A Natural Twin Birth, Act 2

Ben, Michelle, the twins, and I moments after Dorothy's birth!

My mom was one of the first family members to come for a visit,

followed shortly by the three older children and the rest of the grandparents.

A proud twin daddy,

and mommy

and two sweet little babies sharing a bassinet.

So I'll pick up right where I left off: I am 38.5 weeks pregnant with twins, it is Christmas morning, and I am feeling exhausted and relieved after a 24 hour painful bout of kidney stones that suddenly seemed to have resolved.  

For just about all of our babies, walking has proved to be a very effective means of bringing on labor.  When I was pregnant with Zosia, we lived in the city and walked everywhere.  She was born after several long walks in and around Boston simply because that's what we did all the time.  When I was pregnant with Lily, I woke up feeling zippy one morning and we walked down to a favorite coffee shop and back (a trip of several miles altogether), hoping it might help naturally bring on labor.  That night I delivered Lily, swiftly and painlessly, on our basement sofa.  The day I went into labor with Hugo I walked a whopping six miles: down to a local elementary school for a used book sale, then down to a favorite burger joint for dinner.  So when, very pregnant with twins, I found myself feeling somewhat desperate to bring on labor, I knew what I needed to do.  

After a leisurely Christmas morning, we called up Ben's parents.  Would they like to have the big kids over for a while so we could go on a walk?  Unlike previous years, where you might find us meandering through the park on Christmas morning with all of the children in tow (of course stopping at the playground and the soccer field for a play break), this year we were on a mission: a long, exhilarating walk that would help start a labor.  Five miles later, all three of us were a bit chilly and totally exhausted.  When I started feeling mild (and gradually stronger) contractions later that evening, back at our house with all of the children tucked into their beds, we were full of hope that the babies were going to be arriving soon.

We arrived at the hospital just before midnight, confident that we were in early labor (after all, we weren't too excited about the prospect of a roadside birth-- with twins).  The nurse was very sweet and supportive as she checked the vitals of the baby and got us settled into our room.  She didn't bat an eye when Ben asked if we could turn out the lights and plug in a single string of Christmas lights.  Our midwife (who happened to be the head midwife of our practice-- a beautiful and skilled woman whose opinion is valued by midwife and ob alike, something that would come in handy later on) came in a little while after midnight to give me an exam, along with our friend Michelle, who kindly agreed to come to the birth as a support to us.

My fingers were crossed that I was at four centimeters, which is necessary in order to be admitted into the hospital.  When our midwife smiled and said I was at eight centimeters, that the baby's head was right there, and that the birth was imminent, I was nothing short of stunned.  Sure enough, my water broke within minutes.  Clara was born at 1:33 with a single push, into a quiet and dimly lit room.  Her wet and newly birthed body was placed on my chest, and I was filled with such a profound gratitude: for her, for new life, for God's incarnation on earth.  It was all intertwined in one powerful emotion.  She was beautiful, strong, and healthy.  Every single prayer had been answered.

And yet we all knew that her birth was only the beginning.  Clara was still on my chest, her umbilical cord pulsing, when our midwife examined me and reported that my cervix was back to being five centimeters dilated.  Now, let me tell you, I didn't exactly realize that this was an option!  I had assumed that once the first baby was born, the second would be born, and we would be all done, just like that.  Here I was, in need of a second labor in order to birth this second baby.  A million questions popped into my mind.  Was Dorothy okay?  Were interventions going to be used in order to speed her delivery?  Would a c-section be required?  I was feeling all of the relief and joy accompanied with the birth of a child, and yet now had to regroup and prepare for a second labor and delivery.

Various medical professionals came through the room.  A pediatrician, an ob, a few more nurses.  And my wonderful midwife, who is so skilled and so calm, was cool as a cucumber.  When Dorothy's heartbeat slowed down a bit, she had me switch positions, and Dorothy's heartbeat picked right back up.   Michelle held onto Clara in her loving arms as Ben stood next to me, encouraging me and tickling my back.  Everyone agreed that Dorothy and my vitals were stable enough that they were comfortable with me continuing a natural labor.

And so we continued.  And I had to take a few deep breaths and regroup.  I was back to the beginning, and needed to have complete mental focus in order to be able to remain relaxed through another labor.  It took all of the concentration and relaxation I could muster, but all I needed to do was to look over at Clara in order to know what I was working for.

