Another day in the books! (almost at least seeing as how its 5pm - hope I am not jinxing anything there) I'll correct myself - ALMOST another day in the books!
Today was filled with good news, reassurance, and still some unknowns...but overall, things are okay.
We started the day w/ an u/s to check fluid levels. With twins of this size, it is impossible to get an accurate read on the actual fluid levels. So the AFI is out the window....pretty much the u/s tech just eye balls it and determines whether it is sufficient or not. and today - both babies looked good! Sufficient fluid on both sides of the membranes. This number can change with whatever position each baby takes on but the good news is that they looked good!
We then went right over for our NST and once again - both girls looked great. They both had accelerations and established healthy baselines and did not show any signs of stress. Also, no detectable contractions were recorded. The lack of contractions did not surprise me as 90% of the time I experience BH contractions with cramping and lower back pain later in the day - after 4pm-ish and that is the case currently as I am typing this. BHs are kicking in with lower back pain - fingers crossed this is a short lived episode and nothing progresses!
After the NST, the head doc of the Perinatal Testing Center came in to talk to us about the u/s and NST results - of course this lead to a lump in my throat that something is wrong but she only had good news to report. She was the same doc that I saw last Monday when we had the rough NST that landed us up in L&D for a few hours so I think she just wanted to check in and give us some reassurance after our stressful, scary weekend that all looked good. Greatly appreciated! She was happy with both babies NST results as well as with the fluid levels around both babies and is hoping that we have a few weeks left.
Up to OB we went. Our doc informed us that she is quiet upset with the twins for causing such drama this past weekend - trust me lady, I agree! These lil drama queens need to cool their shit and enjoy their temp controlled water beds because its an effin heat wave out here and no one wants to be arriving in 100 degree temps with 800% humidity. STAY PUT LADIES!
We drilled our OB with questions which she happily answered. She does have confidence that we COULD keep these girls cookin for another 2 weeks...however, she warns that there are no guarantees.
She wants us to remain within minutes of the hospital because if there were to be another bleed, the chances of it being a more severe bleed are high. She does believe it was a placental abruption that was able to clot on it's own - thank baby jeebus. We could have another bleed...or none at all! We could have contractions kick in even stronger than they are now or we may not. It really is a waiting game at this point....waiting and praying and neurotically over analyzing every twinge that I feel.
Overall, I have gained 30 lbs and am measuring 41 weeks prego! Aside from the contractions, back pain, and constant worrying - I feel amazing. This pregnancy really has been amazing and it continues to be a blessing. I am still not ready for it to be over but trying to be confident that we have some time left.
I'm off to lay on all 4's to try and kick this back pain - there's a visual for ya! Hope you're not reading this while eating ;)
Monday, July 15, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Our weekend & Prayers.
You know how at times you plan to have things go a certain way - and then something happens and your "plan" goes to the wind and you end up feeling as if you're in a dream/nightmare and before you know it - you're in a position you never thought you would be?
This was our weekend.
After a great NST on Thursday, we were feeling confident that our girls were doing well and that we had some time before the twins' arrival.
Friday night...all is calm and normal...we went to bed around midnight.
Around 2am, I have a dream that something is wrong with the babies and I am outside of our house and I need to get inside to get Erin and tell her we have to go to the hospital. I try to get in through the basement but all doors are locked so I go to get in the front door but there are hundreds of black and white cats on the steps to our house and I cannot get by so I start drop kicking the cats yelling for Er. (sorry kittens - not sure what you were doing in my dream? and sorry for kicking you all)
I get to the front door and yell for Erin that something is wrong w/ our babies and we have to get to the hospital. She calmly says "Okay let's go." and picks up my snowboarding bag and we leave. (Apparently, both of us thought that my snowboard and gear were needed in the delivery room.)
After that part of the dream, I wake up and immediately think, "Something is wrong with my babies."
I realized I was just dreaming and then I feel like I am peeing myself which wouldn't surprise me because of how heavy these lil girls are getting. I get up and feel the bed and I am surprised that I did not pee the bed so I start to walk towards the bathroom and turn on the light and I am feeling pee coming down my legs.
I get to the light and turn it on and see that it is blood, not pee. I do not even think I panicked or screamed. I think I just said loudly, "Erin come in here...we have to to go the hospital."
Erin comes in immediately and while remaining calm says, "Okay, lets go." She helps me clean myself up in a few seconds and we calmly spend a few minutes getting clothes on and we toss the dog in the car with us and leave.
I am beyond impressed at Erin's ability to remain calm and keep me in check and get us out the door in minutes.
The car ride gives me a chance to start panicking...we call my Mom and plan on meeting her at the hospital so she can take Tyson back to her house and then come back and meet us. We also page our OB who calls back in seconds and tells us to get to the hospital asap and he will meet us there.
Side note - I told Erin I would drive? Hello-crazy-neurotic-prego-chick! Shut your mouth and get in the passenger seat.
Mind you - the hospital is about 30 minutes away....over an hour with traffic .. and here is Erin - at 2am on a rainy night keeping her cool, keeping me in check, and hauling ass to safely get us there. Major, MAJOR props to her.
The thoughts that went through my mind are things that still scare the shit out of me. I had no idea what was happening to my babies.
How can this just happen?
What is going on?
I was in zero pain but bleeding profusely.
How is that possible?
Our girls are only 32 weeks and 6 days - they are too little.
They can't come now. What is happening??? I clenched my ass, face, teeth, and hands the entire ride to the hospital praying that I could stop whatever was happening from happening.
We arrive at the hospital and throw the pup at my Mom - luckily, she has quick reflexes and he is only 15lbs and we head up to the Maternity unit where nurses were ready and waiting for us.
Within minutes, I was changed and in a hospital bed and in what felt like hours - even though it was only seconds - our nurse got monitors on both our girls.
and we heard both heartbeats loud and clear.
I do not know how to explain what a beautiful sound is - it is subjective from person to person - to some its laughter or the ocean...
after that night....hearing my two babies heartbeats will always be the most amazing, breathtaking, and miraculous sound ever.
