Behind the M@sk

Hippy Hippy Shake

2009-10-10T18:56:00.004+11:00

We met with the girls Orthopaedic Surgeon yesterday. The hip braces have been on for 4 weeks now and the scan showed some improvement. We are now allowed to take the brace off to give them quick baths but other than that it is still to stay on full-time. Our next appointment and scan is in 6 weeks time and *fingers crossed* it will then only be worn at night which I am guessing means somwthing like 12 hours 6pm-6am...

I really missed giving the girls proper baths. We gave them one last night for the first time in a month and my goodness they have grown! They completely filled up the plastic bath tub.

The girls are very kind to us with their routine and have recently dropped a night-time feed. I was worried that they wouldn't make up this feed with their others as the amount they were eating didn't increase but their tummies seem to be slowly stretching to allow for the increase.

They are still demand fed but are very predictable with their feeding times so that pretty much gives them and me a routine to work with:

6.00am - Feed, up 1.5 hours
Sleep, 2.5 hours
10.00am - Feed, up 1.5 hours
Sleep, 2.5 hours
2.00pm - Feed, up 1.5 hours
Sleep, 2 hours
5.30pm - Bath, Feed, up 1.5 hours
7.00pm - Bedtime
Sleep, 4 hours
11.00pm - Feed, up 1 hour
Sleep, 6 hours

To spice things up sometimes they like to start the day at 5am. They both love their sleep but only in their cots. They hate sleeping in the pram but I suspect it is due to the uncomfortable metal bar under their butt.

Pics

2009-09-18T23:57:00.005+10:00

The girls are 11 weeks today and I thought I would post a couple of fairly recent pics.

Girls with their sexy new hip braces:

Thankfully found a way to still wrap them around the brace so they will sleep and not flap around all day and night:

Sadly had to pack away all their suits and other items of clothing they will never have a chance to wear due to the brace:

I forgot to mention on my last post that my milk never came in. Even on bloody Motilium.

Update on the girls...

2009-09-15T19:50:00.005+10:00

The girls are now 10 weeks old or 5 weeks corrected. To be honest things have been pretty tough.

Both have bad reflux and have had to be medicated. Zantac and Infant Gaviscon didn't do a thing and they are both now on Losec. The inconsolable screaming has calmed but feeding and settling/sleeping due to the painful rising acid is still an issue that bothers them (rightly so). I have spent a fortune on various bottles and teats as they were screaming at them and wouldn't drink. Due to the reflux they have absolutely no floor time as it just causes them too much pain (and vomitting).

Colic has also hit but we have found that Infacol and Infants Friend provide them some relief. Hopefully they will grow out of this soon.

Have also been going to the Chiropractor every week as they quite obviously greatly favoured one side of their neck and were going to develop permanent flat spots on their head. They seemed physically incapable of using the other side but their range of movement has now greatly improved and they can turn to both sides. Mirror image, L could really only turn her head to the left and A to the right.

Lastly they both have dislocated hips, again mirror image L the right and A the left. They have both been fitted into a hip brace with fingers crossed that they can be treated without the need for surgery. We are looking at 12 weeks in the brace (and then the weaning process) but if it fails they will be upgraded to a harness and if that fails then surgery. Life is about making them as comfortable as possible.

Both seem to be developing at their adjusted ages and are still very small and fragile.

As if being a parent of multiples isn't hard enough. I feel like they can't seem to get a break. Just need to wait for all of these things to correct with time...

Hospital Day 4

2009-07-06T21:30:00.027+10:00

SCN Day 4 - 3 days old - 35w4d

Last night I had one of the nurses from the SCN race into my room and tell me that the girls were demanding. I had no idea what they expected of me as my milk hadn't come in yet and I had been unable to squeeze out even one drop of colostrum for the past few days and all the midwifes claimed they were too busy to assist me. It was explained that this was to establish breast contact and that the girls would be fed down the tube at the same time. Previously we had been told to get the girls a pacifier to develop their sucking reflex to associate sucking with a full tummy. My tiny girls did nothing but open their mouth whilst I shoved my boob in and stay there wide mouthed not knowing what happens next.