About an hour and a half later, I had dilated only slightly more.  It really is a departure from standard hospital protocol to be so patient in waiting for the second twin, and I imagine both my nurse and midwife were aware of the likelihood of a surgical birth.  Truth be told, I knew this was a possibility myself.  Many hospitals have a "20 minute" policy that is strictly enforced with twins, and here we were in our second hour of waiting.  There was an unspoken fear in the room, and I realize now I must have been a little tense.  And anyone who has been in labor before knows that tension is not helpful.  After all, here I was, now lying down on a hospital bed, staring at the monitor through every contraction to ensure that Dorothy was well.  It was stressful!

"Why don't we just relax and take a break?"  my midwife suggested.  I could get up and use the restroom, get off of the continuous monitoring, and regroup.  It was a welcome (and wise) suggestion that I accepted.  I walked around the room, continued with my calm breathing, swaying back and forth through each contraction.

Clara was hungry and eager to nurse.  Would I like to place her on the breast?  Of course, she needed food.  So there I was, in the advanced stages of Dorothy's labor, nursing Clara through my contractions. Breathing, swaying, nursing.  One baby in my arms, the other on the cusp of emerging into the world.

Within moments, I felt that familiar shift in my labor.  Dorothy would be born any moment.  "Okay, Adele, this baby needs to come now," my midwife encouraged.  And she was coming, whether I wanted it or not.  I barely had the time and energy to lie down on the hospital bed when I felt that undeniable urge to bear down. One push later, just as Ben was coming back into the room from fetching some ice, Dorothy was born.  Birthed through the umbilical cord that had been around her neck, possibly the cause of that long second labor. Healthy and vibrant, just like her sister.   Quietly, uneventfully, and on her own time.

As they placed two babies in my arms, I breathed such a huge sigh of relief.  A gentle and natural birth, two beautiful and healthy babies (both seven pounds plus, where the average twin weighs only five and a half!).  I was incredulous, really.  Through my difficult final days of pregnancy, through my uncertainties and fears about the birth, God was so faithful.  We left the hospital after about 30 hours, back to our family, which is really where we wanted to be.  And here's where the real twin story actually begins.

And I should add, if you yourself are pregnant with twins and would like to chat with my about my experience, please don't hesitate to contact me!  There were many points in my labor that felt a bit like a choose your own adventure book, and each one of our decisions proved to be important.  I would be happy to share my experiences with you.

A Natural Twin Birth, Act 1

Twas the night before Christmas.  No, not quite, but almost.  Twas the day before the night before Christmas, and I woke up with an intense pain on my left side.  Intense enough that I called Ben (who had already gone to work) and asked him to come home, because I wasn't sure I could get out of bed.  Now you'll remember at that point I was thirty eight and a half weeks pregnant with twins, and somewhat... uncomfortable?  Swollen feet and legs, difficulty getting around.  You know, just the regular pregnancy annoyances.  But minor discomforts aside, this was different.  Not uncomfortable, but painful, and nothing like labor.  Different.

A couple calls to the midwife, and a few doses of tylenol later, my pain wasn't going away and was increasing in intensity. I tend to be a tough cookie when it comes to discomfort, but no amount of calm breathing or visualization altered the fact that I was in intense pain.   Just past midnight on Christmas Eve, we decided to go into the hospital.  There, we learned that what we suspected was in fact true: kidney stones.  Yes, you read correctly, and yes, it felt utterly unfair to be going through such an ordeal when so incredibly pregnant with twins.

We got sent home on the morning of Christmas Eve with some pain medication, and instructions to drink as much fluid as possible.  It's just one of those things that you have to wait out.  All of our holiday plans went out the window as we realized that I was not going to be able to get out of bed (not to mention that Ben and I had just been up all night resolving the medical issue).  Would I go into labor?  It certainly was possible, as I had been experiencing some contractions for the past few weeks.  Contractions that I welcomed and embraced, because we were feeling ready for these twins to arrive.  But labor on top of kidney stones seemed like too much to handle.  The idea that we could attain the natural, peaceful birth we had hoped for felt like more of an uncertainty than ever.

Many a prayer was offered that night and morning that the babies' birth could be a peaceful and safe one.  A truly desperate, heartfelt prayer that was uttered through tears and discomfort, amid great uncertainty.  When we got home, I was literally doubled over in pain.  As Ben and my parents took care of the older kids, we stayed home, sleeping and resting, and hoping that the pain would pass, but knowing it was quite likely that the worst was yet to come.

