Baby or Contraction? Bah, Another thing to add to the mix!

*Sigh*  Remember the movie Father of the Bride II, where Steve Martin rushes his daughter to the hospital, then you see them coming back home, then back, then home.  Okay, well last night I had one of those ridiculous moments.  Although I shouldn't feel bad, this is a high risk pregnancy, and my doctor has constantly told me to err on the side of caution, no matter what, I still feel like a bit of a spaz after last night.  I never know if I should call, or if I should just wait it out... so yesterday, I did what I was told and called.

Call Number One:  I called around 2, because I had been having what felt like pretty steady contractions that started at 1 o'clock.  I took my Procardia at noon, so I really shouldn't have had any.  So, I called the doctor's office.  Ha, it was slightly comical.  For the sake of humor, here is kind of how the call went.
Receptionist: blah blah, what is your name?
Me: Amber Marquez
Receptionist: Oh, it's you again, *sigh* those babies need to settle down a bit, one moment I'll transfer you to Patti.  (Sidenote: Patti is a nurse I've never seen, and I do not like.  She is the one that deals with all phone call concerns.)
So, some random nurse picks up.  And tells me that she'd try to track down Stacy (one of my fav. nurses) and I tell her that that would be great b/c I had just talked to Stacy earlier that morning about my glucose results.
Stacy:  Hey Amber, What's going on?  Oh wait, hang on.. Dr. Sesslar wants to to talk to you...
Blah blah, Dr. Sesslar gets on the phone.  Now hey, that's service, I've never gotten to talk to the doctor on the phone before.  She tells me to lay on my left side, drink water, take my pill at 4 instead of 6 and call her in an hour to let her know.

Call Number Two:  Contractions settled down, I had three in an hour.  She was okay with that.  Told her I didn't want to talk to her anymore tonight, jokingly, but serious of course.

Call Number Three:  I did not want to make this call, but my dad who was here "babysitting" me last night told me, again, better safe than sorry.  I started having contractions around 6:30.  Then I started feeling some pressure, and wasn't sure if I was leaking amniotic fluid or not.  Called Dr. Sesslar, b/c thank God, she was on call, and she of course, told me to head in to L&D.  Em was working, of course, so my dad took me.  Get there, nurses were waiting for me. They hook me up to monitors.  Dr. Sesslar came in herself shortly after, she wanted to be the one to do all the tests.  I didn't seem to be having contractions on the monitor, but I felt like I was having them.  This is because my stubborn little girl was balling up and then stretching, which can make you feel like you are having a contraction, when really it's all baby, just moving and rolling.  And since they are obviously getting bigger, I will feel this more often and that I will figure out the difference soon enough.  When babies move that way, it can also cause uterine irratability, so I could have been feeling that also.  My daughter is grounded!  How confusing!!

 She did an exam and took some tests.  She also took a Fetal Fibronectin test (a swab that tells you whether or not you are at risk for preterm labor in the next two weeks).  She also said I was not leaking amniotic fluid, and that baby a (my nearly 3 lb daughter) was not pressing down.  She said that if the FF test came back negative, she'd let me go home, but if it came back positive, I would be admitted to RMH for the long haul.  In fact, she said that if I get admitted one more time period, I will be at RMH for the long haul. And yes, that means weeks on end, until these babies get here.  She also checked my cervix and it was softer than it was at my appointment the day before, faaaaaantastic.  The FF test came back negative (a very good sign), so she let me go home, and I see her again Monday, at 9:45.  Of course, with the instructions to call her with any concerns this weekend.  Hopefully I won't be posting again, until Monday!  I want an uneventful weekend!

Happy, Happy Third Trimester Day to Us!!!

