When I was about 22 weeks, I read in one of my twin pregnancy books (the twin version of "What to Expect When You're Expecting") that 32-36 weeks is the point when most practitioners report that their twin moms are begging to be induced. At the time, I remember thinking, "What wimps! How could they possibly not realize how much better it is for their babies to be in longer? I will NEVER be like that." I should have known that such a prideful statement would open the door for some serious humbling...
I'm standing on the verge of 33 weeks (tomorrow!), and suddenly I have such a better understanding of where these women are coming from. My babies are both around 4 1/2 lbs. - which means I am currently carrying around 9 lbs. worth of baby. While I know that many 9+ lb. babies have been born (God bless those women!), I would also like to submit that I'm carrying double the amniotic fluid and placenta...I am ginormous. Along with the size comes various other discomforts - the main one being that it is impossible to find a position that is comfortable for more than a few minutes. I currently use 4 pillows (including my body pillow) to prop me up...and I would take more to help with various other places that always get achy. The size of my beautiful babies (which I'm very thankful for) means that my poor stomach is squished so much that heartburn (killer heartburn - unlike any heartburn I have ever experienced before or could have imagined) is a constant. There have been times when I have ordered a meal that sounds delicious, but by the time it comes an ill received sip of water gave me such bad heartburn that I couldn't eat. And when I can eat, there isn't much room in which to store the food. Another problem is that, whenever I am standing up, I feel the urge to go to the bathroom. Now most of you will say, "Of course. That is what happens when you are only allowed to get out of bed to use the bathroom." But the problem is that I feel the urge AFTER I have used the restroom. Imagine my confusion the first time I was washing my hands and suddenly felt like I needed to go again! It is now so regular that there is no confusion - only annoyance. And finally, there are the constant contractions. My poor body - which, let's face it, has been irritable for weeks or I wouldn't be here - is feeling stretched beyond it's limits and it is fighting back. All day long I have contractions - not especially painful, not productive, but annoying. The worst is that lately, the contractions somehow squish my already compacted lungs so that, during one, I feel like I can't breath. This is a fun feeling to wake up to in the middle of the night. I'm not telling you about all of these pains and annoyances to complain (well not completely), but to allow you to see the complete humbling experience. This is what I needed to endure to better understand the women I so quickly condemned.
I am convinced, however, that the list above is not completely what drivs these women to beg for their babies to be removed. After all, I think every woman who reads his who has had a baby will say,"Ah, yes. I remember. Welcome to the club." These discomforts are common in every pregnancy.
The diference is that, in most singleton pregnancies, this level of discomfort comes at the very end. The last few weeks (or even days for the lucky ones) when the promise of the end is very close. For twin mothers, however, this is all happening when there are still 3-6 weeks left to go! It is the daunting thought of having to endure weeks, and maybe even more than a month, of this (and worse, because we know the babies will continue to grow and cause more discomfort!) that I believe drives these mothers to their knees in the doctors office (not an easy task) begging for release. It is very difficult to look into the future, imagine how many more weeks it could be, and think for even a brief minute that you are up to the challenge.
I know this because every day the doctors start talking about longer timelines. 34 weeks not only seems reachable, but they are discussing the game plan at 35 & 36 weeks, and suggesting that I could even go 37! In the moment it sounds exciting. Making it that long means there is a possibility of going home again before they come, and means we could take them home with us without them even needing a NICU stay. However, at 3 am, when I've only had 2 hours of sleep and I've been up for an hour counting painful contractions (which are rare, but offer hope of progress), and they suddenly stop, and the weeks suddenly stretch out before me again, these are the moments when I cry out to God,"I really don't think I can keep doing this. Please, let them come!"
Now, I know what you will say...probably the same things that I've been saying to myself. God doesn't ask you to carry a burden you can't handle. You are strong enough to keep going. Think about the benefit of the babies. The end is near (because, in the scheme of things, in the big picture, even 4 more weeks isn't that long). But in my worst moments, those are no comfort. And I think that is good. I think I needed to be brought to that point before I could truly, humbly, say that I understand those women, and I should never have said never. 11 weeks ago I was the Pharisee saying,"Thank you God that I am not like THEM," and now I am the tax collector asking for God's mercy. It has been a good lesson.