Before we got to the hospital, I don't think I was convinced that I would ever hear their heartbeats again...because I had no idea what was happening.
Erin and Mom were in the room with me and once we all heard both babies heartbeats I think we all started breathing again. Both heart rates were perfect - neither in distress.
THANK GOD. THANK YOU DAD. THANK YOU GMOM. (I know you all had something to do with keeping our lil girls safe.)
Deep breath. Babies are okay for right now.
So WTF is going on.
Luckily, we have the most amazing team of OBs and one of our favorites was on call that night. He comes in and does a quick assessment of the girls and is happy to see that they look good and he goes to examine me.
Originally, he thought one of my waters had broken but upon further examination he was confident that my waters were both in tact but it was appearing that we had a placental tear or partial abruption.
Granted, I tend to spend TOO much time researching online and had read about both of these but from what I had read, that meant immediate delivery. Doc was relaxed and damn good at explaining everything he was doing to us in non-medical language.
We continued and he felt confident that it was not my water breaking which meant that immediate delivery was not necessary also, the bleeding was slowing so that also meant no need to immediately deliver.
At 4am on a Saturday morning, some luxuries at a hospital are not available. Enter the archaic ultrasound machine that I am pretty sure was operating on MS-DOS. Our OB starts an u/s and is happy that in the grey mess on the screen that looks nothing like our usual u/s screens, he locates amniotic fluid pockets around both babies. Granted baby B's was much lower but still sufficient. Deep breath again.
This meant my waters did not break. I was 1cm dilated and about 20% effaced (I think 20% - can't remember exactly - blame it on the lack of sleep)
So things are progressing but all is still okay....
The monitors were picking up contractions but I was in ZERO pain. These contractions continued throughout the 2 days in the hospital and are still going on now - but relatively pain free.
Apparently, the Perinatal Testing Center who does our usual ultrasounds is closed on the weekends. A fact that still baffles me. At a huge, well known and well respected hospital, on weekends you only have access to an u/s machine that was made in 1985? To get a clear accurate read of your babies, you have be seen between the hours of 8-5 M-F.
Don't worry - I had a talk with the girls that they must plan these occurrences around regular business hours as this whole not knowing shit is for the birds.
We begin the wait...babies on monitors and stable and we try to get some sleep (which was impossible as you can imagine)
The next hours are a blur of nurses in and out - amazing nurses at that who took amazing care of not only our girls, but also of me and Erin.
Erin has comment cards from the hospital all ready to be filled out and mailed back in so we can give our nurses the props they deserve!
We spend the day and night again in the hospital and all is calm. Babies heart rates are perfect. Bleeding has subsided. I am allowed to walk around the room and this morning, took the most amazing shower of my life. After being in hospital for 24 hours, a shower was a wonderful feeling. Even if the towel I was given was 12 inches by 12 inches and I would have scared small children if they had seen me in it - it still was perfect.
Our girls also received two shots to help boost their lung strength and build their surfactant. This shot is a life saver for preemie babies. We are lucky that our girls have the shot and will be that much stronger whenever the decide to arrive.
We were beyond lucky to get visitors from some of our amazing family members who brought stress-relief, Rita's Water Ice, bagels, coffee, and major reassurance that our girls would be okay. Thank you all more than we can say <3
Early this afternoon, we met with out doc again and he informed us that he had conversations with the Perinatal Testing Center on-call doc and he feels we are safe to go home based on the babies heartbeats being strong and steady and the fact that the bleeding had subsided and strongly weighing on the fact that I already had a NST scheduled for 10am tomorrow which now would be paired w/ an u/s followed by a trip up to see our OB.
(side note - the Perinatal Testing Center has an on-call doc available for phone conversations but not to come in and perform ultrasounds? Who designed this business plan? Needs some tweaking)
So now..we wait. and pray. and don't stress.
Sounds simple, right?
Doc seems to think that Sawyer's amniotic fluid levels may be the trigger that will cause the Perinatologist to suggest an early delivery.
On the AFI (amniotic fluid index), docs like to see singleton babies with an AFI of 5.
As of our most recent u/s last Monday, Peyton had an AFI of 8.4 and Sawyer of 4.8.
We have come to learn that for twins, an AFI of 2 is acceptable. So, as of last week, Sawyer was still in the clear - but still of concern as her AFI number was decreasing.
After tomorrows NST and u/s, we will get a better read on what happened this weekend with the bleed - IF and thats a big IF they are able to detect a tear or abruption has occurred BUT doc says to hope that they cannot see it on an u/s because if it is detectable, then that means that it is BIG and delivery is most likely going to happen asap whereas if it is undetectable, that means it was a small tear that appears to have healed itself as I am not currently bleeding....but then we also may not even find out what exactly happened this past weekend. Sooo....tough situation BUT we are just trying to focus on our babies growing and we are thankful of each hour they stay cooking.
We were released and, at the docs instruction, have moved into my Mom's house that is located 1/10 of a mile from the hospital. Being so far away at our house was not an option as the doc thinks that it is a possibility that we may have another bleed....then maybe another...then eventually a BIG bleed that would cause delivery to be imminent. Granted, this is all speculation based on his years of experience and what he sees on our tests.
So really - we just wait.
We wait for more contractions...and pray they stay painless.
We pray that we do not ever experience another bleed.
and we pray that we make it through this hour..and the next hour...and the next hour..without incident.
and we send a huge effin THANK YOU to everyone for their prayers over the past 2 days.
We will hopefully get more answers tomorrow and will be sure to update ASAP.
Until then, we will spend tonight praying and hoping and over analyzing every twinge I feel in hopes that it is a calm, uneventful evening followed by doc appts and test in the morning that bring some reassuring news about our girls.
Prayers.
This was our weekend.
After a great NST on Thursday, we were feeling confident that our girls were doing well and that we had some time before the twins' arrival.
Friday night...all is calm and normal...we went to bed around midnight.
