Baby, Baby: 36 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

via

How Far Along?

36 weeks.  9 months.  36 whole weeks, people!!!!  This is incredible!

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

They should be about at their birth lengths, and if they gain the typical half pound per week, they would each weigh about 6 pounds now. :-)  According to the apps, I'm carrying the equivalent of 2 heads of romaine lettuce, 2 large cantaloupes, 2 ripe papayas, 2 honeydew melons, or 2 turban squashes.  I walked through a produce section the other day with WIDE eyes....

Changing Momma

Have you started showing yet?

Meh... maybe a little?

Weight Gain?

I'm down a pound from two weeks ago, so up 33 pounds total.

Maternity Clothes?

Only if I want my belly covered.

Stretch Marks?

Yes, and they itch.  So painfully.  I have to exercise restraint to not claw layers of skin off... thankfully, my doctor said hydrocortisone and Benadryl cream are safe to use, so I'm getting a tiny bit of relief alternating those with regular lotion.

Belly Button In or Out?

It's OUT!!!  Apparently, you only have to look/measure 2-3 months overdue before that happens...? ;-)  It's not dramatically out, but it's definitely out. :-)  Not gonna lie, super-excited about that one!

Momma's Feeling

We assembled our Graco Pack 'N Play with Twins Bassinet in our bedroom for the first few weeks the babies are home. :-)

Cravings:

Peanut M&Ms, frosted animal crackers, anything spicy.

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Pregnancy.

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

I'm fairly moody.  I'm between "pretty uncomfortable" and "in a fair amount of pain" most of the time... it's getting hard to avoid the moodiness.

Movement?

Mostly from Baby Boy.  We know Baby Girl is moving, but she is verrrry low, and I don't feel that much of her movement. 

Sleep:

It's ugly.

What I Miss:

Caffeine... sleep... stamina... but guess what!?!  My doctor is ENCOURAGING warm baths!  So I've turned up the temp on them a little.  Not as hot as I used to like, but better than barely-over-room-temp!

Other Symptoms:

Contractions are getting stronger and sometimes time-able.  Usually I'll get to where they're 7 minutes apart, then it's bed time and they're gone by morning. 

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

Hands down, spending Mother's Day pregnant.  I was so in awe of that... 

Close second was yesterday's doctor's appointment...

 

Looking Forward To:

I. Want. Them. Out. 

Doctor's Appointments:

Everything looked great and normal at the NSTs on Tuesday and yesterday.  Yesterday, we set an induction date!  It's past 38 weeks, which completely boggles my mind... so if they have not yet arrived, our twins' birthdays will be June 1. :-)  Since 38 weeks is a Saturday, they're waiting until the L&D floor is fully staffed to induce me ;-)  He doesn't think I'll make it to my induction date (neither does at least one of his partners), but I think he gave us one to give us light at the end of the tunnel.  I did a significant amount of whining, and I think he did a great job of responding to those complaints... gave me some useful strategies for dealing with the pain, encouraged me that I'm doing phenomenally well, and reminded me that my goal is to keep the babies in as long as they want to stay for their best good.  But he didn't give in to my pleas for an earlier induction... as well he shouldn't have ;-)

Baby, Baby: 35 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

via

How Far Along?

35 weeks.  This is average gestation for twins... every day I go from here, I'm that much more past average, and the babies are that much stronger... When five years of trying becomes "any day now," it feels like a crazy dream!!

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

They should be about at their birth lengths, and if they gain the typical half pound per week, they would each weigh about 5 and a half pounds now. :-)  My apps compare them to honeydew melons, canary melons, bunches of carrots, coconuts, or - most creatively - 5lb bags of potatoes. ;-)

Changing Momma

Pink and blue... a favorite color combo lately ;-)

Have you started showing yet?

Lil bit.

Weight Gain?

I'm up 34 pounds total...

Maternity Clothes?

If I have to leave the house, yes.

Stretch Marks?

