Week 28 update

It is the first time I have done one of these. At first I felt these were only for regular pregnant people...not the formerly infertile ones!

How far along? 28 weeks

How big is baby? Some weird fruit that I am too lazy to look up.

Total weight gain/loss:  Up 20 lbs.  I am happy with that! Even if I gain 2 lbs every week here on out like suggested for twins it will end up being roughly 36-38 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Uh, duh.  I am wearing regular tights and sweat pants ( no need for anything else) because I do not like anything over my stomach, but I definitely need maternity shirts to cover this big ol belly.

Sleep: Ambien anyone?  It is difficult to sleep in a hospital so the nurses practically push Ambien.  At first I resisted, but when I gave in I realized what a difference it makes.  When I get a good night's sleep I can deal with a full day of doing nothing.

Best moment this week: Signing my discharge papers to go home!

Movement: Yes.  Baby A kicks in my pelvic region and along my pant line. Some times she runs her hand or foot along my stomach which feels so strange.  I feel Baby B very seldom.  Either that or I cannot distinguish between the two.  Both are facing towards my spine so I probably only feel a small portion of their movements.  

Food cravings: Not a craving, I would just like a Starbucks when I feel like getting one.  J brings them to me on the weekend when I ask, but there is a Starbucks in the cafeteria down stairs just teasing me!  I can't get to it unless someone wheels me down there and they keep really weird hours.

Food Aversions: Um not that I can think of!

Gender: My two little ladies

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks, uterine tightness, contractions, short cervix, irritable uterus. My uterus is very angry with me

Pregnancy Symptoms:  Hurts to lay on my right side, achy legs at times, leaking boobs (already??)

Belly Button in or out? In a state of limbo.  Not flat, but definitely not like it used to be

What I miss:  Being in the real world, doing things for myself, sleeping without being medicated

What I am looking forward to: Going home to this place

This pic was taken two years ago...the last time we had a real snow

Upcoming appointments/events:  I do not have any appointments for a week! After seeing the doctors every day and having an ultrasound once or twice a week this seems like an eternity.

Weekly Wisdom: Compression stockings...I hear a lot of people talking about swelling in their legs and feet.  I have not had any issues and I think it is from wearing these stockings.  Not the most stylish things but I am not trying to impress anyone right now lol.

Milestones: Goodness gracious I cannot think of any baby milestones that I am looking forward to.  That's sad. Things I was looking forward to: 3d/4d, baby classes, maternity photos are now things I won't be able to do.  Boo hoo.  From here on out it was just be baby checkup and growth scans which I always look forward to!

Bed Rest Musings

I really thought I would write more on the blog while I was on bed rest but I have just been sooooo busy….not!

My typical day here starts with a 6 am medication and a blood pressure check.  The medicine that I am on (Procardia) requires that my blood pressure is above 100/50 to take.  I usually try to go back to sleep until 730 when a technician bursts through my door to take my blood pressure and temperature (vitals).  From there it is just a barrage of people coming through my door!  People think bed rest must be great for rest, but when you are in a hospital it can be anything but.  From 730 on I see 2 doctors, 1 nurse, 1 technician, 1 house cleaner, and food service deliverers depending how many times I get room service.  I see the nurse a lot less now because my other medication (Indocin) was stopped at 27 weeks.  Some people knock on the door, some people don’t.  Those who DO knock usually don’t wait for a reply!  The other day a doctor knocked on my door and when I replied that I was getting dressed, he just walked in and had a conversation with me while I had one leg in my pants, underwear hanging out and all.  Not awkward.

I get a Non-Stress Test (NST) twice a day for 20 minutes each time, but it usually takes longer because the babies will fall off the monitors.  

Bottom pink strap= Baby A (so low it has to be put in my pants!), middle pink= contraction monitor, top blue= Baby B

The top blue line is Baby A's heartbeat and the pink line interlacing with it is Baby B's.  The Bottom line is my contraction monitor.  I was having a very low irritability day so the line is really flat for me!

The NST monitors how reactive the babies are (how much they are moving around and if their heartbeats go up and down at the appropriate times) and also if I am having any contractions.     It has really helped me to know exactly the difference between uterine tightening, Braxton Hicks and contractions.  I have really only felt two contractions since I have been here, but initially I was brought into the hospital for preterm labor and the doctor told me I was having contractions every 30 sec-1 minute.  That was scary because I didn’t feel it at all!  That night I was put on Dilaudid which in an IV medicine.  It helped to relax my uterus and made me feel warm and fuzzy before it knocked me out.

The babies were looking awesome at the last ultrasound on Friday.  Baby A weighed 2.5 and Baby B weighed 2.4.  Those are very average weights for a singleton, so pretty good for twins.  It is also reassuring that they are close in weight and one baby is not getting more nutrients than the other.  No one is checking my cervix any more because they do not want to irritate it any further.  If my water does not break I am allowed to go home and continue strict bed rest on Thursday!  Just in time for my mom to visit for a few weeks.  My dad and one of my brothers are also going to come down next week for a few days.  I am so happy that I will be able to get out of the hospital in time for Christmas and I am able to spend it with my family!  I am so grateful that my body’s status has not changed in the 6 weeks I have been here and these babies get to bake a little longer. Bed rest really does make all the difference in a high-risk pregnancy.

Omg what a funny 3 week comparison! Look how much we've grown.  The babies (and my belly) went through a serious growth spurt from 24-27 weeks.