Had an ultrasound yesterday and met with the high risk specialist. She didn't bother checking my cervix this time because she said that they won't try to stop me if I go into labour at this point. So I guess it could happen any day. Eeeks!
The kidney problem with the one baby has not changed. At the last ultrasound it had gotten bigger in proportion with the baby's growth, this time it didn't grow at all since last time while the baby did grow. So this is good.
They are both breech (and have been in this position for at least four weeks) and its unlikely that they'll turn - not enough room in there. So it will likely be a c-section and I'm surprisingly ok with that! It hasn't been scheduled yet, but it will definitely be before the 38.5 weeks mark.
As of yesterday their estimated weights were 5.6 lbs and 7.0 lbs while the average weight for a baby at 34 weeks according to baby.com is 4.75 lbs. That means I'm carrying around close to 13 lbs of baby! No wonder I'm so tired!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
I'm a wimp
Dear hubby and I ran some errands today. Errands are tough on me. Walking or standing for lengthy periods of time leave me in some serious pain. "Lengthy periods" are currently defined as anything beyond about ten minutes. I used to be able to shop and run errands all day and only feel a little tired at the end of the day, now I can't even get through a shopping trip through Costco.
We went to a friend's house this morning and had breakfast with him. No biggie, right? After that we went to the mall, but we only entered one store and we didn't even have to go through the mall to get to the store. We spent no more than 20 minutes in the store and then headed back to the car. When I arrived at the car, I couldn't lift my leg to get in. So I sat my butt down and then tried to get my legs in while I turned my body. Within moments I was in tears and whining "I don't know how much longer I can do this". It was quite pathetic actually, and I am ashamed for being such a wimp.
You see, this pregnancy has brought with it a condition called SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction). Here is a brief description of the symptoms:
We went to a friend's house this morning and had breakfast with him. No biggie, right? After that we went to the mall, but we only entered one store and we didn't even have to go through the mall to get to the store. We spent no more than 20 minutes in the store and then headed back to the car. When I arrived at the car, I couldn't lift my leg to get in. So I sat my butt down and then tried to get my legs in while I turned my body. Within moments I was in tears and whining "I don't know how much longer I can do this". It was quite pathetic actually, and I am ashamed for being such a wimp.
You see, this pregnancy has brought with it a condition called SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction). Here is a brief description of the symptoms:
Pain in the pubic area and groin are the most common symptoms. You may also suffer from back pain in pregnancy, Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) or hip pain. It is common to feel a grinding or clicking in your pubic area and the pain may travel down the inside of the thighs or between your legs. The pain is usually made worse by separating your legs, walking, going up or down stairs or moving around in bed. It is often much worse at night and can stop you getting much sleep. Getting up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night can be especially painful.
The pain almost feels like enormous pressure from the inside. Stepping in and out of my clothes is quite the ordeal, as is trying to turn from one side to the other in bed. So aside from feeling excruciating pain in my pubic area and my hips, I am also very much sleep-deprived. It makes for very challenging days and frustrating nights... and it also makes for a very drained and emotional Anna. The pain kicked in sometime in the second trimester - I would say at least three months ago - and has been getting progressively worse.
Maybe I need a mantra or some constant reminder that this is almost over and my body will be my own again very soon.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Jack and Jill
As already mentioned, we don't know the genders of the babies. Not only that, but we also don't know if they are identical or fraternal. That means we might end up with two boys or two girls or one of each. Although they are in separate sacs, we've been told that the chances of them being identical are very slim, but the possibility still exists.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a total whackjob about being prepared in advance, am the queen of lists, and a total control freak. So how does one prepare for the unknown? I haven't figured that out yet, but I do have more lists than I ever have had for any other event in my life.
There's a to-do list.
There's a what-do-we-need-to-complete-the-nursery list.
There's a what-do-we-need-for-the-first-few-weeks-after-birth list.
There are three what-to-pack-for-hospital lists.
And, of course, there is the list of potential baby names.