Later that night the night duty nurse saw that I was awake and came in with my discharge papers (less than 72 hours post birth) so that in the morning all they had to do was change the locks on my door. Bloody ridiculous for a cesarean if you ask me. I was originally told I would be there for 5 days.

I had my breakfast and went in to see the girls. The day nurse came running in after me telling me that she was packing up my room and putting my stuff in a cupboard somewhere. The way I was treated by the hospital was bullshit, including the feral meals I vomitted up every night and missed doses of meds. 12 hours overdue is not good enough. I also wasn't ready to leave my girls yet.

Our Paediatrician came to see the girls (as she does every day) as we were on our way out to take my rooms contents home. So far the girls jaundice levels haven't had to be treated but she said that they were looking particularly orange today and not to be surprised if we came back to find them under the phototherapy lights. To expect it actually.

Having been on complete bedrest for the last few months we stopped by the local shopping mall on the way home for lunch and a browse. An hour later I realised I was out in public with my slippers on and hospital ID wristbands on full display.

That night we returned to the girls to find that not only had their jaundice levels come back fine again but they had also graduated to an open twin cot and their only wirey friend was a little apnoea monitor. Plus of course their NGT's. The Pediatrician suggested that we stop using orange muslin wraps, lol.

Hospital Day 13

2009-07-16T00:04:00.018+10:00

Day 13 - 12 days old - 36w6d

Today the girls were transferred out of the SCN to Pediatrics. The thought of my premmie babies in a ward with sick children was a little scary. This is a huge step as all we are working on now are their feeds. Their room also has a flip out sofa so I can bunk in with them overnight.

The SCN was operating at full capacity and the bottle fed babies are usually the first to be shipped out as I can't rock up and pull out my boobs to feed them so this creates staffing issues having to take the time to bottle feed them in my absence. No doubt they are also given preference for other reasons too...

The girls have their own room and it looks so lonely. After being in a busy SCN with staff abundance they are now in separate big girl cots and left alone other than when they are due for a feed.

From here:

To here:

SCN Day 12

2009-07-14T17:47:00.009+10:00

SCN Day 12 - 11 days old - 36w5d

Today the girls came off their apnea monitors so no longer have any machines connected to them. My Pediatrician is on leave this week but the one filling in left instructions that the girls drop their amount of NGT feeds in an attempt to be bottle fed all of their feeds now.

The SCN is extremely busy and has been trying to transfer us to the Private Hospital we were originally booked in to deliver at. My original hospital however is also fully booked. I really don't want the girls continuity of care interrupted (would be the same private Pediatrician looking after them but different Nurses/Midwifes). This hospital doesn't have a SCN so staff would have to be rostered on specifically to look after the girls and administer their NGT's. Thankfully my Pediatrician has left specific instructions that my girls are not to be transferred whilst she is away.

The SCN has been so good to us and I know my girls as exactly where they need to be. They also let the parents be very hands on. We get to do all the cares - temperature taking before every feed, nappy changes, bathing, etc.

I have 5 different lactation consultants riding my back about my low milk supply. Their suggestions are really helpful - instead of expressing every 3 hours 8 times a day, express every 2 hours 12 times a day. Bullshit. I don't know if the cause is the stress of not having take home babies, my diet and water intake suffering as I sit with my girls all day long in the SCN, or my bloody PCOS. I'm so sick of feeling like I have to justify my low milk supply everyday like I am doing something wrong. I've started to push the PCOS, hormonal imbalance, angle on them and have been advised to now seek medication to increase my supply.

I had always assumed that breastfeeding was something that came easily and naturally. I enjoy the feeling of breastfeeding, even though it makes me feel like I am going to fall asleep and sometimes a 1800g baby can get a little lost and slippery in the football hold. It's amazing how you can be so determined to work on something that you forget about the one hundred other people in the room that you are flashing your headlights at.

It's getting harder and harder to leave the girls of a night time. They stare at me wide eyed accusingly as I leave :(

SCN Day 9

2009-07-11T21:42:00.012+10:00

SCN Day 9 - 8 days old - 36w2d

Last night I finally cried. I'd been watching all the other SCN mothers break down and become emotional around the 3 day mark. I asked David if the girls were really ours and wanted to know if they would ever be coming home. Not having a "release" date or time frame to work with was the hardest for me. How quickly they develop their sucking reflex wasn't something that could be predicted.

