The Life of the Once and Future Preggo Monster

Just in case anyone wants to know, here’s some general info on breastfeeding in the early weeks. Knowledge is power!:
Age: 1-2 Days
Stomach size: size of a cooked pea
May drink in 24 hours: 10-100 ml/1 Tbsp-1/2 cup

Age: 3-7 Days
Stomach size: Size of a cherry or teaspoon
May drink in 24 hours: 200 ml/almost 1 cup

Age: 2-5 weeks
Stomach size: Size of walnut or tablespoon
May drink in 24 hours: 700-800 ml/2.5-3.5 cups

Your baby is getting enough milk when :
-Your baby will feed 8 or more times a day after the first 24 hours.

-You see your baby sucking and swallowing. You will hear a ‘ca’ sound during the feeding

- In the first three days of life, your baby has 1-2 wet diapers per day. By days 4-6, as your milk supply increases, your baby should have 5 or more wet diapers a day. Urine should be pale yellow.

- Your baby has 2-3 or more bowel movements a day. Normally it will be golden-yellow (mustard)colour. After first 4-6 weeks it is common for bowel movements to be less often. They may come once every few days. As long as bowel movements is loose and the baby has wet diapers, this is normal.

- Your baby is satisfied and content after most feedings.

- Your baby has returned to his/her birth weight by about 2 weeks.

- Your breasts are full before the feedings and softer after. After several weeks, it is normal to have soft breasts all the time and still have lots of milk.

Had another appt today…non-stress test…ended up needing a biophysical ultrasound b/c baby Alpha was “non-reactive” (meaning her heartbeat fell off the monitor)…baby Beta, of course, was going nuts, as usual…so the tech puts them up on the u/s machine, and both babies decide to do nothing…now tech is poking them w/the wand…each of them punch and kick…so this means they are reactive. Whoohoo!

But get this…poor Alpha is crunched up in a ball waaaayy down in my pelvis, and Beta is totally laying on top of her w/her head by Alpha’s feet. Now Beta is still laying across my top, but now her head is on the left side instead of the right, which means it’s her huge bottom and legs hurting my ribs. But she has dropped some, and if all goes well, she’ll be in a more vertex position. Maybe we are gearing up to go au naturale after all….

Santa, I think you’ll find my list to be a little different this Christmas. See, I can’t think of very much that I want this year. It isn’t that I haven’t been good. Really, I have! I’ve been extra-special good this year (mostly). I just know I’m on the nice and not the naughty list this year.

Go ahead and check.

Once more.

Good.

Now, as to what I want. Here’s where I’m going to need a little more help from you. I know you have the best taste in gifts, and if I just describe to you want I want, you’ll find the perfect thing. Let’s start with what I have. Beneath my Christmas Trees this year (yes, I have two) I have two large plastic swings. Well, really, they’re next to the trees because they’re kind of bigger than the trees, but that’s not important! These swings have little baskets on them, and those baskets are just full of super soft cushions and padding. And on top of those are some little red and blue and green ornaments that move around and make noise when you push or pull on them. The swings even rock themselves so you don’t have to stand and push them!

But here’s the problem. See, I don’t have anything to put in the baskets. They’re so comfy and snuggly, and I just know that whatever we put in there is gonna be really happy. That’s where you come in. Could you bring me something this year that will make my swings complete? I know I’m really asking for two things, but maybe I’ve been good enough to get two. Or maybe you could bring me one and my hubby one? He’s been really good this year, too, I promise. The baskets are kinda small, though, so you can’t bring me anything too big ’cause they won’t fit in there.

I swear, I won’t ask for anything else (unless you’ve got some really good tummy cream). Just find the right gift for me, Santa? Please?

THIS BABY’S BIG HEAD IS BRUISING MY RIBS! GOSHDARNIT CAN’T A MOMMA GET SOME REST?!?!?!

(Yeah, like that’s going to happen… )

Weeellll, folks, here we are at 35 weeks and 2 days. I had my prenatal appointment today, and I am measuring 45 centimeters in my belly. I am well past the size of a full term single pregnancy momma, and BOY do I look it! My skin is stretching nicely, but man, does it hurt! My ribs on the right side are so sore from my big headed (or butted) baby Beta bumping up under my booby. It’s really not her fault; the Braxton-Hicks contractions are so strong, they make my tummy feel like a rock. So her head presses against my ribs, and owwie!

