34 Weeks with Twins!

Here are all three of us at 34 weeks! 

I don't know if you can tell, but I sure can in my face and in my hands that I am swelling. I am also including a comparison picture where I was 26 weeks in the photo on the left and now 34 on the right with the same shirt on. You can tell in my face the difference...but, again, I am super blessed to be carrying these twins and a little surface changes are just something that is expected, ha!!!

Today I am reminded how blessed I am to have made it this far and to be where I am health wise with the babies.

The latest update since my Tuesday doctor's appointment is that the twins are considered "discordant twins" at this point. After recently reading another "Mother of Twins" blog, my situation is nothing like hers and this is not as scary of a situation as it can be. 

discordant twins,

twins showing a marked difference in size (greater than 10% in weight) at birth. The condition is usually caused by overperfusion of one twin and underperfusion of the other. It is fairly common in identical twins but may also occur in dizygotic twins.

At this point for my twins to be considered discordant twins is not a huge deal in my mind. From what I understand, other cases are worse where they are around a pound in weight and this is happening (so from earlier on in the pregnancy this is an issue and I have made it this far, so I feel good about it)...mine are both past four pounds (well, as far as they can tell from the ultrasound) and that is what my goal was. 

How the doctor explained it to me was when there is a 20% difference between the twins in the womb that is when they are concerned. The difference between Piper Grace (Baby A) and Jude (Baby B) is at 18% right now. I asked him if I was to be concerned and he said that that's why he wanted to send me to the high risk specialist so that he can make that call. Piper Grace is weighing (in this corner! ha! Lame joke...) at 5 pounds 3 ounces and Jude is weighing at 4 pounds 4 ounces. But, the good news is that both babies have grown, just according to their own schedule. Jude has gained half a pound in five weeks and that's right at what he should be (the least amount that he should be gaining at this point). 

I have an appointment set for less than a week away with the high risk specialist and he will make the call whether it's time to deliver or if we need to just keep an eye on the twins. 

I am truly at peace at this point and that might be because everything is up in the air, but I have just been praying that the Lord will guide the high risk doctor's decision and that unless we feel the Lord is telling us different, then we will go with what he says. They are the doctors, not us and I feel good that if we do have to deliver, the babies are pound wise where I was praying they would get. 

Work wise, I was hoping to get through March and so far so good on that one. As far as my health in carrying the twins, I am swelling but my blood pressure is not up, so it's just uncomfortable, but not risky. My cervix is still really great, fluid for the babies in each placenta is really good, that babies are both breech so we are all walking heads up at this point :) and since I am doing a C-section, the fact that they would normally need to turn isn't an issue here. I am still in pain but it's not unbearable...just uncomfortable. My OB doctor was hoping I could get to 36 weeks which would be March 31st and so far it looks like I will at least make it to 35 so cross your fingers I make it to next Saturday! 

Please keep praying! Here are some specifics: 

• That I will recognize when and if I go into labor
• That Jude will continue to grow and same with Piper Grace
• That the doctors will make the best call they have been trained to make dealing with our twins
• Maks and his adjustment
• ... and many more from the previous post. 

God is good and we are excited for what he has in store!!!

And, here's a picture of my little stud muffin and one more of both of my guys (well 2 out of the 3) after Maks' first salon appointment hair cut!!! He was rewarded with his first sucker (it might be a little late for him to have his first sucker, but this Momma is scared of choking hazards!)

Update on Our Twinkies!

Here's an update on our TWINS! Baby A: Piper Grace and Baby B: Jude!!!

About a month ago now, I had a little scare with my body and these chillins. Monday through Friday I sit at a desk from 9-5 so I feel like that is good for me. I put my feet up all day, but on the weekends, I have Maks so I am following him around, putting him in his high chair, loading him in and out of the car, putting him in the bath tub...so it's a lot of picking him up and putting him down, which, honestly, I shouldn't be doing, but sometimes when it's just me and him...I don't really have a choice. And, this child is a "physical touch is his love language" child (just like his Daddy) so he likes to be held. ANYWAYS, about a month ago, I had a long weekend where I had just over did it. I went shopping, went and did a ministry thing at our church, etc. So, that Sunday night I was feeling pain in my back (what I thought was "back labor") that I hadn't felt before whenever my stomach got hard (Braxton Hicks). Well, I was having a lot of them at once, called my Dr's office and they told me the only way to know for sure was to go to the hospital and they would monitor my "contractions". At first when talking to the doctor on call he was saying to just call the doctor's office in the morning, but after listening more to what my concerns were, he suggested heading to the hospital. At this point, I was 28 weeks.


