I promised I’d post some photos!! I’ve been too busy to write up the birth story etc. I know you will all forgive me. I’ll get to it though. In the meantime, here are a few photos. Keira has the dark hair and Kelsey is strawberry. I am so in love with them. They have been really good so far. My mom left yesterday so I was solo for the first time as DH had to work second shift… We are off to the pedi today for a weight check.
Will update when time allows!
Just a quick announcement that my girls are here!! They were born yesterday at 10:53am and 10:54am via csection after an unproductive 42 hour induction. Keira Elizabeth was born first and weighs 6lbs 4 oz and Kelsey Margaret followed at 5lbs 11 oz. Both girls are perfect and healthy!! Kelsey has strawberry red hair!! Keira’s is a pretty light brown. They are gorgeous and I’m just so in love!!
I’ll update with the full crazy birth story when I can as well as post a photo.
I’m finally a mama!!!!
Just had to share!! No call bumping us yet so the 3 hr countdown to the hospital is on 🙂
I hope this is my last post before I’m announcing my baby girls’ arrival!! I saw the MFM yesterday and had my last BPP. The girls were fine on the BPP–Baby A is still head down and low. Baby B is still breech and shoved in a corner on my right side. Baby A is taking up her space! My MFM finally did a cervical check and I’m not dilated at all… In fact, he did this evil sort of laugh saying to be prepared for the induction to take a “few” days.. (Part of that was also for DH’s benefit who thinks an induction takes 15 mins…)
My BP returned to normal at 112/74. I have no signs of labor even after the rough cervical check. By the way, holy hell, those hurt! How on earth am I pushing two babies out of my vag??? The MFM also warned me that it’s possible that I get a call bumping me from tomorrow if too many women are in active labor since I’m deemed “elective”.. How on earth I’m elective at 38 + 1 with twins is beyond me. When I first saw the doctor yesterday I said “Get these babies out of me”! As others have pointed out, the infertile in us wants nothing more than the embryos to stick and how ironic it is to make it to the very end and beg for them to be taken out!
Right now, the plan is to register at the hospital at 4pm tomorrow. 25 hours! I’m guessing the girls won’t be born until Friday…
Just a quick post to share an article that appeared on People dot com today. It chronicles the story of one of my IF friends I’ve “met” in my journey!! It is about embryo adoption. I’m so proud of her to have the guts to share her family’s story on a national level.
http://www.people.com/article/embryo-adoption-liz-krainman
I see the doctor this afternoon and have my last BPP! I’ll update when I can. 2 more days to induction!!
I will report to the hospital to start the induction process in exactly one week and one hour!!! It is so hard to believe that we are down to one week after 4 years, 4 months of TTC which was comprised of 5 IUIs, 8 IVFs, 2 miscarriages, 2 surgeries, countless injections, 6 different REs in 5 different states, 4 different donors and a boatload of money and tears. I’m overwhelmed with emotions I can’t even describe. To get the privilege of bringing two babies home after the rollercoaster we’ve been on is nothing short of amazing!!
I don’t think the girls will come early. They seem to be quite content in utero. I saw the MFM on Monday and my BP was ok–124/84–and no protein in urine. I had a rough day on Sunday and Monday because I wasn’t able to sleep and I felt like I was going to fall when I tried to walk. My left foot is quite swollen and it didn’t feel like it could support my weight. I don’t feel safe driving myself at this point so I asked DH to leave work and take me to my appointment. The MFM wasn’t very sympathetic to my pleas to move up the induction date. He said there was no medical reason to and basically to “suck it up”… Easy for you to say buddy… Fortunately, he approved of taking Benadryl and I was able to sleep fairly well (for me at this point) in the recliner. I haven’t slept in a bed for several weeks. I felt a lot better yesterday. DH was home for Veteran’s Day and he did all sorts of stuff that I just can’t physically do anymore. I’m happy to say that we actually have a crib put together and it’s in the girls’ room! The queen bed is gone (we gave it to DH’s 16 year old nephew on Sunday who was sleeping in a twin bed at 6’3” tall). It’s starting to look like a nursery.
