Week 20: Canteloupe

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!

Photo and text courtesy of thebump.com

So that pocket of "goo"...

I haven't spotted since the weekend. Go to the perinatologist, no internal involved - just an u/s...he says there is more to come out, and wa-la - I woke up spotting again. I have a bad feeling that my bedrest journey will not end tomorrow. :( I worry so much about my job. I know the girls are the most important thing, but my job is pretty important to me too.

I'm wondering now how I'm going to do anything if I end up staying here in bed. We wanted to tour the hospital, take a safety class, and take a newborn class in March. I also have three showers planned, and the hostesses are wondering if they should even send invites. And I haven't bought a thing for the girls - I'm not even registered yet.

I'm a little depressed today. Haven't I payed my dues just trying to GET pregnant? Do I really have to suffer and worry through the whole pregnancy too?

Anatomy Scan Today!

We had our Anatomy Scan with the Perinatalogist today. Everything looks good. There is a pocket of "goo" that might still bleed out, so my ER incident may have had less to do with my placenta (which is still low lying) and more to do with a subchorionic hematoma. He said it was likely that she may keep me on bedrest for the duration of the pregnancy, but with more flexibility than just eating/bathroom/shower breaks. We'll see on Friday when I follow up with my OB. It's her call, since she put me on bedrest to begin with. She seemed to imply that this wasn't permanant at my last appointment, so who knows!

The girls (and they are FOR SURE both girls) are doing great. Measuring on schedule (19-20 weeks), weighing in at 10-12 ounces each, and 6.5-7" long. Both are transverse (laying side to side accross me). Baby A is on the bottom and her head is on my left. Baby B is on top and her head is on my right. No signs of Downs Syndrome, Spina Bifida, cleft palate, physical deformities or any organ issues.

I'll post pictures later - they are BEYOND precious! We still don't have our scanner hooked up to the new post-robbery computer. Which reminds me, I REALLY need to complete the robbery police report and insurance paperwork. Agh! I guess that can be tomorrow's task!

Another day in paradise...I mean, in bed

Bed rest is SO boring. Geesh...as good as it sounds to not go to work, it's not. I'm lonely, I'm depressed and I'm scared for my baby girls. But things do seem to be improving so at least it's working. The spotting is pretty much gone this morning. No sign that Monday night happened at all. I'm assuming if there was an issue with abruption, that I would still be bleeding. Hopefully my placenta is moving up, although my belly is just not growing that fast. Well...it is growing though!



I lost a pound this week so I'm only up 9 pounds at 19 weeks. I guess I'd better talk to my doctor about that this Wednesday. I never thought a lack of weight gain would be an issue for me. It's not like I'm not eating a TON. And while laying in bed, no less.

Let me brag about my sweet husband. He has been AMAZING. He's working 7am to 6pm and then coming home and taking care of me, the house and the furbabies. And he brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers yesterday to brighten up the scenery from my bed. I'm so blessed to have someone that is truly a partner and not just a spouse. I honestly couldn't have asked for better.

Guess who is loving bedrest? LOL!

Week 19: Mango

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil, and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

Photo and text courtesty of thebump.com

Burglary, Bedrest and Baby Girls

I think I'll be spending a little more time keeping this blog updated now, given the following.

First off, our home was burglarized last week. DH came at 4:45 to find our front door kicked in. They didn’t take a ton of electronics, but they did steal most of my jewelry including some heirlooms. Then we got robbed again when we found out our insurance had a $1000 limit on jewelry. We took a huge loss but we’re trying to put it behind us. We’re very thankful that they didn’t vandalize our home or hurt our pets. We’ve got a new door, and a new alarm system, and we’re trying to get over the invasion of someone being in our home.

Saturday night I had a sharp cramp down low. I would compare it to a pulled muscle feeling, and had I been moving, I would have assumed it was round ligament pain...accept I wasn't moving when it happened. Sunday morning at church it started hurting again. When I came home from church, I found out that I had a bit of brown spotting. I called my OB and she wasn't concerned, but said if I was worried I could go to the Er. Well, I was worried so off we went. The ER was great - they got us right in. They ran my blood and did a urinalysis for a UTI, and then did a full anatomy scan u/s. The babies were doing great, and at that appointment it was confirmed that I am carrying two baby girls. My cervix was measuring 4.8cm - long and closed. The ER doc mentioned that I might have a low lying placenta according to the tech. He said he spoke to my OB, and I was being discharged on pelvic rest.