Yesterday the SCN asked my permission to bottle feed during the night if the girls were demanding as it was noted that they had been lately. They took their first bottle during the night. I was extremely happy to hear this but then cried again when I was told that both of the girls had oral thrush. I have no signs or symptoms of nipple thrush but was told that we all have to be treated simultaneously.

My milk supply is absoloute shithouse. I express with my electric pump every 3 hours for 1/2 hour for the sake of 10-20mls. I have tried 4 different brands/types of electric pumps and all yield the same result. If I attempt to breastfeed in the 2.5 hours I am not attached to a pump I am a completely dried up well and can't even hand express anything onto their lips. I have been keeping them on there anyway to keep up the breast contact and stimulation.

The SCN really err on the side on caution when it comes to feeding amounts and my girls, as well as other neighbouring babies, have had some pathetic weight gains due to insufficient feeding quantities. A 5g weight gain over a 2 day period wasn't an uncommon occurance. Thankfully when the feeds were increased accordingly the girls were back on track pull 60g or 90g over 2 days.

SCN Day 7

2009-07-09T21:33:00.012+10:00

SCN Day 7 - 6 days old - 36w0d

Got a fantastic surprise today. I walked in to the SCN to find that the girls had been moved from the back little intensive care room to the "normal" SCN section :D

My Pediatrician is extremely happy with them saying they are doing so very well, more like one week ahead of their age, but are so very, very small. They dropped the full 10% of their body weight and got down to 1800g and very barely make their "corrected" age graphs.

After still having no colostrum to express (obviously I gave the SCN permission to formula NGT feed the girls) my milk came in today. I had no idea as there has been no physical changes in my breasts (still large, soft and saggy) but after my morning shower I noticed drops of water falling onto the floorboards as I was getting dressed. I finally have a use for the electric breast pump I had purchased other to purely stimulate and hope for milk production one day.

The only physical change that occurred was a scary one a few days ago. The night I was discharged from hospital I noticed in the shower that I no longer had anything that resembled legs, ankles or feet, but large stumpy elephant feet (yes you did warn me you know who). Nothing prepared me for that. David and I freaked out. I've had to deliberately wear slippers out in public ever since.

Birth Story

2009-07-03T09:00:00.045+10:00

Thursday, 2nd July 2009 - Friday, 3rd July 2009
35w+0d - 35w+1d

I'd been home for a few days now and as per my OB's instructions started exercising my legs a little after 9 weeks of being too scared to move on complete bedrest. Tonight I squatted at the oven to put my dinner in and then wondered how the hell I was ever going to get back up. I also went to the nursery and flipped the cot mattress over because David had the waterproof side facing down. I guess I will never know if I overdid things.

I layed down in bed at around 9.30pm (on David's side ;) ) to relax and watch television and suddenly GUSH! I left huge puddles all over the floorboards until I could grab a towel. I immediately checked the colour thank goodness it was clear. My bulging waters had finally given out.

First I called Mum and told her to come over and drive me to the hospital (this was the plan all along). All she had to say was that she was in her nightie so I asked if it were at all possible that she could get dressed and get me as soon as possible. Uh, okay then. I then called David at work and asked him to meet me at the hospital. Next was my OB to give him a heads up that I was heading to hospital and then the actual hospital to tell them I was on my way as an unbooked patient. They asked if I was sure I hadn't just wet myself. No. I told them about my cervix effacing and dilating since the second trimester and they told me to come straight in.

Knock, knock. I open the door to MIL and SIL!!! MIL said don't panic, grabbed my hospital bag and said let's go. I said, Uh... I'm not worried, I'm just waiting for my Mum to pick me up :S WTF??? David had called them. I didn't want them at the birth!!! That's not the plan :( What the hell had David told them?

Soon after Mum arrived and we got going. MIL and SIL followed in their car. I don't think Mum could have possibly driven any slower. Thankfully I didn't have any contractions. I then went to text message Geohde to tell her that I was on the road but after hearing her beautiful voice on her message bank realised that I had pressed call rather than text so gave up on that idea.

