I've talked about some of the perks I can foresee to having twins (despite so many scary possibilities...especially the plans the hubs has to teach them how to trick people into thinking they are the opposite twin), but this is perhaps one of the most exciting:
http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_c2#/video/us/2013/02/22/ra-pkg-sylvester-power-of-touch.hln
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
How low can you go?
I have not yet fulfilled all of the stereotypes of pregnant women. I haven't sent the hubs out on midnight runs for food...or any other time of day for that matter. I've not blown a gasket and cursed anyone out. I've not burst into tears at random and been unable to talk off of the ledge.
But I have reached some serious lows.
I've broken some rules of etiquette that are not really spoken aloud, but instead understood. Some basic social mores have been disregarded.
For instance, I've recently begun reducing the amount of dishes/utensils I use to eat. I'm not eating with my fingers (yet), but I've eliminated the need for a bowl in a couple of scenarios.
Canned fruit......Insert fork. Enjoy.
But I have reached some serious lows.
I've broken some rules of etiquette that are not really spoken aloud, but instead understood. Some basic social mores have been disregarded.
For instance, I've recently begun reducing the amount of dishes/utensils I use to eat. I'm not eating with my fingers (yet), but I've eliminated the need for a bowl in a couple of scenarios.
Canned fruit......Insert fork. Enjoy.
Or cereal.....who needs a bowl and spoon? When you're at the tail end of a box of cereal, remove the bag, pour 1/2 a mouthful of cereal into your gullet straight from the bag, chase with a small bit of milk, chew, swallow and voila! Breakfast of champions (and lazy bachelors I hear)!
Want a good bit of something, but feel greedy saying the exact amount out loud? Just waddle to the cashier/waitress, rub your belly a little and watch as your vague and seemingly benign request for "several of/a handful of/extra" turns into a delivery of excess. Check out what McDonald's did to my decaf coffee when I asked for extra cream and sugar!
That was an exciting morning, to say the least :)
Also inspired by McDonald's, I've discovered that pouring your fries straight into the bag makes it so much easier to eat without spilling as you drive down the road.
Lately, my dignity has taken a serious nose dive. Where I previously wouldn't be so willing to burp out loud, it seems difficult to contain at times...even slipping out while I speak. It was embarassing at first, but I've grown accustomed to it, and it seems the hubs and my coworkers have, as well. They don't even react when I burp midsentence and continue on with my thought without skipping a beat.
In the past, I would have taken a moment's pause to consider my audience and surroundings before scratching, but now, not so much. If it itches, I scratch it.
My threshold for embarassment has certainly changed, too. In a past life, I wouldn't be caught dead blowing my nose in public. But that happens all the time now - because my nose runs all the dadgum time! I've also taken to sticking tampons up my nose to stop nosebleeds....even sporting them (without the strings, of course) at work or while driving down the road.
Nice walrus look, huh?
It looks crazy, I know. But they work! They're super absorbent!
Though I've claimed to not have any bizarre cravings, it can't be said that I've not tried some gross/weird things that I wouldn't have considered otherwise. In my defense, these aren't things that I dreamed of or craved ahead of time...I merely stumbled upon them and seized the opportunity, so to speak.
I can now recommend fritos with whipped cream. During Christmas dinner my corn chips got doused with whipped cream when my dessert toppled over onto them. Rather than looking at them in disgust, I figured "Meh.....why not?"
Turns out, they're pretty tasty!
I can also confirm that the floating clumps of yellow in the top of the chicken noodle can are quite delicious. While I was sick, I opted for a home remedy in addition to gargling warm salt water - chicken soup. As I opened the can of Campbell's, I noticed the little bits of liquid gold and surprisingly wasn't repulsed by them as I would have been in the past. Instead, I was intrigued.
Turns out, those fatty floaters are pretty tasty, too.
I have not resorted to sucking the jelly off the top of vienna sausages yet.
But come to think of it, that sounds pretty appealing, too.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Two heads are better than one
The shock of knowing that we are expecting twins is still very present for me, but I have to say, it's much less paralytic nowadays. The hubs and I have even begun looking at reasons why "two heads are better than one". Here are a few:
-Because we live in the country they'll have a playmate.
-No need to invite friends on vacations to entertain our kids...they'll entertain each other!
-They're both girls, so we can have 1 birthday party with 1 theme and 1 cake.
-When they're of driving age, we won't have the means to purchase a vehicle for them, so they'll need to do it themselves. But they can each save for 1/2 the cost of the car!
-They can share clothes and accessories!
-They can hold each other accountable (& keep each other's secrets, no doubt).
-Chores and cleaning up their room will take half the time!
-Maybe they'll have that "twintuition" that so many multiples experience and be able to sense trouble and help out in emergencies like Lassie did.
-They can help each other with homework.
-They can paint each other's non-dominant hand during manicures. Who doesn't need someone to do that?!