I went to work Monday and just had very light spotting throughout the day, no cramping that stands out. Monday night I started to have really bad cramping, got up to check and found red spotting. Within minutes, it went from spotting, to period like flow, to pouring out of me like it did when I miscarried. We drove to the local ER rather than the one 30 minutes away that I will deliver at and in 10 minutes I filled a pad completly. On the way there I called my OB and she told me to tell them I have a low lying placenta. I'm a little pissed she didn't tell me that when I talked to her on Monday, but I think she knows it would have panicked me and maybe she thought things would not get worse and it would be a mute point. Anyway, the ER was very responsive. They wheeled me into the trauma room and had IVs in both of my arms before I could snap my fingers. One for fluid, one in case I needed blood. The ER doc came in and checked and my bleeding had slowed down. They ran all my blood again and did another full anatomy scan. The tech told me the girls are measuring 9 ounces and measuring right on schedule for 18 weeks. They told me they could admit me, or I could go home for the night. After seeing the clientele that comes in after midnight (many with police or security escorts), we happily were discharged and got home around 2pm.

My OB called me Tuesday morning and brought me in for a follow up. She did an internal and told me that there were lots of clots that were still going to come out, but that my cervix is nice and closed. She's placed me on bedrest through January 22. I see the perinatologist on January 20 and a follow up with my OB two days later. We'll see where we go from there.

So I'm home, I'm bored already, and laundry is piling up around me. Poor hubs had a hard time finding clean socks today. :( I feel awful I can't help him. But these little girls are obviously the only thing I am responsible for taking care of right now.

18 Weeks: Sweet Potato

18 weeks...holy moly! Where has the time gone? I'm so thankful! It's nice to finally feel pregnant and I'm starting to actually look pregnant and not fat. I'm only up 10 pounds which thrills me to no end, but I know they'll be backing on shortly as the babies really start to grow. I felt one of them move for the first time on Friday night. The most amazing feeling EVER and I can't wait to feel it daily!



Baby's become amazingly mobile (compared to you, at least), passing the hours yawning, hiccupping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. And baby is finally big enough that you'll soon be able to feel her movements.

Photo and text courtesy of thebump.com

Moving Right Along

I'm having a really hard time believing that I'm actually 17 weeks pregnant with twins. It's SO surreal!

I'm feeling pretty good these days. It's been over a week since I've been sick, so yay for that. I've really suffered with headaches though, but I don't think they are necessarily related to the pregnancy itself. I used to get tension headaches 3-5 days a week for years until I started acupuncture. It's been a while since I've had a treatment. Add that to the fact that I can't sleep on my belly anymore and wake up with a stiff neck daily, and I think we have our culprit. I'm having a hard time getting in for acupuncture, but I'm going to have to figure something out.

Weight gain is going well - did I just say that? LOL! Seriously though, I can't tell you how freaking THRILLED I am to only be up 10 pounds at 17 weeks, especially with all the holiday food in the past 6 weeks. I know it's coming though. The nurse said that they normally see people gain 10 pounds between 16 and 20 weeks. Yikes! I just hope my gain is enough for the babies to be healthy. This is the point where they are packing on the fat (the babies, not me), though I know they will take the nutrients they need from me first.

17 more days before we find out the gender and the shopping begins! Woohoo!

17 Weeks: Onion

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. His umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes now feature one-of-a-kind prints.

Photo and text courtesy of thebump.com

Elective Gender Scan

We went for an elective gender scan on Wednesday at one of the 3D clinics. I was really unimpressed with this place, which was disappointing. The girl tried though, I have to give her credit. My babies were very uncooperative, so I can't say if someone with more experience would have had better luck or not. On a good note, both babies were doing well - very active and healthy looking!

Baby A had the cord between his/her legs the first try. The second try, s/he would NOT sit still. She "thinks" this baby is a girl. I don't see why she's saying girl, other than not seeing a penis.





Baby B had his foot between his legs the first try. The second try, he had his hand over his genitals - gotta be a boy, right? The third shot, we got a view of what appears to be a penis. We're pretty certain the gender is correct on him, but not betting the bank on it.



She did say we could come back for 50% off within two weeks, but our full anatomy scan with the perinatologist is in 3 weeks, so for now we're going with "inconclusive".  The economy will have to wait for grandma and I (and auntie Keli) to start shopping.

16 Week OB Appointment

After a weekend of cramping and lots of pushing/pressure, I went in for my 16 week appointment on Monday, December 28.