Now for some random coincidences and musings:
1) my donor was retrieved exactly one year ago today. I thought it would have been a cool birthday but it’s not going to happen today..
2) I matched with the donor exactly a year ago tomorrow.
3) DH and I had a housewarming party 4 years ago tomorrow. We had been TTC for 4 months at that time and I “thought” I had implantation bleeding and that the party would be my last cocktails for a while. Umm, we know that didn’t happen. Anyway, I had bought a bunch of pumpkin napkins and paper plates for the party at the Christmas Tree Shop (if you aren’t familiar with the store, it’s a mishmash of various crap but also random other things for very cheap…) I had no idea on how much to buy for the party. I bought entirely too much paper goods and it’s become a joke in my family because 4 years later I still have pumpkin napkins left! Last summer, we sold the house where we had the housewarming party. I had some open pumpkins napkins which I brought to our Cape Cod rental house to use up (my family came to the beach to visit and made fun of pumpkin napkins in August). Well, I just put the very last package of pumpkin napkins in the napkin holder!!! If someone had told me 4 years ago that I would not have a baby until the last pumpkin napkin was used, I would have jumped off a building…. Or made sure that I bought a lot less napkins!
One week.. One week!!!!
I’m home!! My BP was 3 points lower than Monday so they let me leave. My urine showed just a trace of protein. I go back again on Monday to re-check it again. DH had taken today off in case I didn’t come home or had to spend hours in L&D getting monitored. Since I was released, I got him to do a slew of errands I haven’t been up for this week. I had DH do most of them while I waited in the car but we grabbed lunch out which I haven’t done in weeks. I did go into Target and I think I overdid it. My poor feet.. It’s almost 1am and of course I can’t sleep. I’m in the recliner with the TV on…
I switched to heparin today (from lovenox). What a debacle. I should have just had the MFM’s office send the prescription to the hospital pharmacy as they stock it since there are so many high risk patients on it. But I didn’t because I didn’t want to pay for parking to pick it up. I figured “C VS” was easier. Wrong!! The script was sent on Wednesday. I did not get a call from the pharmacy like I usually get saying it was filled. I called first thing yesterday and was told that they’d gave to order it because they didn’t have the concentration that was requested. The script was for .5ml of 20000units twice a day. I was told shipments come in at 2pm. Since DH and I were out, he ran in to pick it up while I stayed in the car because I was wiped out. After a long wait, DH comes out empty handed. They didn’t get any in the shipment but they faxed the script to another C VS the next town over. DH got a hard copy of the script “just in case”. We drive to the next town (where we had actually just been of course) DH goes inside and eventually comes out. They didn’t get the fax so it will be 30 mins to fill. We did another errand in between and DH does back in at 3:30. At 4:15, he still hasn’t come out and I really needed a bathroom. I finally see him come outside, again empty handed. It turns out they don’t have the 20000 iu concentration either and that the tech who called over from the first store said 10000iu… They were trying to reach my doctor –yeah, it’s 4:30 on a Friday– good luck with that. I wanted the script to just get faxed to the hospital pharmacy but I needed a bathroom first. DH asked inside and they let me use the one in the back of the store. When I came out, the pharmacist says they actually reached my doctor who approved a change to 1ml of 10000iu. Fine. I’ll inject more liquid. Whatever. I’m tired and want to go rest. But they didn’t have the correct gauge of syringe (I wanted insulin needles). I was supposed to get 30 gauge 1/2 inch but they didn’t have them. He said he’d look for 31 gauge– fine, even thinner needle. Great. But he came back with 29 gauge. Whatever. It’s fine. He waived the charge for the prescription because of the entire debacle (my copay is just $10 but I’ll take anything for free).
I went to do the first shot at 9:30 tonight. I’m drawing up the liquid and wondering why there is still so much in the vial and I have no more room in the syringe. Yup, they gave .5ml syringes when I need to inject 1ml!! I can’t believe I didn’t catch that…So I had to inject myself twice. Ummm, that would be 4 times a day!! Nothing I can do about it right now. I don’t know that I’m up for driving myself tomorrow to deal with it (DH is working).. I feel a bit unsafe driving at this stage because my range of motion is very limited.
