NST Day and Growing Belly

Hi All,

Today was NST day once again. All ended well, but it was another longer session for two reasons. First, our girl had another episode of the hiccups, and second, they both fell asleep shortly after the session began. So, after waiting it out a bit, both babies received the "alarm clock" treatment (vibrator alerting them to wake up). We were then able to successfully complete the testing session without issue.

I also talked with the nurse a bit regarding contractions, as the contraction monitor posted several contractions during my extended session. I started feeling contractions for the first time this week. However, they are mild. (I rated them a 2 out of 10 on the discomfort scale.) So, we're not getting concerned at this point. At least the nurses are not! As a first time mom, with the risk of pre-term labor, I think I'm perhaps more paranoid than I need to be.
In other news, I'm sure everyone saw octuplets were born to a woman in California this week. Wow! I'm still amazed at how much "stuff" we need for two babies, let alone eight. We have been very fortunate in that we have received many wonderful gifts from family and friends. Plus, some good friends have loaned us their baby gear, which really helps keep us covered for the double addition.

Okay, I've gotten some requests for more pictures of me. I've been relatively camera shy during the pregnancy. But my friend Colleen (and mother of three) shared with me over the weekend that her pregnancy shots are among her kids' favorites. So, I'm going to see what I can do over the last few weeks here. Below is this week's belly shot.

Belly Shot - 32.5 Weeks Pregnant

My how I've grown - all for good cause!

32 Weeks Pregnant Update

Hi All,

We had a long but good day at the doctor and hospital today.

First of all, we are celebrating a milestone today. We are 32 weeks pregnant and entering our 33rd week. This means we have moved into the next critical time zone of development. Acccording to our twins reference book, weeks 33 - 35 are considered pre-term for multiples. Twins are often born during this time frame. In general, they may need to spend up to two weeks in the hospital, but are unlikely to experience any long term effects from their pre-term birth (assuming they have grown well thus far). So, we are very happy to have made it this far!

We started out at the doctor's office this morning for our weekly appointment. This was also an ultrasound day for us, and my mom was able to attend.

Here are a few pictures of our son from the today's ultrasound. Our daughter is now facing my back side, which our ultrasound technician said is exactly what she is supposed to be doing as we prepare for labor. At any rate, for this reason we were unable to get any shots of her face or profile.

Profile of our son at 32 weeks

Our son's face at 32 weeks

Key Measurements from our ultrasound/doctor appointment:

Baby A (girl) Weight Estimate = 3 lbs 14 oz. (24th percentile)

Baby B (boy) Weight Estimate = 4 lbs 8 oz. (64th percentile)

Baby A Heart rate = 125

Baby B Heart rate = 136

My Belly Measurement = 37 centimeters

My Pregnancy Weight Gain = 37.5 pounds

My cervix length is also still measuring well, per the ultrasound.

The doctor also detected a small amount of cervix dilation (less than 2 cm.) during my pelvic exam. I need to continue to wear my maternity support belt/girdle to keep pressure off my cervix.

We are also keeping an eye on our daughter's weight. At this point, our doctor is mostly concerned that she stay above the 10th percentile. We will see where she is at in 3 weeks when we are scheduled for our next ultrasound (if we are still pregnant!)

Next, my mom and I were on to the hospital for my NST. Our daughter passed the NST quickly today, but apparently our son decided it was nap time. The nurse, Tracia, brought in what she called a little alarm clock for him. She placed a little vibrating tool on my belly over my son. That seemed to do the trick. The other interesting part of the NST session was the contraction monitor. I noticed several contractions on the monitor (although I still could not feel them) - many more than I'm used to seeing. We are not getting concerned yet, since as long as the contractions continue to be this mild, we are likely not in danger of pre-term labor.

My mom mentioned the babies appear to be sitting much lower than before. I think she is right, and perhaps they have started dropping into position. To be honest, this makes me a little nervous! We'd like to keep the babies gestating for a while longer yet. The good news is we feel pretty confident they can handle the outside world with all little help at this point.