No ultrasound unfortunately, but everything looks good. Heartbeats were great. Baby on the right was going crazy - she had a hard time getting him/her to stay still for 15 seconds to check the heartrate! My uterus measurement is 22 weeks. My BP was 124/75. No weight gain between 12-16 weeks on her scale - I'm up about 8-10 total on my home scale which I think is good for twins. Cervix was long and closed up tight - she said it looked like a non-pregnant cervix. Good I'm guessing? So everything is going well. Still sick on and off, and still very tired, but I feel good for the most part. I'm still in shock I think.

Here is my 16 week belly.  I included the 10 week belly shot for comparison.

16 Weeks: Avocado

Watch what you say...tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean she can now pick up your voice. A few more minuscule changes: Eyebrows, lashes, and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming.

15.5 Week Update

My poor neglected blog.  Let me ramble on a bit.

We're 15.5 weeks and I couldn't be happier.  I'm feeling good.  The nausea and vomitting seem to have passed for the most part, and I'm on day two being headache free.  My thyroid is holding its own - Dr. K is watching me like a hawk and running my blood every 3 weeks.  Last check, my TSH (0.03) was low, but my T3 (311) and T4 (1.1) are running the show, and they are normal. 

I'm barely showing.  Those that know my body type know the bump is new, but to everyone else, I look like I've indulged in one too many Christmas cookies.  Well, I have actually.  LOL!  Shockingly enough, I'm only up 8 pounds as of this morning, so that is pretty darn good, especially considering how easily I normally gain weight.  It's been a joy to not count calories for the past four months, and weighing weekly instead of daily has been a change for the better for me.

Okay, let's get down to the nitty gritty.  The cramping is making me CRAZY.  It's been so long since I've seen the babies (over 3 weeks which seems like ages to me) and I'm paranoid and dying for an ultrasound.  My OB apparently only does a doppler check at 16 weeks, but I think I'm going to beg her to measure the babies and check their fluid.  I think I've read one too many stories of people leaking fluid or having an incompetent cervix and I'm terrified of having a second trimester loss now.  I guess I'm just paranoid of a loss, period.  I can't imagine getting this far and then losing them.  I've been listening to their heartbeats every night with the doppler, so I know there hearts are still beating away. I'm thankful we've had that to hold on to.

15 Weeks: Naval Orange

Continuing the march toward normal proportions, baby's legs now out-measure his arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably can't feel the movements just yet.

Week 14: Lemon

Since when is a lemon bigger than a peach?  I'm a bit shocked (and disappointed) that my belly is not growing much at all.  I really expected to be showing more by now, but my little itty bitty bump hasn't grown at all.  Which worries me, of course.



Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, making urine, and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys, and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over her body for warmth.

The Results are IN!!!

The Genetic Counselor called this afternoon.  I had left two messages for her, and I guess she could hear the worry in my voice.  She said the results hadn't come in yet, but she called and had them faxed.

I was concerned because...well, I'm old.  Also, the risk of chromosomal issues is higher with people pregnant after IVF/ICSI because the process of natural selection is eliminated.

So as I said a few posts down, our measurements were 1.3 and 1.6, which is fabulous - below the 2.5 that they wanted to see.

The risk of Down's Syndrome just based on my age alone is about 1/250.  I don't know the risk of T18 just based on age alone.

Here are the numbers based on my age, my measurements above, and my bloodwork (PAPP-A and HCG):

Based on my age
Down's Syndrome:  1/1600
Trisomy 18:  1/53000

Based on the embryo's age (they were retrieved in May)
Down's Syndrome:  1/1800
Trisomy 18:  1/71000

We could not be more THRILLED!  God is surely blessing us tenfold, and we are SO very grateful.

Next stop:  Anatomy/Gender Scan on 1/20/2010!!!!!

Week 13: Peach

Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy.

Photo and text courtesy of thebump.com

For Alysia...

Because you asked...

10 weeks 5 days (pardon the messy mirror)


12 weeks 3 days (not sure what's up with the wrinkle just above my pants...nice...NOT!)

NT Scan and Genetic Counseling

We had our NT Scan and Genetic Counseling today.  I tossed and turned ALL night long thinking about this appointment.  Funny though, I didn't get as worried as I normally get before an ultrasound.  I guess it's sinking in that I'm pregnant. 

The scan went great.  Their nuchal folds measured 1.3 and 1.6 which is below the 2mm "there might be a problem" coverline.  I loved seeing our little ones on the screen.  They were kicking and squirming like crazy.  SO amazing.  The babies were measuring 12w5d and 12w6d and heartbeats were 155 and 156.  Fabulous news all around!!!  Here are my little loves!!!  Cuties, huh?