So, off we went to the hospital. We got there and I had one contraction and that was it. I knew that's how it would be, but I wanted to be more "safe than sorry". But, that next day, I was in SOOOO much pain. I went to my Dr and he said that everything looked good pregnancy wise but he couldn't explain the pain beside the fact that I am carrying two babies. He told me to try Tylenol and Tylenol PM to get me through the pain. DIDN'T WORK. So, the next day I called up there, he said he knows I am not a complainer so he prescribed me Loratab (a heavy pain medication from what I understand) and Ambien to help me sleep. For Tuesday through Thursday I couldn't get out of bed. Not exaggerating. My legs and hips/pelvic area hurt sooooo bad, I can't even tell you. Grant LITERALLY had to lift me up and help me get my feet planted on the ground so I could waddle to the bathroom.

Well, during that time, poor Maks didn't know what to think b/c I couldn't get out of bed and I couldn't hold him and like I said before,  he's a touchy-feely baby, so he clings to whoever gives him that love for a little while, so he wasn't coming to me or letting me hold him or anything (not that I could lift him)...so his attitude towards me changed and that broke my heart BUT it helped me to understand a little of how it might be when the babies come after my C-section.

That same week, I had an appointment to go to a specialist about both of my hands going numb and he gave me a steroid shot in each hand and that has temporarily helped. I had this issue with Maks. I have carpal tunnel and it just flares up when I am pregnant...and it just started earlier during this pregnancy and it seems like the pain was heightened. But, by Thursday, I was still in pain so my Dr wanted me to see the high risk specialist to make sure he wasn't missing anything. So, I went to see him on Friday. By Friday, I was feeling better...not great, but better and the high risk specialist said it was just the pressure of carrying two that was waying down on my bottom half, making me have as much pain in my pelvic/hip/legs and that I need to get a brace to help hold up my belly and switch from the Loratab to Extra Strength Tylenol. By this point, I guess the Loratab was a miracle drug b/c I was feeling better and since then, I have had pain, but not as bad as that week. Sooooo, it's really a wonder that that week was so rough for me, but I contribute it to the Loratab helping me get my body kind of back to normal ....or at least to where I could function. I was at 28 weeks then and thinking "this is it!" 

When I went into the high risk specialist, he thought it was good that I took the Loratab and Ambien for that short time, but wanted me to get off of the Loratab b/c if the babies were born around the same time I was taking the Loratab they could have been hooked on it! SCARY!!!! And, I don't typically like taking medicine when I am pregnant, so I was scared from the get go. I got over that quick when the meds helped. So, I am not taking the Ambien anymore and not taking the Loratab....just Tylenol when I feel I need it. Oh, and another interesting fact on the Ambien...since I am pregnant, the drug only works for 4-4 1/2 hours but if a non-pregnant person took the Ambien, it would knock them out for a good nights sleep. Unfair :)

So, my current state is that I am at 33 weeks (34 on Saturday) and I am feeling it. I believe I have had a handful of real contractions (cause those suckers hurt!) Dr said I could start having the real ones around 28 and that's when I went into the hospital that one night. So, I have had them, not many but...I have TONS of Braxton Hicks during the day and I am now swelling up. You can tell it in my hands, feet and face. Let's just say this pregnancy hasn't been as easy as the last one. But, I knew that would be the case. And, it's COMPLETELY 100% WORTH IT!

I went to Target last night and by the time I went to get shredded cheese and go check out, I was out of breath and worn out. I have been trying to get as much help as I can when Grant can't be there to get Maks in and out of the car, give him a bath, get him in his high chair, etc. But, on days like today...I am feeling it.

The biggest risk with twins is pre-term labor so keep us in your prayers. My Dr would like for me to at least make it to 36 but I am on a "Mothers of Multiples" Facebook page and most of the recent deliveries (3 of them) have all delivered at around 35 weeks. SOOO, in my mind, it's an "any day now" thing. I PRAY, PRAY, PRAY I can make it to 38 weeks, but I seriously doubt it. My 36 week goal would be March 31st. My 38 weeks goal would be April 14th. But, if I make it to 36 weeks, I will be extremely grateful.
 