Around 2am, I have a dream that something is wrong with the babies and I am outside of our house and I need to get inside to get Erin and tell her we have to go to the hospital. I try to get in through the basement but all doors are locked so I go to get in the front door but there are hundreds of black and white cats on the steps to our house and I cannot get by so I start drop kicking the cats yelling for Er. (sorry kittens - not sure what you were doing in my dream? and sorry for kicking you all)
I get to the front door and yell for Erin that something is wrong w/ our babies and we have to get to the hospital. She calmly says "Okay let's go." and picks up my snowboarding bag and we leave. (Apparently, both of us thought that my snowboard and gear were needed in the delivery room.)
After that part of the dream, I wake up and immediately think, "Something is wrong with my babies."
I realized I was just dreaming and then I feel like I am peeing myself which wouldn't surprise me because of how heavy these lil girls are getting. I get up and feel the bed and I am surprised that I did not pee the bed so I start to walk towards the bathroom and turn on the light and I am feeling pee coming down my legs.
I get to the light and turn it on and see that it is blood, not pee. I do not even think I panicked or screamed. I think I just said loudly, "Erin come in here...we have to to go the hospital."
Erin comes in immediately and while remaining calm says, "Okay, lets go." She helps me clean myself up in a few seconds and we calmly spend a few minutes getting clothes on and we toss the dog in the car with us and leave.
I am beyond impressed at Erin's ability to remain calm and keep me in check and get us out the door in minutes.
The car ride gives me a chance to start panicking...we call my Mom and plan on meeting her at the hospital so she can take Tyson back to her house and then come back and meet us. We also page our OB who calls back in seconds and tells us to get to the hospital asap and he will meet us there.
Side note - I told Erin I would drive? Hello-crazy-neurotic-prego-chick! Shut your mouth and get in the passenger seat.
Mind you - the hospital is about 30 minutes away....over an hour with traffic .. and here is Erin - at 2am on a rainy night keeping her cool, keeping me in check, and hauling ass to safely get us there. Major, MAJOR props to her.
The thoughts that went through my mind are things that still scare the shit out of me. I had no idea what was happening to my babies.
How can this just happen?
What is going on?
I was in zero pain but bleeding profusely.
How is that possible?
Our girls are only 32 weeks and 6 days - they are too little.
They can't come now. What is happening??? I clenched my ass, face, teeth, and hands the entire ride to the hospital praying that I could stop whatever was happening from happening.
We arrive at the hospital and throw the pup at my Mom - luckily, she has quick reflexes and he is only 15lbs and we head up to the Maternity unit where nurses were ready and waiting for us.
Within minutes, I was changed and in a hospital bed and in what felt like hours - even though it was only seconds - our nurse got monitors on both our girls.
and we heard both heartbeats loud and clear.
I do not know how to explain what a beautiful sound is - it is subjective from person to person - to some its laughter or the ocean...
after that night....hearing my two babies heartbeats will always be the most amazing, breathtaking, and miraculous sound ever.
Before we got to the hospital, I don't think I was convinced that I would ever hear their heartbeats again...because I had no idea what was happening.
Erin and Mom were in the room with me and once we all heard both babies heartbeats I think we all started breathing again. Both heart rates were perfect - neither in distress.
THANK GOD. THANK YOU DAD. THANK YOU GMOM. (I know you all had something to do with keeping our lil girls safe.)
Deep breath. Babies are okay for right now.
So WTF is going on.
Luckily, we have the most amazing team of OBs and one of our favorites was on call that night. He comes in and does a quick assessment of the girls and is happy to see that they look good and he goes to examine me.
Originally, he thought one of my waters had broken but upon further examination he was confident that my waters were both in tact but it was appearing that we had a placental tear or partial abruption.
Granted, I tend to spend TOO much time researching online and had read about both of these but from what I had read, that meant immediate delivery. Doc was relaxed and damn good at explaining everything he was doing to us in non-medical language.
We continued and he felt confident that it was not my water breaking which meant that immediate delivery was not necessary also, the bleeding was slowing so that also meant no need to immediately deliver.
At 4am on a Saturday morning, some luxuries at a hospital are not available. Enter the archaic ultrasound machine that I am pretty sure was operating on MS-DOS. Our OB starts an u/s and is happy that in the grey mess on the screen that looks nothing like our usual u/s screens, he locates amniotic fluid pockets around both babies. Granted baby B's was much lower but still sufficient. Deep breath again.
This meant my waters did not break. I was 1cm dilated and about 20% effaced (I think 20% - can't remember exactly - blame it on the lack of sleep)
So things are progressing but all is still okay....
The monitors were picking up contractions but I was in ZERO pain. These contractions continued throughout the 2 days in the hospital and are still going on now - but relatively pain free.
Apparently, the Perinatal Testing Center who does our usual ultrasounds is closed on the weekends. A fact that still baffles me. At a huge, well known and well respected hospital, on weekends you only have access to an u/s machine that was made in 1985? To get a clear accurate read of your babies, you have be seen between the hours of 8-5 M-F.
Don't worry - I had a talk with the girls that they must plan these occurrences around regular business hours as this whole not knowing shit is for the birds.
We begin the wait...babies on monitors and stable and we try to get some sleep (which was impossible as you can imagine)
The next hours are a blur of nurses in and out - amazing nurses at that who took amazing care of not only our girls, but also of me and Erin.
Erin has comment cards from the hospital all ready to be filled out and mailed back in so we can give our nurses the props they deserve!
We spend the day and night again in the hospital and all is calm. Babies heart rates are perfect. Bleeding has subsided. I am allowed to walk around the room and this morning, took the most amazing shower of my life. After being in hospital for 24 hours, a shower was a wonderful feeling. Even if the towel I was given was 12 inches by 12 inches and I would have scared small children if they had seen me in it - it still was perfect.
Our girls also received two shots to help boost their lung strength and build their surfactant. This shot is a life saver for preemie babies. We are lucky that our girls have the shot and will be that much stronger whenever the decide to arrive.