I asked Mum to drop me off at the Emergency Department doors. As we were driving up the entrance to the ED Mum saw someone she knows on the footpath and wound down her window and called out to them. I asked her to keep going and to let me out. I am yet to figure out her thought processes. I then realised I had just eaten a heap of blue lollies and was presenting with blue teeth and a blue tongue.

I waddled in to the ED with a towel between my legs. Everyone in waiting room looked stoned. I stood at triage for about 10 minutes whilst the staff pretended they didn't see me and continued to chat amongst themselves. I told them that Midwifery had instructed that I be sent up to them in a wheelchair. They told me that they doubted that they would be able to find one and told me to walk. I insisted on a wheelchair as the Midwife had told me not to take no for an answer. I got my chair and was wheeled up. The clan of DH, Mum, MIL and SIL follow. Ridiculous.

Since I wasn't booked in to this hospital (mine doesn't take anyone under 36wks) there was a bit of paperwork to go through. They checked that I hadn't just peed my pants. I have worn panty liners for the majority of this pregnancy and they peeled it off and ridiculed me as if I had put in on the catch my waters. I was then strapped with two dopplers to check the heartbeats.

My OB arrived and did an internal. It bloody hurt and he acted like I was being a big sook. With my history I am used to being poked and prodded down there but this was different. He said due to the way I was acting from the internal (like I couldn't handle pain) and since Twin A had her arms and hands wrapped around her head and over her face that he recommended I have a cesarean. I agreed since it sounded safest considering her position also since I hadn't had any contractions and couldn't see an end. They checked with the SCN if they had 2 free beds first and thankfully we got the last 2 bumping them up to full capacity.

I was taken to the operating theatre with David whilst my groupies were told to get out of the elevator and to go back to the waiting room. My goodness, this party is invitation only people! I was given an epidural and had the best birthing experience ever. It was so quick and painless. With a medical team of around 15 in the room I felt safe that my babies and I were in good hands.

Twin A arrived easily at 12:49pm - 1965g, head 31cm, length 43cm. They held her up and she was screaming. Phew. APGARS 8 & 9. Twin B had to have her waters broken and be manoeuvred down. She arrived breech at 12:52pm - 2060g, head 31cm, length 43cm. APGARS 4 & 8. As they held her up they said here she is, she is a bit floppy. She looked lifeless. No crying. She needed resus. I watched to my left as they put her on a ventilator and an eternity later I heard a little cry.

Twin A was wrapped and layed down next to me as I was being stitched up. This scared the crap out of me as I was worried she would fall off the table. The girls were then whisked off to the SCN with David following them as I went to recovery. I was told that the bottom of the placentas had met and joined up.

I recovered quickly and was taken to my room. Going past the waiting room I saw that another BIL and SIL had also joined the party. I can only assume that they were there to pick up SIL leaving my Mum and MIL.

I was told that I wouldn't get to meet my girls until 9am. I didn't sleep for the next 8 hours.

Happy birthday baby girls 03/07/2009.

Hospital Day 1

2009-07-03T21:00:00.021+10:00

SCN Day 1 - O days old (birth day) - 35w1d

Conditions we are facing: prematurity, small for gestational age, hypothermia, hypoglycemia, jaundice and clicky hips.

David went straight to the SCN with the girls whilst I was being stitched up and taken to recovery. Baby "L" had oxygen blowing on her as they were pushed there. Both were stabilised, wrapped in bubblewrap for their hypothermia and put in incubators. The nursery has a small separate intensive care section for the sickest babies which is where our babies were placed for close observation.

The incubators were on separate sides on the room so David was pacing back and forth looking in on them. L spent the night grunting. My Mum and MIL were allowed in to see them. I was trapped in my room during this, and for the rest of the night, wondering how they were going and what Baby "L" looked like.

At 9am (8 hours post birth) I was put in a wheelchair and taken to see my babies. They had so many wirey friends attached to them but were tiny and perfect. The poor things were getting their feet pricked and blood taken every hour. They really didn't like that.

We were told to expect to have them home in 4 weeks time.

The girls both got their Dad's B+ blood group so I was the recipient of another Anti-D shot. I also had my iron levels tested as I had lost more blood than they like post birth. Apparently my iron levels were borderline during pregnancy which would have been good to know. The vampire who took my blood asked me when I was due. Not too offensive when you have only just given birth to twins that same day.

