26 Week Ultrasound Photos

Yeah! Greg loaded the scanning software!

Gestational Diabetes

Last week I had my one hour glucose test to do an initial screen for possible gestational diabetes. For some reason I was not surprised when I got a call the day after the test saying that I'd failed and I needed to come in for the three hour glucose tolerance test. I decided rather than waiting around and dreading it I would take Friday off from work and get it overwith.

Let me tell you how much fun a three hour GTT is. First, I was not allowed to eat anything after midnight. This has become darn near impossible for me. I wake almost every night and have a small snack because my stomach is growling. I was also not allowed to have any water during this time except for small sips so the results were not skewed. I arrived for the test at 8:30 am and signed in. The lab tech took me back and asked a few questions and drew a baseline sample of my blood. Then I was given the pleasure of drinking the sweet glucose drink once again except this time at a higher concentration than last time. Then I was sent off to the waiting room to wait for an hour until I had my first of three blood samples taken, once an hour for the next three hours. Now this would have been fine and dandy if I were not bored out of my cotton pickin mind!!! I brought books with me to read and I wanted nothing to do with them once I was sitting there. So I played on my blackberry for three hours, it was an absolute riot (hint of sarcasm here).

Yesterday at my doctor's appt we received the results and luckily I passed!!!!! I was very concerned since my risk for gestational diabetes is higher with multiples in general. Thank God we are in the clear there and I can come up with something else to worry about.

26 week OB appt

Today I had my 26 week OB appointment and ultrasound. Here are the stats:

Baby A -

• Heartbeat: 156 beats per minute
• Weight: 2 lb 2 oz
• She is still breech and seems quite cozy that way. I'm thinking we will be going c-section without a doubt at this rate.

Baby B -

• Heartbeat: 151
• Weight: 2 lb 3 oz
• She is vertex and a primo rib kicker.

They only had 1.4% growth discordence. They measured between the 44th and 47th percentile for their gestational age. They are measuring between about 25 weeks 6 days and 26 weeks. This is similar to where they were 4 weeks ago, so no drastic changes they just keep growing.

I had my last cervical length today and it was 4.8 cm, the same as last week. My next appt is not for two weeks then I will start weekly appts. I also have to prepare for fetal non-stress tests, I'm most likely going to have these twice a week starting at 30 weeks.

My Birthday Weekend!

This weekend my parents came into town for my birthday. They arrived Friday night with a surprise. I had asked if they were driving through Columbus to come and visit us because if they were I was going to put in a request for them to stop at Tim Horton's for some Tim Bits, however they said they were not going that way, but when they got out of the car they both had a 40 pack of Tim Bits. They then took us out for dinner at Claddagh Irish Pub where I had an Irish Car Bomb. This was the first drink I think that my mom saw me chug, it was funny.

Saturday morning my dad had a walk to go to so Melissa and I woke up and went to one of the twin's sales in Cincinnati. A twins/multiples sale is where mothers of multiples come to sell their items that their kids have outgrown for discounted prices. Melissa and I went and bought a ton of stuff for cheap. We then went to Chick-Fil-A for breakfast and then went home to unload some of the stuff we bought and then we picked up my mom to go to Baby's-R-Us for some car seat bases and other items. We then went to, Chick-Fil-A for lunch and then we went to Once Upon A Child to look for a bassinet. Melissa has always wanted one but we hadn't found one. We were in luck because we were able to find one and bought it. We then went back to our apartment where we watched NCAA Basketball and we made our famous Chicken Enchiladas for dinner.

Sunday we went to mass and then we went to Terry's Turf Club for lunch. We had some of the best burgers I have ever had and then we came back to our apartment were Melissa and I fell asleep. We then went out shopped for dinner and concluded the weekend with dinner made by Melissa and me, we watched some basketball, and then I said goodnight to my parents as I was exhausted. I always have fun when my parents come in to visit for the weekend.

Childbirth Classes

So far we've had three childbirth classes. They have been very informative:

1st class: This class was a good introduction. We learned about the various stages of labor, when to go to the hospital, etc. Greg and I are the only couple in the class expecting twins, everyone else in the class is much further along than we are because we opted to take the class a bit earlier since I get a little more uncomfortable with each passing week. We also learned how to handle some scary labor situations as well but I won't go into that. As Greg put it when we left why did we pay them to scare us?

