Baby, Baby: 38 Week (and FINAL) Bumpdate

The Kidlets

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How Far Along?

38 weeks... and this is the last bumpdate!  We meet our Princess and Prince in 2 days!

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

According to the apps... they're each as long as a leek or Swiss chard, and as big as a spaghetti squash, a pumpkin, or a "big cabbage."  We'll know in a few days exactly how big they are!!

Changing Momma

Have you started showing yet?

Barely... ;-)

Weight Gain?

I lost almost 2 pounds in the last 2 weeks, so I'm only up a total of 31 pounds.

Maternity Clothes?

Yep.

Stretch Marks?

They're impressive!

Belly Button In or Out?

Barely out :-)

Momma's Feeling

Cravings:

Spicy, and cheeseburgers...

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Just hormones...

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

Fairly moody! 

Movement?

A fair amount... they're both pretty low and head-down, so movement feels weird...

Sleep:

Not really happening...

What I Miss:

Sleep, caffeine... things that give you pep, apparently ;-)

Other Symptoms:

Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, break-through heartburn, stretching, aching, swelling... the usual!

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

Being handed a paper with my induction date and time written at the top!

 

Looking Forward To:

Meeting these little people on Monday (or Tuesday)!!!

Doctor's Appointments:

Both NSTs went great.  At Thursday's cervix check, I wasn't dilated, but I'm about 50% effaced.  So we discussed going to the hospital on Sunday night (tooooomorrow!) and how I'll be induced.  We'll be using a foley bulb for dilation tomorrow night, then starting pitocin slowly Monday morning. 

Baby, Baby: 37 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

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How Far Along?

37 weeks!  Twins born past this point rarely need any NICU time or extra nursery attention.  Mine may still need blood sugar monitoring, but that would be the case with even a singleton born later.  My dream has been to be wheeled out of the OR with both babies in my arms, then spend that magical hour or two bonding as a family of four in recovery afterwards... it's starting to be a distinct possibility!

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

According to my apps, they're each the length of a piece of Swiss chard and as big as a winter melon (I have learned the names of more types of melons this pregnancy...) or a honeydew melon. :-)   According to yesterday's ultrasound, Baby Girl (A) should weigh about 6 pounds and 1 ounce, while her younger/big brother weighs about 7 pounds and 1 ounce.  We're not super-confident in these estimates, because their positions were making it difficult to measure certain parts, and we had a different tech than our usual.  I'm sure she's perfectly competent, but it seems like the same eyes measuring each time would give more consistent results... we're thinking she probably overestimated Baby Boy and underestimated Baby Girl a little bit.  But either way, probably in the ballpark of 13 pounds of baby!!!

Changing Momma

Have you started showing yet?

With 13 pounds of baby, yeah!

Weight Gain?

Wasn't weighed this week, so as far as I know, still the 33 pounds up.

Maternity Clothes?

Yep.

Stretch Marks?

Oh yes.

Belly Button In or Out?

Barely out :-)

Momma's Feeling

Cravings:

Spicy and ice cream...

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Hormones, and strong contractions.

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

Moody. 

Movement?

Yep - Baby Girl was doing some CRAZY acrobatics a couple nights ago.  I thought for sure she had moved out of her vertex position, but thankfully, she's still head down and ready to go :-)

Sleep:

Well... last night I fell asleep before 9... got up twice to cold shower my intensely itching belly, went to the bathroom three times, and woke at least once an hour to roll or shift.  Sleep's not great lately...

What I Miss:

Sleeping for more than an hour at a time... and every McDonald's looks like a big styrofoam cup of ice-cold caffeinated diet Coke.

Other Symptoms:

Contractions are starting to shift from the annoying and fairly uncomfortable Braxton Hicks to the much more intense actual contractions.  My first one the other day made me sit forward in the recliner, grab the arms, and moan.  It was crazy how different it was.  They started speeding up, and when they went from 16 minutes apart to 6 minutes apart in less than an hour, I called my doctor.  She had me go to the hospital to get checked.  I was having good strong contractions very regularly, but my cervix was only a fingertip dilated.  So I got sent home.  In pain.  Like, a lot of it.  So I've been having contractions like this the past couple of evenings, but they don't seem to be making the necessary changes to be "real" labor. 

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

Seeing little Miss and little Mr. at the ultrasound yesterday :-)

 

Looking Forward To:

Getting them out.  Smooching on their little noses.  Showing them off to all of you :-)

Doctor's Appointments:

Both NSTs (and the heart monitoring at the hospital) looked great again.  At the ultrasound, we discovered that Baby Boy has turned vertex now!  So both babies are head down and ready to "head" out. WooHoo!  That also means I now have four feet in my ribs, though... and four hands fumbling for and beating on my bladder. ;-)  

We asked the doctor what she thought about our trip to the hospital, and she said that unfortunately with twins, the uterus gets so distended that it basically gets ticked off.  It throws tantrums by contracting without the directional motions needed to push the babies against my cervix to dilate... she said my water could still break, or the contractions could suddenly start coordinating to be effective, but that she suspects I'll make it to my induction date... not something we ever expected when we first saw two flickering heartbeats on an ultrasound eight months ago! 

