Tuesday, September 27, 2016

28 Weeks Pregnant

Well hello there, third trimester! Time is seriously moving too fast. How am I already 28 weeks pregnant? As of my appointment last week, Baby A was measuring 2 pounds 15 ounces and Baby B was 2 pounds 10 ounces. There is approximately a 10% difference in size between the two but because A has been consistently measuring larger from the start, my doctor assured me there is nothing to worry about. Ultrasound size approximations are notoriously unreliable anyway.

All of a sudden I'm feeling so much more movement from the babies than I ever did before. Knowing their positions thanks to the ultrasound means that I can somewhat differentiate between which baby I am feeling. The best news that I got at my appointment last week was that the babies are both head down. Obviously this doesn't mean that they will necessarily stay in this position but I was still relieved to have Baby B move from his transverse position into something more preferable for delivery.




Babies at 28 Weeks 

Apparently the babies are the size of coconuts this week! My apps all estimate the babies at around 15 inches long and 2.5 pounds, so the measurements taken at my appointment last week definitely put both A and B ahead in terms of size. This is excellent news, especially for twins. I also hit a significant viability milestone at 28 weeks. Babies born at 28 weeks still need help breathing but their lungs have matured to the point where their survival chances are significantly better.


Weight Gain

I had gained another 4 pounds as of my last appointment. My babies were looking great on the ultrasound so I am happy with this number, as was my doctor. This puts me at about 27 pounds weight gain so far this pregnancy, which I am perfectly fine with as I enter my third trimester!


Eating


I haven't had any major cravings or even been all that hungry this week. As the babies grow bigger, my stomach feels smaller. When I eat large meals, I end up regretting it because I feel like I can't breathe. At some point, the babies will "drop," which should provide some relief.



Feeling

I'm officially starting to swell quite a bit and experience the back pain that I knew was inevitable. I still feel pretty well overall but I can feel my energy level starting to fade more and more. Every day tasks are getting harder because of the Braxton Hicks contractions that are pretty much non-stop when I'm not sitting or lying down. I've been experiencing them since about 16 weeks pregnant, which my doctor says is common with twins, but they are much more intense lately.


Sleeping

Sleep? What's that? Josh and I originally thought Asher's difficulty sleeping lately was due to his schedule changes but I noticed his two year molars coming in when I was brushing his teeth the other night. Teething explains his restless behavior at bedtime, as well as his frequent waking during the night. Ibuprofen helps a little bit but he's back to waking up a minimum of 2-3 times a night and usually crawls in bed with us around 6am. It's been rough to say the least, but at least it's preparing us for being up all night with newborns again soon.


Something to Be Happy About


It finally feels like fall in Central New York! We celebrated last weekend by taking Asher to a local pumpkin farm. Asher had so much fun picking out pumpkins, taking a tractor ride, petting the animals, and checking out the hay maze. This is our second year in a row taking him there and I'm thinking we will have to make it an annual tradition.










Something to Look Forward to

We are knocking to do items off our list left and right. Josh has been awesome about making it a priority on the weekends to get ready for the babies and I'm finally feeling like we are getting there. The nursery is almost complete and I am so excited to share photos of it soon!

I'm also pretty sure that we are close to deciding on names for our babies! It has been really difficult narrowing down two names that we love equally, sound good together, and go with our last name. We have gone back and forth a bunch but I *think* we may have a final decision soon. :)

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

27 Weeks Pregnant

This is my last week of my second trimester, which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. I know this is probably a normal feeling, but sometimes I feel sad that my time with just Asher is coming to a close. It feels like the end of a big chapter of my life! I have loved staying home with Asher and being here for all of the nap time stories, snuggles, and big hugs. I love watching Asher grow more everyday. It is strange knowing that our weekdays will no longer just be the two of us when the twins are born. I know Asher is going to be an amazing big brother but I can't help but feel emotional about all of the changes to come.




