Growing

Today I am 31 weeks and 3 days! 

We had our last ultra sound/ doctors appointment today! 

The girls are 3.1 and 3.6 pounds!

We are getting so close!

Counting Down

Still not much to report.  Things are just the same, but we are now at 31 weeks!  We are on the schedule for next Monday, September 3rd to deliver these little babies :)  Ironic that I will be having these babies on Labor Day, considering I won't actually be going through labor.     

As it gets closer, it is becoming more real and I am getting more nervous.  How in the world do you prepare to have twins?  How do you prepare to have babies in the NICU?

I don't think there is really any way to prepare for it.  It will be baptism by fire and we will be taking things one day, one hour, and I'm sure at times even one minute at a time.  

Sorry I haven't posted any pictures.  I'm sure you all know what a TV looks like.  Between the TV and the computer screen charting the babies heart rates, there isn't a whole lot else that I look at throughout the day.

Overall things really are going okay.  Yes it stinks to be on bed rest, but at least I am healthy and my babies are healthy.  If I have survived 5 weeks in the hospital (2 of which I have been on bed rest) then I can definitely handle 6 1/2 more days.  

As nervous and anxious I am about the circumstances of these babies being born so small and so early, I am getting so excited to see them, hold them (eventually) and just love them forever!!!!

Status Quo

Well, I don't have much to say these days. Things are just the same.  

I'm still on bed rest. 

 I am still pregnant.  

Babies are still doing (most of the time).

~10 more days to go~  

Stuck

The reality of our situation is becoming more and more real, more nerve wracking, and more overwhelming.

I am writing this post from my bed down in Labor and Delivery where I have been stuck since Monday.  The babies have started to show more and more signs of cord entanglement, so I am now on full bed rest with 24 hour continuous monitoring.  The girls are doing great~ most of the time.  The times they're not doing well are concerning enough for the doctors to want to watch them as much as possible, but not so disturbing that they are concerned about doing an emergency delivery. 

Tomorrow, Sunday, I will be 30 weeks.  Only 2 more weeks to go! So far I am handling bed rest as well as possible (I guess).  I'm not so sure how I will handle 2 more weeks of it.  

Yesterday Korby and I were given a tour of the NICU.  It was very overwhelming!!!!!!!  They already have the girls beds ready there, so we were shown the room that they will be in once they are born.  There is SOOO.... much to take in, so much information, so many possible outcomes, so many cords and wires~ and we have to double all of it!  

All of that said~ every day these babies are still inside is a great day.  And as hard as it is for me personally, I would willingly do anything to keep these babies as safe as possible. 

 I know I am complaining a lot lately about everything, but I am actually so thankful to still be here.  I am so thankful that my babies are healthy, that I am healthy, that I am still pregnant.  I have heard it a thousand times from others and I tell myself multiple times hourly~ this will all be worth it in the end.  I am getting so excited to meet these little girls, to get to know them, to hold and snuggle them, and to just love them with all my heart!  

Observation

My kids never cease to amazing and surprise me.

Since the beginning of this pregnancy we have been talking to the kids about what makes this pregnancy different, what the doctors are looking for, why mom will have to be in the hospital so long, etc.  Along the way we showed the kids this picture:

It is a picture of the umbilical cords from mono amniotic twins.  As you can see there is a knot at the top and it almost looks braided with how twisted it is.  This is more than likely what our babies cords will look like as well.

It is a very good visual reminder of why I am here.

The other day when Korby and the kids came to visit, we were getting off of the elevator to go to the cafeteria and Jackson made the comment:

"Hey mom, this tree trunk looks like your umbilical cords."

I pass by this tree up to 10 times a day and I have never given it a second glance.  It always surprises me how observant my kids can be.  It is also a good reminder of how easily they pick up on things and how good their memories are.  

I now look at the tree trunk every time I pass by it and give my growing tummy a pat.  Every time I can pass by it with these babies still safe inside is a good thing.  

Quick baby update:  

We had a growth scan this week.  Baby A is 2 lb 1 oz and Baby B is 2 lb 4 oz

We are in the 2 lb range!  Yahoo!!!!!

Taste of Freedom

I was starting to work on this post Saturday morning before I ended up spending the day on monitors, so it is now a little late...

