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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

boring update - 33 weeks

I have once again been so bad about blogging.

I have so much to be thankful for and wanted to document an update.

I am 33 weeks and 4 days and feel great!

I think I overdid it last night, and my back started hurting really bad. And every night I have some discomfort and can't get comfortable sleeping or sitting. But, all in all, it's not that bad!

I weight myself this morning, and I have officially crossed the 40-pound mark. I have gained 40 pounds. I am measuring from the heaviest I have been since retrieval. Even though i lost some weight in the beginning. Gosh I hope I can lose this weight fairly quickly. Not because I'm vain, just because I don't know what I'm going to wear.

I'm posting a photo of my baby shower cake. It was awesome. If there is any interest, I might post a belly picture one of these days. (I know I cant be trusted with my sporadic posts)

I do not feel ready AT ALL to have these babies. We have not registered for cord blood banking yet, don' t have several things like changing table pad, baby monitor, car seat protectors, mobile, humidifier, noise maker, diaper bag, or rocker/glider. And we still have two more hypnobirthing classes! My mantra is now 38 weeks and 7 pounds each. I talk to the babies and ask them nicely to stay in until the end of April, but I know they will come whenever they are ready!

Oh yeah, and we don't have any bottles. Which I don't plan to use, since I plan to exclusively breastfeed, but I'm thinking I should have some just in case. Should I?

I have an awesome gift card from Target that my coworkers gave me at my work shower to buy above items, just need to get off my butt and go there and get them. I'm still working, so after a long day, I just want to lay down and watch American Idol.

This is a boring update, I know. I'll post again soon!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

30 week appointment

Ok, I said I would update, and here I am!

This one is going to be bullet point format.

Went to the doc today for a checkup. I met with one of the midwives that I had not met before. At my practice, there are 4 midwives and two docs. They all are on a rotation. If you are a singleton mama, you deliver with whoever is on rotation. If you're a twin mama like me, you get one of the doctors. I LOVE one of the doctors a little more than I love the other one, so I am hoping to get her. I need to give these women some names.

ANyway, but for this prenatal appointment, I couldn't get either one of the doctors, so I got one of the midwives. She was wonderful, so it was fine.

I asked lots of questions...

1. My fundal height? 38 weeks! i am measuring 38 weeks. It is so funny the things that you hear. People say all the time, "You're not that big at all!" Well, actually, yeah, I am. I'm measuring like someone who is about to pop, and I'm not planning on popping for 6 more weeks!

2. Speaking of that, I didn't ask, but the midwife said I should expect to deliver around 36-37 weeks. She thought the babies were good size (2 pounds 10 pounds each at the 28 week appointment) that my uterus would get so big that it woudl just be ready. It was nice to sort of have a "professional" opinion on this. Although, I know it's just an opinion. But i'm sort of thinking April 16th in my head.. That's 36 weeks.

3. Can I wear my own clothes for labor and delivery? Sure, you can wear whatever you want. So, here's my question to the blogosphere... is anyone planning to wear their own clothes, or did anyone? Any pros and cons, what to wear?

4. Random thing. In the waiting room before the appointment, Carlos and I made a list of all the things we have to do in the next 6 weeks and beyond.. It feels like so much, but getting it all down on google docs made it better.

5. When I came home, I researched prices on diapers and went ahead and bought them. 240 Pampers Swaddlers for Newborn for 52.95. Wow - diapers are expensive. Amazon is a great deal, thought. Love the free shipping!

6. The babies are moving so much! And they do not like the non-stress test. I felt bad for them as they really go crazy moving all around when the tech tries to get the heartbeats set on both of them. I feel like the machine is so old fashioned. Finally we just said forget it, and unstrapped me. I would LOVE to know what these babies are thinking.

7. My babies also LOVE American Idol. Well, here I go, guessing that movement means they love it. Which I just contradicted myself, because they moved a ton during the non-stress test, and I assumed that meant they didn't like it. Wow. Will I be deciding for myself what they like and don't like their whole lives? Ha ha. But I swear, the most active part of the day is when we are watching American Idol. And Carlos sang to them Let It Be after American Idol, and they started to calm down. It was really nice, because I love it when they move, but sometimes I also like them calm. I'm sure this will be the case when they are here, too.

Ok, i know this was a lame update, but I'm trying to remember all this stuff, and I'm going to get better at writing everyday, so it's not always going to be exciting!

