Trip to Labor and Delivery

I think that I was getting a little cocky. 

I had my last sonogram at 34 weeks and everything looked great. Girls were measuring about 4lbs 10 oz and 5lbz 4 oz. The specialist didn't want to see me until 37 weeks (if I was still pregnant). I had a routine OB appointment a few days before I hit the 35 week mark and again, everything was great and my OB didn't want to see me again until 37 weeks. 

I couldn't believe it! I was in the home stretch and I had made it through a twin pregnancy with out any complications (knock on wood). I was still working, still feeling great and thought that I'd have no  problem making it to 37 weeks, maybe even 38.

Then I hit 35 weeks this past Wednesday. I noticed some strange discharge in the morning and called my OB. It had a pink tinge to it, which was definitely something new. They wanted to see me just to make sure everything was OK. I was anxious all day long and when I went in to my appointment they checked and I was 1 cm dilated, which they said was fine. The heart beats sounded great, BUT my blood pressure was high. They checked three times and it was high every single time. After the third time the nurse practitioner said that they were going to send me to Labor and Delivery. I couldn't believe it. She said that they needed to monitor my blood pressure to make sure that it came down. 

I called my husband from the parking lot crying. It's amazing how quickly thoughts can spiral out of control. I was so worried that they would keep me in the hospital until the babies were born or that they were going to have to do a c-section early. We met at the house and I grabbed my hospital bag. I was praying that I wouldn't need it, but I had no idea how long they were going to keep me. 

When we got to the hospital they set me up in a room and strapped up the monitors for the girls, one to monitor contractions and then they also checked my blood pressure every 15 minutes. Luckily the girls were doing well, I wasn't having contractions and my blood pressure had come down a bit. They waited for my lab work to come back and once everything came back clear, the doctor on call released me. He told me that my blood pressure was still borderline so I'd have to be on bed rest until I followed up with my doctor the next day. I was just so happy to be going home.

I slept like a rock that night and relaxed the next day until my doctor's appointment. When I got there my blood pressure was still elevated so they started me on blood pressure medication, ran more lab work and told me that I'd have to do a 24 urine test. I am waiting to hear back about the urine and see my doctor again on Monday.

The trip to L & D scared the crap out of me. It made me realize that I'm not ready for these girls to come out yet. I don't know if any first time parents ever feel ready, but I really panicked. I still feel on edge because I'm not sure how my urine test will go and I don't know what the plan will be if my blood pressure is still high on Monday. I'm hoping that the medications will work and I can cruise through another week or two before becoming a Mom. 

I have a countdown on my phone to April 2nd, which is when I will be 37 weeks (full term for twins). Every morning I look at that number and feel grateful to have made it another day. Right now I have 11 days until full term but I know that ultimately some things are out of my control. 

So for now I'm taking it one day at a time and trying to keep these chickies baking as long as I can.

33 Weeks

How far along? 34 Weeks 1 Day

How big is baby? Baby A is 5 lbs 4 oz and Baby B is 4 lbs 10 oz

Total weight gain/loss: I'm too afraid to look. 

Maternity clothes? Oh yes. Getting very bored with my wardrobe selection. 

Sleep: Is hit or miss. I am getting up to go to the bathroom 5-6 times a night. Whenever I roll over (what I refer to as my 5 point turns), I feel like I have to go to the bathroom again. Some nights I sleep like a rock between the bathroom trips, but some nights I'm up for hours because I'm so excited!

Best moment this week: Seeing the babies during the ultrasound and finding out their weights. Best moment last was was my surprise work shower!

Movement: Baby A is head down so I don't feel her quite as much. I also think that her placenta is anterior. I feel Baby B all day long. She moves a lot and gets hiccups 3 times or more day. 

Food cravings: Baked potato and pancakes. 

Food Aversions: Still eggs. I can't look at scrambled eggs.

Gender: Two baby girls! 

Labor Signs: n/a

Pregnancy Symptoms: Swollen ankles and feet. Heartburn that gets really bad at night. Feeling slow and tired.  

Belly Button in or out? Still in.

What I miss: My normal feet/ankles.

What I am looking forward to: Meeting these little chickies! I want them to bake a few more weeks but I am definitely excited to see what they look like and what their personalities are like. 

Upcoming appointments/events: My next OB appointment is 3/17. My next ultrasound, if I make it that far is 4/1.

Milestones: Making it to 34 weeks and having Baby A move head down. 

29 Weeks

How far along? 30 Weeks 0 Days

How big is baby? Both girls are 3 lbs 2 oz, according to my ultrasound yesterday.

Total weight gain/loss: I'm up about 25 lbs

Maternity clothes? Definitely. I'm getting bored of the ones that I have so I may have to buy a few more items to get me through the last few weeks.

Sleep: Is OK. My heartburn is worse at night and my restless leg syndrome is back in full force! I also. I also get up to go to the bathroom about 5 times during the night.

Best moment this week: Seeing the babies during the ultrasound. 

Movement: Crazy movement. 

Food cravings: Cherry limeade and cereal.

Food Aversions: Randomly, I bought breakfast sausages the other day and nearly gagged when I took a bite. I had to rinse out my mouth for 4 minutes. Very weird!

Gender: Two baby girls! 

Labor Signs: n/a

Pregnancy Symptoms: Restless legs right before bed, heartburn, fatigue later in the day, stuffy nose. 

Belly Button in or out? Still in but looking weird.

What I miss: Nothing.  

What I am looking forward to: Finishing the nursery!

Upcoming appointments/events: My next OB appointment is 2/17.

Milestones: Making it to the third trimester.

26 Weeks

How far along? 27 Weeks 0 Days

How big is baby? Babies are about 14 inches long.

Total weight gain/loss: Still at the same weight which is actually making me nervous!