We were beyond lucky to get visitors from some of our amazing family members who brought stress-relief, Rita's Water Ice, bagels, coffee, and major reassurance that our girls would be okay. Thank you all more than we can say <3
Early this afternoon, we met with out doc again and he informed us that he had conversations with the Perinatal Testing Center on-call doc and he feels we are safe to go home based on the babies heartbeats being strong and steady and the fact that the bleeding had subsided and strongly weighing on the fact that I already had a NST scheduled for 10am tomorrow which now would be paired w/ an u/s followed by a trip up to see our OB.
(side note - the Perinatal Testing Center has an on-call doc available for phone conversations but not to come in and perform ultrasounds? Who designed this business plan? Needs some tweaking)
So now..we wait. and pray. and don't stress.
Sounds simple, right?
Doc seems to think that Sawyer's amniotic fluid levels may be the trigger that will cause the Perinatologist to suggest an early delivery.
On the AFI (amniotic fluid index), docs like to see singleton babies with an AFI of 5.
As of our most recent u/s last Monday, Peyton had an AFI of 8.4 and Sawyer of 4.8.
We have come to learn that for twins, an AFI of 2 is acceptable. So, as of last week, Sawyer was still in the clear - but still of concern as her AFI number was decreasing.
After tomorrows NST and u/s, we will get a better read on what happened this weekend with the bleed - IF and thats a big IF they are able to detect a tear or abruption has occurred BUT doc says to hope that they cannot see it on an u/s because if it is detectable, then that means that it is BIG and delivery is most likely going to happen asap whereas if it is undetectable, that means it was a small tear that appears to have healed itself as I am not currently bleeding....but then we also may not even find out what exactly happened this past weekend. Sooo....tough situation BUT we are just trying to focus on our babies growing and we are thankful of each hour they stay cooking.
We were released and, at the docs instruction, have moved into my Mom's house that is located 1/10 of a mile from the hospital. Being so far away at our house was not an option as the doc thinks that it is a possibility that we may have another bleed....then maybe another...then eventually a BIG bleed that would cause delivery to be imminent. Granted, this is all speculation based on his years of experience and what he sees on our tests.
So really - we just wait.
We wait for more contractions...and pray they stay painless.
We pray that we do not ever experience another bleed.
and we pray that we make it through this hour..and the next hour...and the next hour..without incident.
and we send a huge effin THANK YOU to everyone for their prayers over the past 2 days.
We will hopefully get more answers tomorrow and will be sure to update ASAP.
Until then, we will spend tonight praying and hoping and over analyzing every twinge I feel in hopes that it is a calm, uneventful evening followed by doc appts and test in the morning that bring some reassuring news about our girls.
Prayers.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
NST #2 at 32 weeks 4 days
Todays appt was MUCH less eventful than Mondays - THANK GOODNESS!
We arrived for our second NST a bit early and got to look at all the baby pics hanging up in the Perinatal Testing Center's waiting room. SO many twins!!! and SO many twins with impressive birth weights...many with 5lb babies - and a bunch with both babies over 6lbs. I need these mama's phone numbers so I can find out what they did to keep their babes cooking so long!!! As of right now we have an almost 5 pounder and an almost 4 pounder and THOUSANDS of prayers that both keep gaining and get over 5lbs by our next u/s.
We had an amazing tech today who explained in more detail to Erin and I what the test entailed and what all it measures. Immediately upon hooking up the girls they both started having a lil dance party. Their heart rates both raised and then subsided - showing the tech the spikes that she needed to see to make sure both placentas were pumping as they should be.
My stomach was doing flips! Erin sitting about a foot across from me was amazed at their movements. My stomach morphed shapes probably 10 times in the first few minutes of the test as the girls were really kicking and punching in there.
So after the first 10 minutes of the test, the remaining 20 minutes (they test all twins for 30 minutes whereas with singeltons they end the test once a reading is received) was just a formality to get a complete read on the girls. After their workout session during the first few minutes, both girls took a snooze and woke up again towards the end of the 30 minutes...both with perfect, strong heart beats the whole time <3
The test also did not detect any measurable contractions - YAY!
Now, we are on a break from doc appts until Monday where we will have NST #3 and an OB appt...prayers and fingers crossed that all stays good and healthy!!
Here we are @ 32 weeks...
Erin is still hoping to get me to pee myself but so far I have managed to NOT let her achieve that goal. Let's hope she has another 6 weeks to keep trying before our girls come.
Both girls had the hiccups simultaneously yesterday which was a crazzzy feeling and it occurred right after I chugged some ice water - I so sorry girls if I caused your hiccups but mama needs you to keep drinking, peeing, and growing!!!
Have a great rest of the week all!
We arrived for our second NST a bit early and got to look at all the baby pics hanging up in the Perinatal Testing Center's waiting room. SO many twins!!! and SO many twins with impressive birth weights...many with 5lb babies - and a bunch with both babies over 6lbs. I need these mama's phone numbers so I can find out what they did to keep their babes cooking so long!!! As of right now we have an almost 5 pounder and an almost 4 pounder and THOUSANDS of prayers that both keep gaining and get over 5lbs by our next u/s.
We had an amazing tech today who explained in more detail to Erin and I what the test entailed and what all it measures. Immediately upon hooking up the girls they both started having a lil dance party. Their heart rates both raised and then subsided - showing the tech the spikes that she needed to see to make sure both placentas were pumping as they should be.
My stomach was doing flips! Erin sitting about a foot across from me was amazed at their movements. My stomach morphed shapes probably 10 times in the first few minutes of the test as the girls were really kicking and punching in there.
So after the first 10 minutes of the test, the remaining 20 minutes (they test all twins for 30 minutes whereas with singeltons they end the test once a reading is received) was just a formality to get a complete read on the girls. After their workout session during the first few minutes, both girls took a snooze and woke up again towards the end of the 30 minutes...both with perfect, strong heart beats the whole time <3
The test also did not detect any measurable contractions - YAY!