THANKS a ton for the stroller ideas - I'm going to look into them.. Now..what are you wearing for labor and delivery? The standard issue hospital gown or something else? Can't wait to hear!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Long Overdue Update

Hello!

I have been so remiss in keeping the blog updated.. and there is so much I want to share and remember. This will most likely be our only pregnancy, so I really want to remember the feelings, decisions, preparation.. all of it.

Also, I have gotten amazing advice from other mothers of multiples.. and if I don't write all of this down, i won't be able to help others that come after me!

(I have heard more than one mother tell me you lose your memory after you have kids, so I must start capturing all of this, or else it will be gone forever!)

So, today I am 30 weeks and 3 days! Oh my! I had to go look at my blog to tell me. I actually thought I was still 29 weeks and something. (Does the memory loss start before birth?)

I am really feeling great! Sure, I have the occasional (read: trying to be positive, but I really mean constant) back pain. And, oh, I have trouble sleeping (read: I literally wake up every 45 minutes to go to the bathroom. And repositioning three pillows each time I come back to bed in my sleepy state is far from easy) .. but really, all things considered I feel great!

I am no longer worried about pre-term labor. I feel very comfortable that my babies will come when they are ready. I really trust my body and these babies to do the right thing and come when they are ready.

I am actually thankful for our IVF experience for teaching me about trusting my body. Doing IVF and being successful on our natural frozen cycle gave me confidence in my body. Being successful on our FET, after all we went through also gave me confidence in these babies. Since it was our second try at IVF, these are not the two "best" embryos, they are the "second best." (according to the embryology grading) These babies survived fertilization and ICSI. They survived biopsy of one of their cells when they only had 8. They survived poking and prodding by our fabulous embryologist. They survived being frozen for three months. And then they survived being thawed out. And they knew enough to dig in, implant and hang on in my uterus. They are wonderful little babies!

And they will come when they are ready.

But on that note, babies, Please don't come soon.. because we are not ready either!

It's amazing how much there is to do before they come. I keep reminding myself of all there is to do, and then I have to remind myself that not EVERYTHING is absolutely essential. Yes, we need a rug for the concrete-stained floor in the nursery. However, I don't expect that they will come out walking, and tummy time probably won't be happening right away either, so if we don't have a rug and they come home, it's really okay.

However, we will need diapers. I do need to get the birth plan done. We need to sign up and get the supplies for the cord blood registry thing. I need some nursing bras. We need mattresses for the cribs. We need to decide on a pediatrician. (Not that we can't change after they are are here, though) Oh yeah, and at some point, the babies will need names. They can't go by A and B or girl and boy forever.

And a stroller. Stroller is on the top of our "OOPS!" list. Here's the story.. We bought this fancy new-to-us crossover SUV that we just love. And I went to buy the Double Snap and Go from another mother of twins. Mind you, for those not in the know.. the Double Snap and Go is the ONLY stroller on the market, uh, the only stroller in existence that works for infant twins. The only one. Never in a thousand years did I think that it would.not.fit.in.the.back.of.new.car. But nope, it won't. So, therefore, we have no stroller options. And I am not carrying two of them in thier car seats. Not humanly possible. And although I do plan to be a baby-wearer, i don't think I'll be a babies-wearer.. Uh, yeah.. and we're not buying another car. And two strollers.. not exactly practical for all the time.. So.. what do do?

My wonderful husband to the rescue.. He decides he has the perfect solution.. and really it is. We will get a hitch put on the car and install a bike rack. And the double snap and go.. (it's really just a frame that two infant car seats fit into) will fit on the bikerack. There will even enable room in the back trunk for other stuff. It's brilliant really. And I'm sure the bike rack idea was not at all motivated by the fact that my husband has been a cyclist for like 10 years and perhaps could also use the bike rack to go on a bike ride with one of his 5 or 6 bikes. It's brilliant, really and dual-purpose. And will work perfectly. Now I just need to get a hold of that mom again and tell her I still want her DSAG.

ok, this post is long enough... and I've rambled on about nothing.

Next time I'm going to talk about our plans for a drug-free natural birth of these babies. Because I am so so exited about it! Let me first say that I respect everyone's choice around this.. and that there is no medal for natural childbirth, and I'm not looking to be a hero or anything.. this is just my choice.. and I believe I can do it, and that we are uniquely made for it. So no judgment of anyone else's choices whatsoever.. but I will look forward to sharing my thoughts and hearing yours.

Hold me accountable. I'm going to write again tomorrow. I have a doctor appointment, so I'll be able to write about that.