Maternity clothes? Oh yes and loving them.

Sleep: Is pretty good. I'm still getting up frequently to pee and I have noticed that my hands get tingly if I sleep on them weird.

Best moment this week: Painting the nursery!

Movement: Very noticeable now. I feel Baby A more at night and Baby B more during the day. It's definitely the best part of pregnancy.

Food cravings: Cereal and chocolate ice cream.

Food Aversions:Poor eggs. Still don't like them.

Gender: Two baby girls! 

Labor Signs: n/a

Pregnancy Symptoms: Restless legs right before bed, tiredness in the afternoon/evening.

Belly Button in or out? Still in but I can see the "bottom."

What I miss: Nothing.  

What I am looking forward to: My shower this weekend.

Upcoming appointments/events: My next appointment is 1/27

Milestones: Painting the nursery, ordering the cribs and getting the bedding! Things are moving right along. I can't wait to start setting everything up.

Maternity Wardrobe Favorites

It may bit premature to say this, but I freaking love maternity clothes. I still have 3 months left so I may change my mind once I get sick of my limited wardrobe, but for now, I am in love. 

Here is a list of my essential items so far.

1. The first thing that I used was a bellaband. It's not the most comfortable item to wear, but it's useful for when you are in that bloated phase around 8-12 weeks. Depending on the type of pants I wore, I would either use a bellaband or the hair tie trick to give myself a little wiggle room during the first trimester. 

2.  I purchased one pair of maternity jeans and so far, have loved them. The first pair that I bought were demi-panel (so your belly is bare) and holy wow those were hideous on me. I've seen photos of other women wearing them and looking beautiful, so I think that it might be a matter of body shape. I am plus-sized and as soon as I put those jeans on I had the most intense, hideous case of muffin top that they world has ever seen. 

I returned them for full panel jeans and I haven't looked back. Full panel jeans are just so comfy and secure and they help smooth out any bumps and lumps. I have this pair:

3.  Another essential piece-- black jeans. I have worn them to work and on weekends. They are full panel (of course) and my favorite maternity pants that I own. I have this pair from Old Navy. In the reviews people complain about the panel being too small, but I'm 26 weeks with twins and I think that it fits fine. :

4. I would also invest in several maternity tank tops. Before I got pregnant I didn't really see the need for them-- what's wrong with wearing long regular tank tops? Well, I will tell you that the ruching on the sides does something magical to your bump. When you are in the awkward early second trimester phase when you are DESPERATELY hoping every day that a bump will appear so you can stop looking bloated, these tank tops help define the bump a bit more. Also, for $8 a pop, you really can't go wrong. 

5. Another staple? Maxi dresses. I have two and love them. You can add scarves, jewelry, belts or cardigans to change up the look and you can wear them with flats or boots. 

6. You will need an assortment of tops, depending on your style. I purchased a couple of t-shirts and a few long sleeve scoop neck tees. They aren't the most exciting tops but they get the job done. I also bought a striped maternity sweater and a wrap cardigan. I couldn't find the exact one I bought, but it looked similar to this.:

7. All of the pregnancy books, apps, websites, etc. tell you to buy new bras. I got yelled at by my Mother around week 22 when I told her that I was still wearing my old bras. She promptly took me out to buy new bras (thanks Mom). I was dreading it because I have a big chest and generally have a hard time finding something that lifts and separates without making me feel like a grandma. I tried on these Bali wire free bras on a complete whim and LOVE them. They are surprisingly supportive, are comfortable and look great under any shirts. I LOVE THEM! They aren't the sexiest bra in the world but there is something about the shape that is very flattering and a little bit sexy. 

There are some items that I'm still wearing non-maternity versions of, like underwear, sweat pants, yoga pants and pajamas. I've also been wearing my non-maternity coat and just leave it open. I still wear non-maternity cardigans and depending on the fit and style, some of my old shirts still look normal. 

So there you have it, my list of maternity essentials. I am sure that women who are pregnant during the Spring/Summer will have a much different list than me, but I hope that it helps! I say enjoy the elastic waistbands while you can!

25 Weeks

How far along? 25 Weeks 5 Days

How big is baby? Babies are about 13.5 inches long and Baby A is 1 lb 13 oz and Baby B is 1 lb 14 oz!

Total weight gain/loss: I'm up about 15 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight 

Maternity clothes? Yes. I'm still loving my maternity pants. I tried to wear a non-maternity tank top the other day and spent the entire time pulling it down. I've learned my lesson.

Sleep: Is pretty good. I had a couple of days of extreme tiredness. I went to bed at 7PM one night and then 6PM (the very next night!!!). I slept 12 hours which reminded me of first trimester exhaustion. I'm hoping that the girls are just having a growth spurt and that I won't be this tired for the next 3 months. 

Best moment this week: Feeling crazy kicks and rolls. 

Movement: Getting stronger. I think that the girls are really moving around in there because I feel different movements every day. Sometimes my bump is higher and then sometimes it seems lower. I can't wait to see what positions they are in at my next ultrasound. 

Food cravings: None this week. 

Food Aversions: Salad is still on my "do not eat" list. Eggs also still turn me off. 

Gender: Two baby girls! 

Labor Signs: n/a

Pregnancy Symptoms: Tired at night. A few days of heartburn. I definitely have to get out of couches and chairs slower now. 

Belly Button in or out? Still in but stretching. 

What I miss: Nothing.  

What I am looking forward to: Getting the nursery started. My anxiety is kicking in. 

Upcoming appointments/events: My next ultrasound is 1/14

Milestones: My potential c-section is booked for 4/10! My OB likes to book them in advance with twins just in case. She will only deliver naturally if they are both head down so I'm hoping the little ones will get the memo and get in position! Also, I got my first 3D ultrasound pics. SO CUTE!