*This next part has some technical wording that guys might not appreciate...just a warning*

The things I have going for me are that my cervix is still 4 cm so, that's a good plus and the fact that Maks was small might mean these babies will be small which MAY allow me to carry them a little bit longer, but it's kind of a two edged sword b/c I want them to be as big as they can be since most twins are premmies. I just would like to get to the point to where if I have them early, I can take them home and they won't have to stay in the NICU without me. My goal is to get them to 4 1/2 or 5 pounds each before I go into labor.

I will be having a C-section again. If there was just one in there, I wanted to try a VBAC but since there are two there is a possibility of having to heal in both places (one could come as VBAC then other might have to be C-section) and since I know the healing process for a C-section, I opted to go that route...I don't think my Dr really would have given me another option though. He said if they were both head down and in good positions, it would be an option, but last time we checked, Piper Grace was breach and Jude was not.... so at least with a C-section, I will kind of know when I am going in for the procedure and all that jazz. If I go into labor early though, they will still do an "emergency C-section".

Here are a few things I would love prayer for: 
-I am getting super nervous about having 3 kids :) I am not worried b/c I feel like I have given that up to the Lord (over and over) but I am nervous. I am nervous about how my life will change... I will go from seeing other people a lot to being at home for a good bit and you guys know I am a people person

-Maks: please pray he adjusts ok. Please pray that he still wants me to hold him and please pray that I will have a few chances each day to be with just him or at least include him as much as I can. Our plan with Maks is to keep him in day care through the summer until I adjust to having the two on my own and then we will bring in Maks. That's the plan. But, also, daycare has been REALLY great for Maks, so please help us to really pray about taking him out of it. Selfishly, I wouldn't want him to be in daycare when I am home, but he loves it! So, maybe we would do more of a "Mother's day out" thing where he would go two days a week to have that interaction with other toddlers...so just pray that we go in the right direction with this matter.

-On that note, we have decided that I can be a "stay at home" Mom. Financially, it won't be what we are used to, but we feel this is the direction the Lord is point us, so please pray for everything that comes with that.

-On that same note, I am nervous about staying at home all of the time and not having a whole lot of adult interaction. Please pray that after I get acclimated to all of these kids that I will be able to branch out and possibly go places so that I won't be alone for most of the day. Even if it's just getting out and going to one of our parents or a friends house.

-Pray for Grant and I. We are pretty good about noticing when the other is being neglected so I just pray that we make time for each other even with a million kids around. I pray I have the energy at night to talk to him, listen to him, etc. I don't want it to be come a "honey, can you do this and that" kind of relationship. To a certain extent, it will be, but I don't want that part of our relationship to be the main part. I just pray we don't lose sight of "us". We are gearing up to protect our marriage so I think we will be good, but we definitely need prayer :) There is a great book out there "Real Marriage" by Mark and Grace Driscoll if anyone needs recommendations. He is very blunt about some stuff though. Just a warning.

-And, the C-section. When I went through that week of roughness physically, it make me think I wasn't excited about the surgery, so I just pray that through the recovery, I can #1: recover, #2: attempt to breastfeed these twins, and #3: still be able to love on Maks. I know I might be over-thinking about Maks post-twins, but he's the one that is "physically" here so I am just concerned with making sure he's ok. I just love that little boy :)

I hope it doesn't seem like I am not grateful or excited about these twins, I just wanted to beg for prayer. If anyone knows me, they know I am a strong believer in the power of prayer!  I am BEYOND blessed and extremely grateful for this opportunity. The statistics for having twins are typically ladies over 30 and ones who have taken fertility drugs, so the fact that I got pregnant with twins is a miracle in and of itself. Grant and I have always said we wanted twins and we LOVE, LOVE, LOVE kids, so we are excited!!!! I, personally, am just nervous of the unknown. Grant is excited and doesn't seem the bit nervous. I have asked him and he's ready! 
Thanks for reading ALLLLLLL of that...you guys know I type a lot anyway. Just wanted to fill in the blogging world! :) I expect to be able to eventually get into the habit of blogging consistently at some point...that's just not right now :)