34w6d: The Boys Arrive

Get ready for one quick, painless and stress free twin vaginal delivery.

34w5d I had a regular OB appt.   Or so I thought.   Turns out my blood pressure was really high.   So the OB was going to send me to the hospital for monitoring.   She did a quick cervix check before I went.   Without feeling a single contraction I was dilated to 4.  

To the hospital we go.  My blood pressure remained high and there was some protein in my urine.   Still no contractions but when the OB arrived at 10:30pm to check on me I was now dilated to 6cm.   The babies were going to be here the next morning... we had no idea how close were were going to cut it.

I had to get an epi because I was planning on a twin vaginal delivery.   I got one (not bad) and they placed a catheter.   Around 11:15 the OB came back to break my water.   I was already at a 7cm.   She told me  to let the nurse know if I start to feel pressure. 

I did...and it was within 30 minutes.   A quick check and I was 10cm and Twin A was right there.  I was rushed to the OR (twin deliveries vaginal or c-section have to take place there) and I was told no matter what DON'T PUSH til  all the doctors and helpers got there. 

This was the hardest part of the delivery by far.   I wanted to push so so bad.  Every time a contraction came I NEEDED to push.  I BEGGED to push.  And finally 15 minutes?  20 minutes? later, everyone was present and I was given the go ahead.   1 contractions worth of pushes and August ("Gus") Jack was born at 12:39am.   He weighed 5lbs13oz and had apgars of 8 and 9.   I didn't get to see him because I was then forced to focus on getting twin B out. 

My OB guided Twin B's head toward my birth canal and to his birth.   12 minutes later Arthur ("Archie") Joseph was born weighing 6lbs3oz.   His apgars were 9 and 9.

So to sum up, thanks to my awesome OB I vaginally gave birth to my twins WITHOUT a tear.  Felt zero pain (lots of pressure) and went from 7cm to our first twin in roughly an hour.

The boys are doing amazingly well.  As I type this they are sleeping in our little recovery room - ironically the exact same one that we were in after Bea was born.   No NICU time.  No wires.  No tubes.  And there is a chance they'll come home with us in a few days.

I can not believe how lucky I am.   Screw the Station Wagon.   We had to buy a MiniVan!

34w5d

Blogging from the hospital.   Blood Pressure is way up.  Somehow without feeling a single contraction I'm dialated to 4cm.   Not sure which day the babies will be here, but it's gonna be soon.

And we're going vaginal unless something happens....Twin B I'm looking at you....  

This is so surreal.  I can't believe it.

34w1d

I'm so so thankful to have past 34 weeks.  Not just because it means after more than 8 weeks of bed rest I get to leave the house once or twice this week.... Okay that's a lot of the reason why.  


I went to the OB today and we did a BPP.   Twin B past it very quickly.  Twin A was taking a nap so we had to spend some time waking him up.  All good.

Then we did a NST.  It's hard keeping both twins on the monitor.   Well it's hard keeping B on the monitor.  A just hung out doing his thing.  When my OB checked the paper it looked like twin B had some "variants".   Basically there were a few moments when B's heart rate went down and then back up. So she had me go straight to my MFM to do another, higher quality u/s and make sure B was okay.

So we went to doctor number two.   First the u/s.   Everything looked great.  Fluid, cord flow, movement.  All good.   Weights estimated at Twin A 5lbs 6oz.  Twin B 5lbs 8oz.

Then the NST.   This time Twin B stayed put and A was the trouble maker.   But good news was no "variants".    The MFM said Twin B could have just been kicking/tugging on his umbilical cord causing the original "variants"

I go back to my OB on Friday.  Hopefully for a much shorter visit.

Today we left the house at 9:30am and got home around 4pm.    Not the first time these boys cause of trouble, I'm sure.

Oh and no more cervical checks.   I guess I'll know things have changed down there when I feel my water break or I go in to labor.   Holy Cow.

32w5d

Thankfully my husband was wrong.   Yesterday was his birthday and despite his prediction weeks ago the babies are still cooking.