Then the Perinatologist came in, checked on all the measurements, and talked about what lies ahead.  We had previously been told we wouldn't be sent for the first trimester screening blood work because our third sac (blighted ovum) would skew the results, but then he said because he couldn't see the third sac, he was going to run the bloodwork portion of the scan anyways.  This was a little upsetting to me, because I was happy and thrilled with the news we already had, and I've heard way too many stories of false positives with twins/triplets.  But I gave up the blood and then we left for lunch.

We came back after lunch and met with the Genetic Counselor.  She went over our family, medical and reproductive histories.  We talked in detail about odds and false postives and the "what ifs", and I told her that I wasn't sure I wanted them to run my blood.  She said that they could cancel the order if that was what I decided.  In the end, she felt like my results would be better than the results from my embyro age, which is 1:150, so we went ahead with it.  We did decline doing a CVS and I'm 99% sure we won't do an amnio either.  They'll call with the blood results in about 10 days.

So overall it was a GREAT day and I couldn't be happier.  I still can't believe these two little people will be in our arms in 6 short months!  I'm still in a daze!!!

Week 12: Plum

As you move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed.

Photo and text courtesy of thebump.com

20 reasons why it's GREAT to have twins!

Finding out that you're pregnant with twins is often a shock. But there are lots of reasons to be excited about bringing two babies into the world at the same time. Here are just some of them.

1. Knowing that you are only going to have to go through the birth process once to end up with two children.

2. Enjoying the fun of choosing two baby names that fit together perfectly.

3. Being able to hold one baby in each arm and feeling a huge rush of love and pride.

4. Watching your babies sleeping peacefully side by side.

5. Having to establish only one routine.

6. Getting all the sleepless nights over and done with in one go.

7. Watching them carve out their own identities as they grow.

8. Knowing that they are going to have a best friend in each other for life.

9. Enjoying the attention that twins inevitably attract.

10. Feeling confident that they can help each other on their first day of school.

11. Discovering all their amazing little differences.

12. Watching them create their own secret language and games.

13. Knowing that they will never be lonely.

14. Loving the fact that they are constant playmates and can entertain each other.

15. Feeling special because you've joined the exclusive club of twin mums – together with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Julia Roberts.

16. Only having to buy one of every must-have toy and not having to give baby number two (by a few minutes!) hand-me-downs.

17. Only having to bake one birthday cake and throw one party a year.

18. Seeing them learning and encouraging each other to reach their milestones.

19. Watching them taking care of each other when one is upset or hurt.

20. Knowing that their shared history means they have one of life's most unbreakable bonds.

Week 11: Lime

Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future.

Photo and text courtesy of thebump.com

Our Little Loves!

Today was a rough day (I sound like a broken record).  I've been spotting for 3.5 weeks and this past Sunday started having some cramping.  I went to insert my suppository this morning and found bright red blood.  My heart SANK, as you can imagine.  Fortunately I had an OB appointment scheduled, so I tried to pull myself together for a couple of hours until the appointment. 

The bleeding had stopped by the time I got there and returned to my status quo spotting. Dr. V couldn't find a source of the blood, but suspects that my cervix is irritated by the suppositories. 

I had my very first abdominal ultrasound. Baby B was squirming and kicking around and Baby A was kicking back. She pushed on the sac to wake him/her up, but with no success she said that was my mello child. The babies had nice heartbeats of 151 and 161.

She validated my worries and said she expects me to be anxious given my past and the fact that I'm high risk. She told me that she can't tell me everything will be okay obviously, but that everything looked really good.
 
Here are our little bugs - they sure are growing fast!!!
 
Baby A


Baby B

Having One of "Those" Days

I'm having one of those worrisome "I don't feel pregnant anymore" days.  The cramping and spotting have really freaked me out.  And now my boobs don't hurt AT ALL this morning and I didn't gag brushing my teeth for the first time in a long time.

I keep watching people in my DD group on FF with the same symptoms (or lack of symptoms) go in for ultrasounds and come back having no heartbeat anymore.  It's scaring me to death.  I just can't let go of the past. I can't get to a point where I feel good that this is going to happen for us.  I'm very scared that we will get bad news tomorrow.  I feel like I've told too many people too early and jinxed it.  I've got two shower dates set already...bad omen?

Sigh...I wish I could just be a person who could get pregnant and just have normal worries rather than having a history of miscarriage and a $15K procedure required to get me pregnant.

Please God let my babies be alive and thriving tomorrow.

Week 10: Prune

With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. Soon, legs will too.

Photo and text courtesy of thebump.com