'll have her own remedy for you to try. But this one worked for me.
Code Brown
As a 911 dispatcher, people call us needing an ambulance to drive them to the hospital for many reasons. Sometimes, that reason is diarrhea. When someone calls 911 and their main complaint is diarrhea, we tell the responding ambulance "the patient is Code Brown." The ambulance then knows what they will be dealing with.
Almost every morning for several weeks in my first trimester, I was Code Brown. Unfortunately, Pepto Bismol is not safe during pregnancy. My doctor handed me a list of safe meds at my first appointment and I made sure to stock up. Kaopectate was approved by my doctor for diarrhea. We bought a bottle of mint flavor. It was disgusting. So, I looked online to find Kaopectate pills. Viola! We bought 3 packs of 30. It seemed like alot at the time, but every single one of them went to good use.
It actually became a routine for my husband. Get up to the sounds of your wife grunting in the bathroom, bring her some Kaopectate and some water or a bottle of Gatorade, hold your breath as you enter the bathroom so you don't have to smell the stink, drop off the goods, and leave in a hurry. Every morning. I had diarrhea so much in the mornings that I was scared that the babies weren't getting any nutrition.
By my 14 week doctor appointment, I had lost 10 pounds. If I was a skinny chick, that would make a big difference. But, I'm "fluffy" or "padded" or "heavy set" or just plain fat. Even with excess weight to lose, I was still worried about the babies. The doctor assured me that being overweight to start with, it doesn't matter much to lose 10 pounds. As long as I am able to eat, it's okay. Well, I didn't feel like it was okay, but I tried not to worry. I was eating well and eating plenty. I was taking my prenatal vitamins. We saw the babies on an ultrasound and the doctor deemed them healthy. I was relieved.
The Code Brown mornings eventually tapered off and then went away completely. But it seemed to take forever to happen.
Exhaustion & Taking It Easy
Take naps. Don’t worry about housework. Cancel all non essential activities and responsibilities and stresses. I don’t know if it’s actually true, but I believe it whole-heartedly: the less you do physically, the better it is for your babies. I used to be one to move large objects without help (6 months prior to getting pregnant, I moved a washing machine up a flight of stairs all by myself with no trouble). I am an ox. BUT. For the sake of my developing babies, I decided to take it easy. A ‘heavy’ load for me during pregnancy to lift was a full laundry basket: a far cry from my heaving a large metal object through a stairwell. But I honestly feel it was good that I limited myself. Some say, the more you work and do, the better off you’ll be. I thought that at the beginning, but when it came right down to it, I was more comfortable taking less risk. There are women who work up until the day or week before they deliver their twins. They never go on bed rest. They have a problem free vaginal delivery with no drugs and go home to breastfeed their twins with no problems for 18 months. But, from my experience with other twin moms, this is not the norm. The best advice I could give during pregnancy is listen to your body. Your body will tell you if you’re hungry, thirsty, or tired. All you have to do is listen and obey. I had to learn to listen better. It isn’t hard to obey when your hands are shaky and your stomach feels queasy.
Food and Drink
Besides rest, eating properly is one of the most important things you can do to help give your babies the best chances for a good start. I would recommend Dr Barbara Luke’s When You’re Expecting Twins for in depth insights on eating. I read the parts I wanted to read – it’s quite medical and sometimes scary. She gave suggestions on daily required amounts for twins, triplets and quadruplets. I made up a sheet to tape to the fridge to make sure I was getting my daily ‘requirements’ for good baby weights. I never actually printed it out. I just knew I needed to eat and eat.
My own advice on eating is: eat a lot and eat the good stuff. At first I was a bit timid in the things I ate, trying to avoid the ‘bad during pregnancy’ foods. Little by little, you realize that a Dr Pepper here and there wouldn’t hurt anyone. Everything in moderation is a good phrase to keep in mind.
My moderation ended with the financial aspect of eating. No matter the cost, I’d eat what sounded good. The more I spent on a steak dinner with mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes, the better off my babies would be. Sounds silly, but it made it easier to eat expensively, aka well. Prior to being pregnant, I’d eat cheap and fast, little fruits or vegetables. A full day was maybe a soda for breakfast, a bowl of cereal if I had time on my hands, a meat and cheese sandwich for lunch and drive thru dinner. Writing it out like that makes it seem even worse.
Once pregnant, I ate probably four large meals a day and at least four or five snacks a day. I ate cheese and milk and meat and veggies with dip. I ate whole grain breads and crackers. I ate fruit. I ate some vegetables, but preferred veggie drinks like V8. Big salads with chicken and cheese and bacon were favorites. I should have bought stock in Carnation Instant Breakfast: drinking sometimes three or four a day. Proteins and good carbohydrates were what my body was craving. I didn’t like to eat actual meat a lot, but I still ate plenty of cheese and eggs and milk for protein.
If I had time to hit the grocery store before work, I’d head back to the produce deli section and get a ready bowl of cut up mixed ripe fruit: melon, grapes, berries, apples, pineapple, etc. Oh, it was good. I would buy a large bowl, maybe $12-$15 worth of fruit and eat that all day. Sometimes a bowl would last two or three days. Sometimes not. I tried to pair it with scoops of cottage cheese to balance the carbs and proteins.
A breakfast favorite was two bagels and cream cheese or a large muffin, followed by a half gallon of milk and a few dollars worth of cut up fruit with cottage cheese. I ate all of this food within a two to three hour period. Some days, I’d stop for a large breakfast burrito with sausage, eggs, cheese, potatos and salsa and a large orange juice. And then, an hour later, I was ready for a sandwich or some soup or both! A snack was a cheese stick and some crackers, or a Carnation Instant Breakfast and some fruit. I really tried to balance my proteins and carbohydrates.
While at work, I would keep a one gallon jug of water at my desk. I would take the jug with me and refill it at home. I’d drink a lot of juice, but I only wanted the 100% juice, not the sugary juice cocktails with less than 20% fruit juice. Milk and I were best friends. I usually drink 1%, but since I needed “good fats” I switched to whole milk.
Frequency of Urination
You pee alot in the beginning. Then it tapers off during the second trimester and you feel great because you can sleep through the night without getting up to pee. Then you have to pee again - a lot! I honestly think that OBGYNs should give pregnant women a urinary catheter at 30 weeks gestation. I woke up at least 3-4 times at night to pee. It was quite exhausting.
Dizzy/ Light headed
Pregnancy changes many things. My blood pressure is normally around 135/90, a little high. Average blood pressure for most people is 120/80. The nurse took my blood pressure and read back, "One-twelve over seventy." Um. I know I just felt squeezing on my arm, so you aren't taking someone else's blood pressure. "My blood pressure is normally a little high. That's really weird."