We had another OB appointment today.   A.K.A. my first time out of the house in ten days.   I was SURE I was going to be readmitted to the hospital.   I've had a lot of discharge (tmi?  eh, it's a pregancy blog right now discharge is like talking about the weather) and a lot of pain DOWN THERE (every time I say that I want there to be an echo).

So I took a shower (assuming it's my last for a while) and packed up three hospital bags.   But like last time the bags are my good luck charm because I'm back home as I type this.

Cervix is STABLE.  Boys look great.   Huge.  And Twin B is almost head down like his brother.  He's at a slight angle, but I really think I'm going to get to push those suckers out!

My blood pressure is fine.  But I gained EIGHT POUNDS since my last appt. 10 days ago.  Now the fact that I'm almost 33 pregnant with twins and up til this point had only gained 2 pounds total makes me glad to see the scale going up a bit.   I'm not surprised it went up.  The past two weeks have been the first time all pregnancy I've actually been hungry.  And I mean HUNGRY.  And my stomach is growing at a crazy rate right now.   I'm sure the boys are packing on the pounds too.  Which is great news.

So my next appointment isn't until a week from Monday when I'll be 34w1d.   My OB said at 34 weeks I can start doing little things.   She gave me permission to go to a salon and cut my hair off.   I still have giant bed rest dread locks going on and I can't wait to have a short hair cut I don't have to pay attention to.    Maybe later in the week I'll get a pedicure?   Why not!  I can do that in just a little over a week!

I know the twins are getting big because I'm getting really, really sore.  My pelvis feels like it's been split in two.  I waddle because walking regularly is painful.  In fact today has been pretty painful.  If I wasn't on bed rest I'd probably stay in bed anyway.  Laying down in one position is the only way to not feel my ligaments stretch and creek.

And I am so very lucky we've gotten to this point!

*****32 Weeks******

I have been waiting for this day!

"The next milestone is 32 to 34 weeks. Babies born now generally have an excellent chance of survival, without any major long-term complications, though they might not have full lung maturity (which generally occurs between 33 and 37 weeks) and will need to spend time in the NICU.  Some babies born at this stage may require oxygen to help them breathe, while others may need to be fed through a nasogastric tube (which runs through the nose into the stomach). “Super-twins” (triplets or more) almost always spend time in a NICU, but if you can get past that 32-week mark, chances are excellent that the babies will be healthy."

And now that it's here I'm already thinking about how great 34 weeks will feel.....

31w2d

not me but close...

Another week, another OB appointment.

All good news today.    The cervix stayed stable (woohoo!).  I'm telling you the trick is to have a bag ready in case you have to go from your appointment to the hospital.   Since I started bringing a bag I haven't had to use it.

The boys look great and are (as usual) HUGE.   Twin A is measuring in at a whooping 4lbs13oz.  Twin B is not too shabby at 4lbs9oz.   That's almost 10 pounds and 3 feet of baby in there.   No wonder I need help turning over in bed.

32 weeks is so close I can taste it!   Then 34....36....

My OB said if I make it to 36 I can go for a hike.   I told her I just wanted to get to go to Target.    We'll see...

30w3d

I've been home from the hospital for about a week now.   Grand stay - 5 days.

I was having tiny contractions, but my cervix remained stable.  In fact they thought it was even a bit longer than they orginially thought.  So they decided to send me home.

I had an OB appointment on Monday.   I packed my hospital bag (well a tiny one...basically my computer, charger and cell phone...you know, the essentials).   I was sure I'd be sent back.   Instead my cervix at worse was stable and at best was longer.   Bed rest is working!

When I went to the hospital almost 2 weeks ago I thought about how much I wanted to make it til 30 weeks.  Something about a 3 in the front spot just seemed so much safer.   Now I'm half way through 30!   Barreling toward 31!  

I'm still sure my husband is right and these babes are coming on his birthday...but there is still the part of me that feels like everytime I go to the bathroom my water is going to break.   There's also the part of me that thinks I'll make it to full term.

I guess we just have to wait and see.