Other than that, I am continuing to take it easy. I have taken up residence on our couch. I find I sleep better there, between the support from the back rests and arm rests. We are continuing to finalize our preparations. Jim has strongly suggested I pack my hospital bag, so it has made it's way out of the closet.

Oh, I almost forgot, I'm updating our baby ticker on the blog to reflect our scheduled c-section date. We're really excited this is scheduled!

Who's Your Daddy?

Hi All -

Jim is attending a celebration party this evening in Ann Arbor. He, along with a team of others, were recently recognized for advocating new tax legislation in Michigan. The legislation relates to historic rehabilitation tax credits available to developers, funded by the State of Michigan. The bottom line is, with the new legislation, more funding is available to developers that are interested in rehabilitating historic buildings. I would have loved to be there to help celebrate. However a few hours is a long trip for me these days, and the party and drive home will extend well past my 8:00 bedtime!
In addition to the party, Jim was interviewed by the local newspaper regarding the topic. His article can be found here:

http://www.mlive.com/businessreview/western/index.ssf/2009/01/new_tax_credit_legislation_cre.html

Here is a picture of Jim and other team members with Governor Jennifer Granholm to commemorate the signing of the legislation. Jim is third from left.

Besides sharing the good news with all of you, I hope the twins will look back at this someday and be proud of their "famous" daddy. :)

Hi All,
We were back to the hospital today for another NST test. I learned a bit more this week about how the non-stress tests are evaluated. As mentioned before, the medical staff is looking for a change in the heart rates with the babies' activity. I learned that specifically, they consider an acceleration of the heart rate by 15 beats per minute is the measure of success (at least at the stage in pregnancy that we are currently).
We had another good day on the monitors. I drank a little juice before heading to the hospital, and the babies really responded.

On a fun note, I am including pictures from our "baby carrier practice session" from a few weeks back. We enjoy walking / hiking trails, and the babies will be along for the ride this summer. We hope they like it as much as we do!

Jim experimenting.

Our cat, Blanca - unwilling participant.

Success! Of course the real test is yet to come!

31 Weeks Pregnant Update

I was back to the doctor's office today for my weekly checkup. My doctor let me off the hook with the pelvic exam today, given the fact that I have not felt any contractions as of yet or had any other complications or concerns as of late.

Other Measurements:

My Belly Measurement = 34.5 centimeters (this is down a half a centimeter, not sure how that happened)

My Pregnancy Weight Gain = 35.5 pounds

Other than that, my doctor ran through a few precautionary instructions with me. One of which was I need to inform him and go to the hospital sooner than usual at this point if I were to start real contractions(once they are coming every 15 minutes). This is because at this point, we would still want to attempt to stop labor if possible, which is apparently more difficult with twins.

I then was on to the hospital for my NST. Things went well. Our son was putting on quite a show with lots of activity and passed with flying colors. Our daughter was doing equally well, but 10 minutes into the testing came down with a case of the hiccups. This threw off the monitor, as it was confusing the hiccups with a heartbeat. We stayed on the monitor for a bit longer for this reason, but all ended up well. My nurse, Becky, shared that she is also a mother of twins, so it was nice to learn a bit about her experiences.

31 Weeks Pregnant and Going Strong!

Baby Shower

Hi All,
I want to start today by recapping yesterday's news. I had a baby shower hosted by my friends, Michelle and Carrie, in Dewitt (my old home town). Several friends as well as my mom and sister were able to attend. We had a really nice afternoon, and I also received many generous and thoughtful gifts. My travel has been curtailed recently, so it was great to see the whole bunch gathered! We had some fun games, including :

In One End and Out the Other - First, we guessed the flavor of 9 jars of baby food based on viewing only. Then, we had 9 "messy diapers" actually filled with melted candy bars, where we were asked to guess the candy bar contents of each diaper based on viewing and smelling (no tasting allowed!)

Celebrity Baby Identification - We were given several pictures of celebrity babies and asked to identify the baby by name, or get half credit for knowing one of their parents' names.

In the end, we had a good idea of who were the baby food connoisseurs, chocoholics, and gossip magazine enthusiasts!

Here are a few pictures from the event:

Me with Tracy and Rowan. Rowan and her twin brother Evan were born on September 16, 2008. Tracy has lots of twins advice to share!