Now, I am not one to throw out the idea of a miracle flippantly, but I truly do believe that what followed was miraculous.  That morning I lay down for a nap experiencing what I might describe as the worst pain of my life.  When I woke up I was immediately surprised to feel just a little cramp.  Was it the pain medication?  When I was due for my next dose, I instead just took some tylenol, and my pain decreased even more.  By the late afternoon, I wasn't taking any medicine whatsoever, and my pain had subsided.  I was very pregnant with twins, and somewhat exhausted, but otherwise feeling fine.  It had never felt so good to be thirty eight weeks pregnant with twins.

The kids came home, and my family came over with our traditional Polish Wigilia feast in tow.   We sat down around the table, sharing the Christmas wafer that we share each year.  The wafer is broken and passed from one family member to the next, with a special prayer for that family member for the coming year.  I'm pretty sure that just about every member of the family had the same wish for me: that these twins would arrive safely.  I certainly had to agree.  But oh, I was so thankful.  Not just to be together, but to be feeling better, and right on the cusp of having these babies.  To be able to celebrate the birth of Jesus as a family, and not with me in the hospital.  None of these things had been certainties just a few hours earlier.

We woke up on Christmas morning to squeals of delight and excitement from three little ones, and I woke up realizing I had made it through the night not going into labor. Ben and I... ahem, I mean Santa? made a tent for the kids from a drop cloth and some pieces of wood.  When the kids came into the living room, Selma the dog was asleep inside the tent, to which the children excitedly remarked, "Look!  Santa brought Selma a tent!"  The tent is now Selma's tent, which she generously shares with the children.  We just couldn't explain our way out of that one.  Christmas was simple and quiet, and perfect.  I paused throughout the morning just to give thanks for three grateful children, two healthy babies in my body, and the incredible love Ben and I share with all of them.  

As the morning wound down and the children quietly played with their gifts, Ben and I looked at each other.  Was it time to make these babies come?  Yes.  It definitely was.  We were ready to have these babies, and my body was feeling more ready than ever.  

And that, my friends is where I will leave you until next time (cruel, I know).  I'm off to nurse some babies!

36 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

36 Weeks!  Huzzah, we are here!  This feels like a pretty big week (no pun intended), because all through this pregnancy we have been saying, "Well, we really need to get to thirty six weeks."  And here we are!  While it would be optimal to keep the babies in for a couple more days (37 weeks or bust!), they are essentially good to go.  Anytime now, they can arrive and will likely be healthy, full-term babies ready to come straight home with us.

We had a midwife appointment on Monday, and everything looks great: the babies are growing like weeds, and I was told that I can stop worrying about going into labor.  The babies are ready.  Which means that I am allowed (encouraged, even!) to do anything that I feel like doing, anything that I have energy for, anything that I would normally do.  Oh, this is a huge relief.  Anyone who has severely restricted their activity over a sustained period of time knows what a relief this is.  So I have been bustling around the house, getting things ready for the babies, doing laundry, stocking up the freezer.  It has felt great to be more active these past few days, which gives me the tiniest glimpse into what I imagine I will feel like in the coming weeks once these babies arrive!

Of course these final days of pregnancy pose their own challenges, such as my poor swollen feet, my hands which keep falling asleep (carpel tunnel's syndrome, anyone?) and my complete inability to stand up from a sitting position.  Have you ever seen a pregnant woman balance a glass on her belly?  I could balance a tower of glasses, no problem.  Ben and I got a snack after the midwife appointment and the sweet woman checking us out looked at my belly and, concerned, uttered in her broken English, "Too big!  Twins?"  Yes!  I am officially past looking really pregnant with a single baby and into the realm of looking really pregnant with twins.  I love it.

A couple of times people have asked something to the effect of, "Twin pregnancy is hard, but do you really think that it will be much easier when the babies arrive?"  To which I respond a resounding, "Yes!"  Oh, yes.  There's the fact that we love newborns around here (and have experience keeping them happy and healthy).  There's the fact that I am usually the one in the family with a surplus of energy, and have been needing to take it very easy for the last several months due to the demands of this pregnancy.  And of course there's the fact that we're thrilled to meet these two new people who are about to join our family.  There are parents who gripe and groan about having a newborn around, and I am simply not one of them.  It is thrilling, and challenging, and tiring, and a wonderful adventure.  It is a precious gift, and I look forward to it wholeheartedly. 