During pregnancy, all the blood in your body rushes to the uterus where the blood is needed to take nutrients to your babies. The majority of your blood is not floating around your bloodstream anymore: not in your head, not in your arms where your blood pressure is taken. So, many women are light headed. The doctors office won't even flinch when a pregnant woman passed out.
I felt light-headed frequently and would sit down and rest. I didn't know why I was feeling this way until the nurse explained it. Subsequent blood pressures were 100/65 and 110/72. After the explanation, I wasn't worried. Very interesting.
Spotting
Some spotting is normal. I had spotting until I was ___ weeks. It was diagnosed as a subchorionic hemorrhage, a bleed between the uterine wall and the placenta. I was terrified. But, everything turned out fine.
You just have to make sure that you aren’t passing large clots of blood, bright red ‘new’ blood, or cramping. If you have any question, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Sexual activity even can cause spotting. So, don’t freak out, but listen to your body. If you feel something isn’t right, get it checked out.
Whale Coverings - aka: Maternity Clothes
The dreaded maternity pant. If you are a fashion conscious woman, get ready for a slap in the face. I am not at all fashion conscious. In fact, I wear my dispatch uniform many places just because, that's what I'm wearing for the day. Dressing for a non-work day, a nice pair of jeans, leather sandals, and a solid color, v-neck tshirt was my style. Dressing up is wearing nice jeans with closed-toe shoes and a solid color, collared v-neck shirt. Dressing fancy is black whatever. So, I'm pretty casual.
Maternity clothing is terrible. I'm sure it has improved since my mother wore it, but I honestly believe most maternity clothing is designed by a man with a beer gut. It's not comfortable. You feel like you look horrible and then you put on your stretchy, ugly pants. I never cried when I wore my whale coverings, but I didn't put up with it for long.
To lounge around the house, I wore spaghetti strap, shelf bra shirts and gym shorts. Once I got hugely pregnant, I wore maternity size spaghetti strap, shelf bra shirts and size 4x gym shorts. That's right. I waddled myself into a Walmart and went to the "Big and Tall" section of the men's department. I bought five pairs of shorts and after a break at the snack bar and potty, I waddled back out to the parking lot happy with my purchases.
Sex
This is quite a touchy subject. For the first weeks in pregnancy, having sex was the last thing I wanted to do. I would have rather scrubbed toilets, or gone to a nude beach, or scrubbed toilets at a nude beach. Sex did not sound appealing in the slightest.
My husband had an accident at work involving his man-parts and (thankfully for me) couldn’t have sex for several weeks. I was sad that he was injured, but elated that he knew he couldn’t and shouldn’t.
My best advice is to just communicate. Even have an every Tuesday agreement with your spouse. Sometimes when you aren’t feeling like it, it’s nice to know you don’t really have to until Tuesday. But if you’re in the mood on a different day, in the text message words of my husband, “For Hell’s sake, WAKE ME!”
Perinatology
In our small town, a generally healthy pregnancy was quickly considered high risk once multiples were involved. My doctor was highly capable and I felt very comfortable with him. But he wanted the best care for me and my babies. I appreciated that. So, he sent me to a perinatologist. They did in depth ultrasounds every 4 weeks, checking growth, and health of each kid.
My first appointment was at about 12 weeks. I was told by my NICU nurse mother, that the perinatology equipment is highly sophisticated and they might be able to tell me the sexes of the babies at this stage. Not true. That was a big disappointment. Maybe when the technology gets a little better, but not when I was counting on it.
That first appointment, I knew I would be able to see more than just blobs: there would be baby-shaped blobs. I was told to drink a soda or orange juice about 30 minutes before the ultrasound and the kids would be bouncing around like crazy. I hear ultrasound techs don’t like that, but I didn’t care. I was supposed to have a full bladder anyway, why not orange juice?
I was in the waiting room fidgeting and anxious for about 45 minutes. My bladder was going to explode and they would soon be pushing on it with a little jellied wand. This sucks.
I was finally called back and told to unzip my pants for the ultrasound. “Your bladder is too full. Go empty it and then come back.” You’ve got to be kidding me. So, I went potty and came back. The picture was perfectly clear. It turns out, the later in pregnancy you are, the less full your bladder needs to be for a clear picture. Who would’ve thought!
That ultrasound made this pregnancy more real for me than anything. I saw two wiggling little baby-shaped blobs who were moving their hands and kicking. It was precious. I teared up. And so did Ryan.
Have any questions ready. These guys know their stuff. And don’t be afraid to ask for ultrasound printouts for waiting friends and family. While I’m on this subject, if you want to do a supplemental ultrasound to find out the sexes of the babies, or just to get video or more pictures, call ahead and see when they recommend getting this done. Twins get cramped awfully fast in there. So when a mom of singletons gets a fun face shot at 34 weeks, your multiples are gonna be too smashed and you might get a cute little elbow to take home.
When making the appointments, ask if there is room for visitors to come with you. The room my specialist used could accommodate 4 or 5 observers easily. A few appointments, I even invited my mother and sisters along to watch. My mother loved it. My youngest sister loved it. But the middle sister (isn’t it always the middle child??) just didn’t get it. She couldn’t see the face or the hand or which blob was what. Everyone was trying to explain to her what we were watching but she just didn’t get it. It made for an almost disappointing experience. I was quite stressed after this visit. Choose wisely who you will invite: they can easily influence your emotional state.
A large television screen in front of my patient table made for easy viewing of what was on the ultrasound screen. For some reason, their recording equipment wasn’t working, so I had my husband bring our video camera in and take a video of the ultrasound. It was a little shaky and not as clear as a regular recording, but it worked.
I actually made nice with a few of the ultrasound gals and finally braved up and asked for a 3D ultrasound. Of course, the doctor walked in right then and was starting to ask me questions and give me updates on conditions. I was just getting my first looks at my babies’ faces in real 3 dimensions. It was incredible. I could have teared up if not for being distracted with a yammering doctor. The tech gave me a nice face shot of “B” and tried to get a face of “A” but she was too far down to get any good shots. I should have asked for a hand or foot shot of her, but I was distracted. It would have been nice to put with all the other ultrasound printouts.
Not a woe – but lots of appointments. Every 4 weeks. Fun ultrasounds. Bring a video camera if they cant record it. Have questions ready. Don’t be afraid to ask for 3d pics. I did, but too late for A. Smooshed face. Should have asked for a 3d foot or hand.
Gall Bladder
We had pizza for dinner.
Knew it wasn’t the babies, not the uterus.
Nausea, severe seering pain. vomiting
Kidney stones
Not fun.