We thought of taking a group shot too late, but this is a few friends that stayed a while longer after the shower ended - Erin, Monica, Carrie, me, Michelle, LeighAnne.














A side shot of me, now at 31 weeks pregnant!















Thanks to all who were able to come and also for the good wishes from those who were not. My friend Amy was working and not able to attend the shower, but stopped to see me on Friday. Thanks Amy! I'm blessed with a wonderful group of friends!

Nursery In Progress

Hi All,

Just a few things to report today.

First, we had another NST this morning. It was all routine, and the results continue to be good at 30 1/2 weeks.

Second, I thought I would post a few pictures of the nursery in progress. We (or should I say Jim) managed to get the cribs put together shortly after Christmas. I was a little nervous that it would not go well, given our track record with the assembly of some other household items. I suggested we get one of the engineers in the family to assist (e.g. Jim's dad or brother), because I knew I would be of no use to him. But Jim exceeded expectations and got the cribs set up without issue!

Boy's crib with sports theme crib set.

Girl's crib in pink / brown design theme.

Monkey decor on walls.

Our dog Riley in on the action.

We don't have our crib mattresses yet, so the bedding is not really in place yet. We put the monkeys up on the wall recently. I'm starting to think we have a "multiple personality" nursery with all the different themes. But Jim voted for the sports theme, and I'm a big fan of the pink and brown they are making for girls now. I'm sure the kids won't mind!

All is well for the time being. Somedays, I swear I can feel the babies growing as my belly continues to expand! It's really starting to sink in that they will be joining us soon, and we couldn't be more excited!

30 Weeks Pregnant Update

Hi All,

I had my weekly doctor appointment today, as well as another NST.

Results of the Doctor's exam:

Belly Measurement = 35 centimeters (approximating someone pregnant for 35 weeks)

My Pregnancy Weight Gain = 34 lbs.

That's pretty much all I got, as once again the doctor was not able to reach my cervix for a check during my pelvic exam (or what we are now affectionately calling my torture session). We are assuming that means the cervix is still very high and not at all dilated, which is all good. The pelvic exams have been insanely uncomfortable for me, so the doctor has opted to put me out of my misery if he does not get to the cervix pretty immediately. I'm not sure if it's me and my lack of tolerance, or if the nature of the exam is that uncomfortable for many pregnant women.

Other than that, I was a little taken aback that I gained 3 pounds over the past week. I was expecting (or maybe hoping) for 1 - 1.5 lbs./week from here on out. But the doctor is not at all concerned. This is the time when the babies are growing quickly and additional water retention could be happening. So we'll maybe cut back on the sweets a bit and otherwise take it as it comes.

Then, I was on to the hospital for my 3rd NST. Apparently, the third is a charm. Everything went wonderfully - the monitors went right on and the babies were very cooperative and adequately active in the first 20 minute monitoring session. So, we were out of there in record time.

So, I'm happy to report all signs are good for now!

Our Developing Babies

Hi All,
I enjoy reading the American Pregnancy Association's website for reference. I thought I would include an excerpt from their "Your Developing Baby" section, which provides a week by week summary of the common happenings in pregnancy. Below is an excerpt for what we have going on this week (30th week), and I can relate very well with the bodily changes they mention.

What changes are occurring with your body?
You may begin noticing that you become tired easily during this last part of pregnancy. This may be especially true if you are having difficulty sleeping at night. Some women are able to experiment with different sleeping positions that make sleep a little easier. If you are suffering from insomnia, and it is becoming increasingly worse, you may want to consult with your healthcare provider. During this later part of pregnancy, you may also experience mood swings. Some of you may have experienced this in the earlier part of pregnancy as well.
Your body is producing a number of different hormones that can cause your joints to become looser. This may result in your feet actually getting larger. Some women report that their feet grow one shoe size during their pregnancy. This is normally a permanent change.*

"Tired easily" is an understatement! I do wake up every 1 -2 hours needing to change sleeping positions. My hips get really sore and need the break.
I will admit to the mood swings, although I think they were much worse in the first trimester. Jim may have a different opinion. :)
Larger feet - I have not noticed this yet. But I do have a friend that told me her feet grew a whole size for each of her four pregnancies!