Now, we are on a break from doc appts until Monday where we will have NST #3 and an OB appt...prayers and fingers crossed that all stays good and healthy!!
Here we are @ 32 weeks...
Erin is still hoping to get me to pee myself but so far I have managed to NOT let her achieve that goal. Let's hope she has another 6 weeks to keep trying before our girls come.
Both girls had the hiccups simultaneously yesterday which was a crazzzy feeling and it occurred right after I chugged some ice water - I so sorry girls if I caused your hiccups but mama needs you to keep drinking, peeing, and growing!!!
Have a great rest of the week all!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
OB Check-Up
Fairly uneventful Doc appt today. No u/s or NST - just a quick HB and BP check.
My heart was beating out of my chest mostly due to being paranoid as eff about my babies but also because I had been vertical for about 3 hours prior to the appt - my heart was pumping. BP was slightly high but nothing concerning. Weight was good - gained 2lbs since last check. The nurse could not find Sawyers HB so that gave me a even higher heart rate but in the 2 minutes it took her to get the doc to come in, Sawyer must of done some turns and the doc found it in seconds - thank god.
Both HB's are good - 155 and 160.
The doc I saw today was the same doc who I saw yesterday in L&D. It was great to get to talk to her at greater lengths about what all is going on and what to expect. She is optimistic that we still have some time to keep these girls cooking but she did warn me that there is no way to know exactly what is to come and that my water could break at anytime and completely change our "plans."
Thinking optimistically, she had me schedule my c-section for 38 weeks.
The u/s doc yesterday assured me that due to Sawyer's size and low amniotic fluid there is no way we are making it to 38 weeks but the doc figured no harm in being optimistic. So August 22nd is our girls tentative c-section delivery date!!!!
Granted this all depends on what the next few days/weeks bring and also on what doc I see when I go in for delivery as there are so many differing opinions on if I am allowed to deliver vaginally with baby B still breech.
So, out of the 5 docs in the practice - 2 will allow me to deliver vaginally if baby A is head down and B breech (which they are now) but the other 3 docs will ONLY allow vaginal delivery if both are head down...so COME ON LIL SOYBEAN - FLIP!! AND GROW!! AND PEE TO MAKE MORE AMNIOTIC FLUID!
I feel like I am drowning these girls - and myself - with my increased water intake but studies have shown that maternal increases in fluid intake can increase amniotic fluid.
Anyway, doc appt went well...she checked my cervix and it is hard and not funneling at all - THANK BABY JESUS. It better stay that way.
I also got to see a graph of both babies growth over the past months....Peyton has been spot on 50th percentile and she is continuing to grow. Our lil Sawyer was steady in the 35th-45th percentile all along - but now has somewhat plateaued - which is the cause for concern. She is still growing - just not as much as they would like.
So come on baby girl---drink, pee, GROW!!!!!!
Back to the hospital Thursday for NST #2 that hopefully will show 2 strong, regular HB's, and no trips to u/s or L&D.
Keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming for these lil girls!!!!
We need another 4-6 weeks of cookin time before our girls join us! Although we cannot wait to snuggle you both - we want you to come when you're strong enough to breath, nurse, gain weight, and come home with us a few days after your arrival.
I am pretty sure I will never put you down or let you out of my sight. Ever. This whole not being able to have control of when these girls come is torture.
Once they are here, I can make sure they are never sad or scared. But right now, I worry all day everyday that Sawyer is struggling in there and there is nothing I can do about it. Even though the test show that she is okay, it still scares me to death to think that one of my girls is not okay and I cannot do anything to help her.
Prayers prayers prayers.
It has been a sad two days as we found out that Peyton's godmother and my best friend's pup tragically passed away yesterday. It is so unfair and sad why these things happen.
Diggy - You are missed and loved so much by us all. Tyson wants you to know he will never hump another pit bull again - you were his one and only. We know you are up there running around on doggy beach in heaven. You are missed more than you will ever know.
Love you bud
My heart was beating out of my chest mostly due to being paranoid as eff about my babies but also because I had been vertical for about 3 hours prior to the appt - my heart was pumping. BP was slightly high but nothing concerning. Weight was good - gained 2lbs since last check. The nurse could not find Sawyers HB so that gave me a even higher heart rate but in the 2 minutes it took her to get the doc to come in, Sawyer must of done some turns and the doc found it in seconds - thank god.
Both HB's are good - 155 and 160.
The doc I saw today was the same doc who I saw yesterday in L&D. It was great to get to talk to her at greater lengths about what all is going on and what to expect. She is optimistic that we still have some time to keep these girls cooking but she did warn me that there is no way to know exactly what is to come and that my water could break at anytime and completely change our "plans."
Thinking optimistically, she had me schedule my c-section for 38 weeks.
The u/s doc yesterday assured me that due to Sawyer's size and low amniotic fluid there is no way we are making it to 38 weeks but the doc figured no harm in being optimistic. So August 22nd is our girls tentative c-section delivery date!!!!
Granted this all depends on what the next few days/weeks bring and also on what doc I see when I go in for delivery as there are so many differing opinions on if I am allowed to deliver vaginally with baby B still breech.
So, out of the 5 docs in the practice - 2 will allow me to deliver vaginally if baby A is head down and B breech (which they are now) but the other 3 docs will ONLY allow vaginal delivery if both are head down...so COME ON LIL SOYBEAN - FLIP!! AND GROW!! AND PEE TO MAKE MORE AMNIOTIC FLUID!
I feel like I am drowning these girls - and myself - with my increased water intake but studies have shown that maternal increases in fluid intake can increase amniotic fluid.
Anyway, doc appt went well...she checked my cervix and it is hard and not funneling at all - THANK BABY JESUS. It better stay that way.
I also got to see a graph of both babies growth over the past months....Peyton has been spot on 50th percentile and she is continuing to grow. Our lil Sawyer was steady in the 35th-45th percentile all along - but now has somewhat plateaued - which is the cause for concern. She is still growing - just not as much as they would like.