So my wonderful doctor is very pleased w/the pregnancy so far. The heartbeats are great, and the babies are thriving in the womb. Considering I’ll be 36 weeks on Saturday with twins, my doc is feeling confident we’ll have healthy babies. Labor and delivery are another story. Depending on babies positions, we then determine delivery options. It all comes down to this:

A and B head down–> vaginal delivery

A and B breech–> C-section

A head down, B breech–> ??

A breech, B head down–> C-section

As of the last ultrasound, we were in the 3rd category. It feels like Beta’s been moving a lot lately, so she may be head down now; we’ll know for sure next Wednesday. Then again, whenever we go into labor (if we go into labor), there will be another ultrasound to determine babies’ positions then. If we haven’t gone into labor by Dec 17th, that’s when the induction scheduling will occur. We’ve got the pre-registration paperwork that we will turn in on Wednesday…pre-registration paperwork!!!! Whoohoo!!

Now it’s scary time…what happens when babies come out? Eeek!

Folks, I am having the best week! As big as I am, I am amazed that I have a bit of energy again. I can’t remember what happened Monday, but Tuesday Duke’s office threw the babies a party, and got us so many awesome and thoughtful gifts. These little gals really cleaned up! Mama even got a nice pampering bath set. Can’t wait to get into that! There were so many people there who came to express their good wishes and pledges of support…it made me feel really good that already the girls have so many people genuinely concerned about them, and about us. Not many people have such a caring work environment. Warm fuzzies!! :)

Then today we had two appointments: one to check out a pediatrician, and the other for a non-stress test. The pediatrician was awesome, the facilities were awesome, and they are huge proponents for breastfeeding. Me likey! Duke and I both were very pleased, and that’s one more thing we don’t have to worry about. Plus, they are CHOP doctors, and you can’t go wrong with that!

That appointment was at 9:15a. Then we headed downtown to Pennsylvania Hospital for the attempt at the non-stress test. It was pretty funny, since both babies kept moving off the monitors. The tech said that we’d just try and see what we could get, and worse case scenario, do a biophysical profile which would check babies’ movements. After about 30 minutes, we were taken off the monitors and the doctor just said the babies look fine, and gave me the rundown of what to do if I go into labor. No biophysical profile. I guess they felt happy enough w/the heartbeats they did get, and the fact that I’m seeing my doctor next Monday. I’m assuming we’ll get a biophysical next Wednesday (we have appointments every week now), and everyone’s just waiting for the big day!

What cracks me up is the nonchalance of the medical personnel now. As serious as they were about me being careful and being on house arrest a few weeks ago, now they’re like, eh, do whatever you want, these kids are coming along presently. I’ve got to make sure we have a plan for induction after 38 weeks. I do not want to be in labor during the holidays, nor do I want to deliver on or after Xmas. I don’t think we’ll have a problem getting an induction date, but I can’t help but think all the medical professionals want to see how long I can go naturally We’ll see. I know there is no chance of me going past my due date, but that’s changed to 12/31/06 now. Gotta make sure we get these babies in for tax deductions!

Hopefully we can make it to our next scheduled ultrasound on 12/6. I will be 36 1/2 weeks by then, and can see how big the bruisers have gotten.

**PLEASE NOTE: Due to an office pool on date and weight of the babies, we will no longer reveal any info re: the babies’ weights until their birth day.**

Keep you all in limbo a few days more

Man…life is good…now all I need is a nice long day at the spa. After the babies are born…maybe Duke will come along too! He’s going to need it!