How big is your baby?
Your baby has now grown to be about 15.15 inches long (CHL) and weighs about 3 pounds.*

What is happening with your baby?
As your baby continues to grow, he/she takes up a larger portion of your uterus. You may not feel that your body can handle your growing baby, but it will compensate by allowing your uterus to extend underneath your rib cage.
Your baby’s eyes are becoming more mature, and now he/she can tell the difference between light and dark. Babies at 30 weeks can even follow a light source with his/her eyes. Once your baby is born, he/she will spend a great deal of time with their eyes closed. This is completely normal. Newborns only have the ability to focus on objects a few inches from their faces. While “normal” adult vision is 20/20, a newborn’s vision is 20/400.*

Knowing the babies could double in size before they are delivered, I have had recent thoughts of "what other space can they possibly occupy?!" I also never knew a newborn's eyesight was that bad. I guess it will be awhile before the babies can enjoy our new Netflix subscription. :)

NST #2

Hi All,
Today was my second NST (non-stress test) and it went well.
I reported in and found no one staffing the OB Triage area, where the test is normally administered. For those not familiar, triage is oftentimes where one is first sent when entering the hospital. It is a monitoring area (large room with several beds), where evaluations and decisions are made to determine where to send you next, as necessary.
The nurse working with me was called, and she took me to an actual labor and delivery room to perform the test, as she had another admitted patient in the L&D ward to work with during my test. This was a nice treat, as the room was more comfortable and had a TV.
The babies' monitors went in place much more quickly today. The only downside of the room was I could not watch the monitor as easily, as it was behind and to the right of my bed. However, I did catch one contraction pop up on the screen during the first 20 minute session. Debbie, my nurse, showed up when the session was over and indicated the boy was being a bit of a stinker and moved away from the monitor. So, we made some adjustments and started another 20 minute monitoring session. This one was successful, and the babies' activity was good. I thought I saw another contraction on the monitor during this second session. The nurse confirmed that they picked up occasional contractions during the sessions. She went on to explain that my body thinks it is much closer to full term than it actually is, due to the twins and the relatively larger size of my uterus. As long as the contractions are not getting sharper or more frequent, they are likely just the Braxton Hicks practice contractions. So, we will continue on as usual.
On the twins front, I received some great news today. One of my work associates in Ohio gave birth to her twins Tuesday at 35 weeks, after a long stretch of very strict bedrest, including a long stay in the hospital. The babies weighed in at 5 lb. 9 oz. and 3 lb. 15 oz. Everyone is doing well, and the best part is the babies did not need any NICU (neo-natal intensive care) attention and will go home with their mom later this week. Congrats to Amy and family!

29 Weeks Pregnant Update

We had an eventful day of appointments on Monday. We started out getting an ultrasound, then on to see the doctor, and finally over to the hospital for a NST test. At 29 weeks, here are some of the key statistics that were measured:

Baby A (girl) Weight Estimate = 2 lbs 13 oz.

Baby B (boy) Weight Estimate = 3 lbs 3 oz.

Baby A Heartbeat = 143

Baby B Heartbeat = 143

My Belly Measurement = 34 centimeters

My Pregnancy Weight Gain = 31 pounds

We also had a check of my cervix length via ultrasound. We did not get the exact measurement but were told it is fine at this time.

And some pictures from the 29 week ultrasound....

This is our girl's profile

A 3D shot of our girl's face

Our boy's face















And last, a shot of both babies' heads














It becomes more challenging to capture good ultrasound pics as the babies grow and only parts can be seen on the screen. I thought these turned out really nicely, and thanks to the babies for their cooperation!
Baby boy is in the 64th percentile for growth at this point, and baby girl is in the 29th percentile. (Apparently she will be our delicate one! :) These percentile markers are for singletons, and multiples are expected to lag a bit while in utero. We asked if we should be concerned about our girl's percentile. The doctor said not at all at this point. The point where there would be concern would be at the 5th or 10th percentile.