Baby, Baby: 36 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

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How Far Along?

36 weeks.  9 months.  36 whole weeks, people!!!!  This is incredible!

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

They should be about at their birth lengths, and if they gain the typical half pound per week, they would each weigh about 6 pounds now. :-)  According to the apps, I'm carrying the equivalent of 2 heads of romaine lettuce, 2 large cantaloupes, 2 ripe papayas, 2 honeydew melons, or 2 turban squashes.  I walked through a produce section the other day with WIDE eyes....

Changing Momma

Have you started showing yet?

Meh... maybe a little?

Weight Gain?

I'm down a pound from two weeks ago, so up 33 pounds total.

Maternity Clothes?

Only if I want my belly covered.

Stretch Marks?

Yes, and they itch.  So painfully.  I have to exercise restraint to not claw layers of skin off... thankfully, my doctor said hydrocortisone and Benadryl cream are safe to use, so I'm getting a tiny bit of relief alternating those with regular lotion.

Belly Button In or Out?

It's OUT!!!  Apparently, you only have to look/measure 2-3 months overdue before that happens...? ;-)  It's not dramatically out, but it's definitely out. :-)  Not gonna lie, super-excited about that one!

Momma's Feeling

We assembled our Graco Pack 'N Play with Twins Bassinet in our bedroom for the first few weeks the babies are home. :-)

Cravings:

Peanut M&Ms, frosted animal crackers, anything spicy.

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Pregnancy.

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

I'm fairly moody.  I'm between "pretty uncomfortable" and "in a fair amount of pain" most of the time... it's getting hard to avoid the moodiness.

Movement?

Mostly from Baby Boy.  We know Baby Girl is moving, but she is verrrry low, and I don't feel that much of her movement. 

Sleep:

It's ugly.

What I Miss:

Caffeine... sleep... stamina... but guess what!?!  My doctor is ENCOURAGING warm baths!  So I've turned up the temp on them a little.  Not as hot as I used to like, but better than barely-over-room-temp!

Other Symptoms:

Contractions are getting stronger and sometimes time-able.  Usually I'll get to where they're 7 minutes apart, then it's bed time and they're gone by morning. 

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

Hands down, spending Mother's Day pregnant.  I was so in awe of that... 

Close second was yesterday's doctor's appointment...

 

Looking Forward To:

I. Want. Them. Out. 

Doctor's Appointments:

Everything looked great and normal at the NSTs on Tuesday and yesterday.  Yesterday, we set an induction date!  It's past 38 weeks, which completely boggles my mind... so if they have not yet arrived, our twins' birthdays will be June 1. :-)  Since 38 weeks is a Saturday, they're waiting until the L&D floor is fully staffed to induce me ;-)  He doesn't think I'll make it to my induction date (neither does at least one of his partners), but I think he gave us one to give us light at the end of the tunnel.  I did a significant amount of whining, and I think he did a great job of responding to those complaints... gave me some useful strategies for dealing with the pain, encouraged me that I'm doing phenomenally well, and reminded me that my goal is to keep the babies in as long as they want to stay for their best good.  But he didn't give in to my pleas for an earlier induction... as well he shouldn't have ;-)

Baby, Baby: 35 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

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How Far Along?

35 weeks.  This is average gestation for twins... every day I go from here, I'm that much more past average, and the babies are that much stronger... When five years of trying becomes "any day now," it feels like a crazy dream!!

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

They should be about at their birth lengths, and if they gain the typical half pound per week, they would each weigh about 5 and a half pounds now. :-)  My apps compare them to honeydew melons, canary melons, bunches of carrots, coconuts, or - most creatively - 5lb bags of potatoes. ;-)

Changing Momma

Pink and blue... a favorite color combo lately ;-)

Have you started showing yet?

Lil bit.

Weight Gain?

I'm up 34 pounds total...

Maternity Clothes?

If I have to leave the house, yes.

Stretch Marks?

Good grief.  This week, I rolled over in bed and felt a new patch of them rip.  That was fun! ;-) 

Belly Button In or Out?

It really couldn't BE any more flat... it's kinda funny.

Momma's Feeling

I was gifted a Moby wrap by a twin mom friend... needed to test it out and didn't have a human baby to try it on...

Cravings:

Mexican, any other sources of delicious hot protein...

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Pregnancy.

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

I'm fairly moody.  I'm between "pretty uncomfortable" and "in a fair amount of pain" most of the time... it's getting hard to avoid the moodiness.

Movement?

Mostly from Baby Boy.  We know Baby Girl is moving, but she is verrrry low, and I don't feel that much of her movement.  Baby Boy is doing his morning stretches in my ribcage as I type this...

