OK Kjoy2...chop chop!

[elleystar]

Seriously, today has to be your day! I dreamed last night that I talked to you IRL, and you'd just had the babies! (They were cute too.) And you made me come to MDC and post the news for everyone along with a short birth story!

[kjoy2]

Too weird. I'm about to chug my first castor oil cocktail.
We are at that point...

Wish me luck! (of course, I had to come on MDC first to check the daily news. )
I love the 'short birth' part of your dream, and meeting you, of course!!!

[elleystar]

Oh, well, don't wanna burst your bubble but the birth story was supposed to be short. (You were going to get online later and post the whole thing.) But here's hoping the birth itself is short too!
Dang girl you're gonna have me on here all day looking for updates. I require a good nap today because of Cookie's cold, but I don't know if I'll be able to!

[mkmama]

i think of you every day kjoy2. Your pictures are so beautiful. I can't wait to see your beautiful babes!

[Incubator]

:
I am kjoys secret online stalker. I am her and the twins' biggest fan!

Just kidding, I too cannot wait to see your LOs. You pictures are gorgeous and I wonder every time I leave MDC if you're just getting ready to tell us you're in labor! Makes it hard to get off the computer and get any work done. I love this DDC it's the best excuse to not clean house.

[kjoy2]

Thanks for the well-wishes, ladies!

So far the first dose tasted icky. It's a lovely combo of 2oz each of vodka, oj, and castor oil. I detest oj mixed with alcohol, but decided to stick with that recipe anyway b/c I don't want to make a bad connection with something I do like (for example, rootbeer float castor oil concoction). We went for a little walk, and I have nothing but a tinge of stomach cramping, so soon it'll be on to dose #2. I may leave the alcohol out b/c otherwise I'll be tipsy!

Elleystar, don't burst my short labor bubble. Power of suggestion, eh?!

Mkmama, your positive thoughts mean so much!

Incubator, three cheers to a messy & dirty house!

[~ATenthMuse~]

I'll be rooting for you today, too!

On the castor oil... My mw gave me the recipe for a castor oil shake. 1 1/2 cups strawberry Haagen Daz, 2 oz castor oil, and milk to mix. A second dose later if it doesn't work the first time.

I didn't want to do it, but I'm glad I did since he turned out to be a 12 lber. It really wasn't that bad. I drank it at 12:30. Did the bathroom trips and by 4-5 thought it wasn't going to work. At 5:30, after eating a huge burrito, I was suddenly in labor. Midwives were here by 7:30 and he was born at 5:01 a.m. I think it would have been fast and smooth, if he'd been a smaller baby. I was 4ish before I drank the castor oil, 6 when the midwives got to the house and set up, and 8/9 not long after midnight I think.

(NAK hope that makes sense.)

[kjoy2]

Originally Posted by ~ATenthMuse~

I'll be rooting for you today, too!

On the castor oil... My mw gave me the recipe for a castor oil shake. 1 1/2 cups strawberry Haagen Daz, 2 oz castor oil, and milk to mix. A second dose later if it doesn't work the first time.

I didn't want to do it, but I'm glad I did since he turned out to be a 12 lber. It really wasn't that bad. I drank it at 12:30. Did the bathroom trips and by 4-5 thought it wasn't going to work. At 5:30, after eating a huge burrito, I was suddenly in labor. Midwives were here by 7:30 and he was born at 5:01 a.m. I think it would have been fast and smooth, if he'd been a smaller baby. I was 4ish before I drank the castor oil, 6 when the midwives got to the house and set up, and 8/9 not long after midnight I think.

(NAK hope that makes sense.)

Oh thank you for your story!!! Because now it's 11:40am... I started the castor oil at 9:30 and have done 3 rounds so far - so a total of 6 oz... I have had some bathroom runs, but no other activity. Your time line gives me hope that labor may still kick in. I am not very dilated, though, but everyone seems to think I won't be until contractions start.
And darn, a burrito sounds GOOOOOOD!

[Jennisee]

I came here to check on you, too! I hope the castor oil works and things pick up soon!

[kjoy2]

3.30 PM update: nothin' to report but poop. Thank goodness DH installed the diaper sprayer/mini boudet; otherwise my bum would be super ouchy from TP.

Now, I've always wanted to do a castor oil purge... but seriously, babies... this is adding on to the already long list of ways to evict you 'naturally': acupuncture/pressure, nipple stim (and last night I discovered either a plugged duct or cyst in my right boob... which is weird), homeopathics, cohosh tincture, etc. If this castor oil doesn't instigate contractions pretty soon, I won't know where to go from here

We have a non-stress test scheduled for tomorrow morning - I was hoping to avoid those altogether. Ugh.