Though they'll be a pair, the hubs and I have no intentions of treating them as a package deal on all accounts. We don't intend to select rhyming names, or even names with the same initials. No plan to put them in the same outfits every day. We hope very much to foster their individualness as best we can.
With all this said, the coolest perk that I can foresee to there being TWO of them is this: They'll always have each other.
How cool is it to know that you enter the world with an extra person, aside from your mom and dad, who has your back? Even if she's occasionally kicking you in the head in utero?!
-Because we live in the country they'll have a playmate.
-No need to invite friends on vacations to entertain our kids...they'll entertain each other!
-They're both girls, so we can have 1 birthday party with 1 theme and 1 cake.
-When they're of driving age, we won't have the means to purchase a vehicle for them, so they'll need to do it themselves. But they can each save for 1/2 the cost of the car!
-They can share clothes and accessories!
-They can hold each other accountable (& keep each other's secrets, no doubt).
-Chores and cleaning up their room will take half the time!
-Maybe they'll have that "twintuition" that so many multiples experience and be able to sense trouble and help out in emergencies like Lassie did.
-They can help each other with homework.
-They can paint each other's non-dominant hand during manicures. Who doesn't need someone to do that?!
Though they'll be a pair, the hubs and I have no intentions of treating them as a package deal on all accounts. We don't intend to select rhyming names, or even names with the same initials. No plan to put them in the same outfits every day. We hope very much to foster their individualness as best we can.
With all this said, the coolest perk that I can foresee to there being TWO of them is this: They'll always have each other.
How cool is it to know that you enter the world with an extra person, aside from your mom and dad, who has your back? Even if she's occasionally kicking you in the head in utero?!
Here we grow
Here's a catalogue of weekly photos of my ever-expanding waistline and a quick log of things going on at the time:
As a base of comparison, here's a pic before I was knocked up...actually the weekend I got knocked up. The hubs and I are on the far right.
Very surprisingly, the bump emerged pretty early...starting around 11 weeks. At this time, I was constantly sick. No real cravings to speak of other than sleep. I was living on Boost vanilla shakes, Sprite and saltine crackers. Zofran was fairly effective during my last pregnancy, but didn't touch the nausea this go round. Phenergan helped keep me from actually vomiting this time, but didn't relieve the nausea itself. Because it made me so drowsy, I was only able to take 1/2 a tablet at a time...except at night, when I would take a 25 mg and pray for a few hours of continuous sleep. I did my best to refrain from taking anything at all, but some days I needed all the help I could get to put my feet into my underwear and make it to work. Around this time, I was prepping for my matron of honor duties in my best friend's wedding to be held on Dec. 15th.
On Dec. 15th at approx. 13 weeks, I managed to make it zipped into my dress, which was ordered long before I was pregnant, and through an entire day of wedding festivities in heels and without throwing up...that is, until I left the wedding and then barfed all over the bottom of my dress in the parking lot. It was fun up until then, though!
Also at 13 weeks, I felt movement for the first time!
On Christmas day, I managed to go an entire 24 hour period without vomiting! It didn't last beyond that day, but the frequency of yakking decreased somewhat - much to my relief.
At 15 weeks, I was ballooned enough in the midsection to have to rubberband my pants with each wear. Throwing up was less frequent, but not completely gone. You could count on me throwing up at least once each day and often more. But it sure beat the constant vomiting that I experienced earlier. And I craved FRUIT around the clock. My progesterone shots began at this point. Ouch.
It was also at this time, that I tried on my first pair of maternity pants. I didn't buy any that day, hoping to put off any purchases until absolutely necessary. But I got my first taste of the "kangaroo pouch".
At 18 weeks, we learned that we are expecting twin girls who are more than likely identical, though this is something we won't know with certainty until after they're born and DNA testing is completed. Truthfully, we probably won't incur the extra expense of testing. What's the point? They're twins. They're girls. What more does the world need to know?
At 19 weeks, cravings weren't something huge, but movement was. I could feel them both move regularly. In fact, they seemed to show dietary preferences already! One loved all things milk, while the other loved all things sugar...hence their silly nicknames of "titty baby" and "sugar baby". Even without strong cravings, I still accepted any donations of fruit. A surprise to me has been my distaste for meat and vegetables - two things which previously dominated my diet.
At 20 weeks, I began to eat much more regularly - waking up in the middle of the night to raid the fridge for huge glasses of milk and strawberries. The girls were both weighing 11 oz. each at that point, and I was measuring 30 weeks! The u/s techs were able to tell us with fair certainty that spina bifida and Downs syndrome could be ruled out. Ultrasound pics showed that the girls had changed positions once again and were lying horizontally in my innards with their feet toward each other's heads. We were even able to see what appeared to be one kicking the other in the head.