And while I'm confessing...tomorrow is 33 weeks. I never, in my wildest hopes or imagination, thought we would get this far. It seemed so impossible when I think about how we started 6 weeks ago. I have to confess that there is apart of me that wants to say, "Look what I did! I'm so amazing! I have defied the odds and kept my babies safe and growing this long! Don't I deserve a cookie?!" But I KNOW, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this miracle is the result of so many prayers. And so I will work at restraining my prideful heart, and be so thankful for all of the prayers that have done so much for my babies. Although, I have one request. Maybe now, when you pray, instead of praying them in longer maybe pray for a safe and healthy delivery whenever God wills that they come...but maybe ask if He could will it soon??
February 28, 2009
February 26, 2009
My American Idol Babies
My babies love music. I knew this early on. From the very first movements I felt, I noticed a pattern - I felt them most when I was singing along with the radio in the car, or when we were singing at church. Music always moved them. They have pretty good taste too. I began to notice recently that certain songs always evoked a response, no matter how quiet they had previously been. The one I noticed the most was Coldplay's Viva la Vida. I thought I had noticed a pattern of them dancing to it, but it was solidified the night of the Grammy's when they were completely still until the moment the drum beat started and they went crazy! They only stopped when the song stopped, and they started up again when the song won "Song of the Year" and they played it again - and since they seem to so enjoy the song that won song of the year, I feel this is an early sign of good taste.
So, last night we watched American Idol (a weekly ritual in our household), and I started to notice that the twins seemed to respond to certain singers. The speaker happened to be lying on the pillow next to my stomach, so they could hear very well. They did NOT like the 2nd guy who sang - I know this because he sang Viva la Vida and they didn't move at all. Apparently they didn't approve of his rendition...For the most part I approved of their choices. They moved for almost all of the same singers I approved of - with one exception. They really seemed to like Nick/Norman. While I agree with them - the guy does actually have a good voice - they cannot SEE him...and he's very strange. So I didn't know whether to be shocked and disapprove, or chalk it up to their lack of a visual...
We're going to watch the results show tonight, and it will be interesting to see how correct they are at predicting the winners. I will say that I was thrilled that our babies seem to enjoy American Idol. Someday, we will be able to watch it all togtether!!! If it stays on the air long enough to hold their attention span (currently they HAVE to be a captive audience because they're stuck with me...but I get the feeling 2 year olds may not be able to sit through the entire thing...).
Tomorrow is the first day of the family's guesses (Logan picked the 27th), we'll keep you updated and let you know who's right!
So, last night we watched American Idol (a weekly ritual in our household), and I started to notice that the twins seemed to respond to certain singers. The speaker happened to be lying on the pillow next to my stomach, so they could hear very well. They did NOT like the 2nd guy who sang - I know this because he sang Viva la Vida and they didn't move at all. Apparently they didn't approve of his rendition...For the most part I approved of their choices. They moved for almost all of the same singers I approved of - with one exception. They really seemed to like Nick/Norman. While I agree with them - the guy does actually have a good voice - they cannot SEE him...and he's very strange. So I didn't know whether to be shocked and disapprove, or chalk it up to their lack of a visual...
We're going to watch the results show tonight, and it will be interesting to see how correct they are at predicting the winners. I will say that I was thrilled that our babies seem to enjoy American Idol. Someday, we will be able to watch it all togtether!!! If it stays on the air long enough to hold their attention span (currently they HAVE to be a captive audience because they're stuck with me...but I get the feeling 2 year olds may not be able to sit through the entire thing...).
Tomorrow is the first day of the family's guesses (Logan picked the 27th), we'll keep you updated and let you know who's right!
February 24, 2009
Touring the NICU
As some of you know, on Saturday we got the chance to tour the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit here at the hospital. Since we got the vibe that our babies were coming sooner rather than later, and they will most likely be born here, we thought it might be a good idea to familiarize ourselves with the unit.
We had the opportunity to see the different types of beds that they have, from the enclosed isolettes that are used for the smallest babies, to the larger beds that are more open (although can be closed if needed) for the larger babies. We saw the different types of breathing aids that they have from ventilation tubes to the little canulas that go in their nostrils. They explained how the babies move from the far back (the smallest, most sick) to the front of the unit (almost ready to go home). We found out about how the staffing works, visitation hours, everything we could have wanted. It was very comforting to have the opportunity to see where we will most likely be spending a fair amount of time when they are born (although with every day they stay in, our time in the NICU likely gets shorter).
