Birth story

I have thought of updating this blog many times, but had not found the time to do it and when I looked at it, I realized that it had been longer than I thought since I last posted an update. So, this is the birth story which is long overdue.

The weekend of December 7th, we got the first snowstorm of the season and I informed my co-workers that the babies would not arrive over the weekend because of the weather. I simply would not allow it. On Saturday, I lost my mucous plug and by Sunday, my contractions were more regular, though not enough to warrant a trip to the hospital. Still, something just felt different at that point, and I decided to call the doctor the next day.

Monday morning came and I was still feeling like something was up, so I called my OB's office. I talked with the triage nurse because I didn't think it was an emergency and she was just as stumped as I was about my symptoms. She paged the doctor on call (it wasn't my OB, but it was her partner) who was also intrigued. I was asked to stop by the hospital and pack my bags as if this was the real thing "just in case." I was going to be hooked up to monitors just to see what was happening.

I left work (yes, I went to work that morning) and headed home to pick up DH and my hospital bag. The whole trip to the hospital consisted of me complaining that it wasn't time to have babies yet and they were just going to send me home, so this was a wasted trip.

We arrived at the hospital and headed to the 4th floor (OB floor) where we were sent to a triage room to be hooked up. As usual, the nurse who was trying to get the babies set up on the NST had nothing but trouble. Finally, a more seasoned nurse came in and took over, but even she had trouble keeping Baby B on the monitor. We eventually got enough readings to find that when I was having contractions (which were getting more and more regular), Baby B's heart rate would drop dramatically from the 160s to the 80s. When my OB arrived, she took one look at this information and said that we would be having the babies today. I sent DH into the hall to start making phone calls. He called my office to tell them I wouldn't be back after all, called our families and talked to the nurses about our insurance.

This is when everything started happening very quickly. All of a sudden, the anesthesiologist was in the room to get consent forms signed and to give me an epidural. My OB was in the middle of working with another patient, so another OB, Dr. Stahl, came in the room to introduce himself and take over my case. He did give me the option of trying induction for vaginal delivery, but recommended C-section because Baby B was in distress. Epidural was placed and I was wheeled into the OR.

Everyone was so friendly! By the time DH got into the OR, they had already cut me open. I didn't feel a thing, which was very strange to me. I expected to feel something, even pressure, but it just wasn't there. Baby A came out first and DH got to announce that we had a little boy. Declan Turner White was born on 12/9/14 weighing 6lbs and was 19 inches long. A minute later, his sister, Piper Ainsley White was born weighing 4lbs 5oz and was 18 inches long. Both were whisked away to be cleaned up as I was being sewn back together. Piper was taken to another room to be cleaned up because she was the one in distress and needed extra tests. Blood was found in her stool and in her mouth and there was concern that she had some health issues. We got to see them both before they were taken to the nursery.

I was wheeled into my hospital room eventually. It was hours before we were able to see the babies again. They finally allowed us to go to the nursery to see them. Declan was a cute little guy who was doing very well, but needed some extra observation. The babies were born at 34 weeks, 6 days, so they were still considered preemies. Piper was being transferred to a different hospital for more tests, so I got to see her and touch her, but not hold her.

The next few days were a blur. I quickly got into a routine with Declan of visiting/feeding every three hours and bonded with him quickly. DH would drive to the other hospital where Piper was every day to visit her and deliver breast milk. Finally, Piper returned to the hospital with her brother on day 4. I was discharged on that day (was kept one extra day because of blood pressure and because the babies were still there). Piper was doing well and it was thought that she had simply swallowed some of my blood just before delivery and that her own body was fully developed and functioning well. She was put in the nursery next to her brother.

Day 4 was by far, the hardest day for me. I cried all day long because I had to go home for the first time and wasn't going home with my babies. We would go home at 8pm and be back at the hospital by 10am (if not sooner) every day. On December 17th, we got to room-in with the babies as a trial before bringing them home. Declan was up all night long which made for some exhausted parents. However, we got to take our babies home on December 18th.

In one week, they will be 4 months old. Their first three months of life have gone by so quickly. Every day, the change a little more and I have never been so in love as I am with these two amazing people. They have slept through the night since 2 months of age. They smile and chatter with us and they have such a great routine. I cannot wait to see what they will become as they grow, but I am also sad to say goodbye to each day as they change so fast.

Babies are almost here!

I passed my 3 hour glucose test with flying colors. Everything was in range with every single blood draw. This was a HUGE relief for me because although my A1C early in my pregnancy was nice and low, putting me in the low risk category for gestational diabetes, diabetes does run in my family and I have PCOS, so I am technically at higher risk anyway. Gestational diabetes is considered "no big deal" in pregnancy because it is easy to treat, but it only further adds to the risk of developing diabetes later in life. That is what scared me. I have worked hard over the past few years to lower my risk as much as possible and this would have been quite a blow to me. So glad to know that I'm still healthy and that my pancreas is doing what it is supposed to do!!!