Woo hoo!!!  We made it!!  We have successfully made it through the second trimester, got a little tricky there for awhile, and we are moving into our third!! Thank God!! :)  28 weeks today, next goal is 30!!  The even bigger week will be 32, but I'm taking baby steps.  Came across a chart that shows gestational age with average NICU time, you can see that between 28 and 29 weeks, average time in the NICU drops like 15 days! And from there each week is a significant drop in the average time.  Makin' each day count! Like my doctor said to me two weeks ago, each day is a victory :)

ANND.. I passed my glucose test!!!  Woo hoo!! That was a hurdle I was very concerned about since I was diagnosed with PCOS, let alone finding out I was having twins.  I had a few people tell me to take cinnamon, as it helps maintain a healthy sugar metabolism, so for the past month, I have been taking it, and hm! Seemed to have helped!! So yay!!!  That stress is gone, out of my life!  I feel like a small celebration is in order, maybe I'll eat something with sugar and not feel guilty about it! =)  Weather looks beautiful, maybe I'll open some windows.  Can't wait til I can load our babies up in their stroller and go for a nice loooooong walk with Daddy and Wesson :)

"And the doctor says.."

Doctor's Update:  My appointment started at 8:30, after my first (out of four) blood draw, I had to drink that disgusting stuff that tastes and makes you feel worse than the one hour glucose test.  It's 100 g as opposed to the one hour's 50.  So yuck, I was immediately nauseated.  Blood pressure good, haven't gained weight for over a week, stayin' about the same, which is fine with me right now.  So, to cover the glucose test, I'll know my results tomorrow and will post them then.

Had another cervical length ultrasound, unfortunately, my cervix is right back down to about 1 cm.  It was about .9 cm with pressure, soooo.. yeah.. that could have been better.  I told the doctor about the contractions I was having yesterday, and how I definitely feel the weight of the babies.  Basically the past two days, have been rough ones.  However, it is shorter, yes, but it's still posterior, which is good.  I guess the closer to delivery, it begins to move to the anterior position. When I went to RMH, it was more anterior.  So, that's good.  So, good and bad, it's shorter, yes, but still posterior.  If you are confused as to what that means, google it, haha, b/c all I know is that posterior is good.  After she checked me, she monitored me for about an hour, for contractions.  I only had one, so with that, she said, I could go home and wants me back in the office on Monday for annnnnnnnnoooother cervical length and check, and NST (monitoring for contractions, ect).  So, I go back Monday at 9:45.  If I start having more regular contractions or if it gets any shorter, she said she'd probably put me back at RMH (for I'm assuming the long haul) on the magnesium drip.  But for this weekend at least I am home, and she is the on call doctor if I need anything.  Thank goodness.

Baby Update:  I told you I knew they were much bigger!!  At our 24 week growth check, Miss Lena was 1 lb 8 oz and Liam was 1 lb 7 oz.  Today, at our 28 week growth, my daughter is 2lb 13 oz (Almost 3 lbs!) and Liam is a tad smaller at 2 lb 7 oz, gaining exactly a pound.  Their weight is measuring a week ahead of the game (29 weekers) which is great news in case they do decide to premiere earlier than planned!  I am sad to report that my ultrasound pictures were crummy, I don't know if it had to do with me drinking that sugar stuff, or if it was the machine.  The babies were sleepy through most of the ultrasound, they had to be woken up.  I was too after that horrible drink!  Who can blame them? So!  That's great news, they're growing right on track :)  

Em goes back to work today, so it's another 5 day stretch of finding as I like to call them, babysitters.  I've been very lucky this far.  I have great family and friends who have come over and helped me around the house, who have brought me meals, who have watched tv with me, and just visited so that I don't need to get up for anything.  Thanks guys :)  For anyone else, feel free to text me or call, and if you'd like to drop in, I live for visitors when Em is at work!  Even if we just chat on Facebook!

"I've seen better days"

Wasn't going to post, but thought I'd fill you in.  Yesterday, I was very uncomfortable, hurt to move from one side to the other, and we actually felt somebody's tiny, little body pushing up against my right side.  Lena's kicking was low and painful.  Liam's was high and continuous.  They're definitely getting bigger!!! Fast, too.  Which is a good thing.