Babies at 27 Weeks 

The babies are now approximately 15 inches long and over 2.2 pounds each! My various pregnancy apps compare the babies this week to acorn squash, cauliflower, or a bunch of bananas. The babies are currently swallowing amniotic fluid as practice for breathing on the outside, which is pretty cool to think about!

I'm feeling quite a bit of movement all day, but it's hard or me to distinguish between the babies still. I get an ultrasound on Thursday, my first in over a month, and I'm really looking forward to understanding more about their positioning. At times my belly looks really funny because of the two babies in there. It will be visibly lumpy and when I feel around, I can feel larger baby body parts like their heads or bums.


Weight Gain

I won't know until Thursday, but I don't think I'm having any issues gaining weight. I just want to be sure I'm not retaining too much water. I haven't felt too swollen so far this week but it really depends on my activity level and the temperature outside. I mean, why is it still 80 degrees in September?! I am really ready for some cooler fall weather.


Eating

I think my biggest craving lately is grapes. Last week alone, I went through two of the containers of the organic red and green grapes from Wegmans. I did have a little help from Asher but I really couldn't get enough of them! I haven't noticed any other major cravings, though I did come home from the grocery store with some very random purchases today that were definitely not on the grocery list, which I usually stick to pretty closely so I can save time. (Apparently I really needed lime flavored greek yogurt and sea salt dark chocolate caramels too!) 

I am still cooking up a storm lately, which makes me very happy as I see my deep freezer filling up with meals as the weeks go by. Last week, I visited a friend who just had a new baby and made two batches of Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. There was no way Josh and Asher would let me get away with only making them for someone else!


Feeling

I'm still feeling pretty well overall but carrying Asher is becoming difficult for me. I'm not really supposed to be picking him up but there are times when it's hard for me to avoid. Earlier this week, he fell asleep on the way home from the grocery store - a four minute drive - and completely refused to wake up to come inside. I carried him up to his bedroom, but I struggled quite a bit getting up the stairs. Afterward my stomach was as hard as a rock thanks to Braxton Hicks contractions, which start up instantly when I do anything physically demanding. I think it's time to admit my limitations now that my third trimester is looming.

My heartburn has been a bit better this week and my SPD has still not returned. I feel tired and heavy but also surprised at how well I'm still getting around! My gestational diabetes test will occur at my appointment this week. I'm a little nervous because GD is more common with twin/multiple pregnancies and can cause health problems for both mom and babies.


Sleeping

Sleep has been challenging this week but not because of my pregnancy. Asher has been sleeping terribly I think in part due to all of the changes he has been experiencing lately. He recently started up with school two days a week, plus Moms and Kids on Wednesdays, and on top of that, he has also not been feeling very well. Several nights last week he didn't fall asleep until hours after his normal bedtime. It's been rough! Hopefully he starts sleeping well again soon.


Something to Be Happy About

I started my childbirth refresher class this week. I say "I" and not "we" because Josh was in Connecticut so unfortunately, I had to go alone. Despite being awkward and a bit lonely because I was partner-less, it was so nice to spend time thinking about the babies and their impending birth. I especially enjoyed the final portion of the class concentrating on relaxation, breathing, and visualization. It was so calming to be able to spend time focusing on the twins without any outside distractions. It made me realize that I need to take time to do this as often as I can.


Something to Look Forward to


Next week, the childbirth class will continue, as well as a multiples class at the hospital. I'm so interested to find out what this class will entail. I'm also looking forward to meeting some other local moms who are pregnant with twins!

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

26 Weeks Pregnant

All of a sudden I feel SUPER pregnant. When I drop something on the floor, I evaluate how important it is that I actually pick it up. Sometimes I will try to talk Asher into picking it up for me (usually unsuccessfully.) They say with twins you are about two months ahead belly-wise so I'm looking at least 34 weeks pregnant. Needless to say, strangers are perfectly comfortable asking me when I'm due and what I'm having. People offer to help me put my groceries in my car or wait to hold doors for me. My belly button totally protruding (something that never happened in my last pregnancy) and somehow I'm supposed to cook these babies for at least another 12 weeks?!



