Archive for March, 2007
Had our weekly appointment on Thursday. This one included the gestational diabetes test. You fast for 4-5 hours before and then drink a very sweet soda-ish drink that has 50 grams of sugar in it, and go back in an hour to have your blood drawn. I’ve not heard the results on them yet, but if there was any trouble I’m guessing that I’d have heard by now. They also checked my iron levels for anemia.
So inbetween the drink and the blood being drawn, we saw the Dr., everythings going well still. I got all excited when he first started doing the ultrasound-he thought he saw two heads down. But only our baby girl is down still. Now we just need either baby boy to turn, or baby girl needs to get into first position or we’ll have to have the c-section still. So keep those thoughts coming that either one of those happens.
We asked if he recommended our taking the Lamaze class afterall. We’d sorta on our own said we didn’t think we would. But, he’s said he thinks it’d be helpful. So I’m going to call and get us into one of the next sessions of that. He thought it’d be good as first time parents to go thru what to expect, and we’ll also get a tour of the Birthplace at this hospital during the class.
The Dr. belives I’m having practice (Braxton Hicks) contractions now. I had a few on Wednesday night, and we saw him the next morning. He said he thought that was what they sounded like and they’ve gotten regular (not a bad regular) but I have about 4 an hour most hours since.
I being quite naive and James being supportive and also both out of concern, called the Dr. yesterday when I had 4 an hour for 5 hours straight. The nurse took my information down and talked to the Dr. she then rang back to say that they still sounded normal, but if they increased or got painful then to call back. Also that I should increase my water intake, because dehydration can sometimes cause them. To lie on my side and if they aren’t real they should decrease within the hour. They did last all the way till about 9pm from 10am yesterday, but as soon as I relaxed, they also did. Today they are between 4 and 5 an hour, they are very high, mostly just above my belly button.
So for now, I’m just resting as much as possible. The Dr. said if they continue we may have to consider pulling me from work earlier than anticpated. Right now my thought has been that my last day would be May 18th. Since I’m 35 weeks on May 23rd and that’s when the Dr. said we were looking at being on bedrest.
I was suprised to learn that I’d only gotten a cm bigger over the last 2 weeks. I’m now at 31cm. I don’t feel like I grew much more than that, but it looks like the shape of my belly is changing. It looks sort of torpedo like from my view. I’m going to add photos to the gallery of my downard view and a belly shot after this post.
We’ve offically decided on both baby girl and baby boys names. We were still unsure about baby boys middle name, but over the weekend we ended up deciding. So now my job is to make the birth announcements.
We got my hospital bag almost all the way packed. I need to buy a few more things, and James will need to pack a few last minute things for mine and of course his is almost all last minute like clothes and the cameras, ect. The babies bag done and waiting.
March 31st, 2007
We had our weekly appointment on Thursday. This one included an hour long ultrasound with the high tech equipment, to check for growth differences in the babies.
Our kids are doing awesome. It’s such a releif to see them and hear those words.
Both boy and girl are weighing in at 1 lb 13 ozs. This is really awesome for twins, because they are more likely to have one hogging all the supply. Though it does help that they each have their own placenta and sacs.
Baby boy is slightly behind baby girl by 4 days on his estimated due date, but this is within range. They want it to be within 2% of each other. Plus the ultrasound tech wasn’t sure how that was possible being they weighed the same. All vital organs were seen and accounted for, seeing their 4 chamber hearts gets me everytime. It’s so neat to see it pumping along.
The kiddos weren’t that cooperative as far as photos go, most likely due to the time of day the appointment was at. The best shot this time was of baby girl in the 4D mode, but just after snapping it she moved and never came back to that position. Look for those photos in the gallery though.
The bestest news to me, other than that they are both growing perfectly is that our little baby girl, not baby boy, has decided she’d like to try to born first. I mean, she’s turned!!!! Yippee. *party balloons* *dance* This is wonderful news because it means if she stays where she is, I can go for a natural birth. While there are other factors that might end up changing that back to a c-section if no baby had turned natural birth was totally out the window.
I also lost 1/3 of the weight I had gained at my last appointment and my blood pressure went back down. So it was just a fluke-the Dr. got a chuckle out of it when he saw it thinking I was saying to myself I told you so. I thought it was a crazy amount to have gained. The swelling is also 110% better. I don’t know what was off during that week but I’m very glad to have it not be anymore.
Our TotSaver/Infant CPR class went really well. We are now both certified to perform CPR thru March of 2009. The class turned out be held in the birthing wing of the hospital we’ll goto if the babies hold off until 35 weeks. What we saw of it looked really nice. Not the same decor as the other hospital, but then again we didn’t go into the birthing part, just the hallway on the way to it. We did see a woman and gentleman and the woman was labouring. It was really neat to think of ourselves in that position. James made the comment afterwards how we might not get that, so seeing baby girl turned meant that much more.