Last Sunday I started to notice I have having pain on one side of my mouth in the back.  It continued to get worse throughout the week.  By Wednesday it was really bothering me, so I asked my doctor what my options were.  How do I go to the dentist while an inpatient at the hospital?  No one really knew what to do~ how often does a maternity patient need to go to the dentist?  There was a lot of back and forth.  My doctor wanted me to go right away in case I had an infection that got into my blood and effected the babies.  My nurses told me I was not allowed to leave the hospital for any reason.  A hospital social worker got involved and found a mobile dentist that would come to the hospital, but they wouldn't accept our insurance.

In the end, I was officially discharged from the hospital Thursday morning at 10 after my morning monitoring.  I went to my dentist at 10:30.  I had an infection in my gums (a common problem for pregnant women my dentist told me).  And luckily a very quick fix~ a shot of antibiotics into my gums and an antibiotic mouth rise that I have to use twice a day.  I was done by 10:45.  

I also wasn't in any big hurry to get back to the hospital.  So, Korby and I drove downtown and went to the best Belgium waffle spot ever!  I don't know the name of it, but it is just north of Pioneer park.  It was delicious!!!!!

After that, Korby needed to get back to work~ so back to the hospital I went where I had to be officially readmitted.  It was a bit of a hassle, but my mouth feels soooo... much better  And best of all~ I got to leave the hospital for 2 hours with my husband, get some freshly prepared food and it was so nice to just feel like I was part of civilization again!  

  

You can see my hospital wrist band~ it is really annoying to have on all the time 

I know the last couple of posts haven't been the most upbeat.  But overall things are going really well.  I may have had a couple of frustration days, but the babies are doing GREAT~ and that is all that really matters!

A Hard Day

Today was a good reminder of why I am here.  This morning at 8 I went for my morning monitoring and almost immediately Baby B (still not set on names yet) had a small deceleration in her heart rate.  When that happens I get sent to labor and delivery to be monitored for an undetermined extended period of time.  After 2 hours they were both looking great when Baby A had a small decel (around 11 am).  That led to an even longer extended monitoring that lasted until 5pm!  Decelerations are normal for babies being monitored.  The difference is, with our twins they can't tell if it is a "normal" deceleration or if it is a sign that their cords are being compressed and cutting off the blood supply to that baby.  Neither of the decels were very low and neither lasted very long, so it wasn't anything they were very anxious or nervous about.  They just wanted to be extra cautious.  Both babies are great!

Being in labor and delivery for monitoring is hard!  For starters, the beds are mega uncomfortable!  I think it would act as an incentive for women in labor to hurry up and have their babies just so they can get out of those beds.  They also don't let you eat or drink anything, just as a precaution.  However, I had breakfast at 7:30 in the morning and they didn't let me eat until 2:30 when I broke down in tears and couldn't stop crying. Not being able to eat for 7 hours for a very pregnant woman is horrible!!!

But.......

I am  back in my room tonight!  Korby and the kids along with my mom and dad came and visited me tonight.  Korby brought me some dinner that a friend of ours had made for us (thanks Nicki!)  It was so nice to eat a home cooked meal!  

Today was hard, frustrating, long, tiring, and a scary reminder of how quickly things can go wrong with this pregnancy.  However, at the end of the day it was also a reminder of just how much I have to be thankful for!  My wonderful husband, my amazing kids at home, these 2 little miracle babies, all my family and friends, and my loving Heavenly Father that I am learning to depend on more and more every day! 

Crossing my fingers that tomorrow is a better day!

A Small Victory

I am learning to appreciate the little things while being here at the hospital.  Or maybe there is just so little going on, that I appreciate anything these days :)

Part of the policy of being a patient on this floor is that the nurses are required to check on you every 2 hours, including throughout the night!  When I asked why they had to do it the answer I got was: We just check on you to make sure you are asleep.  Really?!?  Well, it's hard to sleep when they are the ones who keep waking you up. The hospital doors are very large, heavy and they latch closed~ which means that they do no open or close quietly.  As you can imagine~ this gets very annoying!

But..... I talked to one of the doctors and they agreed with me that I do not need to be checked on throughout the night.  So, I now get to have this sign on my door between midnight and 6am!  I just got the sign today, so I am actually really excited to go to sleep tonight and not have any interruptions! 

It's the little things like this that are helping make this stay tolerable instead of miserable!