Speaking of looking forward to things, my big sister comes home today with her unbelievably adorable bundle of a baby!  Oh, I am so excited!

The Homestretch

Is it just me or are all my kiddos looking so grown up?  I thought that was supposed to happen after the babies are born.  Yikes, I can't even imagine how I'll feel in a couple of weeks.  Seriously, though, Hugo is killing me with his little blazer.  Too cute.  Work it, little man, you look good.

Truth be told, the last couple of weeks, our energy level can most aptly described as.... hibernation?  Thirty five weeks pregnant with twins, I hand it to you, you win.  Partly, we are battling a little cold.  Partly, we are *so excited* to meet the babies.  Partly, Ben has an ear infection and our dog Selma has been very sick, and ick.  

Luckily, our kids are awesome and ebullient and sort of have their own little (fairly civilized) society going on in the household.  And we have been receiving help from many outlets.  And we are just taking things one single day at a time, because we are so close.  My body feels like it's slowly getting ready for the labor, which is great, and we remain optimistic about being able to keep these little babies inside for just a week and a half more (at least) so they're at least 37 weeks before they make their grand entrance.  

Looking at the sweet faces of our three already born babies makes me realize that this is all so incredibly worth it. Swollen feet, sore wrists (what?  weirdest pregnancy related ache yet), tired out husband and all.  This is the homestretch, and we are doing it.

34 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

(two pictures, because I never know what to do with my hands in these!  Hugging the belly?  At my side?  Oh, I make a hopeless model).

We are at 34 weeks, friends!  It is hard to believe, because in truth, I could never really imagine being this far along with twins.  In my lack of experience, twin pregnancy just seemed so incredible and extreme and impossible, really.  It almost seemed like I would turn into a pumpkin at 30 weeks or something.  But in the end?  Being 34 weeks pregnant with twins is really just like being really pregnant with a single baby.  True, I've been idling here for a while (the last few weeks I've just sort of remained really pregnant, and I imagine I will remain here for the next few weeks too).  There are no fireworks, no magical transformations, no exponentially growing belly.  Even more so than with a singleton pregnancy, growth slows way down at the end here, and so I'm just hanging out with two little babies kicking around.  And I've actually found my groove in this, and am pretty comfortable rounding the bend of our final lap.

Blessings of this stage of pregnancy include that I have been sleeping really well, that my appetite has decreased and a normal amount of food feels sufficient, and that since I'm home, I can adjust my activity level if I'm feeling burned out (which, let's face it, is often!).  We saw the babies in an ultrasound last week (with Zosia, my midwife in training), and they are doing wonderfully.  Both nice and big for twins, and just the same size as one another.  And the sonographer predicted that they will both have full heads of hair, which made us all smile (Does anyone remember when Hugo was born?  Our first baby with hair!).  It's so wonderful to think about such concrete things about the babies.

We have been shifting things around in the house (which I'll share as soon as I've taken pictures!), and as of this weekend, I can say that were the babies to come, we would be ready.  They have a crib to sleep in, washed and folded clothing waiting for them, and two carseats ready to take them home from the hospital.  Of course even though we are ready in theory, I would still be utterly shocked for the babies to come anytime soon.  In my mind, we have a few good weeks left of this pregnancy, and we are all occupying ourselves with the Advent in our own family along with the beginning of our liturgical Advent, both of which feel so intertwined this year.

I am focusing in on mentally and emotionally preparing for this birth.  More so than with any of my other births, I am going to need to create a calm and peaceful space for these babies.  That takes breathing, prayer, and a lot of relaxation.  These next few weeks are my time to go deeper into my own birthing body and start preparing for something wonderful.

30 and 31 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

The last few weeks have been flying by!  There's something about being past 30 weeks pregnant that makes birth seem very imminent, especially when it is quite likely that you will not go to 40 weeks.  And here I am, right on the cusp of being 32 weeks pregnant.  The past few weeks have found me craving ice like no one's business, realizing that most of my maternity shirts no longer cover my belly, and starting to think about how to concretely prepare for the birth of the babies.