Hope everyone is enjoying the new photos in the gallery of the two of us. I hope to get some in every few weeks of the both of us.
We got a few things done tonight to prepare for the babies. James hung the shelves and storage we had in their bedroom. We ended up deciding not to paint at this time. James would need to do it all alone as my Dr. recommended not doing it myself unless the windows were wide open and very ventilated.
We are trying to get things in order for the approx. 45 people that will be at our house for the baby shower on the 15th. So tomorrow before our plans I’m going to head outside with rubber gloves on and get to the gardening work and cleaning off the patio furniture from last year. It’s supposed to be nice, in the 60s.
The babies feel so different when the move now. I feel baby boy less distinctly now, and have to pay attention. He’s much more laid back then baby girl at least in the womb. Baby girl is always moving around. She’s a good kicker. It’s nice to not have her kicking straight down but now I have her head rolling around there instead. I think I might be mistaking baby boys feet sometimes for her head.
Everyone cross anything and everything that she stays where she is, and even better if baby boy also does the flip. We are seeing the Dr. weekly gonig forward and will have ultrasounds every 4 weeks.
Till next time, bye bye!
March 23rd, 2007
Today we visited St. E’s for a tour and to checkout the neo-natal icu. This will be the place Kam delivers if the kiddos want to come too early. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we do make it. However, if we don’t the good news is that we were quite impressed with the place. It’s very warm, and not surgical cold feeling at all. Security is top-notch, and the staff is very friendly. Seems like it would be quite the experience.
From my point of view today, this was another one of those “feel-real” moments. I was picturing ourselves in every area. The nursery, the delivery room, and even me walking down the halls back and forth waiting impatiently for the labor to get going.
Kam is doing great, and is glowing. I love the little things that remind me that she’s pregnant. Since the very beginning, my favorite is the little hiccups that the pregnancy brought on. Out of nowhere there can be a loud one, then sometimes two or three little quiet ones in a row. It’s great. There is the slowness getting up, that is getting slower and slower by the day. There is the way she sleeps now, normally keeping one hand across her belly. I will have to sneek a photo one of these days.
I have to admit, I go back and forth it seems in regards to time. When I think about how much I want to see the kids and hold them, time stands still. It seems like they will never arrive. When I think about the things I would like to get done before they arrive, it feels like I have only a matter of minutes. It’s crazy, and exciting at the same time.
One last thing, Kam reminded me. A few days ago, we were watching a PBS special about the Blue Man Group. For those who don’t know, they are a three man stage show with these three guys who do not talk, have blue heads and play percussion instruments made out of various contruction items. Anyways, the special was showing clips from the stage performance, and while the music was playing the kids were bopping up a storm. Kicking and moving quite a bit. When we changed channels, they stopped. Went back, and they started up again. Very cool, well, to us anyway 
Take care all.
James
March 17th, 2007
Had a regular old check up today.
Not too much to report, my belly is measuring 30cm, that’s good. I am having some mild swelling in my ankles which does go away when I rest or elevate my feet, and my blood pressure was slightly higher than it has been previously. Not high enough to be of concern though. Somehow though-perhaps water weight and the not even a half hour before eaten lunch regardless I’ve gained a good amount of weight in the last two weeks. I’d been gaining pretty steadily but this jump is a bit worrying to me, more in that I don’t want to keep doing this now as my trend it’ll just make things harder in the end to get off. Our home scale only shows almost 1/2 of what the Dr office says as a gain. Next week will tell.
However, with the swelling, weight gain and slightly higher blood pressure we are going to start weekly appointments now instead of in two weeks. So we’ll be seeing the Dr again on Thursday.
The fun news is that we’ll be getting an ultrasound at this appointment as well, so look for some new photos of the kiddos after that. This is to ensure they are growing on target and are within a certain % of each other in weight and estimated age.
In other news it appears as though one of the babies might be trying to make the flip to head down. I felt some really crazy sensations from baby boy yesterday. Lots of pressure in one place and low and behold on the mini ultrasound today one baby is standing up and the other seems to be lying down flat again. The ultrasound on Thursday will be more definate though.
Tomorrow we are touring the hospital and NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) where the babies will be born and stay if they are born during or before 34 weeks. I’ve started a list of questions, hopefully the polcies between this hospital and the one we’d deliver at after 35 weeks are the same-it’ll save time when we do tour that one. Then Monday night we are taking our Infant/Tot CPR class. This is just one night and for two hours. We both thought we’d feel better having taken it.
March 16th, 2007
Ugh. Our little site on the net has been noticed by the spamming community. We have comment spam moderation turned on but it seems like some can still get through.
Please take care and do not click on any of the links that appear in the comments that you do not know. If we do not get to them in time, I’m guessing they most likely will direct you to some sort of virus or unsavory content.
James
March 13th, 2007
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