Our Infertility Journey

2007-02-01T09:42:00.011+11:00

At the age of 13 my GP suspected I had a hormonal imbalance (PCOS) and Endometriosis. He wanted to use the "wait and see" approach and prescribed me birth control pill and the anti-inflammatory drug Ponstan to manage the symptoms. He didn't deem a procedure as invasive as a laparoscopy suitable at this stage.

2000:
David and I started dating.

2002:
Went off BCP with a "whatever happens, happens" attitude. Long and irregular cycles with longest 100+ days.

2003:
Went to GP and told him I couldn't take the period pain anymore. Also mentioned that David and I had been having unprotected sex for a year with no pregnancy. He said my options were to fly into TTC mode and have full fertility testing including a laparoscopy and semen analysis or to go back on BCP to manage my pain. I got scared at the thought of surgery and went back on BCP for a few months.

2004:
Another year without a pregnancy.

2005:
Got married and became BFF's with Fertility Friend. Finally had Laparoscopy#1, hysteroscopy, dye studies and D&C and was officially diagnosed with PCOS and Endometriosis of the bowel and pouch of douglas.

2006:
6 rounds of Clomid ovulation induction in combination with Metformin... no pregnancy.

2007:
- Laparoscopy#2, Endometriosis removal & Ovarian Drilling. Also diagnosed with Male Factor, primarily count but also other borderline issues.
- July/Aug 07: IVF/ICSI#1 BCP/Synarel/Gonal-F112.5/Ovidrel/Crinone, 15 eggs, 14 fertilised, 11 day 2 embryos. x1 Transfer: Low BETA, lost 'Bootie' at 5.5 weeks. 10 Frosties.
- Sep/Oct 07: HRT FET #1 with Progynova and Progesterone Pessaries. x1 Transfer: BFN.
- Oct/Nov 07: HRT FET #2 with Progynova and Progesterone Pessaries. x1 Transfer: BFN.
- Nov/Dec 07: HRT FET #3 with Progynova and Progesterone Pessaries. First x2 Transfer: BFN.

2008:
- Mar/Apr 08: FSH FET #4 with Gonal-F37.5, Pregnyl & Progesterone Pessaries. x2 Transfer: BFN.
- Apr/May 08: FSH FET #5 with Gonal-F37.5, Pregnyl & Progesterone Pessaries. x2 Transfer: BFN.
- May/June 08: FSH FET #6 with Gonal-F37.5, Pregnyl & Progesterone Pessaries. x2 Transfer: BFN.
- July 08: New Fertility Specialist. Karyotype & Immune bloodtests - elevated ANA. Hysteroscopy & Endometrial Biopsy - all normal.
- Sept/Oct/Nov 08: IVF/ICSI#2 BCP/Synarel/Gonal-F112.5/Ovidrel/Crinone/Cardiprin, 11 eggs, 11 fertilised, x2 Blasts Transferred, x1 Frozen, HPT BFP, BETA 373 @ 15DPO :-)

2008-2009 Pregnancy:
- 6w6d scan showed 2 heartbeats. Yikes!
- 7w1d repeat scan due to heavy bleeding. Subchronic hematoma found. Moderate bedrest advised to wait out threatened miscarriage bleeding. Bled out 6.5wks-9wks.
- Weekly scans until 12 weeks. NT scan gave low risk of abnormalities.
- 19w6d scan revealed 2 pink bundles! Cervix 3cm and closed.
- 25w6d scan revealed incompetent cervix. 1.95cm, internal o/s open and membranes slightly bulging. On strict bedrest until delivery. OB advised too late and risky for a rescue clerage and aimed to get me to 28-30 weeks. Babies estimated around 680g.
- 29w1d scan showed cervix now 1.36cm, internal o/s further dilated and membranes badly bulging. Babies estimated around 1400g.
- 29w5d given steroids for babies lungs in anticipation of preterm birth (PROM).
- 32w1d scan showed no significant change in dilation, cervix now measuring ?, T1's head pushing down very low and hard so membranes not bulging quite as badly now. Babies estimated around 1800g.
- 35w0d pPROM, haul ass to the hospital.
- 35w1d we're here! Arrived by c/s (due to their positions) at 12:49am and 12:52am. Baby "A" weighing 1965g and Baby "L" weighing 2060g.