So come on baby girl---drink, pee, GROW!!!!!!
Back to the hospital Thursday for NST #2 that hopefully will show 2 strong, regular HB's, and no trips to u/s or L&D.
Keep the prayers and positive thoughts coming for these lil girls!!!!
We need another 4-6 weeks of cookin time before our girls join us! Although we cannot wait to snuggle you both - we want you to come when you're strong enough to breath, nurse, gain weight, and come home with us a few days after your arrival.
I am pretty sure I will never put you down or let you out of my sight. Ever. This whole not being able to have control of when these girls come is torture.
Once they are here, I can make sure they are never sad or scared. But right now, I worry all day everyday that Sawyer is struggling in there and there is nothing I can do about it. Even though the test show that she is okay, it still scares me to death to think that one of my girls is not okay and I cannot do anything to help her.
Prayers prayers prayers.
It has been a sad two days as we found out that Peyton's godmother and my best friend's pup tragically passed away yesterday. It is so unfair and sad why these things happen.
Diggy - You are missed and loved so much by us all. Tyson wants you to know he will never hump another pit bull again - you were his one and only. We know you are up there running around on doggy beach in heaven. You are missed more than you will ever know.
Love you bud
Monday, July 8, 2013
NST #1
Well, what a day it has been....stressful and scary as eff.
Day started off just fine - I was feeling great and excited for my first non-stress test to get to hear the heartbeats and make sure all is okay.
Test started out just fine - tech was great and said all was going just fine. I spent the 30 minutes staring at the monitor because it still amazes me that I have TWO babies with heartbeats growing away in there.
I had an u/s schedule for Wednesday so the tech said she would see if they could fit me in today to save me a trip back on Wednesday - but their schedule was too booked today I was told no dice on rescheduling which is fine with me.
The test went on and the tech said all was good but baby B's heartbeat dropped a few times in the beginning of the test so they want to do an u/s just to check her fluid levels and that I will still need to come back Wednesday for my usual u/s.
I started to panic but not too too much.
Into the u/s room I went and the tech said she had time and would do a complete u/s so I wouldn't have to come back on Wednesday. Slight panic set in first because Erin was not there with me because this was not scheduled and I know how much she wants to see the girls and just scared because something must be wrong if they are squeezing me into an already tight schedule.
She continues to look at the girls - Peyton is still head down - yay and looking great. She is measuring an impressive 4lbs 9oz and is growing like a weed! Sawyer is measuring 3lbs 15oz and is causing the docs some concern because she is not growing as much as they want her to be growing. Her belly circumference is smaller than they would like to see and her amniotic fluid levels are too low.
Begin freak out.
All else looks good though! Heartbeats for both are great and they both were very active and moving nonstop. The flow through both umbilical cords was great as well - good news,
The tech leaves and says to wait for the doc. What felt like HOURS later, the doc comes in and comments that I sure am stirring things up around the perinatal testing center today. I respond with a confused and demanding, "why? what all is happening? should we be very concerned?" She says that the difference between the girls is now 14% - still okay - not in the danger zone but it is not the difference between them that concerns her - it is the fact that Sawyer is not growing as much as she "should" be where as Peyton is doing beyond impressive - even on a singleton scale. Doc continued that she would recommend admitting me for further monitoring and to get on an IV to increase my fluids which has shown to increase amniotic fluid levels.
I ask if she is extremely concerned - she said she wasn't worried, yet. But there is enough going on that she wants to call my OB and fill her in and then send me up to her office.
I ask her when she sees these girls coming. She said she does not see them coming today - but soon. I ask if we will make it to 38 weeks and she said no. SOOO...our girls are coming early! Now just to PRAY AND HOPE nonstop that 'early' means no sooner than 34-36 weeks.
Doc sends me to wait in the hallway while she calls my OB. I frantic text Erin to come meet me at the hospital and I focus on leaning over to hear the u/s Doc on the phone w/ my OB to hear what she has to say.
Basic run down - the variables between the girls is more than just a mild issue.
Sawyer's activity is fine but her fluid is low and the belly measurements of Sawyer are only in the 3rd percentile.
Overall, both are decent sizes with decent heartbeats.
She suggests sending me to L&D to get on IV and monitor for a day and then increase NST's to twice a week and keeping a very close eye on the girls.
So off I go to L&D!
Proceed to get lost in the hospital but Erin finds me and we head over.
Get strapped up to the monitors by an awesome nurse who is friends w/ my mom and also took care of Megan when she had J and C. All looks good.
My OB comes in and is happy with what she sees with the fetal monitors and agrees that closer monitoring is what is needed paired with incessant left side laying and water intake by the gallons.
Now, we take things day by day and I need to stop being a paranoid head case and be appreciative of every single hour that these girls stay cookin and get stronger.
I had planned on doing lunch w/ Megan and the kids after my NST but due to this bump in the road - they came over to the hospital to meet me and as always, seeing those two kids makes everything better immediately. J kept a close watch on me and held my hand the whole time...brings tears to my eyes to see this pic and see what an amazing kid she is.
So, now we are on a schedule of NST's every Monday and Thursday. Doc appts weekly and biweekly u/s.
If any NST shows any drop in heart rates then they will do an u/s right away just to check.
My prediction - each appt will be an u/s and NST and doc appt possibly with a few more trips to L&D for further monitoring. WHICH IS FINE BY ME! (and maybe next time I won't be such a basket case)
I would rather they watch these girls every second of every day to make sure they keep growing and moving and esp that they are not in any stress, ever.
These lil girls have been so strong the past 32 weeks - starting with the obstacle of OHSS back in December and January to getting awesome reports at each and every check up. They are getting tired of being SO perfect and figured might as well start stirring things up now before they are born and really shake up all of our lives in an amazing way!!
Prayers for another few weeks of cookin time and good test results every other day!!
Deep breath.
Day started off just fine - I was feeling great and excited for my first non-stress test to get to hear the heartbeats and make sure all is okay.