My doctor had requested that I have another CBC done because my white blood count was slightly elevated the last time. She wasn't concerned, but wanted to see what it looked like. Well, my numbers rose again. Still, I'm within an acceptable range, but they are now watching it more closely to make sure it doesn't keep rising. I'm not that worried about it, but hoping it really is nothing to worry about.

I hit the 30 week mark this week. I only have about 7 more weeks left if I make it to my evacuation day (the day in my mind that will be the last day I will allow myself to be pregnant). I have been getting lots of braxton hicks contractions, but of course it is completely random and it is still just a bit too early for these babies to be ready to enter the world. They have to hang in there for at least 4 more weeks before OB will be okay with them making an appearance. Most days are no big deal, but I do have some rough days with back pain and pressure from these heavy babies, so I am slowing down a bit more than I had been before.

OB appointment tomorrow to meet with a new doctor. Hoping I like this one, but I know that none will quite compare to the amazing one that I had before. I miss her already!

Testing

On October 8th, I will officially hit the 26 week mark of this pregnancy and there is no doubt that the large, low bump I am sporting is a pregnancy bump. It is obvious enough that people are feeling more comfortable bringing it up to me. When they find out I have twins in there, they get even more chatty about it.

Also on October 8th, we have an OB appointment complete with an ultrasound. These are now happening every 2 weeks (officially), so we will be getting LOTS of pictures of our little ones as they continue to grow. This is also the day I "get" to do my glucose tolerance test. I am REALLY not looking forward to this, but it must happen. I just hope that I can keep down the nasty stuff on an empty stomach long enough to complete the test and that I don't have to repeat it again down the road. In the meantime, I am working on completing a 24 hour urine test today. Lots of tests this week!

I get the rest of this month with my OB, then I have to switch. I do have appointments scheduled with each of the others so I can decide who I want, but I dread having to make the switch this late in the game. I am officially in my third trimester (especially since I am not "allowed" to go past 38 weeks with these twins), so the babies are growing very big very quickly and our appointments are happening much more frequently. This is the time when I need to have a really good OB to support me, so I am sincerely praying that I will fall in love with one of my "options" just as much as I have enjoyed my current OB.

Aside from scores of testing in the next couple of days, we finally got signed up to do our hospital tour. I was hoping to also get enrolled in some prenatal classes, but there don't appear to be many available right now. Hopefully it will pick up soon, or I will just seek some online. I am such an advocate for patient education that I feel like I need to be as prepared for this childbirth business as possible.

Two peas in a pod

This past weekend was my baby shower, put on by my sisters and my mom. The shower itself was fun, decorations lovely, food was tasty, and the guests were generous. All in all, it was a good day. The weather was even perfect for it!

The day before my shower, we had an OB appointment. My sister got to join us and was excited to get to hear those two little heartbeats. Baby B kicked the doppler a couple of times, which was fun. Baby A (per tradition) was squirming around to avoid the doppler and we managed to catch the heartbeat only for a few seconds before the baby found a good hiding spot away from the doppler. :)

OB gave us the bad news that she is leaving the practice and moving to another office 30 minutes north. She gave me a hug and said we could follow her, but since our trip was already 45 minutes, she recommended that we just stay at the practice and she would have one of her colleagues take over my care after she leaves in a few weeks. It was difficult news because we had grown pretty close to her and absolutely LOVED her as a doctor.

Today, we are officially 23 weeks along in this pregnancy and DH and I are celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary. What a great day!

Two babies!

"Two babies" is the phrase I hear from my sister almost every time we have a conversation. my 2 year old niece now does the same. These are the most recent pictures of our little blessings and things look good. Baby A is a little smaller (actually, Baby B is a little bigger), but both appear healthy and are developing nicely.

  Baby B is a thumb sucker and it was the cutest thing to watch as its little arms were over its head and covering its face until finally it found its thumb and all was well with the world again. We opted for the genders to be a surprise, but we have a pretty good guess about them at this point. My husband tells me every day that he can't wait to meet them in person. I agree, but at the moment, I am enjoying their active little kicks and punches and flips. Pregnancy is amazing!

Side effects I continue to deal with these days include hiccups (STILL!!) and issues with food. I certainly get hungry, but nothing sounds good. I eat, but am full almost immediately because there isn't much room in there. I am pleased that my earlier food aversions have basically ceased and I am once again able to stomach sweet treats like ice cream and chocolate (though I still watch it on this stuff). Also, sleeping is a bit of an issue. about 3-4 nights out of the week, I wake up between 2 and 3am and find myself to be wide awake for a solid 2-3 hours before I am able to fall asleep again. This is NOT typical for me as I am usually a solid sleeper. I guess it must be practice for after the babies are born.

Our most recent OB appointment was a lot better than the previous one. At this one, no concern was made about my weight. She appears to be okay with it given the development of the babies. Also, my blood pressure was within normal range at the appointment, so no medication just yet. I am still to monitor it at home and will return in 3 weeks for another check. She also mentioned something about wanting to do another ultrasound to check on growth in the next month, so I'm looking forward to that as well. At 19 1/2 weeks, I was measuring at 30 weeks compared to a singleton pregnancy. My OB believes I will get HUGE and asked if I was prepared...as if I have a choice. I think I can do this though and she agrees. She commented on how good things looked and how pleased she was at this appointment, so I am feeling much better in general about how things are progressing.