Also at 20 weeks, I began playing music for the girls pretty regularly. Their ears have reached their final position and they're able to hear muffled sounds. I read to my students at work, so it's safe to assume they hear me while I'm doing that. But at night, I hook up the head phones and take requests from the hubs - Bob Marley, AC/DC, Ray Lamontagne, & James Taylor have been constants so far. And sugar baby moves to the music more than titty baby does. I really should stop calling her titty baby. Suggestions for another nickname that shows her love of milk?
At 21 weeks, my shots continue on. My cravings are not specific. I just like to eat! Fruit is still a favorite. I'm about 12 lbs. heavier than my average weight. I'm under strict instructions to not do anything other than go to work. I'm doing my best to avoid threats of bed rest by not lifting or pushing anything heavy. Admittedly, sometimes my patience gets the best of me and I do something myself rather than wait for help. Inevitably I'm met with reproach from the hubs. I can notice an obvious difference in my posture and my flexibility. Reaching for items on the ground requires some serious yoga poses. Putting my underwear on is quite the circus act! But the chicas are moving constantly and the hubs can finally see it for himself when I put something on my belly and they make it bounce.
At 22 weeks the musical training continues....I'm trying to expose them to a variety of music. So far, their preference remains hip hop, or so I assume from their kicking. But, trust me, they're getting exposed to lots more than just Ludacris and Outkast. Jim Croce, The Eagles, The Band, Alice 'n Chains, Metallica, Eric Church, Taylor Swift (I'm somewhat ashamed to admit this one), Pink, Florence & The Machine, Adele....you name it. I'm trying to cover the spectrum.
I'm up 15 lbs from the start. Not terribly thrilled about this, but considering I'm still measuring a 30 week preggo, I'd say it's not too bad. The twins are weighing 1 lb and 1 lb 2 oz respectively. They're back to positioning themselves head to head again...at least there won't be any kicking each other in the face for a little while. Cravings aren't specific or bizarre. No midnight requests for pickles and ice cream, Taco Bell or sauerkraut. I still love fruit. I still love chocolate. I'd say the biggest change is that I just think about food more often than I have in the past.
Sleeping without a snack break doesn't happen. I'm up at least once each hour of the night....most frequently for pee breaks that are totally unproductive, a few times for muscle cramps in the craziest of locations (Ever had a cramp in your ankle??? I don't recommend it), and at least once for a glass of milk. Milk has been my favorite beverage by far. But I'm drinking my fair share of coffee each day, too....decaf of course. However, I haven't completely given up caffeine. I'll have the occasional coke. Admittedly, I don't drink enough water. Some, but not enough. Must improve.
The body hair rages on....my stomach officially looks like a kiwi though much less tan. I'm still counting 2 chins, but fear a third is on its' way. My progesterone shots continue on. They're no less painful and no less itchy. I still feel the need to scratch like crazy on the cheeks where I get my shots. Aside from the growing front hump, the most obvious physical difference I've noted is the development of my "side impact air bags" as I like to call them. They're two mounds of fluff I've developed on my sides toward my backside, just behind my hip bones - about where I get my shots. Exactly where I itch like crazy. These two fatty deposits did not exist before my pregnancy and they did not exist before my shots. But they're here now. I hope they disappear after the kids arrive, but if they linger, at least they'll serve as leg rests for the two babies I'll be carrying on my hips.
Perhaps the most notable change is my attitude. I've been fearful (as has the hubs) that the grizzly bear in me would emerge. So far she's still in hibernation mode. I have had moments of moodiness, but they all centered around being sick - I was treated with a 3 day z-pack for some sort of infection a couple of weeks ago. I felt horrible...headache, sore throat, cough, congestion, you name it. No amount of saline neti pot treatments or acetominophen provided any relief. And after several days of feeling badly, I was ill as a hornet. Thankfully, I recognized it well enough in advance and warned the hubs that a grizzly with a mean front hump was on the loose in our house and he might want to consider having another beer with the boys before returning home during my consciousness.
But my attitude has changed in other ways - it seems for the better. I'm getting slightly more enthusiastic about getting to know these 2 little ladies. I'm still cautious and waiting for the rug to be pulled from beneath my feet sometimes. And I'm no less fearful of what the future holds for me and my family. My concerns about premature labor, infants with complications, time lost from work without pay, medical bills, zero knowledge of breast feeding or infant care, etc. loom on. I still worry about those things. But quickly trailing each thought of distress is a replay of my husband's words: "You'll be a great mom, La", "Don't worry, I've got your back. I can change diapers blindfolded", "We will figure it out, babe", "It's just money....they're printing it every day", "We will not be homeless and we will not be hungry, love....the rest is just stuff".
And right behind that replay is a prayer of thanks - thanks that I get to do this with him and not someone else who could so easily cave from the pressure (even though I want to dig a hole somedays and push him in it), thanks that I have an amazing set of parents and family and friends who are thrilled with the new additions and reassure me that this is a blessing and not a burden, thanks that I have maintained my health to date and so have these babies as best we can tell, thanks that somehow, someway we've managed to get by. It hasn't been easy. But somehow we've managed.