They're HERE!

2009-07-03T07:20:00.003+10:00

Oh the outside.

Can we have a birthday party on the blog please?

It's Geohde here, Mrs M's fellow antipodean blogger. I'm passing along the blog break and enter good JuJu that the divine Mz Topcat did for me when I exploded multiple babies at once (geepers, nearly a YEAR ago?).

Regardless, this is not about me. It's about a newly expanded family of four, and I'm so happy to bring the news to you all.

Since I've given the game away in the title, I'll start with the big news: The girls are here. Born by c-section overnight and all are doing well. They're around 2kg each.

After such a nail biting ride, with the threat of imminent delivery so long ago, I couldn't be happier for the new family. Well done to the new Mama for all those weeks looking at the world horizontal, it paid off in spades!

I'll save the names and updates until I'm sure if it's okay to post them, but for now everybody is out, healthy and perfect :)

So very happy for everybody,

xx

G

35 Weeks

2009-07-02T13:59:00.008+10:00

Sorry for the absence.

My OB said that I am now free to exercise my legs a little more so David and I moved back home. I am still confined to the house and the same rules - no housework, sex, baths, etc. - plenty of rest and feet up as much as possible, but I can be mobile around the house whenever I need anything.

Easing up on the bedrest wasn't possible at MIL's since I was isolated from the rest of the house by a flight of stairs. Exercising my legs with a staircase wasn't something I was willing to attempt. I can now also shower without having to wait for David's assistance since the shower over there was located over a large corner spa I practically had to pole vault to get in to.

My OB has also given my girls an eviction date for 37w5d. So either way my girls will be here within 19 days - eek! The plan is to attempt a VB if I go into spontaneous labour and only if deemed the safest option. If I were to reach eviction day it will be a C/S as I am not comfortable with attempting an induction with twins.

* BOO *

2009-06-25T12:00:00.007+10:00

34 weeks today.

I can now deliver at my local Public hospital which has a high level SCN and is only located 15 minutes away. Visiting the babies will be so easy now. Another bonus is that my OB has admission rights to this hospital so assuming he is not off sunbaking at a tropical island somewhere or too busy playing golf as they say, he should be at the birth.

The Private hospital I am booked into just 30 seconds over the road wont accept you unless you are 36 weeks +. In the scheme of things the whole public vs. private hospital stay is irrelevant as long as my babies are getting the best standard of care. Having my own room and bathroom with David being allowed to sleep over during my stay would have been nice though.

After being on high alert for 2 months for any little sign of contractions or ruptured membranes I am now in denial that I actually have to give birth to these babies. Can't David do it for me?

I am 50/50 on the whole VB vs. C/S for a twin delivery. I told my OB that I am fine with him doing whatever is safest at the time under whatever circumstances we are facing. I have a new issue now though and please cover your eyes as it is a little TMI......... I have prolapsed hemorrhoids that I just can't seem to treat and get rid of. I guess the weight of twins just keeps pushing them out. I told my OB that I was worried my five or so will turn into five thousand if I attempt a twin VB. Anyone got any advice on this lovely topic?

33 Weeks

2009-06-18T13:23:00.003+10:00

Just checking in to say that I am still here.

Making it to 33 weeks was beyond my wildest dreams.

I am going a little crazy though after 7 horizontal weeks.

Cruisin' Together

2009-06-16T14:13:00.008+10:00

I saw my OB yesterday. He said that it was time for my 34 week Anti-D injection. I wish I was 34 weeks! I told him that we were still 1.5 weeks off that shot. I saw him in a different office to normal so he didn't have all my records, lol.

He once again congratulated me on doing a fantastic job at getting this far. The scan report showed no significant changes. Normal growth in the babies and no increased dilation of the cervix, yeah! He didn't tell me how much but also said that I have a bit of cervix left from the shortening (3 weeks ago it was 1.36cm). I was warned to be extremely careful though as Baby A's head is pushing down really hard and low.

I told him that I understand there are no guarantees but asked if it were at all possible I would last 1.5 more weeks to reach 34 weeks and deliver locally. He said that it's possible but that anything can still happen and told me about another patient this week whose bulging membranes ruptured at 27 weeks, :( poor thing really hope they are doing OK. That could have been me so I guess wanting to deliver locally is a little greedy in the scheme of things when I am so very lucky to get this far.