Baby names - ah... why must this be everyone's business? I've lost track of how many people have asked me "Have you chosen names yet?" When I was foolish and naive, I actually shared some of the names we were considering with those who asked. I quickly learned that people are idiots who feel perfectly comfortable criticizing my choices. So I decided I would stop discussing any potential baby names with anyone and that they would all learn the babies' names after they're born. At that point, it would be completely inappropriate for someone to say anything negative about the chosen name because it would be too late to change it.
So, for those who are wondering about baby names all I can tell you is that I have certain criteria. The names must be easily pronounced in three languages - English (because their Daddy is an anglophone), French (because we live in Quebec) and Italian (because Mommy and her family are Italian). A perfect example of such a name is my very own - Anna. :)
Suggestions, of course, are always welcomed. However, I feel pretty confident that the names we've finally agreed upon are going to stick. And, let me tell you, it wasn't easy for us to agree on two girl names and two boy names.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a total whackjob about being prepared in advance, am the queen of lists, and a total control freak. So how does one prepare for the unknown? I haven't figured that out yet, but I do have more lists than I ever have had for any other event in my life.
There's a to-do list.
There's a what-do-we-need-to-complete-the-nursery list.
There's a what-do-we-need-for-the-first-few-weeks-after-birth list.
There are three what-to-pack-for-hospital lists.
And, of course, there is the list of potential baby names.
Baby names - ah... why must this be everyone's business? I've lost track of how many people have asked me "Have you chosen names yet?" When I was foolish and naive, I actually shared some of the names we were considering with those who asked. I quickly learned that people are idiots who feel perfectly comfortable criticizing my choices. So I decided I would stop discussing any potential baby names with anyone and that they would all learn the babies' names after they're born. At that point, it would be completely inappropriate for someone to say anything negative about the chosen name because it would be too late to change it.
So, for those who are wondering about baby names all I can tell you is that I have certain criteria. The names must be easily pronounced in three languages - English (because their Daddy is an anglophone), French (because we live in Quebec) and Italian (because Mommy and her family are Italian). A perfect example of such a name is my very own - Anna. :)
Suggestions, of course, are always welcomed. However, I feel pretty confident that the names we've finally agreed upon are going to stick. And, let me tell you, it wasn't easy for us to agree on two girl names and two boy names.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
let me introduce you to them
We don't know the genders of the babies because we don't want to know. So the hospital staff has decided to label them as Baby A and Baby B. I sometimes refer to them as Thing One and Thing Two or Little Monkeys or a bunch of other endearing terms, but nothing has really stuck. So they are Baby A and Baby B.
Baby A (aka The Little One):
- at the 30-week ultrasound weighed 3.75 lbs (average weight at that stage is 3.2 to 3.3 lbs)
- has always been positioned lower in my belly
- has always been closer to my left side
- is currently breech (feet down), but has changed position several times throughout the pregnancy
- I can feel this one's kicks very low in my abdomen - so low that it feels like a foot is going to pop out of my private parts
Baby B (aka The Big One or The Chubby One):
- at the 30-week ultrasound weighed 4.4 lbs (more than a full pound above average)
- has always been positioned much higher than The Little One
- has always been closer to my right side
- has been in a transverse position (sideways) with feet just above my belly button throughout almost the entire pregnancy
- this one moves a LOT and seems to get hiccups much more frequently than the Little One
- this one appears to only have one functioning kidney, but is being a real trooper and thriving wonderfully with just one kidney doing all the work
They both wiggle around a lot and the surface of my extended belly sometimes looks like "the wave" at a sporting event. I must say that feeling them kick and move is the most amazing feeling in the world. I think I'll miss that once they're out in the real world.
I'm definitely looking forward to meeting them - even though I feel like I won't know what to do with them once they arrive. I guess I'll just have to figure it out as we go along. I just hope these two will be patient while their Mamma tries to figure things out.