Today, I woke up, my sciatic nerve is killing me no matter what position I am in at this point, whereas before it was when I laid down in bed.  I've been having contractions on and off, especially the closer I get to taking my meds.  Took a shower, and thought I was going to end up calling the doctor b/c they were so close.  I just got out, and am now laying down, timing contractions,  they are 15-30 minutes apart at this point.  Meds seem to be working.  Calling the on call doctor is a one trip ticket to RMH and my doctor's appointment is 12 flippin' hours away.  I want to see my doctor and most of all I want to see my babies' in their ultrasound tomorrow..  It's a big one.

I start fasting tonight, probably about nine, for my 3 hours test... yuuuuuuuuuuck

Friday is such a big day, we've made it to the third trimester (was a little nervous that we wouldn't for awhile) and at 28 weeks, babies have a 90% chance of no long term complications if they decide to make an early appearance.  

Another first =)

I woke up this morning at about 6, well I wake up every morning at 6 to take my meds, and I laid there for a couple minutes because the babies usually wake up with me.  Em came into bed about that time too because he had fallen asleep on the couch.  Anyways, I put his hand on my tummy so he could feel them movin' around.  And!  We felt hiccups for the first time :)  Coolest thing, a constant little jerk movement for about 2 minutes.  Each of them had taken turns hiccuping on the monitors the other day, but I couldn't feel it.  Very exciting, b/c I got to feel it and so did Em.  =)

Yesterday, my sisters took me to Target and I got out of the house for about an hour.  Now, don't worry, I did no walking! As I told my mom, I did more walking at my doctor's appointment Friday than I did yesterday.  The perinatal specialist said it'd be okay every once in awhile, as long as I do no walking.  And I was feelin' pretty good, so I thought yesterday was a good day to try to get out.  Rachel ran in and grabbed a wheelchair and Sarah parked the car.  I had some returns, not many, but some, and we ended up buying the mobile (Fisher Price Precious Planet Projection Mobile) Em and I wanted for the babies' crib.  I also bought 50 more hangers (yes, 50 MORE) and a load of batteries.  Holy smokes, the price of batteries.  Yikes!  When we came home, we finished the baby's laundry, organized onesies according to size and baby.  Sarah cleaned out the babies' closet, and organized it.

Nursery Update:  It's ALMOST DONE!  Woo hoo!  We have one more crib to set up, it's here and waiting. My dad is going to get us our mattress for it.  My mom and I are on the hunt for a crib/changer combo.  I ordered the matching valances for the windows, and name signs (something like this, with their names obviously) to go over their cribs.

Doctor's appointment 8:30 on Thursday.  It will be 3 hours long.  And I'm pretty nervous about my gestational diabetes testing, b/c I have double the wammy with twins and PCOS.  Trying not to think about it much.  I'm also going to see if we can get a 4-D picture of each baby again.  I'll update after my appointment.

This time next year...

I woke up thinking (and maybe feeling a little bummed) about how this Easter, Em is working (nothing new, he works most holidays, oh the life of a police family) and I'm stuck on the couch.  The sun is shining and looks pretty nice out.  Most of my family is going over to my Aunt's house for Easter dinner and I'm here on the couch, incubating children. I was very excited to find out that my dad is going to come over and spend Easter here with me, hanging out, watching t.v. and eating food.  Maybe I'll challenge him to a game of scrabble.  But, back to what I woke up thinking about..

I always said when I have my own family, I want traditions.  Something the same every year that my children can look forward to.  So, I'm not going to sit here today and feel all bummed, instead, I'm going to look forward to next year when my babies will be about ten months old, and in their first Easter outfits.  Saturday may be spent with Aunt Chas and Uncle Pablo, an Easter egg hunt with their cousins, and a cookout.  Sunday, with my family, going to church, and maybe another Easter egg hunt (obviously not old enough to walk and find eggs on their own, but with the help of mom or dad, of course) with their cousin (Rachel's baby), and a huge Easter dinner.  Sure, traditions are going to be difficult to make since their daddy will be working most holiday's, but Em and I have agreed in full that we will pull off something!  That's my thought of the day, this year may not be as eventful as planned, but next year, will be a first of many Easter family traditions for my own family of four.