The most reassuring part was that, becuase our babies are already so old, they will most likely need the most graduated of aids, if any. For example, they will most likely start out in the biggest beds, and if they need any breathing assistance, it will most likely be the little things in the nostrils, and they will most likely start out closer to the front of the unit. Not only that, but we discovered that our babies (who are both well on their way to being well over 4 lbs.) weigh more than any of the babies there (they thought their largest was probably 3 1/2 lbs...ours will be giants!), and will probably be some of the oldest in the unit. In terms of premies, our babies are in a good spot!
There were moments, for me, that were almost overwhelming. Partly because, for the first time I could actually picture us there. The babies suddenly became so much more real to me when I got to see a realistic picture of us after their arrival. And that is a lot for a hormonal mother! Also, hearing that our babies would be among the oldest and the biggest (the youngest baby they ever had there that they were able to keep alive was born at 23 weeks!) was reassuring for me, but I couldn't help but feel for the families (a few of whom we saw there). All of the various "if your babies are born within the next 48 hours" talks we heard came back to me, and while our babies were in the clear for almost everything in those talks, most of the babies there weren't. I remembered the emotions that I felt hearing about the complications, and how I imagined dealing with them to prepare myself, and knew that the families of the babies there were living what I only had to imagine. I felt so strongly for those families, that it was hard not to cry. No matter what we've been through, our babies have made it a long way, and we have such a better prognosis than we originally did, but I remember how devastated we were originally and that is the reality in which these families are living. I'm sure, when you are thinking about and praying for us, they would appreciate a quick prayer as well.
As for updates...not much is happening. Everything is status quo. These babies suddenly seem to want to stay in forever...the doctors are starting to talk about 35 weeks! Meanwhile, everyone is enjoying putting their guesses in for the dates. Logan has Feb. 27, Lucas' mom has March 4th, I picked the 5th, Rebecca (my boss) picked the 6th, my mom has the 7th, and Lucas' dad has the 8th...so feel free to put in your guesses! There is no official prize for the winner - except for the satisfaction of being right!
We had the opportunity to see the different types of beds that they have, from the enclosed isolettes that are used for the smallest babies, to the larger beds that are more open (although can be closed if needed) for the larger babies. We saw the different types of breathing aids that they have from ventilation tubes to the little canulas that go in their nostrils. They explained how the babies move from the far back (the smallest, most sick) to the front of the unit (almost ready to go home). We found out about how the staffing works, visitation hours, everything we could have wanted. It was very comforting to have the opportunity to see where we will most likely be spending a fair amount of time when they are born (although with every day they stay in, our time in the NICU likely gets shorter).
The most reassuring part was that, becuase our babies are already so old, they will most likely need the most graduated of aids, if any. For example, they will most likely start out in the biggest beds, and if they need any breathing assistance, it will most likely be the little things in the nostrils, and they will most likely start out closer to the front of the unit. Not only that, but we discovered that our babies (who are both well on their way to being well over 4 lbs.) weigh more than any of the babies there (they thought their largest was probably 3 1/2 lbs...ours will be giants!), and will probably be some of the oldest in the unit. In terms of premies, our babies are in a good spot!
There were moments, for me, that were almost overwhelming. Partly because, for the first time I could actually picture us there. The babies suddenly became so much more real to me when I got to see a realistic picture of us after their arrival. And that is a lot for a hormonal mother! Also, hearing that our babies would be among the oldest and the biggest (the youngest baby they ever had there that they were able to keep alive was born at 23 weeks!) was reassuring for me, but I couldn't help but feel for the families (a few of whom we saw there). All of the various "if your babies are born within the next 48 hours" talks we heard came back to me, and while our babies were in the clear for almost everything in those talks, most of the babies there weren't. I remembered the emotions that I felt hearing about the complications, and how I imagined dealing with them to prepare myself, and knew that the families of the babies there were living what I only had to imagine. I felt so strongly for those families, that it was hard not to cry. No matter what we've been through, our babies have made it a long way, and we have such a better prognosis than we originally did, but I remember how devastated we were originally and that is the reality in which these families are living. I'm sure, when you are thinking about and praying for us, they would appreciate a quick prayer as well.