In fact, we've been able to purchase (or have donated) the basic baby needs thus far for no more than $200 out of pocket. Heaven forbid I go into labor any time soon. But if I did, it's comforting knowing that we've got car seats and bases, a crib, a dresser, a chest, and a glider so far. We've got enough newborn diapers to get us through a couple weeks. We've got some onesies on standby. We've got enough to get us through the first few days at home before we'd have to run out to the store and get other stuff. The majority of this has been donated by friends and family. The rest, we've purchased at consignment and thrift stores.
And speaking of.....this new baby bargain binge has become quite the adventurous challenge for the hubs and myself. We are determined to see how much we can do to prep for these 2 with the least amount of money. He's in the process now of refinishing the nursery furniture and he's a meticulous man on a mission. It's pretty exciting to watch, I have to admit. Here he is working on the dresser after sanding all of the old paint away.
I guess what I'm learning through all of this is that "everything is going to be okay". It's not going to be easy - it definitely hasn't been so far. And it won't be the same. But it will be okay. With prayer, with the awesome support we've received from family and friends, plus our insane stubbornness as a team, I trust that the hubs and I will figure out how to handle all this...even if it means just controlling the chaos somedays. But some way, somehow, everything will be okay.
As a base of comparison, here's a pic before I was knocked up...actually the weekend I got knocked up. The hubs and I are on the far right.
Very surprisingly, the bump emerged pretty early...starting around 11 weeks. At this time, I was constantly sick. No real cravings to speak of other than sleep. I was living on Boost vanilla shakes, Sprite and saltine crackers. Zofran was fairly effective during my last pregnancy, but didn't touch the nausea this go round. Phenergan helped keep me from actually vomiting this time, but didn't relieve the nausea itself. Because it made me so drowsy, I was only able to take 1/2 a tablet at a time...except at night, when I would take a 25 mg and pray for a few hours of continuous sleep. I did my best to refrain from taking anything at all, but some days I needed all the help I could get to put my feet into my underwear and make it to work. Around this time, I was prepping for my matron of honor duties in my best friend's wedding to be held on Dec. 15th.
On Dec. 15th at approx. 13 weeks, I managed to make it zipped into my dress, which was ordered long before I was pregnant, and through an entire day of wedding festivities in heels and without throwing up...that is, until I left the wedding and then barfed all over the bottom of my dress in the parking lot. It was fun up until then, though!
Also at 13 weeks, I felt movement for the first time!
On Christmas day, I managed to go an entire 24 hour period without vomiting! It didn't last beyond that day, but the frequency of yakking decreased somewhat - much to my relief.
At 15 weeks, I was ballooned enough in the midsection to have to rubberband my pants with each wear. Throwing up was less frequent, but not completely gone. You could count on me throwing up at least once each day and often more. But it sure beat the constant vomiting that I experienced earlier. And I craved FRUIT around the clock. My progesterone shots began at this point. Ouch.
It was also at this time, that I tried on my first pair of maternity pants. I didn't buy any that day, hoping to put off any purchases until absolutely necessary. But I got my first taste of the "kangaroo pouch".
At 18 weeks, we learned that we are expecting twin girls who are more than likely identical, though this is something we won't know with certainty until after they're born and DNA testing is completed. Truthfully, we probably won't incur the extra expense of testing. What's the point? They're twins. They're girls. What more does the world need to know?
At 19 weeks, cravings weren't something huge, but movement was. I could feel them both move regularly. In fact, they seemed to show dietary preferences already! One loved all things milk, while the other loved all things sugar...hence their silly nicknames of "titty baby" and "sugar baby". Even without strong cravings, I still accepted any donations of fruit. A surprise to me has been my distaste for meat and vegetables - two things which previously dominated my diet.
At 20 weeks, I began to eat much more regularly - waking up in the middle of the night to raid the fridge for huge glasses of milk and strawberries. The girls were both weighing 11 oz. each at that point, and I was measuring 30 weeks! The u/s techs were able to tell us with fair certainty that spina bifida and Downs syndrome could be ruled out. Ultrasound pics showed that the girls had changed positions once again and were lying horizontally in my innards with their feet toward each other's heads. We were even able to see what appeared to be one kicking the other in the head.
Also at 20 weeks, I began playing music for the girls pretty regularly. Their ears have reached their final position and they're able to hear muffled sounds. I read to my students at work, so it's safe to assume they hear me while I'm doing that. But at night, I hook up the head phones and take requests from the hubs - Bob Marley, AC/DC, Ray Lamontagne, & James Taylor have been constants so far. And sugar baby moves to the music more than titty baby does. I really should stop calling her titty baby. Suggestions for another nickname that shows her love of milk?