Babies at 26 Weeks 

According to my handy dandy pregnancy tracker apps, the babies are now about 14 inches long and 2 pounds, each about the size of a butternut squash. An interesting fact for this week is the babies can likely detect light and dark and hear noises like Josh's voice. One of the warnings on the app this week is to watch for preeclampsia, something I am a lot more worried about with a twin pregnancy than I was when I was pregnant with Asher. Apparently preeclampsia is more common with twin/multiple pregnancies and includes a rise in blood pressure, protein in your urine, and rapid weight gain (fluid retention.) Preeclampsia can lead to various issues including prematurely born babies, which is what worries me the most. I wish I could stop worrying about so many things but having two babies in there makes me even more anxious!

I'm feeling movement all the time, but especially in the afternoons and evenings. This is probably due to the fact that I'm much busier during the day. I can't really tell the positioning of the babies, despite how hard I try. Sometimes I feel kicks up near my ribs, in the middle of my belly, or even way down low below my belly button. I didn't get an ultrasound last week, so I'll know more about their positioning after my appointment next week.


Weight Gain

I almost had a heart attack when I saw that I had gained six pounds since my last doctor's visit. I mentioned in my previous post that I was worried I have been retaining water because I have been swelling at times (especially on hot days or during long car rides or periods of sitting down.) When my doctor came in to see me, I immediately started asking questions about my weight gain. Should I be worried? I mean, there is no way I'm eating enough to account for that much weight gain! 

My doctor assured me that especially with twin pregnancies, there are some visits where a higher weight gain will be recorded, usually because the babies went through a little growth spurt. She said we are going to keep a very close eye on my blood pressure and water retention, as well as future weight gain patterns, to make sure it's not something else going on. I have to admit I was pretty worried after this appointment, but I'm trying to just focus on eating healthy and getting enough water for now.


Eating
One thing I have been trying to do this entire pregnancy is start my day with a nutritious breakfast. Usually it is oatmeal with blueberries but sometimes I'll make an almond milk smoothie or avocado toast topped with egg whites. 

I've still been making a lot of dinners (and freezing many extras too!) Last week I made - and also froze - eggplant parmesan with homemade marinara and Skinnytaste's Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken. I also whipped up a few batches of homemade spinach basil walnut pesto for the freezer because our basil plants are getting huge. I hope I still continue to have the energy to cook in the weeks to come but for now I'm taking it day by day. 


Feeling

Most days, I'm feeling exhausted by late afternoon and my back is starting to hurt by the end of the day, which is not surprising considering how big the babies are getting. I'm still functioning okay for the most part though, so overall, I don't have too much to complain about. I feel a lot better than I thought I would at 26 weeks pregnant with twins! No major aches or pains, my SPD has not returned yet, and I'm still (mostly) keeping up with Asher. 


Sleeping

I am still sleeping fine, thankfully! Rolling over from side to side is starting to get extremely difficult but that's about it. I feel really lucky considering at this point in my last pregnancy, I had terrible insomnia and was only sleeping a few hours every night.


Something to Be Happy About

Asher started his two year old program at the local Y this week and it was just so adorable seeing him making new friends. I was a little emotional at drop off, I mean wasn't he just born yesterday?! How is he old enough to go to school? A lot of the other children were crying when their parents left but Asher went over to the shelf and happily began playing with trucks. He didn't even really notice when Josh and I reluctantly left. What a big boy!

Here are some photos from his first day:

          







Something to Look Forward to

We finally started doing some set up in the babies' room over the weekend. We now have two cribs, a changing table, side table, bookshelf, and two lamps. It's definitely getting there! I ordered a bunch of things off our registry, including crib mattresses and baby bedding. I can't wait until it arrives! It definitely makes the twins' impending arrival seem even more real. Asher has also been happily referring to his old room as the baby room which is such a relief! I will put up photos of the nursery as we make more progress in the space. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

25 Weeks Pregnant

These weeks really are flying by! My doctor has said they don't typically let twin pregnancies go past 38 weeks, which means my babies will be here in about 13 weeks. So crazy to think!