Hey, I think I am having the third back-achy contraction in a row here... send me more labor vibes, ladies!!!

[Alpaca Wacka]

Ooh! Sending you lots of love and labor vibes!

[mkmama]

Came to check.
Did you ever consider having your membranes swept? I did that on Monday and went into labor on Wednesday. It wasn't so bad and altho i really wasn't going to do anything like that I needed to with my parents being here situation.

Anyways, just another thing to try.

[kjoy2]

Originally Posted by mkmama

Came to check.
Did you ever consider having your membranes swept? I did that on Monday and went into labor on Wednesday. It wasn't so bad and altho i really wasn't going to do anything like that I needed to with my parents being here situation.

Anyways, just another thing to try.

YES. And you know what? NOBODY CAN REACH MY CERVIX!!!!
Both the OB and the MW have done 2 cervical exams each, for a total of 4. Each time, we have all partaken in a sort of gymnastics - me with my butt up in the air, they with their scrunched up faces trying to extend their fingers a la go-go gadget. My DH said that the OB was even on his tippy toes And each time, after minutes of squirming and grunting (from them, not me!), they can only get close enough to just barely touch it. Seriously, what is up with my body?!!!

And update, well, I don't think the castor oil is going to do the trick today. Maybe I'll be back tomorrow with more antics. My neighbors have a trampoline...

[Alpaca Wacka]

KJoy... You are a freakin saint. I just looked at your belly pic. It makes me ache. Seriously. WHY aren't you a sobbing, homicidal mess yet?!? I bow down to you! You are amazing!

[~ATenthMuse~]

Originally Posted by kjoy2

Oh thank you for your story!!! Because now it's 11:40am... I started the castor oil at 9:30 and have done 3 rounds so far - so a total of 6 oz... I have had some bathroom runs, but no other activity. Your time line gives me hope that labor may still kick in. I am not very dilated, though, but everyone seems to think I won't be until contractions start.
And darn, a burrito sounds GOOOOOOD!

Oh, you are so welcome! Did you do the second dose? I had decided not to do it already, before the ctx started. My butt hurt!

I read the updates, but I hope something's happening for you tonight!

[kjoy2]

Originally Posted by Alpaca Wacka

KJoy... You are a freakin saint. I just looked at your belly pic. It makes me ache. Seriously. WHY aren't you a sobbing, homicidal mess yet?!? I bow down to you! You are amazing!

Well, the belly is okay... I mean, yeah 51 cm, but it only hurts really badly during growth spurts (and in theory there shouldn't be more of those!). The last one was awful - I think that one really ripped the abs apart.

So the belly itself isn't driving me crazy, it's that the twins are still in there... b/c in mainstream USA, twins are 'ripe and ready' at 36-38 weeks (even though I know this isn't always true and have read studies to the contrary). Beyond 38 weeks w/twins is nearly unheard of, particularly in OB-managed pregnancies. So part of me just wants them out so that my uterus is freed of its responsibility, and that I can directly SEE that they are okay and not suffering from being in the womb for 'too long'. Even though everything points to them being just fine, it's still hard to go against the grain and not get stressed. Luckily I have you supportive ladies, and a great MW and OB (who are both very confounded about the length of this pregnancy, though), and online twin moms who are more 'natural' and have also gone past the standard twin gestational length with their pregnancies.

With that, hopefully before the weekend is over they will make their appearance! I am going to try a lot more visualizing, as well as actually writing their 'birth story' (a suggestion from someone that can't hurt at this point).

[kjoy2]

Originally Posted by ~ATenthMuse~

Oh, you are so welcome! Did you do the second dose? I had decided not to do it already, before the ctx started. My butt hurt!

I read the updates, but I hope something's happening for you tonight!

I can't believe that 2oz worked for you! I did 6oz and got nothin' but the runs... ha ha.. okay, I do have a bit of back cramping with some contractions, which is better than nothing. I'm taking 3 doses of homeopathic caulophyllum, and then going to go to bed with hopes of being awakened later :

[Incubator]

They're going to do what mine did, wait until you've been up all night and then make you work!

[krizzanne]

just wanted to chime in ; I have also been amazed at your 'cool' about growing and birthing 2 babies at once, and one of my main objectives every day recently has been to check and see if you have gone into labor yet! It seems you and your babies do have a big fan club!! yay - go Kjoy2!!

[amitymama]

I'm not even in this DDC and I'm becoming obsessed with Kjoy's progress. Go, Kjoy, go!