As for updates...not much is happening. Everything is status quo. These babies suddenly seem to want to stay in forever...the doctors are starting to talk about 35 weeks! Meanwhile, everyone is enjoying putting their guesses in for the dates. Logan has Feb. 27, Lucas' mom has March 4th, I picked the 5th, Rebecca (my boss) picked the 6th, my mom has the 7th, and Lucas' dad has the 8th...so feel free to put in your guesses! There is no official prize for the winner - except for the satisfaction of being right!
February 22, 2009
32 WEEKS!!!!!!!
Today, we officially made it to 32 weeks! I cannot tell you how exciting it is. Although physically I have to remain subdued (since the obvious goal is to keep them in longer), in my head I'm jumping up and down, dancing, and maybe doing a cartwheel or two (all of it obviously looks much better in my imagination than it would if I were actually doing it...so it's probably good that it is all in my head).
5 weeks ago when we first went into the hospital, when we first heard the odds and complications that our babies faced if they were born within 48 hours, when we first were hit with the reality that they were probably coming sooner than we expected this day seemed like an impossibility. I remember the doctor telling me that 32 weeks was the goal and thinking, "Are you kidding me? You aren't even sure I can keep them in 48 hours!" It felt mean that they would even suggest 32 weeks as a goal. I remember crying in the bathroom because 33 days didn't sound like a lot, but I couldn't imagine possibly reaching that 33rd day. So many concepts of time completely changed for me. For the first time in a while I didn't want to slow down and enjoy each day, I deserately wanted the days to gallop by hardly noticeable, to make me feel better. And for the first time since I was a little kid, the days seemed to stretch out so long before me.
And then we started to get so close! 1 week left to go, less than a week left to go. And suddenly we were back, once again hearing the NICU doctors giving us the "if your babies are born in the next 48 hours" speech (MUCH more positive this time!), and reliving the feeling of 32 weeks being VERY far away. Had we really come all this way only to miss our goal by a matter of days?! NO! Somehow we made it!
We have several pieces to our celebration today. First, I am going to church! Sort of. Lucas worked with someone at the church to use their laptop to hook up the webcam...so I'll get to see the service (and hear Lucas preach!) thanks to our webcam and skype! Then we are going to have Papa John's Pizza (a common celebratory treat for us). Finally, we are going to watch the Oscars! Since I kept track of my countdown by following the Oscar buzz, it will feel so good to watch them, and know that it isn't over (for me...it wil feel VERY over for them...especially the losers).
And now the next goal is 34 weeks. Starting out with only 2 weeks to go, rather than 5, feels much more manageable. And, starting out with the odds so much in our favor helps as well! They can come at any point now!!!
Thank you for joining us in our last 5 weeks! We'll keep you updated on the next 1, 2, or 4 more!
5 weeks ago when we first went into the hospital, when we first heard the odds and complications that our babies faced if they were born within 48 hours, when we first were hit with the reality that they were probably coming sooner than we expected this day seemed like an impossibility. I remember the doctor telling me that 32 weeks was the goal and thinking, "Are you kidding me? You aren't even sure I can keep them in 48 hours!" It felt mean that they would even suggest 32 weeks as a goal. I remember crying in the bathroom because 33 days didn't sound like a lot, but I couldn't imagine possibly reaching that 33rd day. So many concepts of time completely changed for me. For the first time in a while I didn't want to slow down and enjoy each day, I deserately wanted the days to gallop by hardly noticeable, to make me feel better. And for the first time since I was a little kid, the days seemed to stretch out so long before me.
And then we started to get so close! 1 week left to go, less than a week left to go. And suddenly we were back, once again hearing the NICU doctors giving us the "if your babies are born in the next 48 hours" speech (MUCH more positive this time!), and reliving the feeling of 32 weeks being VERY far away. Had we really come all this way only to miss our goal by a matter of days?! NO! Somehow we made it!