Another issue we will continue to monitor is the relative size of each baby. Again, with our boy being 6 ounces bigger, we need not be concerned. However, the last ultrasound 5 weeks ago showed the boy was 3 ounces heavier. If the discrepancy were to continue to widen and by too wide a margin, there could be some question as to whether the boy was getting more than his fair share of the nutrition delivered to the babies. That could also mean potential distress to the girl. For now, we will assume our girl is content to be our petite little princess.

As for my belly measurement, I am measuring 5 weeks ahead of my due date. Again, the measurement standard is for a singleton birth, so this is completely normal for us.

Another ultrasound finding was that the babies have completely changed positions. I know this is common and actually expected at this stage. But the babies have literally been transverse (sideways) the entire time we have received ultrasounds, and now they have both maneuvered into the head down position. We laughed, as I had told Liz, the ultrasound technician, that I felt the boy kicking me a lot, but hardly ever felt the girl. (This is because last we knew, the boy was sideways on top of the girl, and his kicks were all very high.) Then Liz delivered the news that both babies are now kicking high from their current head-down positions. Sorry little man, for blaming you for some of your sister's handiwork!

All in all, the ultrasound was a fun one. My dad was able to attend this one, and he got to feel the babies' rumps through my belly as the technician pointed them out.

We were on to see the doctor then. I was glad to hear a pelvic exam was not needed today. These are not my favorite. We basically discussed the aforementioned growth issues and also discussed vaginal vs. c-section birth, given the babies are now both head down. I have been anticipating a c-section with the previous positioning of the babies (transverse babies need to be c-section) and asked the doctor if I should be reconsidering. He said it is certainly my option if both continue to be head down, but still recommended a c-section if I am at all on the fence on the subject. This is because there is still a possibility of complications with vaginal delivery, such as the second baby flipping once the first comes out going the vaginal route, which would require a c-section following one vaginal delivery - ugh! So, I am content with the idea of a c-section at this point.

I will return for weekly doctor visits from here on out.

Next, I was on to the hospital for my first NST (non-stress test). In layman's terms, this is a test of the babies' heart activity over a 20 minute period. It is called "non stress", because it is completely non-invasive. Fetal heart monitors are strapped to my belly over the location of the babies hearts. Basically, they track for changes in the heartbeat and want to see a jump in the heartbeat when movement takes place. I also had a contraction monitor attached to my belly.

The nurses had a difficult time placing the monitor in the location of the boy's heartbeat; he may have been moving too much. An hour, three nurses, and an ultrasound (to pinpoint exact location of the heart) later, we had all monitors securely in place. I was already quite uncomfortable at this point, as I had been flat on my back for the hour. Luckily, the 20 minutes of monitoring went well, and we got the activity and responses the nurses wanted from the babies. I watched the monitor for a few minutes to see if I could recognize the jumps in the heartbeats. But, that also meant I was watching the time tick away all too slowly. So, I decided to read a magazine for the remainder of the test. The nurse informed me that I had a contraction during the 20 minute monitoring and asked if I had felt it. I did not feel a thing. As a precaution, the nurse took a urine sample to ensure I did not have any infections that would be causing contractions. The urine test came back negative, and I was instructed to drink more water and rest for the afternoon.

I have been fearing for a while that I will not recognize what a contraction feels like, even after all the reading and advice I have received from other moms. I will return to the hospital twice per week now for NSTs, and I plan to watch the contraction monitor and pay attention to what I'm feeling if and when the machine says I'm having another one.

Other than that, I'm taking the "plenty of water and rest" advice more seriously. One of my books suggests I should be drinking eight 16 ounce glasses of water per day to keep the contractions in check. I have never been great at getting the recommended daily intake of water, but this is good motivation. Drinking as much water and milk as recommended leaves little room for my pop vice (I had been enjoying a Sprite or caffeine free Diet Coke a day in my early pregnancy days). But the days of being a Diet Coke junkie are over, at least for now!

More to follow!

PS - My good friend Tracy is taking her 3 1/2 month old twins to the doctor today for another repeat of their hearing tests, which they have both now failed multiple times, despite the fact that she is certain they hear her and other sounds around the home. If you know Tracy, please send good thoughts her way!