We had an ultrasound a few weeks ago which showed that Clara and Dorothy are super stars.  They're still measuring within 2% of one another (that's the big worry with twins that share a placenta), and are apparently huge for twins-- and would even be nice and big for singletons.  That's great news, especially considering that our ultrasound came at the end of a period during which I was quite sick, not able to eat very reliably, and worried about the babies ability to grow and thrive.  Ben and I skipped out of the ultrasound knowing that everything is just fine.  It was truly an answered prayer!

 I'm still learning to take it easy, and generally don't realize I'm doing too much until after the fact.  Ben has wisely suggested that I no longer schedule things out of the house, which is quite reasonable considering that we're in the homestretch here and I seem to do much better with the option of lying down for a bit and grabbing a snack.  And of course I'm still doing little things out of the house, like taking Lily to preschool, puttering around the block for a sloooow walk, or taking the girls to a playdate.  And maybe it's because I'm a homebody by nature, or the fact that fall seems to invite one to stay close to the hearth, but I don't mind it!  In fact, the days that the kids and I are staying close to home seem to go most smoothly for everyone.

Ben, on the other hand, has been doing exactly the opposite of taking it easy, as my limited repertoire of activity has landed him with a heavy load of housework.  Things that I've always done easily during the week, like grocery shopping, laundry, housecleaning, and even sometimes meal prep are now often outside of my capabilities.  Evenings and weekends have been  busy for him, and we've been struggling to find a sense of balance.  Between trying to do things more efficiently, letting some things go, and lowering our standards (and accepting help from sweet friends and family members), I'm hoping we'll be able to make it through the next few weeks without burnout on anyone's part.

It is absolutely crazy that the babies could be here as soon as 4 weeks from now!  So exciting!

29 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

29 weeks pregnant!  I can hardly believe it.  Here I am, at the beginning of the third trimester for a singleton pregnancy, and surely a little farther along than that for a twin pregnancy.  This is sort of a big week for twin pregnancies, because theoretically, the babies can be born at any point after 28 weeks and have a great chance of survival (over 90 percent).  Of course we're still planning on keeping these babies in for as long as possible (37 weeks or bust!), but it's good to know we've made it to this point.

The babies' movements have taken on a life of their own, and where I've been feeling them move for months, suddenly I can see them moving from outside of my belly quite clearly, and suddenly it is quite fun to touch my belly and feel their movements.  Ben and I are going in for an ultrasound tomorrow morning and we're both really excited to see the babies, be assured that they're growing well, and see what they're up to.  I'm really curious!

The other week, my aunt brought two tiny little cake topper babies.  "The twins," she explained.  Of course, it was only a matter of moments before the children discovered the new toys, and apparently Hugo spent the rest of the afternoon admiring them and playing with them.  After a while, the girls came by to let me know that Hugo was affectionately calling the two babies Grace and Hugo.  Grace, his really adorable four month old cousin.  And Hugo, because obviously he is still a baby, right?  Hm.  I must point out that Hugo will be significantly older than either of his sisters were when a new baby was introduced to the family, that little baby of mine.

I've been feeling great, and have been balancing celebrating my new found energy with getting the rest that I need.  Come 2 in the afternoon, my body more or less assumes a horizontal position, where I remain for an hour or two because I simply need it.  I totally understand why many doctors advise moms of twins to start their maternity leave at 28 weeks, because I can't quite imagine having to work full time at this point.  Mentally, I can function quite normally, but physically, it just feels better to be lying down.  I spent all of mass squirming and adjusting.  Ben looked at me concerned and asked, "Are you okay?"  Truth be told, it's just not possible to be comfortable in a pew at this point!  And although our church is awesome and I'm sure no one would bat an eye were I to actually lie down (can you imagine?), I think for now I would rather just squirm and wiggle for an hour.

But the good news is that I can rally for a few good hours, during which I can go on little outings with the kids (so long as I know I will be able to sit down once I reach our destination), homeschool, cook interesting things, and do our other domestic chores.  It's wonderful!

And we have definitely settled on some names for these little girls!  I know I've been teasing you with a possible announcement for a few weeks, but I have a feeling it's coming this week!

26 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

I definitely felt pretty accomplished to travel across the country without much drama at 26 weeks pregnant.  It turns out that the stewardesses of the world agree with the cashiers of the world that this is definitely going to be a single boy (I have yet to have a pregnancy when this prediction has not been given to me.  I think it just has something to do with the way I carry babies?).  Given the surprises these babies have had for us, I will just say never say never.  Although I'm still thinking it's probably two girls.

