I don't have much time to type, so here are the basics...
The twins arrived on Thursday May 12th, which is their Daddy's birthday :)
Jillian Lyn - 8:14am - 5lbs 1oz, 18.25inches
Jacob Francis - 8:16am - 6lbs 3oz, 19.5 inches
They're doing great...no time was needed in the NICU!!!!! I'll post pics as soon as I load them to my computer.
EJ is doing fantastic with them. He hugs them and gets upset if they cry...such a good protector already :)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Full Term - WE MADE IT!!!
I'm am beyond-words-excited that our little twins made it to full term...36 weeks as of yesterday! I was told at the very beginning of this pregnancy that 50% of twins don't make it this far, so we were certainly preparing for them to come before today.
I had a growth scan on Thursday and Jillian (back to loving that name) was measuring small at 4lbs 7oz which is under the 10th percentile. Jake is 5lbs 7oz and growing very well. EJ was delivered at 5lbs 6oz so it seems they're similar in size at this point. The doctor recommended that we deliver this week to give Jillian the best chance to thrive on her own in the outside world. If we make it until then, I'll have my repeat c-section on Thursday May 12th, which just so happens to be my wonderful husband's birthday too :)
The doctor also ordered twice weekly NST's so I went for another one this past Friday. The protein in my urine was at +2 and I'm officially dealing with pre-eclampsia (just like with EJ). My peri said my bloodwork didn't come back "perfect" but levels weren't "alarming" either. I will go for another tomorrow (Monday) and then take it day by day until Thursday. We want to give the little girl as much of a chance as possible to reach 5lbs at the time of birth. Apparently that is the magic number for the NICU as well as the car seat limit. Come on little girl...GROW!!!!!
I had a growth scan on Thursday and Jillian (back to loving that name) was measuring small at 4lbs 7oz which is under the 10th percentile. Jake is 5lbs 7oz and growing very well. EJ was delivered at 5lbs 6oz so it seems they're similar in size at this point. The doctor recommended that we deliver this week to give Jillian the best chance to thrive on her own in the outside world. If we make it until then, I'll have my repeat c-section on Thursday May 12th, which just so happens to be my wonderful husband's birthday too :)
The doctor also ordered twice weekly NST's so I went for another one this past Friday. The protein in my urine was at +2 and I'm officially dealing with pre-eclampsia (just like with EJ). My peri said my bloodwork didn't come back "perfect" but levels weren't "alarming" either. I will go for another tomorrow (Monday) and then take it day by day until Thursday. We want to give the little girl as much of a chance as possible to reach 5lbs at the time of birth. Apparently that is the magic number for the NICU as well as the car seat limit. Come on little girl...GROW!!!!!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
L&D #5...aka The Girl Who Cried Wolf
First off, today is my 33rd birthday. Happy Birthday to me :D
I went for a mani and pedi this morning, then out to lunch, and finally took a nice long nap. That nap was needed after last night...
I started having consistent contractions around 6pm. I timed them for over an hour and I had once every 4-6 minutes. I called my peri and she had me head to L&D...this could be it! I got all hooked up to the monitors and the babies sounded great and we could see my contractions coming quickly. They weren't very intense, but they were constant. My regular appt was that afternoon and I was dilated to 1cm, and I was the same in L&D that evening. So after two hours of being monitored, and no change in my cervix, I was sent home. What a let down. We really thought that was going to be it and my twins could be delivered on my birthday. Oh well.
They're doing great and I can't believe how far I've made it in this pregnancy! My blood pressure has been great, and no protein in my urine. Looks like we may get a few more weeks before their arrival.
Oh, and we have a date set...if they don't come before then, my c-section is set for Tuesday, May 24th. I love having a date in my head as my "due date" and know that is the longest I'll have to hold on to the twins. They are getting heavier every day and I literally feel every ounce they gain. My body is not my own and my stomach often looks like two pigs fighting under a blanket, each going a different direction. Haha. I've gained almost 40lbs at this point and my belly is measuring 55cm (should only be 34cm with a singleton). As my husband so eloquently put it, I am "ridiculously huge". Thanks babe, I appreciate that. LOL.
I went for a mani and pedi this morning, then out to lunch, and finally took a nice long nap. That nap was needed after last night...
I started having consistent contractions around 6pm. I timed them for over an hour and I had once every 4-6 minutes. I called my peri and she had me head to L&D...this could be it! I got all hooked up to the monitors and the babies sounded great and we could see my contractions coming quickly. They weren't very intense, but they were constant. My regular appt was that afternoon and I was dilated to 1cm, and I was the same in L&D that evening. So after two hours of being monitored, and no change in my cervix, I was sent home. What a let down. We really thought that was going to be it and my twins could be delivered on my birthday. Oh well.
They're doing great and I can't believe how far I've made it in this pregnancy! My blood pressure has been great, and no protein in my urine. Looks like we may get a few more weeks before their arrival.
Oh, and we have a date set...if they don't come before then, my c-section is set for Tuesday, May 24th. I love having a date in my head as my "due date" and know that is the longest I'll have to hold on to the twins. They are getting heavier every day and I literally feel every ounce they gain. My body is not my own and my stomach often looks like two pigs fighting under a blanket, each going a different direction. Haha. I've gained almost 40lbs at this point and my belly is measuring 55cm (should only be 34cm with a singleton). As my husband so eloquently put it, I am "ridiculously huge". Thanks babe, I appreciate that. LOL.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
33w 3d - belly pic
So it's a good thing I have seen the babies on ultrasound or else I would swear I was carrying a hippo!!!