Lortab okay for pain
Called OB floor, nurses are a big help. Floor phone number on speed dial. Instant answers for odd questions day and night when dr office is closed or cant get back to you right away.
When in doubt, GO IN! not worth fiddling around
Glucose testing & GD
1 hr test, not bad. 3 hr test was torture. Sick after. Failed hour 1, but hr 2 & 3 were fine. Wanted a retest. NO WAY, Jose! I’d rather stick my finger 4 times a day. So I did.
Diabetes Education
Info online was as good as. Getting bills for months after babies were born, even though they said was covered by ins. Then I found out it wasn't covered by insurance and the date of service was one week before I was covered by Medicaid. I had to eventually fork out almost $200 for one appointment.
Steroids for Lung Development – just in case, had the injection. Glad I did. No nicu time for the girls.
RH shots - Mom’s blood type is whatever “negative” then you will have to have the shots, no matter what.
Non Stress Tests - End of pregnancy, 30+ weeks, quickie ultrasound, fetal heart monitor for 20 minutes just checking health of babies.
Modified Work Hours
FMLA Leave
Didn’t realize how tired I was
8 hours a day at work – eat sleep and work
4 hours a day at work – able to help with housework, errands
24hour urine - gross. Had to pee in a container and keep all the pee in the fridge for 24 hours.
Traveling 300 miles for a baby shower
The word ‘horrid’ comes to mind. We took the Ford Ranger so we could pack home all of our new treasures and baby gizmos. The ride up was absolutely awful and at a few points along the trip, I was close to tears. To prevent blood clots, we had to stop every hour to walk around. I was uncomfortable. I had to pee all the time. I couldn’t move around. But for some reason, the drive back was fine. Get permission to travel. Leave in plenty of time to get there. Extra mile – Know how to get to the nearest hospital with NICU capability.
So Much for Sleeping In
One morning in early January, Ryan was scheduled for an early shift. I didn’t have to work that day. Of course, my big plans for the morning were sleeping in.
The phone rang at a little after 8am. It was Ryan’s cell phone. I didn’t want to answer: he was probably just on a break and calling to see how I was. I decided I’d better answer. Screening your husband’s calls just seemed tacky to this newlywed.
“Hi. I got hurt at work. Someone is driving me to the emergency room. I need you to come to the hospital. And please call my parents.” I was calm. I was sure nothing was really wrong. I asked what happened. A long story short, he tripped coming down off of a movable staircase and, um… hurt his manhood. I didn’t understand why he needed to go to the emergency room for that. He explained there was blood, a lot of blood. I figured he was just being concerned with his male parts, but reassured him that I’d be there shortly.
I quickly got ready and drove to the ER. I called my father in law on the way there. I explained that I didn’t know much but I’d call with further details when I knew more.
I met Ryan at the triage desk. He was sitting in a wheelchair, which I thought was a bit much. The coworker that drove him was a retired man who bagged groceries in his spare time. I thanked him for his trouble and he left.
While the nurse was performing her examination of blood pressure, pulse, and asked medical history type questions, Ryan adjusted himself in the wheelchair and that’s when I noticed the blood on his pants.
With each new hospital employee, Ryan was required to re-explain his traumatic injury. The employees that knew me joked that it was a good thing that he had already knocked me up with twins. Oh brother.
We got back to the examination room and I helped him undress and put the gown on. His underwear was full of blood. I thought I spotted and bled a lot during regular periods. This was much worse. This underwear was not salvageable. He stood leaning against the table and drips of blood slowly hit the floor. He was still bleeding. Now I became quite concerned. I felt horrible that I downplayed it so much. He was hurt quite badly.
After quite an agonizing wait, several procedures including him peeing a bloody urine sample into a cup for his Workers Compensation drug test and an ultrasound of his testicles, they called in a urologist.
Another not so quick procedure indicated my husband had severed his urethra, the tube that carries urine from your bladder to the outside of your body. This was no simple injury, and no simple fix. He required immediate surgery. I called and updated his parents. With that news, they planned a trip down to help. I was thankful for the support. My mother also came to the ER to bring me breakfast of yogurt, a muffin and some milk and wait with me for the surgical staff to take Ryan to surgery.
I was told how long the procedure would take and that Ryan would be in the hospital overnight. He would also have two urine catheters: one coming out of his penis, and another one coming from his abdomen. That’s right. They actually had to cut into him and put in another catheter.
When the doctor was done, he came to the waiting room to see me. He pulled me into a private room to give me the news. Ryan did indeed sever his urethra and they were able to stitch it back together. I was relieved. There was a ‘but’ that I wasn’t prepared for. The scar tissue at the wound site could become a problem once it was healed and not permit urine to flow out of the body. That was the reason for the second catheter. If this became a problem, Ryan would need surgery in San Francisco in a few months. Yikes. I listened to more information from the doctor, but didn’t comprehend much of it. I was happy that Ryan was okay for the moment, but I was scared beyond belief that this wouldn’t be the end of the injury.
The next day, Ryan was released to go home. We were given instructions by a nurse and more supplies to take care of the incision site for the second catheter. The nurse said he could shower once per day and that we needed to keep the incision site clean and dry. . Make a follow up appointment with the urologist at the two week mark. Also, no sex at least until that appointment. This is horrible news for newlyweds, but it made sense. With me being pregnant, I certainly didn’t feel like being intimate anyway. It was a good excuse for me.
Invalid Taking Care of Invalid
So, I feel like crap, but my husband is injured and bed-ridden for at least the next few days. One surgery down, and most likely, one to go. I had to bring him food and water, help him get in and out of bed, empty his pee bags, help him shower. I was happy to do all of these things for the man I loved, but not in my state. I was queasy, I was easily exhausted, and I was irritable. Not a good combo for someone who was to be nursing someone back to health.
My in-laws came to help. I was thankful and hoped they’d just do their own thing and ask Ryan what he needed. But, as to not bother him, they deferred all questions to me. They wanted to do things we needed done, but I was in no condition to coordinate efforts. They cleaned and did yard work. They folded laundry and made meals. It was nice to have them there, but it stressed me out anyway. I felt horrible that I wasn’t being a hostess to them, but, I felt crappy too, damn it!
His mother took me shopping for groceries. I was too tired to wander around a grocery store, but trying to be polite, I obliged. She grabbed a cart and we wandered the store. She would see a product and ask, “Does Ryan like ___?” I had no idea on most of the items. He did the shopping since he was the one that worked at the grocery store. He was a picky vegetarian and I was also picky. Between being newlyweds and crazy schedules, we didn’t eat many meals together besides breakfast cereal and peanut butter sandwiches.