Good grief.  This week, I rolled over in bed and felt a new patch of them rip.  That was fun! ;-) 

Belly Button In or Out?

It really couldn't BE any more flat... it's kinda funny.

Momma's Feeling

I was gifted a Moby wrap by a twin mom friend... needed to test it out and didn't have a human baby to try it on...

Cravings:

Mexican, any other sources of delicious hot protein...

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Pregnancy.

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

I'm fairly moody.  I'm between "pretty uncomfortable" and "in a fair amount of pain" most of the time... it's getting hard to avoid the moodiness.

Movement?

Mostly from Baby Boy.  We know Baby Girl is moving, but she is verrrry low, and I don't feel that much of her movement.  Baby Boy is doing his morning stretches in my ribcage as I type this...

Sleep:

Nightime is my most uncomfortable time, so I have a hard time getting to sleep.  Then I have to wake up frequently to roll or go to the bathroom... and sometimes just to say "owww..."  A couple of nights ago, I had such a bad night, I got up about 1:30 and took a(nother) hot shower. 

What I Miss:

Caffeine... sleep... stamina...

Other Symptoms:

Braxton Hicks, like, constantly.  I'm trusting my friends and nurses who say I'll KNOW when they're real, because these hurt and come one on top of the other just like I'm told real ones do....  My hands and feet swell a lot, my back and ribs ache, I sweat suddenly and for no apparent reason...

Highlights and Coming Soon

Waiting for the official "all's well" from the doctor after Tuesday's NST :-)

Best Moment of the Week:

Yesterday's appointment was a high note!  So was my massage on Wednesday, even if the effects didn't last nearly as long as I had hoped... 

 

Looking Forward To:

Honestly... getting these babies out.  I'm fried.

Doctor's Appointments:

I had an NST on Tuesday that went very well... plenty of data quickly from my busy little babies.  Yesterday, I had another NST and an OB visit.  We did a Group B Strep culture, since we're still planning on a vaginal delivery, and both the nurse and doctor could tell from glancing at me that Baby Girl had dropped.  (We were pretty sure this had happened on Thursday night... I had been in a ton of pain Wednesday night and most of Thursday... then Thursday at bedtime, when I went to rub where her head had been poking out by the end of most days, I found a narrower body part that I was pretty sure was a shoulder. Turns out I was right!)  The doctor says she's at -1 station, but that she is still in front of my cervix, so we don't know how dilated I may be yet.  We talked about delivery again, making firmer plans.  She even made a guess as to how much longer I'll go, but I think we'll keep that to ourselves for now :-)  She's thinking further than I am, though... she's the professional, but I am one uncomfortable Momma! She fully expects that I'll go into labor on my own, deliver vaginally, and I think take two healthy babies home with us... all of these things were big hopes but long shots when we found out we were having twins.  :-)

Baby, Baby: 34 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

via

How Far Along?

34 weeks!  Cruising right along...

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

According to apps, they're each the size of a cantaloupe, pineapple, savoy cabbage, butternut squash, or a sugar pumpkin.  According to our fabulous sonographer, Chris... Baby Girl weighs 4 pounds and 15 ounces, while Baby Boy weighs 5 pounds and 1 ounce.  All together... a whole 10 pounds of baby!  These would be pretty promising birth weights, so for them to be this big and not showing any signs of wanting out is very exciting!

Changing Momma

My fluffy baby loves his little brother and sister <3

Have you started showing yet?

Is that why people keep staring at me in public? ;-) 

Weight Gain?

Didn't get weighed this week, so as far as I know, still just up the 32 pounds.  Feeling pretty good that almost 1/3 of that is baby!

Maternity Clothes?

If I have to put clothes ON, probably. ;-)

Stretch Marks?

My stretch marks have stretch marks. No, seriously, I think some of them do!

Belly Button In or Out?