I'm starting to a little feel stressed about our car situation, particularly the fact that our current cars cannot fit three car seats. But - we are going to list our Jeep for sale this week and have decided that we are officially buying a mini van. Never thought I'd be a mini van person but I'm actually kind of excited!





Babies at 25 Weeks 

Apparently the babies are now the size of rutabagas, and learning this resulted in Josh and I googling exactly what is a rutabaga. I bet my parents would have known! According to my apps, the babies are each approximately 1.5 pounds and about 13.6 inches long. I was also informed that my uterus is now the size of a soccer ball. Somehow with twins, I'm guessing that it's even larger!

I am still mostly just feeling kicks in the same place in my belly (upper right side, just below my ribs), which makes me think that the babies haven't changed position over the last few weeks. I know it's early on in my pregnancy still, but it makes me nervous that both babies aren't head down and baby B seems quite comfortable in his transverse position. My doctor has warned that the transverse position is even less ideal than breech, so hopefully as the babies get larger, gravity will help pull them into better positions.


Weight Gain

I won't know until after my appointment tomorrow, but I am sure I am gaining weight steadily. My belly feels and looks bigger this week than last week, as evidenced by my protruding belly button. The heat combined with long car rides to/from Buffalo and Canada caused me to swell up quite a bit over the weekend. Hopefully I'm not putting on a lot of water weight like I did when I was pregnant with Asher.


Eating

Not sure how I haven't yet mentioned this but my entire pregnancy, I have been obsessed with bagels. Prior to being pregnant, I never really ate bagels. Maybe once in a blue moon. But I find myself buying several bagels from the bakery at Wegmans every time I'm there. I'm eating bagels with cream cheese and tomatoes, egg sandwiches with avocado, and even just plain bagels toasted with butter. Josh laughs when he seems me unloading the groceries with the inevitable bakery bag of bagels every week. I'm sure the carbs aren't great for me but I can't help but want all. the. bagels.


Feeling

My heartburn is killing me slowly and all the Zantac and Tums in the world aren't making a difference. Someone asked me the other day why it is that pregnancy causes heartburn and I didn't really have an answer because I know some ladies never experience it at all, while others are tortured by it for most of their second and third trimesters. Apparently the old wives tale is that heartburn is associated with hairy babies (definitely true with Asher!), so I've decided that these baby boys must be werewolves.

My SPD has been better the last few days, which is a huge relief. I don't know if the babies shifted positions and took some of the pressure off my pelvis or what, but I was able to walk in the Labor Day parade with Moms and Kids without much pain.


Sleeping

I have been falling asleep way earlier than normal. I'm usually a night owl but lately I'm asleep by 10pm and I'm perfectly okay with it. Asher is still sleeping through the night, which is so refreshing after almost two years of terrible sleep. I think that's why I'm actually sleeping soundly, despite being pregnant. Gotta get my sleep in while I can! Crossing my fingers that these babies will be better sleepers than Asher.


Something to Be Happy About

Josh finished painting the trim in the baby room! I have a serious urge to nest so it will be nice to finally be able to get started setting everything up. It will also encourage me to finally make some decisions about the decor (rug, bedding, etc.) that I've been really indecisive about up until this point. I can't wait to see everything come together!

We also had a great time in Buffalo! Asher absolutely loved staying in the hotel and swimming in the pool. We took trips to the Buffalo Zoo, Niagara Falls State Park, and even a trip to the IKEA in Canada to pick up some things for the nursery. It was so nice to spend some time away as a family before we add two more members in the next few months!

Here are some photos from our trip:







Something to Look Forward to

We realized today that we have absolutely no plans for this weekend, which hardly ever happens. We've been so busy lately that it will be nice to have a low key family weekend. Asher has been begging us to go to the museum (honestly not sure whether he is talking about the Museum of Play or the Ithaca Sciencenter) so we will probably take him at some point. Here's to hoping this weekend includes lots of rest, snuggles, and just hanging out with my guys!