Yesterday we had a doctor's appointment to have a non stress test (NST) done on the babies. Their heart rates are looking good, and movement was good. I had a couple of contractions during the monitoring, and I am currently dilated 1/2 cm (you need to get to 10 to have a baby, and generally they won't admit you to the hospital if you're under 4). My blood pressure is still low, and because the babies are looking happy and healthy, my doctor still recommends waiting until the 28th to have them.
The shingles are getting better, but have not cleared up entirely. Because of the shingles and because of the size difference in the babies, I am still being told that a c-section would be the safest way to go. I have had a traditional birth, along with the experience of labor and pushing in my mind for so long that it is taking quite a bit of thinking and praying to come to terms with the thought of a c-section, but I'm getting there.
I have another NST scheduled for Friday, and if the babies are still looking happy, we'll wait until Monday for the c-section. If anything happens between now and Monday (I notice less movement, the NST detects stress in the babies, etc.), we will go in for a c-section before Monday. A part of me is still hoping that the shingles will completely clear up and I can still shoot for a traditional birth, but we also have the babies' size difference to look at. Because Baby A (who could come first) is smaller than Baby B, it is more likely that after giving birth to Baby A, Baby B would flip into an unfavorable position and I would need a c-section to deliver her. Although I have told the doctor I would be prepared for one traditional birth and one c-section, it still sounds like it will be in the babies' best interest to have a c-section for both.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Birthdays
Well, we've had lots of guesses and bets about when these girls are coming. Chris guessed 2/8, Britney guessed 2/12. Those days came and went....and no babies. Then there were a whole bunch of us who guessed the 18th because it was a full moon, which would surely pull these girls out into the world. But that full moon is now waning, and still, no babies.
As we've talked with friends and family about possible birth dates, we've discovered a few things. If the babies had been born before February 3rd, they would have been born in the Chinese year of the tiger, whereas at this point, they will be born in the year of the rabbit.
If they had been born before Saturday, they would have had the sign of aquarius, but now they will be born with the sign of pisces.
Most likely, they will have an amethyst as their birthstone.
We have had the 21st in mind almost since the beginning as our planned due date. Grandma Hicks's birthday is on the 20th, so we knew they would be born close to when their great grandma was born. The new due date is the 28th, which means if they wait until then to come, they will share a birthday with their uncle Eric.
As we've talked with friends and family about possible birth dates, we've discovered a few things. If the babies had been born before February 3rd, they would have been born in the Chinese year of the tiger, whereas at this point, they will be born in the year of the rabbit.
If they had been born before Saturday, they would have had the sign of aquarius, but now they will be born with the sign of pisces.
Most likely, they will have an amethyst as their birthstone.
We have had the 21st in mind almost since the beginning as our planned due date. Grandma Hicks's birthday is on the 20th, so we knew they would be born close to when their great grandma was born. The new due date is the 28th, which means if they wait until then to come, they will share a birthday with their uncle Eric.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
37 Week Ultrasound
On Monday we went in for our last perinatologist appointment. Honestly, we didn't think we'd make it this far, so it was a little bit of a surprise to even make it to the appointment. Dr. Gagnon is great at getting good profile pictures, and even though the girls are getting pretty crowded in there, she was still able to get a couple good head shots of each of them.
Here's Baby A, Buttercup, whose head is a little further down than Baby B. She is on my right side and has consistently been a little further down, so if I were to give birth naturally, she would come first. She has always been a little smaller and I've felt her movements more throughout the pregnancy. Her measurements on Monday put her weight estimate at 5 pounds, 13 ounces.
Here's Baby B, Bubbles, who is on my left side and has always been a little bigger. Her movements were harder to feel earlier in the pregnancy when her placenta was on the back of my uterus, but as my uterus has grown, both placentas are on the front and I have been feeling a lot of movement from Bubbles in the last few weeks. Her measurements put her estimated weight at 7 pounds!
While the girls have a pretty big weight difference between them, it is still under a 20% difference, so it isn't a concern.
The plan up until recently was that I was going to be induced on Monday, February 21st at 11:00am unless I went into labor on my own before then. In the last couple of weeks, I have started walking around more, trying to be more active. My goal has been to give birth naturally, and I was hoping not to need to be induced because it makes the birthing process so much more intense.
This weekend, I was diagnosed with shingles, which has complicated the plan. As of right now, my doctor wants me to try to go an extra week (to week 39, 2/28) to give the virus more time to get out of my system. At that point, she would like to do a C-Section to guarantee the babies don't come in contact with any of the shingles lesions.
I have an appointment with an OB on Monday, 2/21 so that a non-stress test can be done on the babies and my vitals can be checked to make sure we can go another week. Honestly, I am feeling so huge and stretched right now, it is very hard for me to imagine going another two weeks.
Thank you so much to all of you who have offered us so many kind thoughts and prayers.
Here's Baby A, Buttercup, whose head is a little further down than Baby B. She is on my right side and has consistently been a little further down, so if I were to give birth naturally, she would come first. She has always been a little smaller and I've felt her movements more throughout the pregnancy. Her measurements on Monday put her weight estimate at 5 pounds, 13 ounces.
Here's Baby B, Bubbles, who is on my left side and has always been a little bigger. Her movements were harder to feel earlier in the pregnancy when her placenta was on the back of my uterus, but as my uterus has grown, both placentas are on the front and I have been feeling a lot of movement from Bubbles in the last few weeks. Her measurements put her estimated weight at 7 pounds!
While the girls have a pretty big weight difference between them, it is still under a 20% difference, so it isn't a concern.
The plan up until recently was that I was going to be induced on Monday, February 21st at 11:00am unless I went into labor on my own before then. In the last couple of weeks, I have started walking around more, trying to be more active. My goal has been to give birth naturally, and I was hoping not to need to be induced because it makes the birthing process so much more intense.
This weekend, I was diagnosed with shingles, which has complicated the plan. As of right now, my doctor wants me to try to go an extra week (to week 39, 2/28) to give the virus more time to get out of my system. At that point, she would like to do a C-Section to guarantee the babies don't come in contact with any of the shingles lesions.
I have an appointment with an OB on Monday, 2/21 so that a non-stress test can be done on the babies and my vitals can be checked to make sure we can go another week. Honestly, I am feeling so huge and stretched right now, it is very hard for me to imagine going another two weeks.
Thank you so much to all of you who have offered us so many kind thoughts and prayers.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Curtains, Silly Chris, and a 36 week belly, Oh my!
So the big window curtains finally got finished and hung a few weeks ago, here's a shot:
Chris has a favorite pose with the boppy. He likes to dance around with this look to cheer me up when I'm in a pregnancy-induced grumpy mood.
And here's the 36 week belly. I wish I could somehow convey the itchy, stretched, about to pop feeling in these photos, but I decided to smile for the camera. After all, we have made it to 36 weeks! The girls' lungs are ready to breathe and they have the sucking/swallowing reflex down. Life is good!
Chris has a favorite pose with the boppy. He likes to dance around with this look to cheer me up when I'm in a pregnancy-induced grumpy mood.
And here's the 36 week belly. I wish I could somehow convey the itchy, stretched, about to pop feeling in these photos, but I decided to smile for the camera. After all, we have made it to 36 weeks! The girls' lungs are ready to breathe and they have the sucking/swallowing reflex down. Life is good!
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