After an almost excruciating trip to the store, we headed home with our loot. Thank goodness I was not required to haul the groceries in the house. All I wanted to do was nap. I checked on Ryan in the bedroom – he was content and listening to music on his iPod. I went back upstairs and laid down on the couch. I heard my in-laws bringing in groceries but I didn’t care.
Not ten minutes later, my mother in law was calling to me from downstairs. "What do I do with this?" she was asking. What the hell do you have? I was thinking. I was so aggravated, and I guess it showed. I got up to see what she needed. She had both of Ryan’s urine bags in her hands and was asking how to empty them. I then heard the shower running and knew she had ushered him into the bathroom. He wasn’t quite stable enough to stand that long by himself yet. I bounded down the stairs and took the bags from her and went into the bathroom to help Ryan. I was way too tired to be a cordial hostess.
While I helped Ryan shower, my in-laws changed our bed sheets, a very thoughtful gesture. By the time they were finished, I had Ryan all cleaned up and ready to get back to bed.
Between being tired and cranky, being stressed that my in-laws were there to help but wanted instruction, not feeling up to having sex, and having to take care of my now invalid husband, I was at my threshold. With so much going on, I teared up a few times, sometimes within sight of one or both in-laws, and many times in front of Ryan.
Finances
Prepare now! See how much FMLA leave you have. See how much paid time off (vacation, holiday, sick leave, etc) you have available. Trust me, it won’t be enough. I ended up being on bed rest toward the end of my pregnancy and using up all my FMLA time and paid time off before the babies were a month old. I got a loan against my 401k to pay for some house payments, etc. Just planning ahead.
I knew I would run out of time and have to make a special request for an extension. During the actual extension, I would not get insurance benefits, I would not get paid, I would not accrue any vacation or sick time. That extension would later affect reinstating my insurance, my 401k, my seniority, my wage, and my paycheck. Thank goodness my plea for an extension included a request to reinstate my current wage (instead of taking a cut in pay for no longer being an “employee”) and reinstate my seniority (instead of being bumped to perma-graveyard shift with all the new people). Grave shift and new babies don’t mix. Any shift and new babies don’t mix. I would not be getting paid for my extension. Yikes for the checking account. But I couldn’t leave one month old twins home with my husband. Certainly, he was capable, but it wasn’t practical and fair.
Find out when you need to inform your health insurance company of the twins existence. I had my Human Resources insurance representative on speed dial. Make sure if you have to sign up for insurance every year that you plan your insurance needs accordingly. I had previously been on a very expensive insurance plan and when the babies came into the picture, I would have to pay dearly for insurance for them if I stayed on the same plan. So, when it was allowed, I switched to a plan that made better sense for four people: namely, one that didn’t cost a few arms and legs to pay for.
Apply for state aid. Swallow your pride and just do it. I was embarrassed to be “on welfare” but it was well worth the embarrassment to have what we needed. Look at it this way – if you pay your taxes then these programs are there to help you. I paid my taxes and knew we wouldn’t be “on welfare” forever. It would only be a few months until we got on our feet. I didn’t think we would qualify. But we got $600 a month in food stamps. We qualified for medical assistance: I got medical for the first three months. This included some ultrasounds, some hospital visits to be checked for preterm labor, and my cesarean section and hospital stay. I even had to have my gallbladder out when the girls were 6 weeks old and it paid for all that. The babies qualified for medical assistance until they were one year old. So, if you’re keeping track, I didn’t pay a cent for the cesarean, hospital stays for the three of us, or any pediatrician visits and medication for the first year. A staggering amount of money saved just by filling out some paperwork. I encourage anyone to do it. If you really don’t need the help, you’re much better off to start with!
After the babies were born, we also took a trip to the WIC Office to see what we could qualify for. I didn’t know, but pregnant women are eligible for food benefits, so take advantage of that if you can. Since the babies were already born, we qualified for formula and adult food since I was breastfeeding (or attempting it anyway). We had to show proof of residency (utility bill, etc), proof of household income, and a form of ID (drivers license, etc), and birth certificate and social security cards for the babies. After a short wait and an extensive visit with a nurse and a nutrition consultant, we walked out two hours later with vouchers for 3 months worth of formula and adult foods like milk, cereal, canned tuna fish, vegetables, and cheese. Well worth it. I felt like a bad mother who was begging for food and help from the government, but I got over that quickly when funds were low and our main source of purchasing formula became WIC vouchers. You can also have your pediatrician prescribe a certain formula if the brand that WIC dispenses doesn’t do well with your little tummies. WIC actually changes formulas on a yearly basis depending on the contract they can get. At the time, they were with Enfamil, but changed to Similac. Our reflux was much better on Nestle Good Start, so one call to the pediatrician and we were able to get vouchers for Good Start.
Transitioning back to work --
At three months old, I was out of money. The 401k money was gone. I would have to go back to work to pay some bills, but I had the extension that said I didn’t have to be back for another month. As a very generous offer, my dad paid our mortgage for one month. That allowed me to stay home with the babies a little longer. He was happy to do it. I was speechless and thankful. Again, any help is better than nothing.
I told my work to start scheduling me one day a week for a few weeks, then two days a week, etc to wean back into 40 hour work weeks. It was helpful for me to be away from the babies in short increments and it was helpful for Ryan to be the main caregiver without being able to ask questions on every situation. Since Ryan would be a stay-at-home-dad, I felt much more comfortable easing him into a 40 hour week also. The transition was great.
It is hard to focus on things at work for the first little while. Just relax. You should call to check in. The first few times I called, the phone was answered by a flustered husband with crying babies in the background. I felt so guilty for not being home. But I had to work. It was our main income. The girls were 3 months old and we had a routine established. Ryan could handle it.
It started to get easier to leave Ryan in charge after a stressful day with the babies. Is this what some dads feel like? Being happy going off to work and letting someone else take care of the kids? Hmm. I loved being home with my little family. But I also loved being at work. It gave me a chance to get some adult conversation that didn’t include topics like: pee, poop, spit up, laundry, bottles, and dishes.
Months later, I still feel guilty for not being home with my kids. I don’t think I’ll ever get over that feeling. I think it’s the working mom’s curse. But they have someone there to take care of them. And they are happy, healthy kids. I can’t ask for more.
Bed Rest
Now it hits you. I’m not ready! One week of bed rest. I can do that. Realistically, you will not return to work after you’ve been prescribed bed rest. For the first few days, I thought I’d go back to my modified shifts. After all, all I do at work is sit down. But with blood pressure problems (145/110), blood clots from sitting too long can form.