At 21 weeks, my shots continue on. My cravings are not specific. I just like to eat! Fruit is still a favorite. I'm about 12 lbs. heavier than my average weight. I'm under strict instructions to not do anything other than go to work. I'm doing my best to avoid threats of bed rest by not lifting or pushing anything heavy. Admittedly, sometimes my patience gets the best of me and I do something myself rather than wait for help. Inevitably I'm met with reproach from the hubs. I can notice an obvious difference in my posture and my flexibility. Reaching for items on the ground requires some serious yoga poses. Putting my underwear on is quite the circus act! But the chicas are moving constantly and the hubs can finally see it for himself when I put something on my belly and they make it bounce.
At 22 weeks the musical training continues....I'm trying to expose them to a variety of music. So far, their preference remains hip hop, or so I assume from their kicking. But, trust me, they're getting exposed to lots more than just Ludacris and Outkast. Jim Croce, The Eagles, The Band, Alice 'n Chains, Metallica, Eric Church, Taylor Swift (I'm somewhat ashamed to admit this one), Pink, Florence & The Machine, Adele....you name it. I'm trying to cover the spectrum.
I'm up 15 lbs from the start. Not terribly thrilled about this, but considering I'm still measuring a 30 week preggo, I'd say it's not too bad. The twins are weighing 1 lb and 1 lb 2 oz respectively. They're back to positioning themselves head to head again...at least there won't be any kicking each other in the face for a little while. Cravings aren't specific or bizarre. No midnight requests for pickles and ice cream, Taco Bell or sauerkraut. I still love fruit. I still love chocolate. I'd say the biggest change is that I just think about food more often than I have in the past.
Sleeping without a snack break doesn't happen. I'm up at least once each hour of the night....most frequently for pee breaks that are totally unproductive, a few times for muscle cramps in the craziest of locations (Ever had a cramp in your ankle??? I don't recommend it), and at least once for a glass of milk. Milk has been my favorite beverage by far. But I'm drinking my fair share of coffee each day, too....decaf of course. However, I haven't completely given up caffeine. I'll have the occasional coke. Admittedly, I don't drink enough water. Some, but not enough. Must improve.
The body hair rages on....my stomach officially looks like a kiwi though much less tan. I'm still counting 2 chins, but fear a third is on its' way. My progesterone shots continue on. They're no less painful and no less itchy. I still feel the need to scratch like crazy on the cheeks where I get my shots. Aside from the growing front hump, the most obvious physical difference I've noted is the development of my "side impact air bags" as I like to call them. They're two mounds of fluff I've developed on my sides toward my backside, just behind my hip bones - about where I get my shots. Exactly where I itch like crazy. These two fatty deposits did not exist before my pregnancy and they did not exist before my shots. But they're here now. I hope they disappear after the kids arrive, but if they linger, at least they'll serve as leg rests for the two babies I'll be carrying on my hips.
Perhaps the most notable change is my attitude. I've been fearful (as has the hubs) that the grizzly bear in me would emerge. So far she's still in hibernation mode. I have had moments of moodiness, but they all centered around being sick - I was treated with a 3 day z-pack for some sort of infection a couple of weeks ago. I felt horrible...headache, sore throat, cough, congestion, you name it. No amount of saline neti pot treatments or acetominophen provided any relief. And after several days of feeling badly, I was ill as a hornet. Thankfully, I recognized it well enough in advance and warned the hubs that a grizzly with a mean front hump was on the loose in our house and he might want to consider having another beer with the boys before returning home during my consciousness.
But my attitude has changed in other ways - it seems for the better. I'm getting slightly more enthusiastic about getting to know these 2 little ladies. I'm still cautious and waiting for the rug to be pulled from beneath my feet sometimes. And I'm no less fearful of what the future holds for me and my family. My concerns about premature labor, infants with complications, time lost from work without pay, medical bills, zero knowledge of breast feeding or infant care, etc. loom on. I still worry about those things. But quickly trailing each thought of distress is a replay of my husband's words: "You'll be a great mom, La", "Don't worry, I've got your back. I can change diapers blindfolded", "We will figure it out, babe", "It's just money....they're printing it every day", "We will not be homeless and we will not be hungry, love....the rest is just stuff".
And right behind that replay is a prayer of thanks - thanks that I get to do this with him and not someone else who could so easily cave from the pressure (even though I want to dig a hole somedays and push him in it), thanks that I have an amazing set of parents and family and friends who are thrilled with the new additions and reassure me that this is a blessing and not a burden, thanks that I have maintained my health to date and so have these babies as best we can tell, thanks that somehow, someway we've managed to get by. It hasn't been easy. But somehow we've managed.
In fact, we've been able to purchase (or have donated) the basic baby needs thus far for no more than $200 out of pocket. Heaven forbid I go into labor any time soon. But if I did, it's comforting knowing that we've got car seats and bases, a crib, a dresser, a chest, and a glider so far. We've got enough newborn diapers to get us through a couple weeks. We've got some onesies on standby. We've got enough to get us through the first few days at home before we'd have to run out to the store and get other stuff. The majority of this has been donated by friends and family. The rest, we've purchased at consignment and thrift stores.
