Meadows Family: December 2012

Well since I last wrote, we have had lots going on, lots completed and now we are in the final stage of getting our twin girls here! As a matter of fact, tomorrow I will be 37 weeks (full term) for twins and we are planning an induction on the Wednesday, 12/12/12. I have a doctor's visit in the morning and we will see what has progressed (at my visit last Wednesday I was 2 cm dilated, 50% effaced) and then go from there. The doctor on Wednesday told me that I was "totally induceable" and we are already scheduled for the induction on Wednesday! After the last two days and plenty of contractions, I can't say that I am so set on Wednesday and if she gives me the option of tomorrow or Wednesday, I may take tomorrow! We are just so ready to meet our girls and get on with our new normal! As you can see from reading this, things are pretty normal, like any other pregnancy, but a few weeks ago, we weren't so sure everything was "normal."

I have been going weekly for about 4 weeks now and I had noticed that for a couple of weeks I had been measuring the same which immediately had me wondering but the doctor never seemed concerned so I tried not to let the thoughts slip into my mind. I was still measuring weeks ahead of where I was (normal for twin pregnancies) so I just thought I was getting a lucky break and not getting the HUGE belly that I had dreaded for a while! Well when I went in for an ultrasound on November 19 (3 weeks ago tomorrow), they did a growth scan (they are conducted every 4 weeks) and they determined that "Baby A" was much smaller than "Baby B." Their weights were "A" at 3 lbs. 8 oz. and "B" at 4 lbs. 7 oz. At our previous growth scan (4 weeks before this one), they were at a 15% discordance and they said that there was no real "concern" unless the discordance got up to 20% and above. Well at the scan on Nov. 19th the discordance between the girls was exactly 20%, 400 grams. Well I knew that that meant more watch and so they scheduled me to start coming twice weekly for non-stress tests and once a week for dopplers on the girls (their brains, hearts and bellies) to make sure that everything was going well. Now, immediately I thought the worse because that is what I do! I could see on the ultrasound with my naked eye that there was a large (or what seemed large) size difference in the girls. After going into our doctor that following week, she reassured us that this could be nothing but that it would do no one any good if we didn't monitor it because there was a possibility of it being something. She did let us know that 400 g is not a huge difference and that if the discordance had been 18 or 19% then we would not be having the conversation. I don't know if I have ever mentioned how much I love our doctor, but she is a wonderful woman and knew exactly how to ease my nervousness about the whole situation. Now, we had already deemed that "Baby B" was the stinker in the group and that she was a lot like her brother and she has proven herself over! She is the "chubby" one and is extremely obstinate when it comes to non-stress tests and staying on the monitor! "Baby A" continues to show that she is like her sister, the smaller one, pretty obedient and just goes with the flow. It will be interesting to see how their intrauterine characteristics play out when they get here.

So, I started going in for non-stress tests the Friday after Thanksgiving and "Baby B" proved obstinate and it took us about 15-20 minutes for us to find her and get her to stay on the monitor! After we got both girls on and they both proved reactive, we were released and everything looked good. My appoitments were scheduled for every Monday and Thursday and on each non-stress test and doppler, the girls have done great! On our non-stress test last Monday they had to do an ultrasound to see the girls' positions and they were both head down! I am really hoping both have stayed and we will be able to deliver naturally. Again, the girls have done wonderfully on all of their non-stress tests and their dopplers have been just as good. When we looked at them last Wednesday, it did seem like their size was not AS noticeably different so I am hoping "Baby A" has caught up and we are thinking maybe 5-5 1/2 lbs each! I think I am just measuring about 40 weeks and I really don't know if I could manage my belly being any bigger!

Now onto the thinking of our family growing possibly tomorrow but for sure by the end of the week! I have not really sat and thought about this much, I really have been on auto pilot for some time! This pregnancy has been swimmingly smooth and really much easier than Jack's was even though I am carrying twins. Dr. Phillips constantly comments on the the fact that I have had a perfect pregnancy and that I should sign up for more multiple pregnancies; at this we laugh!! :) This is my last pregnancy and again, I am at a loss for emotions about how I really feel about it. Dr. Phillips has asked that if I have to have a c-section do I want her to go ahead and do a tubal and to this I had initially said yes, but now I don't know. The only reason I am saying I don't know is because I feel like that is taking something from me...weird, I know! THe kids are so excited about their sisters being here and I know they will be great once they are here, but it scares the living daylights out of me to think that they will hate us after the girls get here! (Like Berk did when Jack got here) We have prepared them the best we know how and I already see them maturing so much right before our eyes. With Berk being 4, she really will be the best helper and I just don't know how Jack will handle HIS mom being indisposed for multiple hours with feedings, changings, etc! I am hoping and praying for the best out of both of htem and I know that eventually it will be a perfect situation, but I don't know how my emotions will handle the beginning. I really haven't let myself take in the full gamut of all that is fixing to happen and I know that it will come down around me like a pile of bricks before it is said and done. Again, we are so excited about the growing of our family we can hardly stand it and are just ready to get through all the anitcipation and just get going! We are praying for a smooth delivery (hopefully no c-section) and that both girls and mom will be healthy enough to come home soon after!

I am going to leave you with some pictures taken over hte last couple months, of the girls, my belly, Berk and Jack and just invite you to come back and visit when we get our girls here!

Meadows