Routine – Wake up to pee. Also hungry. If I didn’t want to be awake for the day yet, I’d make a Carnation Instant Breakfast (No Sugar Added for the GD – whole milk), or have a string cheese stick and go back to bed. If I felt good enough to be awake, I’d microwave myself a Jimmy Dean Breakfast sandwich (not the lowfat variety). While that was heating, I’d make a Carnation and drink it. I’d be awake for an hour or so, and then take a one hour nap. Wake up to pee and eat again.
One thing I wish I had done on bed rest instead of veg out infront of the tv and memorize my favorite shows, channels, and times – read about breastfeeding, preemie babies, and the first 3 months. You really don’t have time once they are born. Utilize your bed rest time to educate yourself.
Sure I read the small section on breastfeeding in the What to Expect When Book. I read their ½ page section on breastfeeding twins. I read some articles online, but when it came time to put babe to my actual breast, I felt like I didn’t know anything. Truly, if I had educated myself more, I might have had the same awkwardness. But I wish I’d tried a little harder while I had the time. Being a first time mom, and no close friends who recently breastfed, I didn’t have the slightest clue when it came to the functionality and troubles of breastfeeding. I heard so many women (my mother in law, coworkers, friends moms, etc) say that they had enough milk to feed an army. Of course that would happen to me too. I wonder sometimes, that if I had a singleton first and breastfeeding went well, if I would have been able to breastfeed my twins longer. Then I think that having a toddler or older child in need of attention would only add to the stress I felt during the pumping sessions.
In the end, bedrest sucked. But I was glad my babies were getting the bake time they needed.
Registering for All the Junk Babies Need
I was amazed at how much crap there was that babies need. Some stuff is handy but not necessary and every mom has a different opinion. Ask around and see who likes what and why. My best advice is: start product research early and register early.
Check out different places to register and what they charge for shipping, etc. The place I first registered at had outrageous shipping rates and most of the things I liked online were not available in any store near me. Some $20 items cost $15 to ship. When I’m going to be pinching pennies for a while to buy diapers and formula, I don’t want others to have to shell out and extra $15 when I could’ve gotten a better gift. Greedy? Selfish? I prefer to think of it as cost-effective.
You should also check out a store’s return policy. Do you have to have the receipt to return high dollar items? Can you exchange things for store credit even if you don’t have a receipt? Can items not in stock be special ordered for no additional cost to you? Do your homework and you’ll end up okay.
When registering, be sure to think of everyone who will want to give you a gift. Does the way you’re choosing to register give access to everyone, like non-internet-using great-grandparents?
I finally chose a large box store that had free shipping to their store if the item wasn’t in stock. It was awesome. I waddled around the store and booped everything in site. I looked online and saw other things that I added to my list. It took me probably 2 months of sorting and arranging and reading through reviews and talking to other parents before I was ready to publish my list for friends and family.
Access for everyone? Non internet users like great grandparents
Selection of items for twins
Register for everything, get what you need and didn’t get later.
Coupons – sign up early in pregnancy, or it will take forever to get the coupons to your door.
Burp cloths under during night time
Roll blankets for small babies, bouncer, swing, carseats
Which bottles should I get?
How many bottles do you need? That depends. How often do you want to wash bottles? Do the math. If your two babies eat about every three hours, that’s at least eight feedings per day. That makes 16 bottles every 24 hours. When you think about it, it’s a lot. Silly me. I didn’t do that math until the babies were about three months old. I was so completely sick of washing bottles all the time. It makes sense when you think about it. Warning – the more bottles you have, the longer you can go without washing bottles, which means the more bottles you will have to wash when you actually get around to it.
Furniture
2 cribs at once
Crib features (5 in 1 to last longer) teething shield on rail
Latch ease of use w 2 babies. Knee press or fingers pull
Underbed storage – useful but plastic bin under works too, size you want
Why no bassinet/ co sleeper – price vs another crib you’ll need anyway
Changing table
Rocking chair
Dressers
Lamps – easy on the eyes in the middle of the night
Gear
Expensive carseat vs cheaper that only will last until 1 yoa
Snap n go – love it!
Double stroller for later
Crib vs bassinet vs convertible crib
Play yards – big, don’t need until they are rolling over
Travel bed – blankets on the floor, bring the play yard
Mattress – most have plastic type outsides. Get that and there’s no need for a ‘waterproof mattress pad’ – we got the cheapest one, worked fine.
Toys
Don’t bother, others will buy you toys, and for each little holiday, they will buy you more toys and more clothes.
Bedding
Blankets, quilts, changing pad, cover, set, dust ruffle, bumper, sheets
Don’t buy expensive cutesie stuff. Go cheap and matchy if you want. I bought $280 set for one crib and don’t have anything to match it and wish I had that money for formula or diapers.
Feeding
Bottles – I had some 2oz bottles and those were very nice for the first days of measuring how much they ate and how much milk I produced.
Early days – keep a chart. I heard of it, thought about it, decided against it. Ended up needing it to keep track of breast milk output and who pooped when - girls were 4 days constipated before I realized no one pooped in a while.
Take a tour of the L&D floor, c-section room. NSY and NICU, just in case. Get pamphlets on any questions you have.
My hospital required delivery of twins in c-section room. In case a is vag and b needs c/s.
I didn’t interview pedis. Found the idea to be ‘haughty’ but I did ask trusted friends and family for recommendations and explanations of why. Word of mouth can be fine, if you’re easy going. If not, do some interviews.
What to pack in your bag for the hospital
Twin to twin transfusion is for identicals
Identicals are a fluke of nature
Fraternals run in families.
Vanishing twin – lots of pregnancies start out as twins
INTERNET POSTS-------TIMELINE
15 wks- Thinking about having a shower, baby shopping at a few stores w hubby, haven’t thought about registering yet, waiting to find out sexes before shopping. Nursery decorating thoughts. No name brands, just generic. Major diarrhea – 1-2 times per week. Lost 10 lbs since the last appt, nurse was concerned but doctor wasn’t. give anything to be gaining weight. I eat all the time. It’s become a running joke at work. Not concerned about weight loss for me, just don’t want to keep losing. Already sleeping in the recliner sometimes. Dh sad, but understands.
16 wks---- hoping to find out sexes at ob appt. still 2 wks until peri appt. feeling babies move every once in a while, not consistent. Worried but first pregnancy, so it’s still early. Not showing. Uterus is really high up to the feel. Babies are both transverse as of last u/s. thinking about signing up for childbirth classes. May 2, 2 hrs every Tuesday, 6 wks long. $50 per couple. Nothing for multiples. Small town.
The little hospital volunteer guy that answered the phone even tried to trick me -
ME: "I'd like to sign up for Childbirth Class."
HIM: "Oh, great. But we only do that if you're having triplets."
ME: "I'm having TWINS. Is that good enough?"
HIM: ...speechless...