And speaking of.....this new baby bargain binge has become quite the adventurous challenge for the hubs and myself. We are determined to see how much we can do to prep for these 2 with the least amount of money. He's in the process now of refinishing the nursery furniture and he's a meticulous man on a mission. It's pretty exciting to watch, I have to admit. Here he is working on the dresser after sanding all of the old paint away.
I guess what I'm learning through all of this is that "everything is going to be okay". It's not going to be easy - it definitely hasn't been so far. And it won't be the same. But it will be okay. With prayer, with the awesome support we've received from family and friends, plus our insane stubbornness as a team, I trust that the hubs and I will figure out how to handle all this...even if it means just controlling the chaos somedays. But some way, somehow, everything will be okay.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Running out of womb
My doc introduced me to a new concept at my last visit: the difference between gestational age in chronology and size. For example, I'm 20 weeks along now and the twins are each measuring a few days more than that themselves. But because of the double occupancy, I'm measuring 30 weeks according to my uterus and belly.
On the one hand, it scares the bejeezus out of me that I've gotten so big so quickly. What will the next 20 weeks look like? Can I make it that far?
On the other, I'm quite proud that I've managed to grow as well as I have...more like the twins have grown so well (they're both weighing 11 oz!)...without gaining any more than 10 lbs. and considering that I stayed so sick for the first 16 weeks.
I've literally gone from the appearance of a girl with no preggo eggo to what looks like a chick 7 months along in just a few weeks! I went from coworkers who had no clue I was pregnant one week to thinking I was ready to pop the next. I'm packing a mean front hump these days.
It's an incredibly surreal feeling to have your body and appearance change so drastically so quickly. The only comparison I have is how you don't recognize yourself when passing your reflection in a mirror after coloring your hair. I have the same sensation each time I pull back the shower curtain after bathing. Who is that swollen naked chick in my bathroom?! The hubs and I need to have a conversation!!!!!
The doc has me on progesterone shots through week 35 with the hopes of getting my uterus to expand beyond 40 weeks in measure.....preferably around 46. We're hoping that I'll overgrow on the inside in order to provide more cushion for the twinks to bake longer - overcompensation via overexpansion, if you will.
Of course, Octomom has proven that the body is capable of stretching much further. The problem lies with the cervix. Almost like the subfloor in a house - if it's weak with good materials on top of it, it cannot sustain increasing weight without support.
With this in mind, I'm resolved to stop picking up things that are even slightly heavy. I'm not going to be bending over to pick things up that aren't absolutely necessary. Doc has told me that exercise beyond going to work is not an option. I will probably still try for the occasional leisurely stroll around the block, though. I will be wearing a belt beneath my belly to help relieve whatever pressure I can. I will take the lectures from the hubs about what I can and cannot do.
These things are incredibly difficult for me considering I'm quite the independent person. It makes me feel lazy to not do for myself. But I do not want bed rest. I do not want to be hung upside down by my heels. I do not want premature babies. I do not want to spend countless hours in NICU. And I do not want to have to reinforce my weak subfloor (aka cervix) with stronger floor joists (aka cervical cerclage - surgery to sew the cervix shut)
Prayerfully, I won't have to do any of these things.
Prayerfully, I won't run out of womb.
Then these two kiddos can save the arguments over personal space for the day when they realize they have to share a bedroom and a car....not just a uterus.
On the one hand, it scares the bejeezus out of me that I've gotten so big so quickly. What will the next 20 weeks look like? Can I make it that far?
On the other, I'm quite proud that I've managed to grow as well as I have...more like the twins have grown so well (they're both weighing 11 oz!)...without gaining any more than 10 lbs. and considering that I stayed so sick for the first 16 weeks.
I've literally gone from the appearance of a girl with no preggo eggo to what looks like a chick 7 months along in just a few weeks! I went from coworkers who had no clue I was pregnant one week to thinking I was ready to pop the next. I'm packing a mean front hump these days.
It's an incredibly surreal feeling to have your body and appearance change so drastically so quickly. The only comparison I have is how you don't recognize yourself when passing your reflection in a mirror after coloring your hair. I have the same sensation each time I pull back the shower curtain after bathing. Who is that swollen naked chick in my bathroom?! The hubs and I need to have a conversation!!!!!
The doc has me on progesterone shots through week 35 with the hopes of getting my uterus to expand beyond 40 weeks in measure.....preferably around 46. We're hoping that I'll overgrow on the inside in order to provide more cushion for the twinks to bake longer - overcompensation via overexpansion, if you will.
Of course, Octomom has proven that the body is capable of stretching much further. The problem lies with the cervix. Almost like the subfloor in a house - if it's weak with good materials on top of it, it cannot sustain increasing weight without support.