We have several pieces to our celebration today. First, I am going to church! Sort of. Lucas worked with someone at the church to use their laptop to hook up the webcam...so I'll get to see the service (and hear Lucas preach!) thanks to our webcam and skype! Then we are going to have Papa John's Pizza (a common celebratory treat for us). Finally, we are going to watch the Oscars! Since I kept track of my countdown by following the Oscar buzz, it will feel so good to watch them, and know that it isn't over (for me...it wil feel VERY over for them...especially the losers).
And now the next goal is 34 weeks. Starting out with only 2 weeks to go, rather than 5, feels much more manageable. And, starting out with the odds so much in our favor helps as well! They can come at any point now!!!
Thank you for joining us in our last 5 weeks! We'll keep you updated on the next 1, 2, or 4 more!
February 20, 2009
So how's Lucas doing?
Hi Folks,
Lucas here. Feeling kinda bored lately. I need things and activities to energize me and preparing for twins, sermons, new jobs, family visits, youth groups, youth retreats, a major parenting seminar, and my usual ministry obligations just don't seem to be enough.
So I have decided to write a book, learn the bassoon, speak French-Canadian, study the potato, run for office..any office, file my taxes and my nails, sweat, think and drink in a dark corner, create a Saturday morning cartoon, grill a steak, design a roller coaster for chickens, parachute into occupied France, shampoo, rinse and repeat, receive my honorary doctorate by being the commencement speaker, work on my mid-range shot, placate angry children, visit a loo, race a loon and ride a lunar module, trace my family tree, build a house of cards, go green, blue or red, move the market (up or down), shuffle my feet (side to side), spread the love (all around), pray, pray, pray and pray some more, and after all that, to simply rest in Him.
Lucas here. Feeling kinda bored lately. I need things and activities to energize me and preparing for twins, sermons, new jobs, family visits, youth groups, youth retreats, a major parenting seminar, and my usual ministry obligations just don't seem to be enough.
So I have decided to write a book, learn the bassoon, speak French-Canadian, study the potato, run for office..any office, file my taxes and my nails, sweat, think and drink in a dark corner, create a Saturday morning cartoon, grill a steak, design a roller coaster for chickens, parachute into occupied France, shampoo, rinse and repeat, receive my honorary doctorate by being the commencement speaker, work on my mid-range shot, placate angry children, visit a loo, race a loon and ride a lunar module, trace my family tree, build a house of cards, go green, blue or red, move the market (up or down), shuffle my feet (side to side), spread the love (all around), pray, pray, pray and pray some more, and after all that, to simply rest in Him.
The Beauty of "Seeing"
Yesterday afternoon I had an ultrasound. Because my last ultrasound had been in the middle of the night, and was slightly rushed because...well...we thought the babies were coming, they wanted a more thourough look.
The big excitement of the ultrasound was that the rushed measurements that gave us the babies' weights (you may have remembered me mentioning that they were 3 1/2 lbs.) were a little off...it turns out that baby boy is 4 lbs. & baby girl is 4 lbs. 4 oz.!!! While it is a matter of a few ounces of difference, it is huge! Hitting the 4 lb. mark definitely made us feel much better. It signifies a lot more stability for the babies, both now and when they are born.
The ultimate fun of an ultrasound is seeing the babies. I love the opportunity to peek into their world, to see for a moment what I feel. Baby boy was in a new position (big surprise). The good news is that he manuevered into the perfect head down position. Hopefully, he gets stuck there now!
When we did the ultrasound both babies were soundly sleeping. It was so sweet to watch them so quiet and curled up in their little worlds. However, they were sleeping in a position that wasn't allowing us to get the measurements we needed to find out the weight, and so we needed to wake them up by pushing on the belly (a tactic I have used before when I haven't felt a kick in a while).
Baby boy responded just like he always does with a quick kick to get me to go away (I was a little surprised at how well I have him trained to respond!). Unfortunately, it wasn't me, and so the jabbing continued. We watched as he started to wake up and his "breathing" (they actually practice breathing by taking in amniotic fluid - good exercise for the lungs) got more rapid. The poor little guy kept giving his usual kick, but it wasn't working and he just couldn't figure out why he wasn't being left alone. He finally moved enough for us to get the measurement, and leave him alone.