2nd class: We learned about various breathing techniques during labor and various relaxation techniques to help with the laboring process. I need to be honest I did not get a lot out of this. The breathing techniques were difficult for me and most of the relaxation techniques involved massage. I'm pretty sure the last thing I am going to want during labor is Greg trying to massage me and he knows that already!

3rd class: In this class we had the tour of the Childbirth Unit at St. Elizabeth. It is really nice. We learned a few things that have changed from when we were kids:

• All rooms are singles. No sharing a room with someone else! Also, if you have a vaginal delivery you stay in the same room throughout the entire hospital stay, even in the same bed.
  
• As long as the babies are born without any problems they will be in the room with us the whole time. This is very overwhelming to me but Greg will be staying with me so we should be ok. I'd just figured the babies would be in the nursery overnight
  
• If we decide to breastfeed we will attempt this within 30 minutes of a vaginal delivery & within 60 minutes for a c-section.
  
• 1 out of 3 babies delivered at St. E's is a c-section. That number seems awfully high to me, although if both babies are not head down I won't be able to attempt a vaginal delivery according to my doctor. Since A is still breech I don't have high hopes even though I'd prefer a vaginal delivery. She still has time to turn.
  

4th class: We will be learning more about breastfeeding techniques. I'm apprehensive about this class because I want to breastfeed I'm just very overwhelmed by the idea of breasfeeding 2 babies. I would like to be able to do it for at least 6 months but since I will be going back to work after 3 months I'm not sure I will be able to pump enough to maintain a good supply without a lot of supplementing. I'm going to attempt it but I've decided I cannot feel bad if I have difficulties.

5th class: We will be learning about how to care for infants. I'm really looking forward to this class. I told Greg I hope we learn how to swaddle because that seems to be the answer for everything, swaddle, swaddle, swaddle!

A Full Saturday!

Today was a full day. It started out with me headed out to Lunkin Airport to do my long run of the week. Every week I try and do a run that is longer than my previous week's long run and a lot longer than my regular runs during the week of 4 - 6 miles. I ran 8 miles last week so this week I shot for 9 miles. We have had a lot of snow last month and it has begun, after melting, to cause flooding. The airport has a track around it that has mile markers at every 1/2 mile. I started out and got to the 4 mile marker and was going to go around once completing 5 miles and then do 4 more miles. However when I got half way to the 4.5 mile maker I was greeted with the picture to the right. I decided to turn around and then just add a 3/4 mile on the other end. I finally got done with my run and headed back home to change and head out for an afternoon of shopping with Melissa. I got back to the house, showered, changed and we headed out. We stopped at McAlister's Deli for lunch. I love McAlister's because they have several meals that are under 500 calories for you to choose from and they are actually filling for me. I chose a chipotle chicken wrap and taco salad. They were good! We then headed out the Babies R'Us because they were having a Diapers sale that if you bought 2 boxes you would get a $20.00 gift card. After that we got a call from Melissa's friend from Buffalo who was coming in to visit us. She was bringing something that makes me very very happy. She was bringing us La Nova Pizza & Wings! We headed over to meet her on the other side of town and did our grocery shopping for the week and then called her and met her in the parking lot. She brought her grand-daughters who we met last time she was in town and they were great to hang out with. They remembered my car was yellow and saw a car in the parking lot and screamed, "I SEE HIM!" However, what they didn't realize was that we took Melissa's car and that we were not the car they thought we were. Melissa's friend, Sandy, brought us the Yummy Pizza, Wings, and also brought us a couple of gifts for the babies, some blankets, clothes, and bibs! We went home and Melissa needed a nap and I needed some PIZZA! I heated up the Pizza, Wings, and got out the Blue Cheese and Celery and had a nice relaxing evening watching some NCAA March Madness (Kansas, Villanova, New Mexico...Wait didn't I say relaxing)?

25 weeks

It just keeps growing! If one more person asks when I'm due and then looks at my belly like there is no way, I might punch them. There are two babies in there, of course I'm going to be bigger than normal!!!!!

Diapers, diapers and more.......diapers, oh and some wipes!