This is a chat conversation between me and Duke on a typical day.  Keep in mind that, based on how I feel today, I realize that my fate has now been sealed :(:

me: hi Duke: Hello my adorable little alien. Getting a drink of water, one second… me: Duke: back me: i hurt Duke: Aww, your tummy hurts?? me: my right and left sides are sore and my middle Duke: Did something happen, or is this from sleeping? me: no, it’s been like this for a few days now sleeping is proving to be a real joke Duke: It’s just getting rough. I was wondering when this would happen. me: whaddya mean? Duke: Well, every woman who has ever been pregnant has made it clear (to me) that your condition will get much worse at the end. Tired. Achy. Sore Pained Hard to breath Breath Etc. And that in your case, it would likely last about a month. Sent at 12:03 PM on Friday

Another prenatal appt today, and nothing new to report. We saw the last partner in the practice today, and she was cool. I had a bit of a scare when she couldn’t find Zoey’s heartbeat (Baby Alpha, for now :D), and then when she did find a heartbeat, it was REALLY slow (turns out it was mine :)) But, we found her and her heart rate was within target range. The doctor thought she had her back against my belly, which made her heartbeat harder to detect. Medea (Baby Beta, or MeeMee…Meemee? Mimi?) was easy to spot, and started kicking the monitor. Frisky babies!

So now I’m out of the gestational “danger zone.”  Of course, the longer I’m pregnant, the better for the babies.  The goal now is to hit 36 weeks, which would be the equivalent of 38 weeks gestational age, and term for twins.  As of the last ultrasound, the gals were both over 50% growth rate for their gestational age, so as long as I can keep eating, they can keep growing and getting bigger.

Speaking of eating, I’ve been throwing up again, so I got a prescription for some anti-emetics, a flu shot, and the ok to use over the counter meds. Whoohoo! I think the combo of heartburn and congestion was what messed me up, so now I should be ok. No puking today! Yay! And I also gained 3 pounds! I had been 209 for about a month, and now I’m 212 pounds! Yeehoo! Who’da thunk I’d be happy to gain weight?

I think I’m going to try some light yoga stretching again, just to help the aches and pains, and gain some strength in my joints. Everything hurts, even my skin. I’m used to it now, but I’d like to start helping the situation if I can. Don’t want any tearing if I deliver naturally, and I if I need a C-section, I’d rather not be dealing with that and sore knees.

That’s all for now. Laters!

I’ve been up since 5am reading posts from other preggos on my babyfit website (awesome site), as well as other preggo sites I belong to…people are going through some real stuff in their pregnancies.  Compared to those w/no familial support, in laws and siblings competing for attention against the preggos, and doctors who ignore patient concerns, I’m having a dream pregnancy!

As cracked out, annoying, and tough as this experience has been for me, I’ve got to say we are so blessed to have the support we have.  Not everyone thinks or does things the way we do, but that’s what makes life an adventure!  Ok, I’m rambling again, so I’m going to stop now.  Feeling sicky

Ok, so I couldn’t keep it going. Alpha and Beta are not the twins’ future names. It was really funny to us b/c we have even more warped senses of humor now (called delirium). But, we do have some contenders now. They are:

Amaya

Maya

Zoey

Scout

Medea

The girls’ first and middle names will be some combination of these five contenders (hopefully I don’t come up with any more!), but we’ll wait to see them before anything becomes official. The one idea we were set on, Amaya Scout, had to be dropped due to an unfortunate initial layout (Amaya Scout Schnolis…you get it) . But, this is what we’re looking at so far.

On to other news, we received an awesome package of gifts in the mail the other day that really made us smile (thanks Anne and Co.!). It totally made my day, as I’d been feeling really sick and pukey. Babies are really pushing on my tummy and lungs now, so I have heartburn and can’t breath very well. Combine all that with congestion and constant hunger, and you get a very unhappy Linda. But between presents yesterday and a chocolate fondue party at Duke’s office today, I’m feeling pretty good mentally!

Oh yeah, here’s an updated look at the nursery these days. I must say, it’s coming along splendidly. I have aspirations of decorating the door and walls, but we’ll see how that all works out. I love the lights…really helps the mood. Eventually we’ll move the glider and ottoman into the room, perhaps once we move the stroller into the truck. We still haven’t installed the car seat bases, or figured out how to strap the babies in the car seats. Maybe we’ll tackle that this weekend…we should anyway!

Nothing much else going on. Prenatal appt on Thursday, then non-stress test next Wednesday. I have a feeling we’re going to go around the first week of December. That gives us approximately 2 1/2 more weeks before babies time! Amazing, ain’t it?