We got new windows in the bedrooms yesterday, so the nursery is no longer drafty. It remains mostly empty since we removed all the furniture and make a downstairs living space to make room for these little ones. Our shower is in a couple of weeks and our nursery (and house) will likely be overflowing with lots and lots of baby stuff. From there, we will assess our needs and start adding furniture and other baby essentials as we are able. As this pregnancy goes on, I am getting more and more excited!

Still going strong

This was a photo of our babies at 12 about weeks gestation. Twin "A" was chilling at a different angle than its sibling, so its view is of the top of its head, but twin "B" gave a nice profile shot for this one. I had intended to do a better job of chronicling this pregnancy, but alas I have let the ball drop so far. This picture was taken a month ago, so in a couple of weeks, we'll have a new picture to post of even bigger babies!

After an initially rough start to pregnancy, things have been much smoother. My first trimester, I had almost no nausea, but I had terrible gas until about 12 weeks. I stopped fitting into my clothes at about 9 weeks, but my bump really started showing at about 13 weeks. Second trimester symptoms have included some heartburn and daily hiccups. Also, it is becoming noticeably more difficult for me to get off the couch or out of bed. It takes much more effort, which is shocking to me because I don't feel like it should be that difficult already. Trips to the bathroom are a little less frequent than they had been a few weeks ago (for now). I have more energy, but get more winded when I do things.

My first OB appointment was scheduled at 12 weeks, but because my doctor got called away to deliver 2 babies, we were rescheduled for the following week. Fortunately, I was still able to get my ultrasound and blood work taken care of, so by the time we did get to see my OB, the test results were back and she was very pleased with how everything looked. It was a HUGE relief to know that she was okay with my weight gain of 2lbs in a week, that I am at low/no risk for gestational diabetes, and my blood pressure is good so far.

Tomorrow will be the official 17 week mark in my pregnancy and I swear I have felt some movements occasionally since about week 15. This morning, I distinctly felt some movement and I am looking forward to being able to feel even more. What I really can't wait for is when my husband will be able to feel and see the babies moving. He kisses them every night before I go to bed and tells them goodnight. It's so sweet!

We officially broke the news of our twins on Facebook. It was initially a passive announcement, noting that we are starting our pediatrician search and wanted some recommendations. While our close friends and family have known for quite some time, there were several of our FB friends who didn't have a clue. We have been getting lots of congratulations messages from people since the big announcement. It never ceases to amaze me how genuinely excited people have been for us, not only because of our pregnancy after years of infertility, but because we are having twins! While I would be lying if I said I was not excited, I live with it every day and know we have several more weeks to wait until we meet these blessings, so I am not jumping up and down with excitement as much as some of our friends and family have been. I told my husband that it makes me feel good to know how excited others are for us, which perhaps makes me feel less like bopping up and down myself. Also, our infertility journey has been so long and so physically and emotionally draining. I feel so very blessed to be pregnant after all we have been through to make this happen, but I feel like it wasn't like, "Surprise, you're pregnant! Bet you didn't see that coming." It feels more like, "It's about time, geez!" Of course, my husband and I are the only ones who really understand this feeling we both have. We are VERY excited, but just overwhelmed at how much it took to get to this point. Last night, we agreed that it would be amazing if we were able to get pregnant on our own after this, or with much more minimal treatment (if we even want to try again someday).

This has been a long road and I am so glad we have finally had some success. I pray every day that our babies continue to be healthy and that I continue to be healthy and that all goes well. Our official due date remains January 14, 2014 a this time, but we are still expecting these two amazing blessings to appear before the close of 2013.

First picture

This ultrasound was done at 8 weeks, 0 days. It was our first ultrasound and our last appointment with RE before being released to the OB.

We have 2 babies growing (baby B is a little fuzzy in this, but everything looks good). Both babies looked good and had great heartbeats.

I have spent the 8 week mark with a cold complete with laryngitis, so it took me a couple of days before I had enough of a voice to call to schedule the first OB appointment which has been set to occur when I am 12 weeks along with these babies.

My family and the few friends who know are excited. Actually, my sister who has kids is over the moon. Every day, she tells me what she is saving for me from her own collection of baby stuff and she has already told me that she is getting stuff together for my baby shower. Baby shower...my mom suggested we do this in September when my sis is in town, so it is still a few months away. I appreciate her excitement. I was excited when she was pregnant too, but she is topping the charts with her enthusiasm.

Other than the cold, I have been managing fairly well since the OHSS. It took a couple of weeks for the swelling to subside, but I am finally able to wear some of my clothes again for the moment, though I am again outgrowing them at this point.

Since this is my first pregnancy, I am not sure what to compare it to, but there really hasn't been a day that has gone by that I haven't felt something...round ligament pain, cramping, soreness, something to remind me that there are amazing things happening inside me right now. I'm going through that mix of excitement and terror with my emotions, but overall I am enjoying this.