I did manage to make up for my low drama trip with a very dramatic visit to the doctor's office in which I fainted.  Ben and I have had a cold the past week, and after a miserable night, I went in to get a strep test just to be safe.  The test came back negative, but as I was waiting for the results, I suddenly felt really horrible, and fainted on my way to the bathroom.  I seriously felt sorry for the doctor, who seemed much more distraught than I was.  I mean, a woman, pregnant with twins, fainting right there in your office.  It turns out my blood pressure, which is low to begin with, had dropped quite dramatically, probably due to slight dehydration.  Several cups of gatorade seemed to level that out, and one day later I'm feeling just fine and Ben and I are both on the mend, and the babies are still bouncing around, happy as can be.

The kids continue to be quite excited about the new additions to the family, and Hugo in particular has been excited to talk about the "couple" babies in mama's tummy.  Couple (pronounced "cupum" by Hugo) is a catch-all phrase for "many" or "more."  As in, "Couple pop corn!" or  "Couple water!"  which an onlooker might think means "Cup of water," but definitely just means "I need a lot of water."  So yes, there are definitely a lot of babies in mama's tummy, which is juxtaposed to the single baby that is in Hugo's tummy.  We have tried to explain how things really are, but there is no use.  Although this is one of those lessons that time will give.

25 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

Week by week, we are knocking this pregnancy out!  I got to see the babies up close on an ultrasound on Friday, which brings tears to my eyes every time.  They are doing wonderfully.  "Couldn't be better," I believe were the words of the radiologist, which is music to a pregnant mama's ears.  The babies are head down, growing perfectly for their gestational age, and are sharing their nutrients nicely (they are both the same size, which is something they look for with identical twins in particular).  You go, babies!  

These babies thriving is such encouragement to me.  Because, you know, I am starting to feel pretty pregnant. Which is about right, given the fact that I am the same size that I was a month before Zosia was born (evidence below).  So to hear that these babies are doing such hard work (they are growing wonderfully, are in a perfect position, and are sharing nicely with one another) makes me feel like I can do anything.  

And I am actually feeling pretty great.  So great, in fact, that I wish I could run around doing everything I normally do, when in fact I need to stay off of my feet as much as possible or else I end up regretting it later.  All this sitting around makes someone like me, who usually adores being active, just the littlest bit stir crazy.  But if these babies can hold up their end of the bargain, I can certainly hang out and relax for a couple of more months.  We can do this, babies.  One week at a time.

24 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

I can't believe I'm 24 weeks already!  There's something about the likelihood that in 3 months I will be holding two babies in my arms that makes everything seem so very real and exciting.

We are whittling down the name list for the babies, and this will be the first time that we definitively select and share a name before a baby is born.  I can't wait to share the names with you guys!  Guesses are welcome.

I purchased a little wicker bassinet off of craigslist this weekend which luckily looks roomy enough to comfortable accommodate two newborn babies, and have started slowly gathering little things in preparation.  It makes me smile to look into the corner of our room and see a little space readying itself for these babies, and am hoping that by the time I get to 30 weeks or so we will be all set.

And as far as the pregnancy goes, I continue to feel pretty great most of the time, with a few days here and there that I feel slow.  Which is often the case even if I'm not pregnant (with twins!).  The midwives I'm seeing have agreed that as long as everything continues to look as low risk as it is at the moment, there will be no need for me to routinely see the ob, which makes me very happy, because I am thrilled that everything is going well with these babies and I adore these midwives.  

All in all, It's nice to be enjoying this pregnancy, fall in Virginia, and the ease of our family life at the moment.  The kids have all been sleeping in until at least 9:00 (9:00 people!  This is craziness!), which means that I also sleep in and am feeling rested and energetic and peppy.  Which is just right, because we know that a more active season of parenthood is right around the corner!

22 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

There you have it: I've gotten so behind on pregnancy posts that I've just skipped a week altogether.  Here we are, 22 weeks, and I've actually sort of been loving the last couple of weeks of pregnancy.  I have more energy, and after a few weeks of rapid growth (weeks 16-20!  Whew!  I had no idea my belly could grow so much in so short a time!) I've settled into a comfortable pace.  That has also meant that my appetite has curbed a little bit, and once again I am satiated by what seems to be a somewhat normal and manageable amount of food.  In other words, I feel a little more like my pregnant self, which tends to be peppy and energetic and increasingly focused on nesting.