I keep going back and forth about writing about something else that happened this week. DH called me earlier in the week and said “guess who is pregnant?” I made a few guesses which were wrong so I finally said, just tell me. I have no more guesses. I was shocked at the answer. It’s one of DH’s friends/co-worker and his girlfriend. The thing is, I know she’s several years older than me (he’s a lot younger). My immediate thought was that she has to be 45 (at least) and how is that possible (without donor eggs…) Yeah, yeah I know there are some natural pregnancies at that age but come on, it’s rare. But I didn’t think they would have used donor eggs. My reasons for that assumption is first that they aren’t married and the second being the cost factor. Even though a natural pregnancy “shouldn’t” annoy me at this point where I’m almost to single digits days to give birth, it did annoy me! It shouldn’t because if I had ever had a natural pregnancy, I wouldn’t be getting the babies I’m about to get and I want these specific babies. These are the babies that were meant for me to raise. But it still is frustrating to hear a story of someone you know who isn’t even trying to get pregnant and having one at an age that 98% of women can’t….
Fast forward to today when we were at lunch. Another guy that DH knows stopped in the same place. I haven’t seen him in many months and am quite obviously pregnant. So of course we talked about it. The conversation turns to this other couple and he says “do you know the story behind it?” I’m nosy as hell and said no, what the story? Turns out this couple did “plan” the pregnancy and tried to do IVF but was told no because of her age. And, drum roll, they traveled out of the country for treatment. I’m not sure the other guy “understood” what this meant but I know it means they used DE! I had a vague memory of a post on FB where they were out of the country and DH agreed with me that they went to a country that I know is well known for DE… It also made sense in terns of the cost factor as DE is much less expensive abroad than in the states. I feel so much better knowing this info. It’s trite and juvenile but it makes me feel better…
Guess that’s it for right now..
This will be short because I feel miserable. Today’s growth ultrasound has Baby A estimated at 5lbs 13 oz and Baby B at 6lbs. The bad news is that my BP came in high at today’s appointment. It’s been really great before today’s reading. I’m also swollen/puffy and nauseous. So, we are now on pre-eclampsia “watch”. They are having me come back on Friday morning to re-check my BP. If it’s the same, they will let me go home and come back next Monday for my weekly appointment. But if it’s “abnormal”, they will send me to L&D for monitoring. It could be for a few hours or I may not be going home… Of course I tried to get the MFM to give me a BP reading that would mean admission but he laughed at me and said “I’m not telling you the number”…
I’m in a ton of pain and feel like my body is reaching its maximum. Everything hurts in ways I never knew it could and I can’t get comfortable at all. Tomorrow is 36 weeks according to my MFM so anything extra at this point, is extra in my opinion. I know I’ve been very lucky so far with a twin pregnancy and I’m ready for these babies to be born!!!
We have an induction date!!! I’m still hoping the girls will decide to enter the world on their own without an induction but we have a date at the hospital in case they are lazy and comfortable… We will report to the hospital at 4pm on November 19 to start the induction. The medical secretary called me yesterday morning to say I could pick whenever starting November 18 as that is the 38th week according to them. The logical part of me said to just go in for the early morning of November 18 but the crazy part of me doesn’t like the number 19… I’m afraid that if we induce the morning of the 18th, the girls will be born on the 19th (as it would only give me like 17 hours for the birth). So I opted for the 4pm slot on the 19th, betting that they’d arrive on November 20th (or the 21st…). This is 4 weeks from yesterday!! I know it’s best for them to stay in as long as possible but I wouldn’t “mind” if they came out a “little” earlier than the induction date…I know that I’ve been very fortunate with this pregnancy as most of the other twin mamas I know who are/were similarly due have already delivered or are on current bed rest.
