Twin Mama Check-In - Page 2

[kjoy2]

Hi Susan!

CONGRATULATIONS on two healthy babies! It's so neat that you have a new boy and a new girl! :
I'm sorry that hospital policy required a C-section for breech... it sounded like your labor was so fast and otherwise would have been quite easy - I'm sending recovery vibes your way. Take it easy and don't try to do to much aside from holding your babies, which hopefully you can do today... that must be so frustrating for you Hopefully soon you'll all be strong and at home.

Sending love and good recovery vibes!

Thank you so much for the update.

[Intertwined]

Just peeking in from May! It's so nice to read what you all are up to, seeing as you're about 4 weeks and some change ahead of me. I was 29 weeks yesterday!

Congrats on two healthy babies! VERY exciting!!!! I'm praying for an easy recovery and healthy babes coming home soon!

[autumnlily]

Congratulations Susan! I hope your recovery is quick and smooth and your babies are reunited with you in the soonest manner possible!!!

[kjoy2]

Hey mamas,

How is it going this week?

AutumnLily, you had said before you thought the twins would be born in the 35th week... so, any updates?

Susan, how is recovery for you and the babes going?

Hlkm2e, are you settled back into your house?

Things are okay here. I have both my MW and OB appts tomorrow (including a 35 week growth scan). I want the babies to keep cooking but am entering that 'I'm done' stage, I think - the belly is huge, the moving babies and BH contrax can be painful at night, and, well, PUPPs rash is no fun. BUT I am not yet ready to birth or care for 2 newborns!!! So, I'm still holding out for 37 weeks minimum and hope the twins will cooperate.

[slk0824]

Hi All,

Glad to hear you're hanging there and keeping those babies cooking. I'm sure it must be hard, but I would give anything to still be pregnant right now. Your babies will be so much better off with the extra time in there!

My recovery is going very well. I had an OB appt last Friday (a week after my delivery) and she released me to drive and resume normal activity again, which is wonderful. I'm still trying to take it easy, but for the most part, I feel really good. Recovery from the c-section really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (although I still would have preferred to deliver both babies vaginally). I didn't take anything stronger than Advil after I came home and even that I stopped after a couple of days. My incision is healed and doesn't hurt anymore (although it is still a little tender). And the other cool thing is that I've lost about 30 pounds so far (in 11 days) and only have about 10 to go to get back to pre-pregnancy weight. So, physically, I'm doing well.

Emotionally, things have been a little harder. The babies are still in the NICU and it's looking like they're going to be there a while longer. Their digestive tracts can't handle food yet so until they get that under control, they can't move forward with feeding. But the good news is that neither one is having/has had any respiratory issues which apparently is a really big deal because of their gestational age. I'm pumping like crazy, which is going well, and am looking forward to nursing both of them as soon as their little bellies can handle it. I've been doing skin-to-skin with both babies and last week ds latched on which was amazing. So, some good stuff, some not-so-good stuff. All in all, though, they look really good and even though they're getting fed through an iv right now, they're putting on weight and developing. I just can't wait to get them home!

I hope you all can hang in there just a little longer. It will be so worth it to be able to deliver your babies and then bring them home!

Susan

[autumnlily]

Originally Posted by kjoy2

AutumnLily, you had said before you thought the twins would be born in the 35th week... so, any updates?

BUT I am not yet ready to birth or care for 2 newborns!!! So, I'm still holding out for 37 weeks minimum and hope the twins will cooperate.

kjoy2, I hear you on wanting to have the kiddos but also knowing that caring for 2 newborns is going to be hard too! It's so hard to know which one we really want! All in time though.

Tomorrow is my last day in the 35th week and I have a NST - perhaps it will be the day. But, I feel like my body must really love being PG as the girls have stopped making attempts to enter this world early. I did enjoy my ability to nap for 3 hours today and know I should soak up every minute I get to myself but, I long to meet them too!

Last friday, I had protein in my urine and higher BP - so, I believe my road has to be ending soon!

Susan, I saw the great pics of Harrison and Nessa on the yahoo group! Very precious!

~Misty

[kjoy2]

Susan, it's wonderful to hear that your babies' lungs are working well and that they are putting on weight. It must be so hard to have them in the NICU You sound like you are doing well physically and with milk production and with an amazing attitude. Those little babies are lucky to have a mom like you.

Misty, I hope the protein and BP stay under control for you and you can enjoy the cooking stage a bit longer!

I saw the OB today and am a little shocked by the growth/weight estimate. At 31 weeks they were between 3.6 and 3.12. Now, at 35 weeks they are measuring at 33 weeks and the weights are estimated between 4 and 5 lbs. I am a little worried about it and I think will try to lay down more during the day to get blood to the babies... the OB didn't seem concerned, though, and I know those measurements can be off (but they can be off in either direction!). I can't help but worry a bit and really hope that they aren't born soon - too little!!! And I haven't gained any weight since 33 weeks, which is where the babies are measuring... hmmm.