Baby Girl responded in the exact same way she has every time I have tried to wake her up to get a kick. She ignored us and kept sleeping for as long as possible. Then she suddenly, and violently, woke up and thrashed all over. She punched and kicked and let us know she was not happy. We didn't mind much though because all the movement allowed us to get the necessary measurements. However, Lucas said I have to be the one who wakes her up for school (payback for all the times in my life I have responded the same way to being woke up)!
Overall, it was a very exciting time!
Many of you have asked how Lucas is holding up (since I'm the only one you hear from here). From my perspective, he's doing great. He did turn a little pale during the labor talks, but by the time everything slowed down he had himself all geared up for labor, and I think he would have done beautifully! He has managed, in all the commotion, to prepare his sermon for this Sunday, and he is doing a great job of somehow juggling work, taking care of me, and now taking care of my mom (who is stranded out here). He has been an incredible rock. However, he might say something completely different. So, I'm going to try to see if I can get him to do a quick post on our adventures from his perspective!
I cannot say enough about how much we appreciate all the prayers! Every day the doctors say something, or something happens and I think to myself "this is because so many people are praying." Thank you so much!
The big excitement of the ultrasound was that the rushed measurements that gave us the babies' weights (you may have remembered me mentioning that they were 3 1/2 lbs.) were a little off...it turns out that baby boy is 4 lbs. & baby girl is 4 lbs. 4 oz.!!! While it is a matter of a few ounces of difference, it is huge! Hitting the 4 lb. mark definitely made us feel much better. It signifies a lot more stability for the babies, both now and when they are born.
The ultimate fun of an ultrasound is seeing the babies. I love the opportunity to peek into their world, to see for a moment what I feel. Baby boy was in a new position (big surprise). The good news is that he manuevered into the perfect head down position. Hopefully, he gets stuck there now!
When we did the ultrasound both babies were soundly sleeping. It was so sweet to watch them so quiet and curled up in their little worlds. However, they were sleeping in a position that wasn't allowing us to get the measurements we needed to find out the weight, and so we needed to wake them up by pushing on the belly (a tactic I have used before when I haven't felt a kick in a while).
Baby boy responded just like he always does with a quick kick to get me to go away (I was a little surprised at how well I have him trained to respond!). Unfortunately, it wasn't me, and so the jabbing continued. We watched as he started to wake up and his "breathing" (they actually practice breathing by taking in amniotic fluid - good exercise for the lungs) got more rapid. The poor little guy kept giving his usual kick, but it wasn't working and he just couldn't figure out why he wasn't being left alone. He finally moved enough for us to get the measurement, and leave him alone.
Baby Girl responded in the exact same way she has every time I have tried to wake her up to get a kick. She ignored us and kept sleeping for as long as possible. Then she suddenly, and violently, woke up and thrashed all over. She punched and kicked and let us know she was not happy. We didn't mind much though because all the movement allowed us to get the necessary measurements. However, Lucas said I have to be the one who wakes her up for school (payback for all the times in my life I have responded the same way to being woke up)!
Overall, it was a very exciting time!
Many of you have asked how Lucas is holding up (since I'm the only one you hear from here). From my perspective, he's doing great. He did turn a little pale during the labor talks, but by the time everything slowed down he had himself all geared up for labor, and I think he would have done beautifully! He has managed, in all the commotion, to prepare his sermon for this Sunday, and he is doing a great job of somehow juggling work, taking care of me, and now taking care of my mom (who is stranded out here). He has been an incredible rock. However, he might say something completely different. So, I'm going to try to see if I can get him to do a quick post on our adventures from his perspective!
I cannot say enough about how much we appreciate all the prayers! Every day the doctors say something, or something happens and I think to myself "this is because so many people are praying." Thank you so much!
February 19, 2009
Adventures in Labor & Delivery
I feel like, if a title were given to the last couple of months for us, this would be the title. We have had, yet again, another adventure...possibly the biggest adrenaline rush of all of the adventures - until, of course, the biggest of all adventures (the birth). But, then again, that's what we thought this last one was...
Tuesday evening I had, like most other evenings, some contractions. This was not uncommon, it is expected with 2 babies, but I have to keep an eye on them. Most evenings it's 1-2 an hour, and often stops before I go to bed. Tuesday evening the pattern was off. I would have 4 contractions all 6 minutes apart...and then nothing for an hour. Finally, between 9-10 I had the magic number (6 non-painful contractions in an hour)...we waited 30 more minutes to make sure they didn't stop (they didn't), and then we called the dr. who had us come to the hospital for monitoring.