Test started out just fine - tech was great and said all was going just fine. I spent the 30 minutes staring at the monitor because it still amazes me that I have TWO babies with heartbeats growing away in there.
I had an u/s schedule for Wednesday so the tech said she would see if they could fit me in today to save me a trip back on Wednesday - but their schedule was too booked today I was told no dice on rescheduling which is fine with me.
The test went on and the tech said all was good but baby B's heartbeat dropped a few times in the beginning of the test so they want to do an u/s just to check her fluid levels and that I will still need to come back Wednesday for my usual u/s.
I started to panic but not too too much.
Into the u/s room I went and the tech said she had time and would do a complete u/s so I wouldn't have to come back on Wednesday. Slight panic set in first because Erin was not there with me because this was not scheduled and I know how much she wants to see the girls and just scared because something must be wrong if they are squeezing me into an already tight schedule.
She continues to look at the girls - Peyton is still head down - yay and looking great. She is measuring an impressive 4lbs 9oz and is growing like a weed! Sawyer is measuring 3lbs 15oz and is causing the docs some concern because she is not growing as much as they want her to be growing. Her belly circumference is smaller than they would like to see and her amniotic fluid levels are too low.
Begin freak out.
All else looks good though! Heartbeats for both are great and they both were very active and moving nonstop. The flow through both umbilical cords was great as well - good news,
The tech leaves and says to wait for the doc. What felt like HOURS later, the doc comes in and comments that I sure am stirring things up around the perinatal testing center today. I respond with a confused and demanding, "why? what all is happening? should we be very concerned?" She says that the difference between the girls is now 14% - still okay - not in the danger zone but it is not the difference between them that concerns her - it is the fact that Sawyer is not growing as much as she "should" be where as Peyton is doing beyond impressive - even on a singleton scale. Doc continued that she would recommend admitting me for further monitoring and to get on an IV to increase my fluids which has shown to increase amniotic fluid levels.
I ask if she is extremely concerned - she said she wasn't worried, yet. But there is enough going on that she wants to call my OB and fill her in and then send me up to her office.
I ask her when she sees these girls coming. She said she does not see them coming today - but soon. I ask if we will make it to 38 weeks and she said no. SOOO...our girls are coming early! Now just to PRAY AND HOPE nonstop that 'early' means no sooner than 34-36 weeks.
Doc sends me to wait in the hallway while she calls my OB. I frantic text Erin to come meet me at the hospital and I focus on leaning over to hear the u/s Doc on the phone w/ my OB to hear what she has to say.
Basic run down - the variables between the girls is more than just a mild issue.
Sawyer's activity is fine but her fluid is low and the belly measurements of Sawyer are only in the 3rd percentile.
Overall, both are decent sizes with decent heartbeats.
She suggests sending me to L&D to get on IV and monitor for a day and then increase NST's to twice a week and keeping a very close eye on the girls.
So off I go to L&D!
Proceed to get lost in the hospital but Erin finds me and we head over.
Get strapped up to the monitors by an awesome nurse who is friends w/ my mom and also took care of Megan when she had J and C. All looks good.
My OB comes in and is happy with what she sees with the fetal monitors and agrees that closer monitoring is what is needed paired with incessant left side laying and water intake by the gallons.
Now, we take things day by day and I need to stop being a paranoid head case and be appreciative of every single hour that these girls stay cookin and get stronger.
I had planned on doing lunch w/ Megan and the kids after my NST but due to this bump in the road - they came over to the hospital to meet me and as always, seeing those two kids makes everything better immediately. J kept a close watch on me and held my hand the whole time...brings tears to my eyes to see this pic and see what an amazing kid she is.
So, now we are on a schedule of NST's every Monday and Thursday. Doc appts weekly and biweekly u/s.
If any NST shows any drop in heart rates then they will do an u/s right away just to check.
My prediction - each appt will be an u/s and NST and doc appt possibly with a few more trips to L&D for further monitoring. WHICH IS FINE BY ME! (and maybe next time I won't be such a basket case)
I would rather they watch these girls every second of every day to make sure they keep growing and moving and esp that they are not in any stress, ever.
These lil girls have been so strong the past 32 weeks - starting with the obstacle of OHSS back in December and January to getting awesome reports at each and every check up. They are getting tired of being SO perfect and figured might as well start stirring things up now before they are born and really shake up all of our lives in an amazing way!!
Prayers for another few weeks of cookin time and good test results every other day!!
Deep breath.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
It's effin hot
aaannnddd - happy 32 weeks!!! more detailed post to follow w/ pics and results of NST tomorrow!! fingers crossed and prayers!!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
31 semanas
THIRTY ONE WEEKS!!!!!!
SEVEN MORE WEEKS TO GO!!!!!
Despite feeling like a lazy-ass and incessantly laying down to keep the pressure of my two lil ladies off of my cervix, the past week has been busy, exciting, and exhausting. Why is laying around exhausting? It actually takes more effort to lay around then to be up and doing stuff - Remind me of this over the next 5 years when I never get to sit or watch 2 hours nonstop of Extreme Couponing.
Our girls are doing well..HB's are perfect..u/s is a week away and cannot get here soon enough! They are constantly kicking and flipping - they better be getting comfy with being head down!!
I was at the OB today for a quick check - cervix is hard and closed - THANK BABY JESUS!!!!! Once again, I told the doc my apprehensions on him checking it as it can trigger movement but he reassured me and after more resistance on my part, promised me that it would not do anything...I 3/4 believe him, maybe.
Anywho, cervix needs to stay strong and I am under orders to keep doing what I am doing - so thats basically permission to continue eating Oreos 3 times a day?