And I have been nesting in full force!  Between knitting, sewing, and shifting household things around for the babies I have been keeping busy.  But all this is just as it should be, as I've heard that those final weeks of a twin pregnancy, when you usually are taking care of all of those things, you really need to slow down and relax.  I'm trying to see how little I can get away with actually buying, and things are looking pretty good.  We have a spare crib in the attic, and between that and a bassinet, I am hoping we will be able to get by until Hugo graduates from his crib this coming spring.  So, aside from a couple of swaddling blankets and a swing (expectant mothers, make sure you have both of these items along with this book.  Regardless of the temperament of your baby, you will be able to keep him or her happy and sleeping well.  As a mother of various babies with various temperaments, I can assure you these techniques work!), I think we're set.

Tomorrow is our first day of homeschooling and I'm super excited!  Sending much love to all of you with little ones starting a new school year: I know it's always an exciting transition.

And Without Further Ado...

we are having identical girls!!

From the very beginning of this pregnancy I have had a SUPER strong feeling that this baby was a girl, and an earlier ultrasound gave us reason to suspect that these two might be girls, so finding out that we're having two girls was just as we had hoped and imagined.  But the identical part?  We had an ultrasound specifically to confirm that the babies were di/di (meaning each had their own placenta) which means that almost always, the babies are fraternal.

But at the end of our ultrasound, the sonographer just casually asked, "And who told you these babies are di/di?"  What followed were phone calls to the radiology center that performed our other ultrasound, a consultation with the head radiologist, and the revelation that our babies are in fact sharing a placenta, evidence that they are definitely identical. Woo hoo! These girls seem to get a hoot out of these little surprises they keep giving us.  

We told our families this weekend with strawberry cake, and we all feel just as happy as baby Grace looks in that last picture.   There is something so magical about identical babies!  I seriously have no idea how we will keep track of them, and Ben is already sure that at some point we will mistakenly switch them (hey, if it happens an even number of times, we're good as new).   The girls claim this is "just as we hoped," since now each of them can have a matching baby (how to explain that newborn twins aren't exactly like new babydolls from the store?  no clue).  And Hugo is beaming from the knowledge that he will continue to be the one special boy.  Which he does so well, but also means he sometimes tries to rough house with my leg out of lack of boys to play with.  This kid needs a nice male cousin to wrestle with (hint hint, sister who makes very cute babies).

So, did anyone guess right?

20 Weeks Pregnant with Twins, or Top Ten Things about Being Pregnant with Twins

This has been a great week for me because I have figured out a couple of things about this twin pregnancy thing: 1) I must eat a lot of protein in order to feel energetic 2) I must eat something, no matter how puny, every. single. hour. in order to feel energetic and 3) I must take prenatal vitamins including iron in order to feel energetic.  After a few very slow, very lethargic weeks, it has been a complete breakthrough to feel some energy again!  It has been wonderful.  So, on this monumental round number of 20 weeks, I thought I would share some things that are pretty great about being pregnant with twins.  Without any ado.....

10.  You immediately skip over that awkward "Is she pregnant, or not?" stage and bound right into fully pregnant mode, which is so much more fun.

9.  You get to join the sisterhood of mothers of multiples, which is a powerful bond!  As soon as you mention you're pregnant with twins, mothers of multiples start to offer you their baby gear, their help, and their advice.  You are officially in the club.

8.  For the first, and possibly last, time in your adult life, you have the license to eat pretty much as much as you are capable of (especially early on), as early maternal weight gain is an important factor in the growth and birth weight of twins.

7.  People immediately offer you a seat, pretty much anytime, anywhere.  Twins are the magic ticket.

6.  You have a really great reason to take a nap every day.  And you won't feel lazy.

5.  You get to feel the babies move earlier, and all the while imagine them having a wonderful time playing around in-utero.

4.  You get to enjoy not only an enhanced baby bump, but other enhanced features aswell (ahem... women who have experienced pregnancy, you know what I mean).

3.  People are so generous when they realize you are pregnant with twins.  We have enjoyed the generosity of friends, neighbors, and definitely family members.  It is a gift to be the recipient of such generosity, with the hope that we will be able to repay it in the future.

