Off we go! :) (36 weeks!!)

This is the last of the twin gestation pics, as the avg. is 36 weeks...

Well, the time has finally come. We are 36 weeks along and after 16 long weeks on bed rest and nearly 15 with the cerclage, the stitch comes out today. It is difficult to predict now what will happen and when. If they release us from the hospital today, we've decided to stay in the city for the weekend, to see how things play out, and be a bit closer to the hospital. DH is anxious about getting there, even though the weather so far thankfully has been unseasonably mild. I think we've both had visions of having babies on the side of the highway, though thankfully given their positions, they won't just be coming out on their own.

Not surprisingly, I'm getting even more uncomfortable (whether I'm up or down) and honestly am really ready to not be pregnant anymore. We've reached our goals and are not looking to set any records here. I'm now 47" around my middle and up about 45 lbs. My OB is beyond thrilled. I am just excited to meet these babies!! :)

Seven weeks of bed rest down, nine to go!

I can't believe we're a week away from being half way through bed rest to babies!  My weekly outings to the OB make slogging through the rest of the week worthwhile and we finally got an ultrasound again this morning.  We are on the cusp of 27 weeks and rounding the corner to third tri and the babies are still thankfully looking fabulous and growing like weeds.

Baby boy (A) is estimated to be 2lbs. and 10 oz. (holy chunker), which is the 77th percentile, and a week and a half ahead.  He is now breech (the kids both decided to completely rearrange my uterus at the same time earlier this week, that was fun) so the OB is making me a C-section date, though we can obviously cancel it if he decides to move back to head down like he has been.

Baby girl (B) is est. to be 2lbs. and 4 oz., or 58th percentile, and is now a half a week ahead.  She is now head to my right (switched from left), which puts both babies' heads next to each other. She is still transverse, but now more scrunched up since they are getting bigger.

So we are on course to potentially have near 7 lb. babies even if we go as early as 36 wks., which would make me infinitely happy (I told you we are not small people).  My cervix is still doing its wacky thing, all dynamic above the stitch, opening and closing to up to 1.5cm.  But the stitch is holding, which is what is important.  Now on to third trimester!

A month on... (& nearly 26 wks)

A month ago today, we had the emergency surgery that saved our babies.  It is still difficult for me to wrap my head around all that has happened.  To say that we feel lucky is a huge understatement, but as my step-mother told me frankly it was actually me that is responsible for them still being around.  By going to the hospital and seeking out an MFM promptly after we learned of the funneling, we made it known that we were not going to follow their passive stance and wait for the inevitable terrible things to happen, we were going to fight my failing body with everything that we had.  If I had waited the two weeks that the not my regular OB had told me to be seen again, it likely would have been too late.  As even on bed rest, 12 days later I quickly began to dilate.  While that should just make me feel good, it was a huge burden that was really overwhelming for me to carry for the several weeks as we waited to get to viability.  It is terrible to feel like you are the only ones who care about what is it stake.  They were not just 20 week not yet viable babies to us, they were/are our babies that we had already fought like hell for and were not just going to sit by and see if maybe we were lucky, they might make it.

We are coming up on 26 weeks, which is again not a major milestone, but is ever closer to the end point.  If the babies were to be born in the coming week, their chance of survival would be at least 85%.  The cerclage, which still appears to be holding, is now ten weeks from coming out.

I actually put real (non-yoga) clothes on today for my big trip to the OB, but don't get too excited I still don't do hair and make-up.  This dress makes me look bigger than anything else I've worn.

Life on bed rest

I know this is going to be just thrilling for you to read, but in case you're wondering what life on BR is like...

I've been sleeping downstairs in our guest suite for some time now. First because of the oppressive heat, now because my OB said that if I'm going to do any stairs, I only can only do them once a day, so I just live downstairs now because it's easier.

After I get up, DH pops his head in each morning to see if I'm ready for breakfast (I always am)

He makes me my first breakfast, brings it to me in bed, brings me fresh water and my day of snacks and goes and makes my lunch for the day (I'm not allowed to do any food prep). Then he's off to work. :(

I start my day... TV on, checking e-mails/voicemail messages, talk on the phone, cruise around online ordering anything I can that can possibly save DH errands (latest: stamps). Fold any laundry that DH has done and brought to me.

At some point, I have to get up to go to the bathroom. I do this quite a bit and it's the most I'm up all day.

At some point, I bathe. Sitting in the tub.

I head to the kitchen to eat lunch, usually picking up the mail (a daily highlight) on the way.

Afternoon nap (sometimes)

Now that we have the nursery set up next to the guest room and we brilliantly got a high backed glider/recliner, I can now camp out in there for a change of scenery to lay and read and listen to the Ipod player, play with my Ipad...