In preparation for these babies we've purchased a lot of the big stuff already cribs, car seats, etc. I'm a member of a pregnancy forum online so I've been looking for advice on what else we can do to prepare for these babies when we get here. One of the big recommendations was to purchase as many diapers as you as they are on sale to ease some of the costs later. So that is what we have done, not just with diapers but also with wipes. Everytime I come across a coupon I search the grocery ads and find the place where we can get them on sale and we head out and buy up. We've developed a small stash but not nearly what we expect we will need. You can see I've been keeping the receipts as well so we can exchange them for size if need be. I love being prepared!!! I also recently read about how great the wipes from costco are and they happened to have a coupon in their recent coupon book!! So we got a couple cases of those as well. I want Greg to go get a couple more but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to convince him......

Update: I did convince Greg to get two more boxes at Costco. We should be good for quite a while!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Ten years ago today I was going on my first date with my husband! We had dinner at Chili's and then went to see Pitch Black (a truly awful movie) afterwards. I can't believe how time has flown by!!!

24 week OB appt

Today I had my 24 week OB appointment. It was fairly routine, only a visit with the doctor and a cervical ultrasound. My cervix measured 4.2 centimeters. My uterus measured 30 cm and both babies had good heartbeats. Greg did not come to this visit so I came prepared with not just my list of questions but his as well.

There is not much to update otherwise. I have another cervical length ultrasound and my glucose test next week. I'm not looking forward to the glucose test but it will be ok. I'm more worried about not eating for 4 hours before the glucose test because I normally wake up famished. I will have to be sure to have a snack with one of my 3-4 nightly trips to the restroom Monday night. I have another physician visit and a growth ultrasound 2 weeks from today. I think my visits with a physician will begin to be weekly after that.

Twins at 24 weeks

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long, she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits she outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Multiples Class Shocks All!

Last night Melissa and I had a multiples class which was designed to prepare new parents of pending multiples for the potential that they could be born premature, they may be breach, and that they will need a lot more work than 1 baby.  It was a very informative class and did definitely give me something to think about and made me realize just how small babies could be born and still be healthy, happy, and perfectly normal.  To give you something to think about the picture to the right shows 2 items the item to the right is a premature baby's diaper and the black item to the left is my blackberry case!  I hope that our babies are born: healthy, happy, and they will definitely be well loved!

Moving babies

Over the past 3 weeks I've really started to feel these girls move around in there. It's not the flutterly movements everyone describes so much as kicks and punches. One of the babies has an anterior placenta, which means that her placenta is on the front of my uterus. This makes it a little more difficult to feel movement earlier on.

Greg has been able to feel kicks and punches as well! This happened about two weeks ago and went something like this (we were in the car on our way out to dinner):

Greg (with his hand on my belly): Oh, someone just kicked me!
Me (I didn't feel a thing): No, she didn't!
Greg: Yes, she did.
Me: I don't believe you!
Greg: Put your hand right here.
Me (after about 20 seconds): Oh my goodness! She did kick you!!!
Greg (hand back on my belly): I told you!
Me: Why didn't I feel it on the inside? (anterior placenta)
Greg: I don't know, but she just did it again!
Me (hand back on my belly again): Do it again! Do it again!

We found out based on their positions Tuesday that it was most likely little baby girl B doing the kicking.

As for little baby girl A. I feel her most frequently when she kicks my bladder. I feel a consistent bam, bam, bam right on the bladder!

22 weeks 6 days

22 week OB appt

Today I had my 22 week OB appointment and ultrasound. Here are the stats:

Baby A -

• Heartbeat: 151
• Weight: 1 lb 4 oz
• She is still breech and a possible culprit for my bladder issues because she is positioned perfectly to kick at it.

Baby B -

• Heartbeat: 155
• Weight: 1 lb 3 oz
• She is vertex and the other possible culprit for my bladder issues as she is in position to punch it!

They only had 3% growth discordence, which made the doctor very happy since it was 17% last time. Also, they already have some sibling rivalry going. First, we saw Baby B take a swipe at Baby A. A few minutes later we saw Baby A get even by kicking her sister!!! It was pretty funny to watch.

Starting this week I will have weekly ultrasounds to check my cervical length to make sure it will stay there and hold these girls in. All they will be looking at is my cervix and in 4 weeks I will have another growth scan to check out their growth to make sure they are still on target. So it seems from here on out I will be spending a lot of time getting to know my doctor's office even better.