I'm not going to pay much attention to my OB and his fluctuating tape measure anymore. My fundal height is now back to 40cm and my waist is up to 110cm. Here is a pic of me at 32 weeks. My massive saggy boobs are resting on and covering the top of my stomach. I have to lift them up so my OB can measure the top of my uterus.

Another Scan

2009-06-12T13:33:00.007+10:00

The u/s clinic recently got new machines so I found the scan a little confusing at times.

My girls are estimated around the 1800g mark so are just hitting 4pounds. They did the usual twin thing at 30 weeks with their combined weight gain slowing to thereon equal to the weight gain of a singleton.

The cervix scan now shows sideways on the screen so initially I had no idea what was going on but thought the presenting baby's head looked a weird shape and size until the Dr. laughed and said "that is me in there!" Ewww. I'm glad my baby does not resemble a dildo-cam.

I won't know where my cervical measurements now stand until I see my OB on Monday but I was told that Baby A's head is pushing right down against my internally dilated cervix so the waters aren't badly bulging out like they were. I guess her head is plugging up the hole more now.

I am a little disappointed as I was hoping for some answers today about how effaced and dilated I am now. I also didn't even get a new photo or to see them in 4D again.

The good news is that unlike my previous visits he didn't say that he was faxing the report straight over to my OB and that I needed to phone him to discuss the results.

32? Really?

2009-06-11T12:00:00.003+10:00

I have hit 32 weeks.

Growth + cervix scan tomorrow to see how effaced and dilated I am now. Hopefully the girls have reached the 2kg mark.

31w5d OB Appointment

2009-06-09T17:28:00.008+10:00

Sorry for the gestational age post titles. Ticking another day off is all that has been keeping me going and I am so happy to be able to see this much of the third trimester and to be able to type those numbers. The past 6 weeks have been spent googling survival rates, likelihood of disabilities, NICU information, average fetal weight charts and birth stories/journies for premmies born at XXwks. I've tried to prepare myself as much as possible. I've visited family in the SCN before but NICU was new territory for me. Although now I'm heading for SCN territory.

I saw my OB today and he was beaming to see me still with child/s. My fundal height is now 40cm (1cm growth in 2 weeks doesn't seem like much) and waist now measures 106cm (was 107cm 3 weeks ago?). Weird. I also haven't put on any weight for a few months now. I hope I'm not doing anything to cause the babies to be smaller than necessary.

My OB reconfirmed that I need to hold the babies in until 34wks (another 16 days) to be able to deliver locally and not be transported to a city level 3 hospital. I know that my babies will receive the best of care in the city but am unsettled about the ambulance ride and being so far away from my babies when I am discharged.

31 Weeks :D

2009-06-04T18:54:00.018+10:00

31 weeks today! I have noticed a huge weight has been lifted from no longer being in the micro premmie zone. I have no idea how I have gotten through the past 5 weeks of bedrest but somehow I have. My girls will inevitably come early but I have a faith that all will be OK. I am extremely grateful as things could have been a lot worse.

At the beginning of my pregnancy one of my best friends went to see a psychic. The psychic picked up that I was pregnant and said that I would deliver in June. My friend told her that I wasn't due until early August and the psychic replied that maybe I would have them early. Looks like she was right but I will take late June please.

This week I have been totally spoilt with surprises in the mail. I have received flowers, clothes and accessories for the babies, pamper packs, chocolates, books, etc. This box of flowers is absolutely huge, the perfume is exquisite and there are still buds waiting to open.

The beautiful thing is that most of my gifts have come from friends I have met online through IF support groups, the majority of whom I haven't yet met IRL.

30w5d

2009-06-02T20:47:00.006+10:00

I saw my OB today and asked if I could be admitted to my local level 2 hospital for the remainder of my bedrest. I told him that I am having trouble getting any sleep as I lay awake all night waiting for my membranes to rupture or to wait and see if every little niggle is the beginning of contractions. Most importantly the thought of getting to my level 2 hospital and then being transferred to a level 3 hospital in time was my biggest concern.