Sleep:

Nightime is my most uncomfortable time, so I have a hard time getting to sleep.  Then I have to wake up frequently to roll or go to the bathroom... and sometimes just to say "owww..."  A couple of nights ago, I had such a bad night, I got up about 1:30 and took a(nother) hot shower. 

What I Miss:

Caffeine... sleep... stamina...

Other Symptoms:

Braxton Hicks, like, constantly.  I'm trusting my friends and nurses who say I'll KNOW when they're real, because these hurt and come one on top of the other just like I'm told real ones do....  My hands and feet swell a lot, my back and ribs ache, I sweat suddenly and for no apparent reason...

Highlights and Coming Soon

Waiting for the official "all's well" from the doctor after Tuesday's NST :-)

Best Moment of the Week:

Yesterday's appointment was a high note!  So was my massage on Wednesday, even if the effects didn't last nearly as long as I had hoped... 

 

Looking Forward To:

Honestly... getting these babies out.  I'm fried.

Doctor's Appointments:

I had an NST on Tuesday that went very well... plenty of data quickly from my busy little babies.  Yesterday, I had another NST and an OB visit.  We did a Group B Strep culture, since we're still planning on a vaginal delivery, and both the nurse and doctor could tell from glancing at me that Baby Girl had dropped.  (We were pretty sure this had happened on Thursday night... I had been in a ton of pain Wednesday night and most of Thursday... then Thursday at bedtime, when I went to rub where her head had been poking out by the end of most days, I found a narrower body part that I was pretty sure was a shoulder. Turns out I was right!)  The doctor says she's at -1 station, but that she is still in front of my cervix, so we don't know how dilated I may be yet.  We talked about delivery again, making firmer plans.  She even made a guess as to how much longer I'll go, but I think we'll keep that to ourselves for now :-)  She's thinking further than I am, though... she's the professional, but I am one uncomfortable Momma! She fully expects that I'll go into labor on my own, deliver vaginally, and I think take two healthy babies home with us... all of these things were big hopes but long shots when we found out we were having twins.  :-)

Baby, Baby: 34 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

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How Far Along?

34 weeks!  Cruising right along...

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

According to apps, they're each the size of a cantaloupe, pineapple, savoy cabbage, butternut squash, or a sugar pumpkin.  According to our fabulous sonographer, Chris... Baby Girl weighs 4 pounds and 15 ounces, while Baby Boy weighs 5 pounds and 1 ounce.  All together... a whole 10 pounds of baby!  These would be pretty promising birth weights, so for them to be this big and not showing any signs of wanting out is very exciting!

Changing Momma

My fluffy baby loves his little brother and sister <3

Have you started showing yet?

Is that why people keep staring at me in public? ;-) 

Weight Gain?

Didn't get weighed this week, so as far as I know, still just up the 32 pounds.  Feeling pretty good that almost 1/3 of that is baby!

Maternity Clothes?

If I have to put clothes ON, probably. ;-)

Stretch Marks?

My stretch marks have stretch marks. No, seriously, I think some of them do!

Belly Button In or Out?

Flat, especially when Baby Boy is sticking his bum behind it :-)

Momma's Feeling

On our way to the doctor's yesterday - I've had fun getting dressed this week!  The two or so times I did it ;-)

Cravings:

All the food.

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Nope... just the random mild nausea, but not triggered by any smell/sight/food.

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

Happy!

Movement?

I have some busy little people <3

Sleep:

I don't wanna talk about it.

What I Miss:

Sleep.  And caffeine.  I should be able to have one or the other!!

Other Symptoms:

The Braxton-Hicks are getting for REAL... sometimes they're really painful!  Swelling in my hands and feet... most of my joints ache - I have a hard time using my hands sometimes because of it... breakthrough heartburn... pregnancy is super-glamorous!

Highlights and Coming Soon

Her cheeks are pudging up like her brother's now <3  My pretty girl!

I squealed - loudly - when this perfect shot of his little lips and nose showed up on the screen <3

His face makes it look like my amniotic fluid is full of lemon juice :-)

Best Moment of the Week:

Yesterday's appointment was fantastic!  Seeing the babies is always fun... but hearing my doctor so pleased with how they look and saying that they wouldn't stop me if I went into labor now... it left me so shell-shocked in the happiest kind of way.  Like the day we found out we were having twins :-) 

 

Looking Forward To:

I have a prenatal massage on Wednesday, and a "pampering" meeting of my Mother's of Multiples Club on Tuesday... so I'm looking forward to a couple days of pampering this week :-)

Doctor's Appointments:

No more fluid checks necessary, so just the two NSTs this coming week.  Both of my NSTs from this past week looked great - blood pressure is still normal (120/75 yesterday - woot!), and the kids behaved themselves pretty well... except that on Tuesday morning, Baby Girl needed to be buzzed awake several times... she takes after her momma ;-)