When we got there, sure enough I was still contracting at an irregularly regular frequency (1 every 8-12 minutes), and they discovered I was dilated 4 centimeters! Since we were at our hospital - which doesn't have a NICU - they needed to sed me immediately to the hospital where I had been before for bedrest. And since there was some urgency, they sent me in an ambulance...with lights and siren and everything! I tried to soak in and enjoy the experience as much as possible...I mean, hopefully I will never ride in an ambulance again, AND I was riding in the ambulance in relative comfort - which I don't think often happens.
Here, in Labor and Delivery, they hooked me up to monitors, confirmed that I was dilated and contracting, and went to work. I was given medication to try to stop the contractions, they did a quick ultrasound to find out the position of the babies, they brought in NP's from the NICU to talk about what to expect when our babies were born (ALL much more positive than previous conversations - they are basically out of the danger zone for most medical complications, and just need to stay in the hospital to learn to eat, and to get enough fat to keep themselves warm on their own), they brought in the anesthesiologist to talk about pain management during the labor, the doctors talked with us about delivery - who would be there, where it would take place (the OR because it's twins, etc.), and we signed half a dozen consent forms.
The medication wasn't working, so they gave me another dose. They did another ultrasound to check their weight ( 3 1/2 pounds - ideal!), we saw more people (it's all a blur) and we signed more forms. Around 4 am they checked my cervix and found that it hadn't changed (good news!), but the contraction had not stopped and were getting slightly more forceful (not so good news). They gave me 1 more dose of the medication, told the nurses to give it every 6 hours, and told us to get some rest because we had a long day ahead of us. The general concensus was that this was it, but the dr. reassured me by saying that if I had come in 4 days later, they wouldn't have even tried the medicine, but would have just let it go. Everything would be ok.
I didn't get sleep because the contractions not only didn't stop, but got progressively more frequent and more painful. By 8:30 am, I was in active labor and the dr.s and nurses seemed to be gearing up. The final test would be the dose of medicine at 10 am to see if it slowed anything down, but they didn't seem to have much hope. At 10 I took the medicine...and the contractions got less painful and began to space out. I actually fell asleep for a while. At 4 they gave me the mediciation again and the contractions basically stopped all together. I had not dilated more, and everything seemed stable, so they moved me back to the antepartum unit (where I had been on bedrest before).
This morning the dr. - admittedly surprised that I responded so suddenly and completely to the medication - told us that, at this point, there is no telling when they will come. It could be tomorrow. It could be several more weeks! I will be on the medicine every 6 hours until I am 34 weeks (March 8th), and I will definitely be in the hospital until I'm 34 weeks (or the babies are born). So...we have a new countdown (I guess...although I still want to celebrate the old one!)
It was a physically and emotionally exhausting 24 hours...we went from fairly routine trip to labor and delivery for monitoring to middle of the night ambulance ride, to mentally and physically preparing for labor, to...the same old routine as before. I know dress rehearsals are beneficial, but I could have done without this one!
There also are some mixed emotions. While it is definitely beneficial for the babies to stay in longer, and we're happy for that, we had enough time to work through the initial shock of "this is really it" and had geared ourselves up for delivery that the sudden turnaround was a bit anticlimactic. Also, there was some excitement of looking forward to actually seeing our babies. We had gotten them to a healthy point where we could be excited about them coming, we were at the point where seeing them and holding them was within our grasp, and then suddenly we were back to...waiting. It was, admittedly, a bit of a letdown.
Regardless, we rejoice that they are healthy. We are thankful for the extra time they have to grow and get fat (getting fat is very important at this point), and we are learning more and more patience with each passing day (and adventure). Hopefully, this will be thelast adventure before the BIG adventure...but if not, at least I'll have something exciting to write about!
Thanks to all for your continued prayers! They definitely have sustaind us, and continue to do so. We'll keep you all posted!