As for an update on the babes, I can't wait to find out how big they are.  Their kicks are getting stronger by the day, and I definitely am getting used to their sleep cycles.  Friday marks another huge milestone in this pregnancy , so thanks for all the prayers and thoughts sent our way.

Up until now...

Okay, we'll see how long I can keep a blog going...  I have a lot of time on my hands in the next few months, so I apologize if some rambling occurs in advance.  I have a lot of family and friends that text and call me, my husband, and my family wondering about the twins.  So here goes, :)

Today, I am 27 weeks pregnant.  With twins, the normal gestational pregnancy is 37 weeks which means, it would be fantastic if these babies decided to stay put until July 1st, 2011.  The first three months of pregnancy were normal, but rough, and most of you who are close to me know that I spent most of the winter very sick.  In February I went in for a cervical check, (for those of you who have no idea what that means, just keep in mind that a normal cervical length is between 3 and 3.5 cm up until close to delivery.)  My cervical length in February was a 2.8, short, but not a huge concern.  The doctors don't tend to worry until about a 2.5.  I was told to take it easy, I could still work, I just couldn't go walk the mall or do anything overly strenuous.  Not a problem.  Well, that held out until March 21st.  

March 21st, I went in for a cervical length check and found that in two weeks my cervix had shortened over a centimeter, it was now 1.87 cm.  My doctor sent me straight to Rockford Memorial to be monitored for contractions and the next day I had a cerclage (a surgical procedure in which a band of strong thread is stitched around the cervix and then tightened to hold the cervix closed) put into place.  I was then ordered that for the rest of the pregnancy, I was to be on modified bed rest and off work.  Later that week, I also found out that I needed to take my three hour glucose test, to check for gestational diabetes.  Ugh, yuck.  One good thing did happen that week, I got to see my lil' babes in a 4-D ultrasound which was amazing.  It's a toss up of who Lena looks like, Liam was a lil' bit stubborn and we only got a sideshot of his face.

The following week, I took my three hour glucose test (God awful in case you're wondering, not only do you get to drink stuff that tastes like crap after fasting for 12 hours, you get poked with a needle FOUR times! Ugh!)  I passed it very borderline, with a 144 (cut off is 140, crap!)  Not only is there an elevated risk for gestational diabetes with twins, I also have polycystic ovary syndrome which doubles your risk of it also.  

Okay, so now that you are up to speed, if you are still with me that is! Sunday was my baby shower, it was great and we got a lot of great stuff (so thanks to all those who came to support me and our babies!)  Afterwards, I started feeling some contractions.  I went into RMH and left a couple hours later with contractions under control.  I was also given my first round of steroids for the babies' lungs as a precaution in case they do some early.  Monday, I went in to be checked and get the booster shot of the steroids and my cervix had shortened drastically.  With pressure, I had 1 cm left, NOT GOOD.  I was also having contractions every 3-6 minutes.  *Sigh* The doctor sent me straight back to RMH and told me I would be there a couple days.  Monday was the day from hell, poked, prodded, examined, it was horrible.  I was put on a magnesium sulfate IV drip to get the contractions to stop.  Tuesday, they took me off of it because I wasn't handling it well and put me back on my contraction meds at a higher dose.  Wednesday, I showed some signs of improvement and was sent home on my meds, but told that I was only to get off the couch or out of bed to use the bathroom and for a quick shower.  But I got to go home.  

Today, I went back in for a follow up, and my doctor was happy with today.  My cervix got a little bit of length back, now about 1.4 cm with pressure and in the posterior position.  She sent me back home with the direction of doing what I'm doing (which is a whole lot of nothing) and call if anything changes.  I go back next  Thursday for a three hour appointment for my redo of my 3 hr glucose test, my 28 week growth ultrasound (yay!  Can't wait to see how big the little buggers have gotten in the past month), to be monitored for contractions, and for a cervical check (not fun).  

So!  There we are, you are up to speed!  I appreciate all the calls and texts from family and friends, and prayers you all have sent our way.  Our next goal is 28 weeks, then 30, then 32, then 34.. My lil' kickers just need to keep cookin'!!