2.  You get to enjoy the health benefits of having twins, including a longer life!

1.  You get two babies out of this whole thing!  Yes, your body is doing a lot of work, but being pregnant with twins is nowhere near twice as hard, and you end up with two new little members of your family.  This is totally the bargain of a lifetime.

And we have some exciting news to share with you later this week.  Our twenty week ultrasound gave us a little surprise!

19 Weeks Pregnant with Twins, or, One Hat, Four Ways

I think it's safe to say that quite likely, I am over half way through this pregnancy.  I think we will be quite pleasantly surprised if these babies make it to 38 weeks, let alone 40.  It sounds like 36 is considered to be pretty good.  So, here's to half of a pregnancy completed!  Way to go, babies.  Keep on growing.

Tomorrow morning we will find out a little more about the babies, and get to see their wiggly little bodies on the ultrasound screen, which is always a treat.  I still get a kick out of the idea that there are two little babies inside of me.  And speaking of kicks, I have been feeling quite distinct movement, almost entirely on one side of my pelvis or the other.  Which makes sense, since these babies are lying side by side.  The funny thing is that one babies movements don't seem to really impact the activity level of the other.  Can you imagine being pressed up against a wiggly person just your size and sleeping through it?  Talk about sound sleepers!  I suppose this is why many twin parents swear by putting the babies to sleep in the same crib for the first several months, because, I mean, these kiddos are used to it.

I have been trying to figure out logistics for when the babies arrive, which I imagine is better done now than when I am so abundantly pregnant that it is impossible.  Zosia's bedtime prayer each night is something to the effect of, "and I pray that mommy and daddy will know how to take care of twin babies."  Amen to that!  Where will everyone sleep (feeling quite thankful that we have four bedrooms which will accommodate everyone comfortably)?  Where are the newborn clothes, and do we have enough for two?  And, this might seem totally crazy since it is August,but I have actually been brainstorming Christmas presents with the knowledge that with early December babies I will want to have that all lined up in advance.  Besides, it's always fun to daydream about Christmas in the middle of summer.

Fingers crossed that next week I will have some more exciting details available (gender reveal, anyone?)!  

18 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

 

Hi there!  We're embarking upon a little adventure, but before I slip way behind in my pregnancy updates (I'm already behind a week) I thought I would fill you in on this last week of pregnancy!  These babies are growing and moving prodigiously.  Which makes sense, because I am also slowing down at an equally impressive speed.  I'm doing my best to let these babies set the pace, which can be tricky, let me tell you, especially when you're used to being an ambitious and capable young adult.
 When my body tells me it's time to rest, I have learned that it's time to rest, or else I end up regretting it later.  When it's time to eat, it's time to eat.  No questions asked.

In most regards, the children have been better tended to than ever, because I suddenly posses complete understanding of their own physical limitations.  We take frequent rests, frequent snacks, and a nice long afternoon rest.  It's actually a great learning experience to feel as they must most of the time.We are learning to take it easy, and enjoy one another's company in the midst of it.

Which brings me to our current adventure which (for better or worse) has involved quite a bit of excitement and activity!  But I will fill you in on all of that soon, maybe tomorrow.

Happy Monday!

17 Weeks Pregnant With Twins

Wow, 17 weeks feels totally unworthy of an entire post.  I think I would describe it as ho-hum and uneventful, one of those weeks that I really feel like this could just be a singleton pregnancy, and there have even been moments that I forget that I'm pregnant!  But then I will bump into something with my belly, or feel the babies kick, or have some other joyful reminder that I am never really alone, but always in the company of two (!) sweet little babies.

Last week when Emily was in town, we went to one of my favorite consignment stores in the area and bought outrageous vintage Hawaiian dresses.  I am pretty much a sucker for any outrageous dress, but this combination was particularly seductive, and I was tickled to see that it worked as a maternity dress.  I am definitely loving the fact that in the summer I can skirt around maternity clothes (no pun intended) and wear dresses all the time.  Which leaves me wondering how I am going to swing being pregnant with twins in the wintertime.  Snuggie, anyone?

(oh, and pardon the absence of my very favorite battalion of little people.  If we don't take a picture directly before church on Sunday morning, then things deteriorate and I usually find over half of the kiddos naked, or covered in mud, or naked and wearing a tutu and covered in mud: I'm looking at you, Hugo.  One of these days we'll be that family that is ready for church with half an hour to spare and still arrives early, but for now we'll settle for just getting there).