DH comes home and makes dinner and I move to the couch in the family room, which is open to the kitchen, so we can catch up on his day. If he has to work late, I go and get something to eat that he has prepared for me.

Repeat for the next three months...

Weekly/post-op check-up and (almost) 23 weeks

We went back to the OB today for our weekly and first post-op check and I have to say it was fabulous to get out of the house.  I am also feeling better today than I have since the surgery, which is very welcome, as my recovery was hairy there for a few days.  I also got my weekly 17P shot and my annual (non-live/thimerosol-free) flu shot for me and the babies. 

The babies look spectacular.  They are up to 1lb.6oz. and 1lb.4oz. and have HB's in the 150's.  Both are measuring ahead/on track as before.  The tech was impressed that they already seem to be doing some respiratory exercises, which is a good sign.  My belly is measuring 27 weeks, and while it is definitely getting bigger, I know I still have a lot of growing left to do.  My pesky cervix (or should I say my stitch) is holding tight.  They stitched me about 1.5cm up my cervix last week and I now have another 5mm closed above that, the rest is hugely funnelled and has a big baby boy head bouncing against it (he takes after his dad). 

My Dr. was very happy with how it looked, but she reminded me not to get cocky (who me?) and that as I sat there in front of her to enjoy the treat (of sitting upright she meant).  That stitch is the only thing keeping the babies in there where they need to be for the next three plus months.  So back on my side I go.  Though I will be going in for weekly checks from here on out, sadly we'll be going back to only having an u/s every four weeks.  I will miss seeing the babies so much.  They are busy beating the crap out of each other in there.

Baby Boy peeking his nose through the pea soup and showing us his big hands

Baby Girl just looking cute

It's hard to believe I'm three weeks into bed rest already (and only three months to go...)  DH fabulously went and got me an IPad to help me pass the time while on bed rest, which even though I have a laptop, makes doing stuff while in bed easier and more fun (and easier on my carpal tunnel wrist). 

I had a really tough day earlier this week when I think the realities of four months of BR really hit me and I actually thought about all the things that I am not allowed to do for the babies and myself during this (my only full) pregnancy as I had planned or was doing already.  No more acupuncture, massages, chiropractic, exercise/yoga, childbirth/BFing/CPR classes (though we can do some online, my OB said she'd be thrilled if we got to a point where were delivering full term babies and were woefully unprepared... :/).  Then of course there's all the other stuff: shopping (which I'm trying to do online), maternity photos, shower(s), etc. which will all also not be happening.  We will do something after the babies arrive and are big enough for a party.  I thought infertility was isolating, but in reality so many people deal with that, it has nothing on extended bed rest.  Good luck finding someone who has been on BR for four months.  As my pg infertile friends go about their lives, I get to lay here with my bottom 1% of the bottom 1% baby carrying body.  So we're back in survival mode, where my plans and expectations of what I should and can do for optimal results are put aside for more basic objectives.

I'm concerned what kind of functional shape my body is going to be in in December when it comes time to labor, deliver, and recover.  And then of course I'll need to be in top form to take care of two babies, after having been laying in bed atrophying for four months.  Obviously way less than ideal, but that's the hand (or rather cervix) we've been dealt.

DH is amazing and my family been really great too.  My mom, step-dad and eldest sister are stopping by this weekend for a quick visit on their way through town, though my mom will be back again, and I have plans for my other sisters and my dad/step-mom to come and help us out in the coming weeks and months.  We are still working on getting MIL (and maybe even BIL) visas to come later.

I've been a busy bee ordering stuff for the babies.  The glider/recliner is being delivered tomorrow and we've got the double snap and go and Maclaren twin techno on their way as well.  I was going to wait on these, but when you've got nothing to do but look for deals, I sure can find them.  We just got our Maclaren rockers as well.  The nursery is actually coming together quite nicely.  DH just needs to put together the 2nd crib and the shelves.  And even though bed rest will save me a lot on maternity clothes, I ordered a bunch of basics to get me through from Old Navy.  It is also very unlucky for my bank account that Janie and Jack (clothes), Zutano (socks, ty Haute Look), and Giggle (et al) are happy to ship me whatever I want.

September is looking up!

I've always loved September (though last year was completely awful), and it's finally here! 

We had our third cervical check in a week today and for the first time since they found the funneling last week, it is lengthened (to 3.75cm) and CLOSED!  We are thrilled!  I can hardly believe it.  So I guess the verdict is that I do still have some cervical integrity (and am not in the 1% w/an incompetent cervix) and it is dynamic rather than effacing.  Thank goodness.  There is nothing like the prospect of preterm labor at 20 weeks to put the complete and total fear of God in you, let me tell you.  But we are keeping the course, in bed, on Crinone, and going in again on Tuesday for another one of my twice weekly checks.  We will continue these through 24 wks and then see if we can scale back.