After todays appt, my OB appts are bumped up to weekly and u/s appts will be more frequent as well with non-stress tests weekly starting Monday. I am getting braxton hicks pretty regularly which are the weirdest/coolest freaking things everrrr. How can it be no big deal that your uterus morphs into this rock hard muscle and not to mention the shape that it takes on??!! It is like it is squeeeezing both girls and during the contractions we are able to distinguish where their lil heads and coolies are located. They typically pass within less than a minute and fascinate us every time they come on. Our lil Peyton still has the hiccups a few times a day which also causes my bladder to shake with each hiccup so I think I am peeing about 50 times a day now. Sawyer got the hiccups yesterday and since she is breeched, she gave my ribs a good lil shake up during the hiccups.
I am just proud that I haven't peed myself yet. I have had a few close calls.....and I do believe that it is Erin's goal to get me to pee myself..I'm onto you babe.
The doc today - who is one of my favorites - informed me that he is on vaca for the next 3 weeks so I am not allowed to have these babies until he comes back. SOOO, let's hope I hold up my end of the deal.
SEVEN more weeks of appts!!! I cannot freakin believe we are in the home stretch. It really feels like just a few weeks ago that we were reading about IVF and mapping out our injections and dreaming of the day that we would be blessed with a baby - or babies!
Strangely, I feel like I will miss these lil girls once they arrive...I am not sure how I will 'miss' them when I plan to never let them leave my side until they are 30 (or maybe 13 as those teenage years can be a bitch) but the fact that they will no longer be in their comfy, safe water beds in my belly is getting me teary eyed (shocker). Once again - remind me of this in a few years when I am begging for 10 minutes by myself so I can shower and shave without two sets of eyes watching me. (make it 3 sets of eyes if Erin is home ;)
Also, this past weekend - my Lovie turned SIX YEARS OLD!!!! Feels like just a few weeks ago that she was a lil girl toddling around
<3
AND the lil beef cake moved up into a big boy bed and was generous enough to give his crib to our girls :)
We also got to spend time with Peyton and Sawyer's other two cousins who are so excited to have more lil girls in the fam!
aaannnddd had a delic dinner @ El Vez with some of our favorite ladies!
AND one of our best friends just happens to be an amazing artist who painted a birch tree in the girls' nursery! beautiful!
I have to get pics of the whole nursery! It's an amazing lil room that smells oh so good and is almost all ready for our lil ladies!
Even Tyson has been enjoying lounging on the shag carpeting...
We staged this weeks photoshoot around Tyson so that he could be a part of it....He cooperated...
For about 10 seconds....
til he peaced out to go bury his bone in the couch.
Happy 31 weeks (gestational age) to our lil ladies...
We love you so much already and cannot wait to meet you in 7 weeks <3
SEVEN MORE WEEKS TO GO!!!!!
Despite feeling like a lazy-ass and incessantly laying down to keep the pressure of my two lil ladies off of my cervix, the past week has been busy, exciting, and exhausting. Why is laying around exhausting? It actually takes more effort to lay around then to be up and doing stuff - Remind me of this over the next 5 years when I never get to sit or watch 2 hours nonstop of Extreme Couponing.
Our girls are doing well..HB's are perfect..u/s is a week away and cannot get here soon enough! They are constantly kicking and flipping - they better be getting comfy with being head down!!
I was at the OB today for a quick check - cervix is hard and closed - THANK BABY JESUS!!!!! Once again, I told the doc my apprehensions on him checking it as it can trigger movement but he reassured me and after more resistance on my part, promised me that it would not do anything...I 3/4 believe him, maybe.
Anywho, cervix needs to stay strong and I am under orders to keep doing what I am doing - so thats basically permission to continue eating Oreos 3 times a day?
After todays appt, my OB appts are bumped up to weekly and u/s appts will be more frequent as well with non-stress tests weekly starting Monday. I am getting braxton hicks pretty regularly which are the weirdest/coolest freaking things everrrr. How can it be no big deal that your uterus morphs into this rock hard muscle and not to mention the shape that it takes on??!! It is like it is squeeeezing both girls and during the contractions we are able to distinguish where their lil heads and coolies are located. They typically pass within less than a minute and fascinate us every time they come on. Our lil Peyton still has the hiccups a few times a day which also causes my bladder to shake with each hiccup so I think I am peeing about 50 times a day now. Sawyer got the hiccups yesterday and since she is breeched, she gave my ribs a good lil shake up during the hiccups.
I am just proud that I haven't peed myself yet. I have had a few close calls.....and I do believe that it is Erin's goal to get me to pee myself..I'm onto you babe.
The doc today - who is one of my favorites - informed me that he is on vaca for the next 3 weeks so I am not allowed to have these babies until he comes back. SOOO, let's hope I hold up my end of the deal.
SEVEN more weeks of appts!!! I cannot freakin believe we are in the home stretch. It really feels like just a few weeks ago that we were reading about IVF and mapping out our injections and dreaming of the day that we would be blessed with a baby - or babies!
Strangely, I feel like I will miss these lil girls once they arrive...I am not sure how I will 'miss' them when I plan to never let them leave my side until they are 30 (or maybe 13 as those teenage years can be a bitch) but the fact that they will no longer be in their comfy, safe water beds in my belly is getting me teary eyed (shocker). Once again - remind me of this in a few years when I am begging for 10 minutes by myself so I can shower and shave without two sets of eyes watching me. (make it 3 sets of eyes if Erin is home ;)
Also, this past weekend - my Lovie turned SIX YEARS OLD!!!! Feels like just a few weeks ago that she was a lil girl toddling around
<3
AND the lil beef cake moved up into a big boy bed and was generous enough to give his crib to our girls :)
We also got to spend time with Peyton and Sawyer's other two cousins who are so excited to have more lil girls in the fam!
aaannnddd had a delic dinner @ El Vez with some of our favorite ladies!
AND one of our best friends just happens to be an amazing artist who painted a birch tree in the girls' nursery! beautiful!
Even Tyson has been enjoying lounging on the shag carpeting...
We staged this weeks photoshoot around Tyson so that he could be a part of it....He cooperated...
til he peaced out to go bury his bone in the couch.
Happy 31 weeks (gestational age) to our lil ladies...
We love you so much already and cannot wait to meet you in 7 weeks <3
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