Baby A (aka The Little One):
- at the 30-week ultrasound weighed 3.75 lbs (average weight at that stage is 3.2 to 3.3 lbs)
- has always been positioned lower in my belly
- has always been closer to my left side
- is currently breech (feet down), but has changed position several times throughout the pregnancy
- I can feel this one's kicks very low in my abdomen - so low that it feels like a foot is going to pop out of my private parts
Baby B (aka The Big One or The Chubby One):
- at the 30-week ultrasound weighed 4.4 lbs (more than a full pound above average)
- has always been positioned much higher than The Little One
- has always been closer to my right side
- has been in a transverse position (sideways) with feet just above my belly button throughout almost the entire pregnancy
- this one moves a LOT and seems to get hiccups much more frequently than the Little One
- this one appears to only have one functioning kidney, but is being a real trooper and thriving wonderfully with just one kidney doing all the work
They both wiggle around a lot and the surface of my extended belly sometimes looks like "the wave" at a sporting event. I must say that feeling them kick and move is the most amazing feeling in the world. I think I'll miss that once they're out in the real world.
I'm definitely looking forward to meeting them - even though I feel like I won't know what to do with them once they arrive. I guess I'll just have to figure it out as we go along. I just hope these two will be patient while their Mamma tries to figure things out.
Friday, September 12, 2008
32 weeks and going strong
I'm just over 32 weeks pregnant with twins. Things have been going well - very well, in fact. I didn't develop gestational diabetes - there's always a high risk of that when pregnant with twins, both babies are growing very well and even measuring bigger than average, and I feel pretty darn good.
This has been a pretty good pregnancy aside from swelling, pain in my joints (particularly my wrists and hips), some spd (symphysis pubis dysfunction = severe pelvic pain) and some sinus congestion. Fatigue is a bit of an issue, but I've been told its just mother nature's way of preparing for sleepless nights once the babies arrive.
The biggest issue and scare has been and continues to be the health of the babies. One of the babies appears to have only one functioning kidney. So far we've been very lucky because overall kidney function has remained normal and there has been no need for medical intervention (i.e. in-utero surgery or delivering the babies early). We'll only really know how bad it is and what needs to be done after the babies are born. In the meantime, they are both thriving - kicking up a storm and letting me know they are happily playing in their mommy's belly.
Being 32 weeks pregnant means that there are 8 weeks to go to my official due date (November 3rd, 2008). However, my doctor repeatedly reminds me that she will not allow this pregnancy to go past 38.5 weeks, which would bring us to October 24, 2008. Although a full gestational period is 40 weeks, babies reach full-term and are fully developed by 37 weeks. So my goal is to try to keep these little monkeys inside and growing until at least 37 weeks, which would be October 14, 2008. That's less than five weeks away. Things are getting very exciting!
This has been a pretty good pregnancy aside from swelling, pain in my joints (particularly my wrists and hips), some spd (symphysis pubis dysfunction = severe pelvic pain) and some sinus congestion. Fatigue is a bit of an issue, but I've been told its just mother nature's way of preparing for sleepless nights once the babies arrive.
The biggest issue and scare has been and continues to be the health of the babies. One of the babies appears to have only one functioning kidney. So far we've been very lucky because overall kidney function has remained normal and there has been no need for medical intervention (i.e. in-utero surgery or delivering the babies early). We'll only really know how bad it is and what needs to be done after the babies are born. In the meantime, they are both thriving - kicking up a storm and letting me know they are happily playing in their mommy's belly.
Being 32 weeks pregnant means that there are 8 weeks to go to my official due date (November 3rd, 2008). However, my doctor repeatedly reminds me that she will not allow this pregnancy to go past 38.5 weeks, which would bring us to October 24, 2008. Although a full gestational period is 40 weeks, babies reach full-term and are fully developed by 37 weeks. So my goal is to try to keep these little monkeys inside and growing until at least 37 weeks, which would be October 14, 2008. That's less than five weeks away. Things are getting very exciting!
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