The babies still look great.  Baby girl has a HB of 165 and is up to 13 oz. and is measuring on track.  Baby boy has a HB of 158 and is up to 15 oz. (almost a whole pound!) and is measuring a week ahead.  He is head down and banging on my cervix already, which feels fabulous (note sarcasm), but she is a little more chill and is transverse on top of her brother.

What's old is new again

Just when I thought I was never going back to the now months past vag cam visits and Crinone, here we go again...  We went to the MFM this morning and thankfully my cervix funneling hasn't changed since Thursday, and she also doesn't think a cerclage is a good idea at this point.  The risk of breaking my water during the procedure and of infection apparently outweigh the benefits, though I must admit part of me (and DH) wanted her to say they would just stitch me up so we could relax a little.  The babies are both still looking great.

After the dx on Thursday and hospital trip on Friday and a very rough weekend, where I was almost entirely on bed rest fearing that my cervix was ready to give out while we had family visiting, we are both ready for a break.  But at least we have a more proactive plan.  In addition to the progesterone, she wants me to be monitored twice a week to see if/how my cervix changes.  She said if/when I dilate too early, they will stitch me up.  She said she didn't think all the pain and discomfort I'm having is related to the cervical changes, and that strict bed rest is unlikely to prevent any changes that could happen.  She said I should take it easy, which I thought I already was, and get a support band to help me as I continue to grow.

The nursery is now a new room, though we (by which I mean DH) still have quite a bit of work to do to finish the wall and paint, so we can move everything in.  I can't wait to get it all put together, but honestly given all the craziness of the last few days, I guess we aren't in that big a hurry since we've already past into what I thought would be the post-24 week lockdown and we won't be housing babies for some time even if they come early.  We now have both the cribs, mattresses, bedding, rugs, dresser, topper, shelves, art, etc. and it will be fun to see it all come together.  We still have to finalize the chair decision and get that ordered.

Bed Rest Day #1

After spending the entire day yesterday in the city at our anatomy scan and then OB appt., we finally came home and I went to bed.  Though sleeping wasn't really on the docket.  I got a few hours all night, as I was having all sorts of pain and pressure.  I paged the OB early this morning as she said this is the only indication I'd have of something changing and she told me to go to the hospital, so off we went again.

We spent several hours at Prentice, where they confirmed that my cervix is still closed and I was not contracting (and the babies are still fine).  They talked to the OB, who we are meeting with again on Monday.  We stopped by the MFM practice before we left to get an appt., but they just took my info and told me they'd call me back.  Thankfully, they called back this afternoon and I have a 9am u/s for Monday with an MFM who specializes in multiples, high risk pregnancies and pregnancy loss.  We are very happy to get in with a specialist who can potentially give us additional options rather than just lay on my back for the next four months in hopes of keeping the babies in and that it is up to me to know if my cervix starts dilating between appts., at which point they could try to intervene.

We are very thankful that this cervical issue was discovered when we can still potentially do something to bring the babies closer to term, as many people just go into preterm labor and lose their babies before they ever know something is amiss.  Being on bed rest before 24 weeks wasn't really something I had considered, but we will figure it out.  Thankful again that I am not working and that our travel is done.  DH is amazing at taking care of me, as always.  My dad and step mom are coming tomorrow for a quick visit, when DH and dad will put up the nursery wall.

Whether it's a cerclage and/or bed rest that gets us there, we are fighting for these babies. 

If you've been on bed rest, what did you do?  I'm thinking over four months, I could write a book, or two... ;)

20 wks: funneling cervix and bed rest

We had our anatomy scan today and thankfully the babies both look great.  Baby girl weighs 11 oz and is on track and baby boy is still measuring ahead and weighs 12 oz.  We got our quad screen results, which were also normal.  But unfortunately, my cervix is funneling (which means the inside is open in the shape of a "V"), though it is still closed.  It is borderline short (2.5cm) and soft.  The OB said there isn't much they can do for this at this point, other than put me on bed rest and wait to see what happens, which is obviously not very comforting.  If my cervix starts to open, they could do a cerclage (where they stitch your cervix closed), but until that happens, they wouldn't do it yet.

This comes after an unplanned trip to the OB last Friday after I passed some abnormal discharge. which appeared to be my mucus plug.  I called and they had me come in and after finding the babies HBs on the doppler and checking that my cervix was closed, they sent me on my way.

So I finally finished my design class last week (it was disappointing, but I got an A) and we had a nice trip to NYC and the Hamptons (despite crazy delays on both ends).  So I'll be horizontal for the foreseeable future and praying to keep these babies cooking for as long as possible.  We have a long way to go...