16 wks- ob appt yesterday, still unknown sexes. Since peri appt was close, no u/s needed. But he couldn’t find the hb for either w the Doppler. Only tried 30-45 seconds. Used portable u/s machine. Saw both hearts. One baby was opening and shutting the hand. Both transverse, kicking eachother in the head. Gained over 5 lbs. very happy. Eating like crazy to gain. Talking about childbirth natural vs drugs.
Almost 17 wks-----pain behind the belly button. Diarrhea several times and that pain was more severe. Dr said nothing to worry about. Only feeling movement every few days. Not quite sure sometimes. Love it when dh rubs the belly. Hoping it wont be too much longer for him to feel. So many ultrasounds and appts due to bleeding in the beginning now it’s hard to wait a few weeks. Love maternity pants. Feel crazy sometimes and it’s normal compared to others.
18 wks----- both are girls – 90% sure. Level 2 ultrasound. One under belly button, other was shy w hand over privates. Jiggled belly and it worked. Changed due date to be later 1 wk. full bladder for u/s, she said, your bladder is really full, why don’t you go empty it? Why didn’t they tell me don’t bother drinking because you’re far enough along we don’t need it for a clear pic. Started to register. Daunting. Ftm has no freaking idea. Not telling anyone, not official until I shop w mil she can help me decide. Others got gliders, but I’m too fluffy to feel comfy in cheap. Got a lazboy. Ordered ez2 nurse pillow.
20 wks exactly---- some cramping on the left side. Bending over cleaning, so I’ve been relieved of that. Check up tomorrow, getting quad screen results. Haven’t been worried. Still not really showing, but long waisted and they pushed up my guts. Lots of heartburn and sobr. Feeling babies a lot more consistently in last 3-4 days. One placenta anterior, one posterior, not a lot of movement.. now thuds and tickles. Wondering about GD.
Almost 22 wks----- doing fine. Still tired. Lots of naps and going to bed early. Try to make myself do ONE thing per day, dishes or laundry. Dh does everything and I feel like a burden. He’s good to me. Talking about paid leave. 5 ½ wks saved up. Used a lot on sick days early on. Every is so worried about it. But I cant force myself to work when I’m sick. Not fair to citizens to have a dispatcher only half there. Short term and long term disability and other options – money from 401k to have on hand. Got some savings from house refi. Dh on WComp. What if I have to go on bedrest? That will eat up the time.only have house payemtns and cell bills, no veh payments. Never been informed of baby weights, so I’ll ask. Request a pic of girls together, so far we just have separate ones. 3d u/s, wanting to schedule but don’t know a good time gestation wise so they don’t look funny, but not too squished. Talking names. Decided on chloe. Like corah. Prefer a c/s bu up for anything if they are in the right position. Wanting all the drugs they’ll give me. No way to natural. Changing mind on original decisions, 2 cribs or 1 crib w bassinet. Purchased crib bedding, being shipped. Now we can start painting.
22 wks---------finally confirmed both girls. Really slow tech, belly got sore from pushing so long. Girls were sleeping in the beginning and more active toward end. Peri cam in twice to see if tech was done yet. Sister and mom w dh at u/s, fun to hear mom talking to grandbabies. Both are just over 1 lb – 1.3 and 1.4. a is head down w feet up to the right side. B flipped to being head on my left with feet to my right. Feeling a jumble of feet on my right side. Lots of movement, kicks all the time. Dh still only felt it once. When hands push, they stop. Labia pain ob says normal ligament stretching. I hate it. Happens anytime – laying ,sitting, walking, leaining, walking. If I’m at a computer and hunching over too long, belly aches. Takes a few hrs to feel normal again.. have to schedule slc baby shower around dh’s surgery in sanfran. Early june. Not thrilled about traveling then, kinda hoping ob will say no way. No back pain like the others, but some discomfort. Even if it sounds like nothing, call the ob, it’s not worth the risk. Some bleeding but no cramping, ob not worried about it but still wants occasional u/s. Registering for cribs. Found some at Target. Also avail in stores, but not within 200 miles of my store. Shipping on the $140 crib takes total to $217. Store says to keep calling and they might get another one in. Very tired and not being a sissy. Looking forward to not being pregnant. Thinking about doing the shower after the babies are born. Seems weird though, need stuff when the babies get here. I’ve spent $250 for bedding, $130 for paint & accessories. Decided not to go to SanFran, but have to think of the health of the babies. Love hot showers. Very stiff when in bed. Turning from one side to the other requires planning and a break in the middle.Not an easy task. Dh has started to help me when he’s awake. Still haven’t popped yet, not showing. Getting nervous about being so uncomfortable now, how will it be later? THinkinf of when to schedule c/s.
Almost 24 wks----- thinking about pulling out a kiddie pool to swim. 1am, horrible abdominal pain, went to the hospital. Told dh it was a practice run for labor. Never worried about the babies. No pain or cramping in uterus and they were both kicking. Gallbladder attack. Monitored and send home. Will request gb us to confirm. Ob ward didn’t seem to care about me, just the babies. Very upsetting. I knew they were fine. 8-9 on 10 scale for pain. Laying down, throwing up, going potty didn’t help. Was in pain for 90 mins. Entire upper abdomen, belly started shaking from pain. No blood tests. Made me pee in cup and checked HR of babies. Recommendation was lay off intercourse, keep your ob appt in 1 wk. Thinking of dragging dh to vegas for an overnight trip. Hands have started to go numb sometimes. I’m usually zonked by 9:30pm. Just starting to read twin specific pregnancy book. Thinking about telling work that I will wean off work in maybe 4 weeks.after that stay home to be swollen and hot. Used up a lot of my paid time off. But very exhausted doing 8 hrs a day. Not expecting to be on bedrest, but really want to cut back on work. Plus size, able to feel kicks very well from inside. Outside is still a struggle. Can look at my belly and see twitches. He can see the belly twitch but can feel anything, so we belly watch. Gives him hope that in a few more weeks, he can feel it too.
Almost 25 wks----- Sciatic pain. Isn’t too bad, but is uncomfortable. Names are Chloe and Chloe’s sister. And even that might change.Guessing it will be right when the birth certificate paperwork is in our hands. Personal hygiene is shower, pull hair in a bun, moisturizer on face. Struggling to look pretty. But looking forward to baby shower to get gussied up. Still working full time 40 hrs. but wanting to cut back. Nursery isn’t close to ready. Thinking of names. Like Claire and Sarah. Ankles are swelling. Up all the time during the night to pee. Signed up for birth classes. La Leche League. Gift for hostess of your showers. Dh going to be gone 8 days. Leaves this afternoon. Y’day, cried 4 times just thinking of him being gone so long.