With this in mind, I'm resolved to stop picking up things that are even slightly heavy. I'm not going to be bending over to pick things up that aren't absolutely necessary. Doc has told me that exercise beyond going to work is not an option. I will probably still try for the occasional leisurely stroll around the block, though. I will be wearing a belt beneath my belly to help relieve whatever pressure I can. I will take the lectures from the hubs about what I can and cannot do.
These things are incredibly difficult for me considering I'm quite the independent person. It makes me feel lazy to not do for myself. But I do not want bed rest. I do not want to be hung upside down by my heels. I do not want premature babies. I do not want to spend countless hours in NICU. And I do not want to have to reinforce my weak subfloor (aka cervix) with stronger floor joists (aka cervical cerclage - surgery to sew the cervix shut)
Prayerfully, I won't have to do any of these things.
Prayerfully, I won't run out of womb.
Then these two kiddos can save the arguments over personal space for the day when they realize they have to share a bedroom and a car....not just a uterus.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
On top of the muffin top
It goes without saying that you're going to gain weight while pregnant. You're supposed to do that - within moderation, of course.
Doctors suggest a healthy 30 lb gain for single pregnancies. I've been warned that I can expect a 50 lb gain with twins.
But these are the ideal figures....many women are known to put on 60 - 75 pounds with single pregnancies. So you can imagine my fear as the numbers on the scale climb each week. I'm really scared of gaining too much.
I'm not a slight person. Never have been. I've always been an average size girl in most ways - size 7.5 shoe, size 10 pant, medium t-shirt and so on. Where I've differed is in my bust and hips. As the hubs likes to say, "I've got junk in the trunk and under the hood" - though it's hardly issued as a complaint. Thank goodness, too, because I have zero interest in cleaning out the trunk or the hood. I could always use some toning up and the loss of some gratuitous love pounds I've put on since being in a relationship (What can I say? The boy can cook!), but I am not now nor have I ever been interested in being what people consider thin. It's just not who I am.
Uncomfortably overweight is also not who I am, so I'm not okay with gaining so much during pregnancy that I can't get it off within a reasonable amount of time after birth. So far, at nearly 19 weeks, I've gained 10 lbs. Sounds scary to me, but everything I've read tells me to expect an average scale jump of 10 lbs. through the first 20 weeks. And I keep reminding myself that I'm carrying 2 babies, each measuring and weighing what the average single fetus would at this point, and thankfully so.
Despite the extra baggage, I've managed to keep on wearing most of my pre-preggo clothes so far. I have started wearing leggings sometimes and some maternity shirts because they're longer and can cover my rubberband rigged pants....but hey, I'm still in my old pants!
Doctors suggest a healthy 30 lb gain for single pregnancies. I've been warned that I can expect a 50 lb gain with twins.
But these are the ideal figures....many women are known to put on 60 - 75 pounds with single pregnancies. So you can imagine my fear as the numbers on the scale climb each week. I'm really scared of gaining too much.
I'm not a slight person. Never have been. I've always been an average size girl in most ways - size 7.5 shoe, size 10 pant, medium t-shirt and so on. Where I've differed is in my bust and hips. As the hubs likes to say, "I've got junk in the trunk and under the hood" - though it's hardly issued as a complaint. Thank goodness, too, because I have zero interest in cleaning out the trunk or the hood. I could always use some toning up and the loss of some gratuitous love pounds I've put on since being in a relationship (What can I say? The boy can cook!), but I am not now nor have I ever been interested in being what people consider thin. It's just not who I am.
Uncomfortably overweight is also not who I am, so I'm not okay with gaining so much during pregnancy that I can't get it off within a reasonable amount of time after birth. So far, at nearly 19 weeks, I've gained 10 lbs. Sounds scary to me, but everything I've read tells me to expect an average scale jump of 10 lbs. through the first 20 weeks. And I keep reminding myself that I'm carrying 2 babies, each measuring and weighing what the average single fetus would at this point, and thankfully so.
Despite the extra baggage, I've managed to keep on wearing most of my pre-preggo clothes so far. I have started wearing leggings sometimes and some maternity shirts because they're longer and can cover my rubberband rigged pants....but hey, I'm still in my old pants!
The weight gain is worrisome with twins, but that's not all that has my nerves on edge.
In addition to the dreaded "muffin top" on my waist line, I've encountered a number of other unpleasant pregnancy symptoms. I've already told you about the asteroids so I'll spare you the rerun....suffice to say, they still frequently come and seldom go (painfully so).
The relentless hunger strikes in the middle of the night are also irksome - despite being able to eat throughout the day now that the vomiting has subsided, I constantly feel hungry. Conveniently, it hits a peak in the middle of the night....usually around 2 am.