Tuesday evening I had, like most other evenings, some contractions. This was not uncommon, it is expected with 2 babies, but I have to keep an eye on them. Most evenings it's 1-2 an hour, and often stops before I go to bed. Tuesday evening the pattern was off. I would have 4 contractions all 6 minutes apart...and then nothing for an hour. Finally, between 9-10 I had the magic number (6 non-painful contractions in an hour)...we waited 30 more minutes to make sure they didn't stop (they didn't), and then we called the dr. who had us come to the hospital for monitoring.
When we got there, sure enough I was still contracting at an irregularly regular frequency (1 every 8-12 minutes), and they discovered I was dilated 4 centimeters! Since we were at our hospital - which doesn't have a NICU - they needed to sed me immediately to the hospital where I had been before for bedrest. And since there was some urgency, they sent me in an ambulance...with lights and siren and everything! I tried to soak in and enjoy the experience as much as possible...I mean, hopefully I will never ride in an ambulance again, AND I was riding in the ambulance in relative comfort - which I don't think often happens.
Here, in Labor and Delivery, they hooked me up to monitors, confirmed that I was dilated and contracting, and went to work. I was given medication to try to stop the contractions, they did a quick ultrasound to find out the position of the babies, they brought in NP's from the NICU to talk about what to expect when our babies were born (ALL much more positive than previous conversations - they are basically out of the danger zone for most medical complications, and just need to stay in the hospital to learn to eat, and to get enough fat to keep themselves warm on their own), they brought in the anesthesiologist to talk about pain management during the labor, the doctors talked with us about delivery - who would be there, where it would take place (the OR because it's twins, etc.), and we signed half a dozen consent forms.
The medication wasn't working, so they gave me another dose. They did another ultrasound to check their weight ( 3 1/2 pounds - ideal!), we saw more people (it's all a blur) and we signed more forms. Around 4 am they checked my cervix and found that it hadn't changed (good news!), but the contraction had not stopped and were getting slightly more forceful (not so good news). They gave me 1 more dose of the medication, told the nurses to give it every 6 hours, and told us to get some rest because we had a long day ahead of us. The general concensus was that this was it, but the dr. reassured me by saying that if I had come in 4 days later, they wouldn't have even tried the medicine, but would have just let it go. Everything would be ok.
I didn't get sleep because the contractions not only didn't stop, but got progressively more frequent and more painful. By 8:30 am, I was in active labor and the dr.s and nurses seemed to be gearing up. The final test would be the dose of medicine at 10 am to see if it slowed anything down, but they didn't seem to have much hope. At 10 I took the medicine...and the contractions got less painful and began to space out. I actually fell asleep for a while. At 4 they gave me the mediciation again and the contractions basically stopped all together. I had not dilated more, and everything seemed stable, so they moved me back to the antepartum unit (where I had been on bedrest before).
This morning the dr. - admittedly surprised that I responded so suddenly and completely to the medication - told us that, at this point, there is no telling when they will come. It could be tomorrow. It could be several more weeks! I will be on the medicine every 6 hours until I am 34 weeks (March 8th), and I will definitely be in the hospital until I'm 34 weeks (or the babies are born). So...we have a new countdown (I guess...although I still want to celebrate the old one!)
It was a physically and emotionally exhausting 24 hours...we went from fairly routine trip to labor and delivery for monitoring to middle of the night ambulance ride, to mentally and physically preparing for labor, to...the same old routine as before. I know dress rehearsals are beneficial, but I could have done without this one!
There also are some mixed emotions. While it is definitely beneficial for the babies to stay in longer, and we're happy for that, we had enough time to work through the initial shock of "this is really it" and had geared ourselves up for delivery that the sudden turnaround was a bit anticlimactic. Also, there was some excitement of looking forward to actually seeing our babies. We had gotten them to a healthy point where we could be excited about them coming, we were at the point where seeing them and holding them was within our grasp, and then suddenly we were back to...waiting. It was, admittedly, a bit of a letdown.
Regardless, we rejoice that they are healthy. We are thankful for the extra time they have to grow and get fat (getting fat is very important at this point), and we are learning more and more patience with each passing day (and adventure). Hopefully, this will be thelast adventure before the BIG adventure...but if not, at least I'll have something exciting to write about!
Thanks to all for your continued prayers! They definitely have sustaind us, and continue to do so. We'll keep you all posted!
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