Almost 26 wks--------Surgery went fine, Home Tuesday. Another gb attack, severe abd pain, throwing up, nausea. Didn’t last as long, but still sucked. Didn’t go to the hospital, but would have if thought the babies were in danger. Actually had some BH contrax while in pain, so started to worry. Feeling both of them a few hrs later just fine. Surgery is a risk to the babies. Common to have gb issues during pregnancy. Worried how gb surgery would affect bf. Wishing August was here. Wondering if people buy from the registry or just clothes. Desparate for most of the registry stuff. Asked if others plan on buying their own cribs, carseats, etc. or if family was helping. Everyone offering free clothes, etc. Still need all the big stuff. Started painting the nursery yesterday. I supervised while mom and sis painted and bickered. Nightmare. They want to help more another day, but I’ll be napping and just do it myself. Mom started painting before I had the carpet covered w plastic. Sister was painting corners and loading the brush so there were drips. I was tearing up and cried infront of them. Don’t need the stress. Question about laundry soap, need to buy the baby stuff? Necessary? Anyone used Tide and not killed their kids?
Almost 27 wks--------Feeling pretty good, very tired, lots of naps. Hot flashes. Still need to buy a kiddie pool. Nervous about being hot NOW, what about the summer months of June, July and August. GB US When she started the u/s, I told her I was 26 weeks pregnant. She put the transducer about 3 inches above my belly button (about where baby b has been laying) and got her first image. Her eyes get big and she said "Well, that's a baby head!" DUH! She moved her wand a little higher on my belly after that. GD test. Wasn’t so bad. Like flat 7up but thicker. Nauseated and lightheaded for a few hours. Worried that’s a sign of GD. Results in a week. Still bickering about names. Chloe for sure, and I like Camille. He suggested Daphne but I don’t want the e/e sound on both names. Got the nursing pillow. Doesn’t fit around the midsection. Wondered if it would fit better after birth, or get the foam instead of the blow up.
27 ½ wks---- still working 40 hrs. Going to buy a kiddie pool after work. Very hot. Failed the 1 hr glucose test. Bad reaction to the 3hr test. Nausea, almost passinging out. Severe thirst, hands shaking uncontrollably, needed a 4hr nap after. Started researching GD diets that wont bother the GB. OB’s office said I don’t have GD. One of my 3 hr levels was high so they’ll have a dietician call me. Feel worthless around the house, not doing anything. Dh doing everything. But he’s still on wc leave. My attitude is getting worse about everything. Not depression, just tired of working. Shorthanded, no one to cover. A dr note should help.Nursery is painted but drop cloths still on the floor. Took pic of what the twins would have to come home to right now. Yikes.
Almost 29 wks----- Been in the recliner on and off for 2 months. In the last two weeks, told dh I just cant sleep in the bed anymore. Wakes him up when I turn over. The couch is comfy. Feeling odd sensations of fluid leaking, run to the bathroom to check for blood or amniotic fluid, Dry. Wondering about cervical length. FUndal height 8-9 wks ahead each time. 28 wks was 37 height. Ob cut back my hrs, thankful. Running ragged to work 40 hrs. 4 hrs a day. Had 3 days off in a row, slept and laid around all the time. Back at work for first 4 hr shift and still exhausted. Still haven’t bought the kiddie pool. First shower is this Saturday, excited and nervous. Checking the registry every day, nothing purchased yet. Taking the pickup truck to haul back the loot.
29 ½ wks--------thought the 4 hr drive would be crappy, but not as crappy as it was. I was miserable. If we had done it any later in the pregnancy, I would have arrived crying. 5 stops for potty and stretching breaks still wasn’t enough. Dh felt bad. Asked at every exit if I needed to go. Couldn’t sleep. Too uncomfortable. He stayed positive saying “only one more hour” and I almost cried because we had to do this again in four days. MIL asking when our help was scheduled. Nothing in stone. Mom and sis live across town. Didn’t know what to tell her except come on down. Really hoping that having help isn’t going to stress me out more like it usually does.
30 ½ wks------Swollen, exhausted, hungry, moody, achy,hot, sweaty more than ever. About the norm for all at same gest. Peri u/s Tues, discovered cyst on b’s bladder, but both bladder and kidneys look good. Could be ovarian cyst even at this young age. No cause for concern. Just monitor size until she’s born and do another us. Worst case scenario is travel to SLC for surgery when she’s a few months old. The other bad news is both babies are measuring way bigger than they should be (tech error), so GD. Both measured just over 4 lbs each. Peri suggests I should do the 3hr glucose again. No way. Would rather do blood sugar sticks 4 times a day. Gifts from shower – lots of big things, lots of homemade blankets, burp cloths, bibs – crafty utah women and lots of diapers. FIL pressured DH enough to buy a minivan. Been so worried about that. Another shower planned for 3 more weeks. Nursery still needs work. Been on 4 hr shifts, and came home 2 hrs early from work today. Hunching over gives me tummy fits. Started having BH.
Almost 32 wks------- Bedrest. Was at work and felt crappy, left 2 hrs early had a few contrax. Went to work Tuesday and 1 hr into my 4 hr shift I was feeling worse than when I went home the day before. Started dropping hints that I should go to L&D to get checked but they wouldn’t let me leave until my shift was over. I almost cried. Mild cramping, light headedness, nausea. Shift was over, drove myself to L&D. dh met me there. Three hours of monitoring. Babies looked great, but my bp was 145/95. First ever cervix check, 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. Not bad, but not good. Bedrest for 1 week and follow up with ob. Logically, 7 days of bedrest isn’t going to make it better so you can go back to work. Special permission to leave the couch for Diabetes appt. Didn’t tell me anything I didn’t know. Poke myself before breakfast and one hour after each meal. Hard to distinguish meal when I graze all day. No room for a whole meal. Thanks to dh and sister, nursery is coming along. Finally got the carpets cleaned, furniture moved in, clothes sorted and washed, one crib set up. While on bedrest, I sit and thing of projects for other people to do for me.they don’t mind the chore list, so that’s good.
Almost 33 wks----------Gma and dad here for visit. No naps. 2nd baby shower nightmare due to ex-family issues. Long story is that my mom was hosting but since my parents are divorced, didnt want my dad and his mom to be at her house for the shower. I offered that we could do it at a park nearby, but she just really didn't want them there. GEEZ! So they drove 600 miles to NOT attend the baby shower. I'm so tired of this crap from my parents - mostly from my mom. I'm putting my foot down after this fiasco though - I'm telling her that because there are now grandchildren involved, there will be absolutely no 'only some people can come' parties (this isn't the first time it's happened). Suck it up and be an adult. For the good of these girls and any kids my sisters will have in the future. I'm sure mom will be understanding but ticked off. And I don't care. ---- Per OB, no more work until after delivery. Still haven’t picked a pedi. Pretty common to wait until the kids are born. Not the type to interview. At least have an idea of who you’d call. Still having intercourse. Be quick and don’t “please” me. Foreplay and then wham, bam thank you maam.