Sadly, I'm already awake most of the night because I have to pee. What is perhaps the most annoying about these frequent pee breaks is that the need to go seems so urgent that it wakes me from sleep, but when I actually sit down on the toilet, I manage to let out only a trickle. What gives?! I woke up to pee for 5 seconds!? I would've sworn I had a 2 liter in my bladder when I blindly waddled into the bathroom! That kind of performance isn't even worth the toilet paper!
If the stomach and bladder discomfort weren't enough to jar me from slumber, the muscle cramps surely are. Any time I move in the night to reposition (which is getting increasingly difficult with my growing front hump) I get insane cramps. For now, they're isolated to my toes, calves and thighs, but I'm told to expect the charlie horses to spread to other areas. Oh joy.
The hair growth on my chinny-chin-chin has resumed....and I have only one chin less than that description. I'm praying I don't develop a third layer of chin. I've always had blonde fuzz on my skin, but now the fuzz on my abdomen is getting darker...just in time to complement the line that's just starting to form down my middle! I'll look like an ewok before you know it. Oh joy.
And then there are the nosebleeds. They started around week 17. Having never bled from the nostrils before, this symptom took me by alarm. One day I sneezed in the shower and within moments of looking toward my feet noticed pink water in the tub floor. Having miscarried before (around the same time of pregnancy and same time of year no less) my stomach lurched at the thought that I was repeating that nightmare again. Quickly looking between my legs I caught the glimpse of a red drop falling from my head. After putting my hands to my face I realized that my nose was bleeding - very thankful it wasn't my hoohah.
I've had a couple more nosebleeds since that experience, but I've learned with each one how to stop them quickly. The tiny bit of research I've done tells me that nosebleeds are fairly common in pregnancy due to the changing nature of mucus membranes, predominantly the cervix, but also the nasal cavity. It has something to do with increased progesterone in your system (and I'm getting even more with the shots). The changes result in greater blood flow to those regions ergo more potential for bleeding - especially if you've had a cold or dry sinuses, both of which I've been blessed to experience recently. Perhaps this also explains why some mom's noses get fat during pregnancy?
Speaking of colds, one of the biggest challenges I've found in this pregnancy has been racing to chew and swallow my food before I run out of breath. As I said earlier, I stay hungry. I eat around every 3 hours. I'm not ever able to eat large amounts at a time, but if I don't eat something within a certain time frame (which oddly resembles a bottle feeding schedule...me thinks these kiddos are behind this little arrangement) I start gagging and wretching. My poor kids at school have become trained to grab the trash can and bring it near when I start making that noise during story time. Bless them.
Having thrown up so much at the start of this journey, the barfing is a routine I have down pat. But eating with a stopped up nose is quite a challenge. Complicating the matter is the fact that I'm slightly neurotic. I'm fearful whenever I can't take regular breaths....I was never that kid that enjoyed having contests to see who could hold their breath the longest in the deep end. No sir. Not me. I'd forfeit the contest within 10 seconds as images of my dying brain cells screaming from oxygen deprivation swirled through my head, pushing me dramatically to the water's surface like a breaching whale. Having grown accustomed to superglue in lieu of snot, I've been operating like a mouth-breathing Neanderthal all the time. It's not attractive to do this, I know, but it really doesn't get the best of me until it's time to eat. And then it's a race to chew my food and swallow it as quickly as I can so that I can take another breath. I can't stand when people chew with their mouths open, which would be the obvious solution to this problem, but I can't bring myself to do it....unless I'm eating steak. Have you ever tried to chew and swallow a piece of steak in 10 seconds or less? It's not easy, trust me. It's no wonder that I feel winded after eating....this little 10 second chew/swallow/breathe sprinting routine is quite the cardio workout.
And to make matters worse, I have the privilege of getting shots in my arse regularly - and the hubs gets to do the honors. My doc prescribed progesterone shots to help relax my uterus enough to accommodate the twinkies and hopefully prevent preterm labor. The shots aren't that bad really, but being the nut job that I am I work myself into a tizzy leading up to them.
Then there's the lovely rash that appeared overnight and won't go away either. Doesn't look contagious and thankfully not in areas of my body designed for public consumption anyway. But it makes it very difficult to scratch all the itches without looking like I have fleas in inappropriate places. My house nurse (aka the hubs) says it's just some type of contact dermatitis and blames it on either the variety of lotions that I'm slathering all over my growing front humps or the material in some of the clothes that I'm wearing. I, however, have a different theory and it ends with the rash being his fault. I find it very curious that he has always had incredibly sensitive skin, while I've never struggled with skin sensitivities before his progeny took up residence on my insides.
Come to think of it, I guess you could say that all of this stuff is really his fault. The nausea, vomiting, fatigue, swelling, nosebleeds, congestion, peeing, cramps....all of the stuff on top of the muffin top started with him and his super sperm.
But then those little kicks I get to feel throughout the day would be his fault, too.
Can't get mad at him for those....they're too fabulous. They're reason enough to call a truce.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)