My OB said that the babies don't just fall out (well der) but if they were to be born quickly my local hospital is well equipped to stabilise them and then organise their transfer post-birth. He also said that he doubts they would have a bed available for me and to just relax as we are doing all we can with the regular monitoring, scans, bedrest and steroids. My blood pressure, urine, soft uterus, etc. are all fine with no need for hospitalised monitoring.

He said that Twin A's head is pushing down firmly on my pelvis. I could have told him that. This little chicklet already does not like sharing with her sister. My OB said that the right hand side of my stomach is full of room whilst at my scan 1.5 weeks ago the left hand side was empty. Twin B just cannot find a way down around her sister no matter how hard she tries.

Crowded House

2009-05-29T13:42:00.010+10:00

The next door neighbours (who happen to be BIL+SIL) are playing their music so loud that is sounds like it is coming directly from my room. The babies obviously aren't too keen on their song choices either as they are elbowing right through me to turn it off. Incidentally, our other neighbours also happen to be BIL+SIL as shown below; and no, DH and I didn't also buy on this street ;) I'm feeling a little home sick. I haven't been home in a few months as we came to stay with the inlaws for a few weeks whilst our carpet was getting ripped up and our floorboards sanded and polished and then the bedrest was imposed.

Whilst I am posting pics here is my 29w1d scan. Couldn't get a good 4D shot of Twin B unfortunately. Twin A is busy thinkin' thinkin' thinkin'.

Just for the hell of it here is me with my ever expanding stretchmarks, 30w1d.

Happy 30th!

2009-05-28T12:56:00.006+10:00

One month on bedrest and I have finally reached my OB's goal of 30 weeks! I have no timeline or goal to work towards now as he is expecting my bulging membranes to rupture at any moment so I am just to remain horizontal and count every day as precious.

29w5d

2009-05-26T14:06:00.003+10:00

I saw my OB today. Fundal height is now 39cm.

He said that we are nearing the very end of my pregnancy.

As per my scan not only had my cervix continued to shorten but it has also dilated further and my waters are bulging quite badly. He is expecting them to give in to pressure and break at any moment.

When this happens I need to present to my closest hospital who can only deliver 34 weeks onwards so they will organise for me to be transferred to whichever of the 3 NICU hospitals in my State has beds for us.

My OB asked if I wanted to be transferred to the care of another private OB closer to the city so at least I had met them before the birth. I said there is no point as:
A) One (or zero) appointments with someone isn't enough for me to establish a relationship with them;
B) I would have to travel at least an hour for this appointment and there is no way in hell I am getting out of bed for a simple meet and greet; and
C) This OB may deliver at NICU Hospital #1 and when the time comes they have no beds so I go to Hospital #3 and have a different OB delivering anyway.

I got my shot in the ar$e with steroids for the babies lung development.

Now we wait.

I'm not ready. My babies aren't ready.

Talkin' 'bout my girls (my girls)

2009-05-22T16:19:00.013+10:00

My darling husband decided to share his gastro with me. Rotten eggs burps, diarrhea, nausea and tummy pains are just what I need. Thank goodness I have avoided the vomiting.

I went for my scan this morning and here are the cervical changes:
20 weeks: cervix length 3cm and closed
26 weeks: cervix length 1.95cm and internal os open
29 weeks: cervix length 1.36cm and internal os open

* So around a .2cm loss per week

My membranes were still bulging into the funnelling and I was clearly shown this on the screen via the fuzzy looking amniotic fluid. This puts me at a risk of Preterm Premature Rupture of the Membranes (PPROM) where the waters break before 37 weeks and before I am actually in labour.

As for the growth scan my girl are doing great.
26 weeks: Both estimated around 680g
29 weeks: Both estimated around 1400g

* Falls on the 50th percentile for a singleton

Both girls have a good level of amniotic fluid, good heartbeat rates and placenta locations are good including blood flow and oxygen.

My girls decided to get into a position that they knew I would find impossible to draw. As you can see they no longer have their heads together and are now playing footsies. They are also pretty much avoiding the left hand side of my belly button and all bunched to the right. I have the most gorgeous 4D photo of Twin A that I am trying to upload. Twin B's face was too covered.

I see my OB on Tuesday to see what happens next.