33 wks------- 113 degrees here. Loving refrigerated watermelon slices and ice water. Hoping to make it to 36 weeks. Want to be done. Both girls are head down, “aren’t you lucky.” But I want a c/s. ob will let me try vag, but I’m not feeling it. Let’s schedule a c/s. Prep and freeze dinner place.Lots of laundry to get ready. Possible to have too many onesies? That’s all I plan to dress them in for a long time. Planning on changing onesies almost as much as diapers. So many blankets. Still not done with the nursery yet. Several small bm’s per day. Not much room for food to stay in there. 3-4 times a day, small amount. Such a relief to get it out.not much time from when I feel like I have to go until it’s too late. Headaches and backaches all over, neck pain and upper back and shoulders. Swelling a lot. Drinking a lot of water. 2 naps so far today, ready for another one. Super cranky lately. Gift cert to merry maids. Snapped at dh for asking questions. Felt awful. Tried to be on my best behavior during pregnancy and realize I need to thank him for all the things he does. I have warned him every time I feel cranky. But it was out of character for me. I said I was sorry, but I cant get over how I hurt him. Hoping the feelings aren’t the signs or beginnings of ppd. I’ve been worried about that.
34 wks----- considering a prenatal massage. Partial numbness on the belly from stretching ligaments. Area of numbness is the size of my hand to one side of my belly button area. Allow yourself to cry, I cried yesterday and it was a good release. Feel much better today. Excited for the pregnancy to be over, but will miss the hiccups and kicks. My own hello mommy that makes the suffering worth it. Tried to put lotion on my dry rough feet and it was horrible. All I do is eat and sleep all day and I’m exhausted. Wake up to pee and have to eat before I can fall asleep again. Worried about dilating without feeling contrax. Peri appts only every month. Dh getting nervous while folding laundry. “One baby, fine.What are we gonna do with twins?” Finally convinced dh to let me do prep and freeze. 8 meals feeding 4-6 people each - $164. Ginger staying at my side the last few weeks. Always checking on me in the middle of the night, every time I pee she walks me to the bathroom. Kidney stones before now-------- worried about backpain being contrax. Ultrasound shows normal size babies – 4.14 and 5.3. Group B strep check, swab of rectum and vagina. Not pleasant. 80% effaced and dilated to almost a 2. Pinned down the doc to schedule a c/s for 37wks. He doesn’t think I’ll make it that long, but didn’t give a reason. NST today, pleasant. Takes 30-40 mins, find the hb’s and monitor for 20 mins. Picked up prep and freeze food today, hard to decide what to eat first, and waiting for it to defrost. Feeling more exhausted than ever. Very difficult time sleeping. Falling asleep, staying asleep, getting back to sleep after a potty break. Body is prepping for late night feeds? Dh picked out the monitor – pricey high tech sound and visual monitor. Boys and their toys.
34 ½ wks------- A quick trip to L&D for me last night. Bright red urine and feeling crappy in general (even crappier than 8 months pregnant with twins crappy). Called the labor nurses and they said it could be a kidney infection and to come right in. I thought that was a bit much, but whatever. Peed for them, same color. So pretty. LOL. No sign of infection. Just kidney stones moving and scraping around. Go home, take it easy, and keep your appt in a week. Oh brother. Decided not to go to birth class since due date is 3rd week of class and we’re scheduled for c/s. wanted a b/f class because that’s the part I’m worried about.
35 wks -----Heard a cartilage cracking noise in my abdomen a few times. My ribs? Others also reported it. No pain, just baby movement and then crack. Feel so much better since being on bedrest for 3+ wks. Didn’t know how stressed I was. Now I just concentrated on showering once per day and making myself meals. Growing babies is a full time job. Less than 2 wks away from scheduled c/s. dh and I starting to freak out, but we are as ready as we can be. Wish I could have a catheter instead of having to get up to pee.
35 wks------DH changed his mind AGAIN about the names. So we're back to where we were when I was first pregnant. We've had one name forever, but he keeps changing his mind as soon as we decide on a second name and right when I'm bonding with the name. I'm so frustrated. I almost cried when he said it. I know there' s still time to decide, but COME ON! Anyone still having sex (or been feeling frisky way more frequently than normal)? I've been a little nervous to, but we have been. I figure I'd better get him 'taken care of' if there will be no hanky panky for at least 6 weeks after the birth. So, anytime I'm feeling frisky, I let him know. He's LOVED it, but last night I said I was feeling like he was gonna get lucky and he said he wasn't in the mood. I about started bawling! I am trying to be considerate and keep him 'happy' while I can and he's not in the mood? And another thing! Who came up with the idea that on your birthday YOU get the presents? I am seriously thinking that on someone's birthday, they need to give their MOM a present. I'm so done being pregnant it's not funny. Each day is so frustrating. Am I the only one getting really discouraged in the last few weeks of pregnancy? I'm done and I want to BE done. C/S August 1st is NOT soon enough.
35 ½ WKS------Anyone else curious how comfortable/uncomfortable you’d be if you were only carrying a singleton? It’s crossed my mind a few times. I’ve been complaining so much and I’m 35 weeks but I only measure 41 weeks. Think the measuring is a good indicator of how you’d feel at that gestation with one baby? Maybe the gals who’ve had singletons would be a help on this. I’m just nervous about how ‘next time’ will feel. Gotta get that boy! I also get the dumb comments, but they really don’t bother me. “You look great!” is more absurd to me than “You’re so big!” I have zits all over my face and I sweat all the time cuz it’s so dang hot. I don’t look great, you are a liar! Of course I’m so big, and I’ll continue to talk to you cuz you don’t lie. OB appt today. Doc walked in and shook my hand with a smile and said “So?” I said, “I don’t wanna play anymore.” He laughed. But I’m being serious. I’m done!! I guess I can wait until c/s August 1st, but I’m almost praying they’ll come a few days before that. Blood pressure is still high, but not too high to be overly concerned. Just stay resting and get the weights up good and high…. I’ll try. Today I slept till noon, took a nap from 3p-6p. It’s now 11p and I’m ready for bed
36 wks 1 day----- almost had babies today (Wednesday), but we're holding off until tomorrow the 26th so DH's family could make the 4 hour drive and be here.
Hope all is well. Will post in the next few days. Hopefully we'll have TWO names by then.....