I’m hanging in there “ok”. Walking hurts so my outside errands really only consist of one per day. Even getting in and out of the car is proving to be difficult– especially if DH wants to take his Tahoe. It’s a high step up for me to pull myself in! I have a small touch of a cold. DH was a whiny, grumpy boy this weekend and I was afraid I’d catch it. It hasn’t fully set in for me (slight runny, stuffy nose but mostly at night). I “may” have taken Benadryl at night and it was lovely to feel sleepy!! I can’t nap at all and my sleep is pretty much confined to 2am to 5am in the recliner and then 5am to 8am in my bed (with a cat insisting on sleeping on me despite me telling him it hurts.) I’m pretty foggy/tired all day but daytime naps just aren’t happening. I wish I could! I assume this is nature’s way of trying to prepare you a “little” for the sleep deprivation that comes with an infant…
DH and I put together a wardrobe unit from Ikea the other day. It is torturous putting together stuff from that store. It took like 6 hrs… But I just couldn’t justify spending 4x the money on baby furniture that you don’t use for all that long. Only the cribs remain to be assembled. I have started filling the dresser and wardrobe with itty bitty clothing but am holding off on washing the new stuff since I don’t know if we’ll be able to skip over Size “Newborn”( I’ll return stuff if we can so I’m not taking tags off etc). I have a bunch of “hand me downs” from friends so I’ve washed those and will have stuff ready to go in case the girls decide to join us before 28 days. 28 days!!!
I’m still in denial about a vaginal birth. I decided that I’m not going to read/research this. I don’t want to know at this point as it will just freak me out.
I guess that is it for now. Next BPP is 10/27…
Ps: Today is the one year anniversary for this blog!! Holy crap. Who would have thought that I’d have an induction date scheduled when I wrote my first post last year.
Just so you know, I often write posts in my head while stuff is happening but then just “never” type them out…. Anyway, I’m 33weeks 1 day with the online calculators and 33 + 2 per my MFM. Whatever at this point. I’ll back up to last Monday–October 6th. I had a growth ultrasound and Baby A was estimated at 4lbs 5 oz and Baby B at 3lbs 14 oz. So 8 lbs 3 oz of babies and that was a day or two shy of 32 weeks. The girls are growing well and no issues with me. Great!! Then I go see the MFM. He now changes the delivery from 37 weeks to 38 weeks. That’s just mean to add a week now when I’m waddling around. But the scarier part is he says “we’ll induce at 38 weeks”. Ummmm, what??? At my very first appointment in May, he said it would be a csection unless both are head down. While I know it can change, Baby B has never been head down so I’ve been “assuming” we’d have a scheduled csection. Guess we all know what happens when you “assume”, right? The MFM says he doesn’t know why he would have said that as they do breech extractions all the time. “We’ll just pull her out by her feet. You don’t want just anyone doing it but we’re very skilled at it here”. Cue my freak out. I’m envisioning 15 lbs of babies by then. Or a failed induction after a long labor that still ends with a csection. I’ve done ZERO research or reading on a vag delivery. I’m not one to have a birth plan other than give me drugs and let’s do this quickly. Growl!
I’ve calmed down a bit since last Monday and am just hoping the girls decide they want to come out on their own (and a little earlier than 38 weeks). I’m not interested in an induction if I’m not dilated etc. I’m honestly trying to ignore the whole thing! Very mature, I know. Just trying to get through one day at a time. I’ve been feeling pretty good this week. I’ve done some errands etc. Sleep isn’t great but it is to be expected. I spend part of the night in the recliner in the living room and part in my bed. The best sleep seems to be from 5-8am. I think I’ve seen every Friends episode at 11pm-2am at least twice!
On Tuesday, I had a non-stress test. The girls are happy and it was uneventful. Except that I’d like to complain to the hospital about who thought it was a good idea to have the “high risk clinic” all the way on the 4th floor as far away from the parking garage as possible? Making me walk that far is just mean. I “may” have to start valeting at the front door next week (it’s still a long walk through the maze of hallways up to the correct elevator!)
As for getting things done, my parents put together one of the Ikea dressers we got when they came to “babysit” me the weekend of DH’s cousin’s wedding. It seriously took us 5 hours!! So many parts etc. I warned DH that he needs to set aside proper time to put the rest of the stuff together. We are picking up the car seats from my fellow DE twin mom this weekend. Progress is being made but slowly.
All in all, as uncomfortable as I am, I know I’m doing very well for an old chick with twins!!! I’m so grateful for that.
waitingforraintostop 