Flat, especially when Baby Boy is sticking his bum behind it :-)

Momma's Feeling

On our way to the doctor's yesterday - I've had fun getting dressed this week!  The two or so times I did it ;-)

Cravings:

All the food.

Anything making you queasy or sick?

Nope... just the random mild nausea, but not triggered by any smell/sight/food.

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

Happy!

Movement?

I have some busy little people <3

Sleep:

I don't wanna talk about it.

What I Miss:

Sleep.  And caffeine.  I should be able to have one or the other!!

Other Symptoms:

The Braxton-Hicks are getting for REAL... sometimes they're really painful!  Swelling in my hands and feet... most of my joints ache - I have a hard time using my hands sometimes because of it... breakthrough heartburn... pregnancy is super-glamorous!

Highlights and Coming Soon

Her cheeks are pudging up like her brother's now <3  My pretty girl!

I squealed - loudly - when this perfect shot of his little lips and nose showed up on the screen <3

His face makes it look like my amniotic fluid is full of lemon juice :-)

Best Moment of the Week:

Yesterday's appointment was fantastic!  Seeing the babies is always fun... but hearing my doctor so pleased with how they look and saying that they wouldn't stop me if I went into labor now... it left me so shell-shocked in the happiest kind of way.  Like the day we found out we were having twins :-) 

 

Looking Forward To:

I have a prenatal massage on Wednesday, and a "pampering" meeting of my Mother's of Multiples Club on Tuesday... so I'm looking forward to a couple days of pampering this week :-)

Doctor's Appointments:

No more fluid checks necessary, so just the two NSTs this coming week.  Both of my NSTs from this past week looked great - blood pressure is still normal (120/75 yesterday - woot!), and the kids behaved themselves pretty well... except that on Tuesday morning, Baby Girl needed to be buzzed awake several times... she takes after her momma ;-) 

Baby, Baby: 33 Week Bumpdate

The Kidlets

(cropped) via

How Far Along?

33 weeks :-)  Five weeks or less until they're here.  Five more weeks sounds like forever, so I'm focusing on 36 weeks (full term for twins) as my next goal.  Three weeks sounds more manageable :-)

Genders?

One girl, one boy.

How big are they? 

About the size of two heads of cauliflower (which I know we've done before...), two honeydew melons, two durians, two pineapples, or two spaghetti squash.  Whichever you pick, that's a LOT of produce!!

Changing Momma

Have you started showing yet?

Yep.

Weight Gain?

I'm up 32 pounds total.

Maternity Clothes?

This week, mostly PJs and one of my new (non-maternity) maxi skirts :-)

Stretch Marks?

Like whoa.

Belly Button In or Out?

Almost completely flat!

Momma's Feeling

Cravings:

Soft-serve ice cream cones. <3

Anything making you queasy or sick?

I refilled my large popcorn as we left the movie theater last week, and munched on it through the week... it got me pretty badly one night. :-/

Happy or Moody Most of the Time?

Mix of both pretty strongly.

Movement?

Almost constant <3

Sleep:

What's that?  Last night was one of the worst nights of sleep yet...

What I Miss:

The usual. 

Other Symptoms:

Heartburn, Braxton-Hicks, swollen feet and hands, achy joints... basically just falling apart over here ;-)

Highlights and Coming Soon

Best Moment of the Week:

I got their coming home outfits put together and packed <3

 

Looking Forward To:

Growth ultrasound (with all the fun measurements and weights!) on Friday!! 

Doctor's Appointments:

This past week, I only had one, and we just did an NST.  Baby Boy gave the nurse some trouble trying to find him, but once everyone was accounted for and monitored, they did beautifully :-)  Next week, I have an NST on Tuesday, and an NST and growth ultrasound on Friday.  I love these growth ultrasounds because we get to visit with them for a good long time and get lots of fun pictures :-) 

Baby, Baby: Twin Maternity Photos

We had a great time having our maternity pictures taken by Robert at No. 9 Images Photography, and we are so happy with the results :-) 

Check out some of our favorites! <3