This is what I looked like with EJ at 33 weeks.
This is what I looked like with EJ at 33 weeks.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
L&D Trip #4 at 33 weeks
This time my trip to L&D was a bit more serious, but I'm still pregnant so all is good...
Thursday night around 11:30 I started having some contractions. My pain level was around a 4, which is the most painful they've been so far. After two or three I realized that they were kind of close together so I started timing them. They were only TEN minutes apart and very regular. The intensity/pain would vary but it was a constant every ten minute event. This went on for a few hours. I kept debating whether or not I should call the doctor. Some didn't seem so bad, and it was the middle of the night, so I put it off as long as I could hoping they'd slow down.
It turned 3:30 and it was still every ten minutes, and the pain was growing so I caved and called my peri. I got the answering service, but my doctor called me back in like three minutes. I explained it all to her and she told me to get my tush in there. I called my Mom to take me to the hospital (Ed stayed home with a sleeping EJ because he had to work on Friday). I really figured it would be like my normal trips and they'd monitor me for an hour and then send me home.
It was actually a bit different.
As soon as they hooked me up we could see the twins had great heart rates and movements (I was feeling them move all along so I wasn't worried about that). My contractions were actually more frequent than I even felt and a lot strong in intensity. The arcs on the graphs were at the top of the screen and coming every few minutes. They gave me an IV, had me pee in a cup and drew blood. I was there for about three hours when my tests came back normal and my contractions grew farther apart and less intense. Apparently I was dehydrated so I've been ordered to drink 3 liters of water a day. YIKES. How many times will I pee if I drink that much?!? Haha.
My Mom and I got home around 7:30 am and we were both exhausted. I hadn't slept a wink all night. I spent the day relaxing, but I was still contracting and in some pain. We're praying our little twinfants stay put for at least two more weeks (3-4 is ideal) but we're starting to see that might not happen. I've been switched from Lovenox to Heparin as one more preparation/precaution in case I go preterm.
Every day I stay pregnant is a great thing so we're living one day at a time now and I'm resting as much as I possibly can so my body doesn't go into labor any sooner than necessary.
Thursday night around 11:30 I started having some contractions. My pain level was around a 4, which is the most painful they've been so far. After two or three I realized that they were kind of close together so I started timing them. They were only TEN minutes apart and very regular. The intensity/pain would vary but it was a constant every ten minute event. This went on for a few hours. I kept debating whether or not I should call the doctor. Some didn't seem so bad, and it was the middle of the night, so I put it off as long as I could hoping they'd slow down.
It turned 3:30 and it was still every ten minutes, and the pain was growing so I caved and called my peri. I got the answering service, but my doctor called me back in like three minutes. I explained it all to her and she told me to get my tush in there. I called my Mom to take me to the hospital (Ed stayed home with a sleeping EJ because he had to work on Friday). I really figured it would be like my normal trips and they'd monitor me for an hour and then send me home.
It was actually a bit different.
As soon as they hooked me up we could see the twins had great heart rates and movements (I was feeling them move all along so I wasn't worried about that). My contractions were actually more frequent than I even felt and a lot strong in intensity. The arcs on the graphs were at the top of the screen and coming every few minutes. They gave me an IV, had me pee in a cup and drew blood. I was there for about three hours when my tests came back normal and my contractions grew farther apart and less intense. Apparently I was dehydrated so I've been ordered to drink 3 liters of water a day. YIKES. How many times will I pee if I drink that much?!? Haha.
My Mom and I got home around 7:30 am and we were both exhausted. I hadn't slept a wink all night. I spent the day relaxing, but I was still contracting and in some pain. We're praying our little twinfants stay put for at least two more weeks (3-4 is ideal) but we're starting to see that might not happen. I've been switched from Lovenox to Heparin as one more preparation/precaution in case I go preterm.
Every day I stay pregnant is a great thing so we're living one day at a time now and I'm resting as much as I possibly can so my body doesn't go into labor any sooner than necessary.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
32w 3d - NST
My NST took almost three hours today. It took soooo long to get both babies on the monitors at the same time, and then stay on for half an hour. In the end, they both look awesome and I'll go back for another NST next week.
I also had an appt with my peri this morning. She told me they won't let me go any longer than 38 weeks so that means I have only 5 and half weeks left to go. I think we're all ready with baby gear, so now I just have to wrap my head around the fact that I'll be bringing TWO babies home (Yes, I've been PG for months and yet it still amazes me that I'm carrying twins).
EJ has no idea how much his life it about to change. He is my little rockstar and I will do everything in my power for him to stay as happy a little guy as he is :)
I also had an appt with my peri this morning. She told me they won't let me go any longer than 38 weeks so that means I have only 5 and half weeks left to go. I think we're all ready with baby gear, so now I just have to wrap my head around the fact that I'll be bringing TWO babies home (Yes, I've been PG for months and yet it still amazes me that I'm carrying twins).
EJ has no idea how much his life it about to change. He is my little rockstar and I will do everything in my power for him to stay as happy a little guy as he is :)
Monday, April 11, 2011
32-week Growth Scan
This is going to be short and sweet...
The twins are doing awesome. Madelyn is up to 3lbs 10oz and Jake is 4lbs 3oz. They are only 14% apart in weight so they're both thriving :)
I start weekly NST's tomorrow and I'm praying my blood pressure behaves!!!!
The twins are doing awesome. Madelyn is up to 3lbs 10oz and Jake is 4lbs 3oz. They are only 14% apart in weight so they're both thriving :)
I start weekly NST's tomorrow and I'm praying my blood pressure behaves!!!!
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