[paphia]

Hey kjoy2, I'm sorry you're worried about the babies. I bet they're doing great even if they're not putting on a lot of weight right now! They are still developing everything else and getting closer to being ready. I think it's hard for all of us to put on weight and eat enough this late in pregnancy, and with two babies in there (weighing over nine pounds already!) there is just going to be a slowdown, you know? It's good that you're planning on giving yourself more rest though. I bet you'll have a jump in growth before your babies are born.

Misty, I hope your numbers stay within a safe range and you get to keep your buns in the oven as long as possible, even though it is hard to wait.

Susan, I'm glad your recovery is going smoothly and you're healing. It sounds like your babies are doing well considering how they were early. I hope they have a growth spurt and finish up their time in the NICU so that you can be together for good.

[kjoy2]

Originally Posted by paphia

Hey kjoy2, I'm sorry you're worried about the babies. I bet they're doing great even if they're not putting on a lot of weight right now!

Thanks, Paphia. I needed that!

[autumnlily]

Just a quick update - my amnio is scheduled for Monday and if the girls lungs are mature, I will have my c-section on Tuesday, April 1st

I'm soaking up these last few days with my DH and 2 year old DD... lots of cuddles and special time.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

[slk0824]

Kara, how are you doing? I'm sorry that you're worried about your babies weights. Have you had any follow-up appts or anything to ease your mind? I don't know if this applies or not, but don't twins slow down significantly in growth toward the end of pregnancy? I thought I had read that twins lungs mature sooner in utero than singletons but their growth slows down instead of increasing like singletons do. Either way, I hope you're not still worried. From my experience, what they weigh isn't nearly as important as how developed they are, and it seems like the longer they can stay in, the better they do.

Thanks for the nice comment on my babies, Misty. They're so preemie looking in some of those pictures and I hate that they're all wired up to monitors, but that's all we've got for pics right now! Is your c-section a go for tomorrow? You must be so excited. I hope you had a good weekend with your dh and dd. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow!

Thanks Paphia for the kind words.

Our babies are doing better. It looks like they're getting the hang of feeding although they're still being tube-fed for the most part. I've been able to bf them for a couple of their feedings each day, and sometimes they do really well but sometimes they're just too sleepy. But we're getting there. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll continue to make progress and we'll get to bring them home next week.

Good luck with those deliveries. I can't wait to hear how it goes!

Susan

[kjoy2]

Misty - What are the results of the amnio? Will your babies be outside of the womb tomorrow? If so, best of luck to you and the little ones!!

Susan - It's wonderful that you have been able to breast feed your little ones sometimes already! You can't do much about them being so sleepy at their size, and I bet after they gain weight and you get home, you will get into your desired BF routine. I will keep sending 'eat and grow' thoughts to your twins, and I really hope that you will be able to bring them home soon. :

Thanks for the kind words regarding twin growth. I'm feeling better about their sizes primarily b/c no one but me was worried about it - not the OB, not the MW, not DH! Yes, twin growth does slow down after 32/33 weeks. The OB even said that sometimes the smaller ones develop a bit faster b/c their bodies 'know' that they need to. You are right - focus on the fact that they are still in utero and trust that they will develop as they need to. We're at 36 w, 1 day as of today. The goal is this coming Sunday, which I'm optimistic for. After that it will become a 'when are they coming out' game!

Oh, and Heidi (hlkm2e) had her babies at 34 weeks, 4 days - I hope she doesn't mind me saying so. I saw her posting in the multiples forum. The babies are both home now.

Kara

[autumnlily]

Just a quick post - sorry for no personals, I'm having contractions and trying to get ready for the big day tomorrow.

And, yes, it's a GO for tomorrow!

Thanks for the well wishes, I will update ASAP!

[kjoy2]

Ohhhh! I'll be thinking of you!!!

[autumnlily]

The girls were born April 1st by C-Section:

Juliette "Etta" Dawn was born @ 4:40 and she has an incredibly full head of thick, thick hair. Very dark with a few "blondish" highlights. And, much to our surprise - she was the BIGGER twin! She weighed 6.11 and was 18.25". Oh, and she has MY DIMPLE!

Grace (no middle name yet) was born @ 4:42 and kicked the OB the entire time she was trying to deliver her. Grace looks so much like her big sister Lucy. Minimal - but just right amount of hair and Lucy's nose and cheeks. She weighed 5.15 and was 17.5".

The girls are very fraternal and easy to tell apart even when they are not next to each other. They are incredibly healthy and doing very well. I had excessive bleeding and did have two transfusions... but I feel a million times better with this delivery than I did with Lucy's. And, my care has been wonderful - great nursing staff and attentiveness this time! Now, I'm just working on getting my milk in... I hope for sucess very soon.

Photo's:
Me, an hour before delivery
http://images34.fotki.com/v1145/phot...enus003-vi.jpg

Etta
http://images33.fotki.com/v1138/phot...enus026-vi.jpg

Grace
http://images31.fotki.com/v1099/phot...enus022-vi.jpg

Together
http://images31.fotki.com/v1094/phot...enus018-vi.jpg

[slk0824]

Oh my gosh!! Congratulations, Misty!! They are so beautiful and they look so big & healthy! I hope your recovery goes well.

Susan