35 Weeks Pregnant With Twins - Still Waiting On Definitive Preeclampsia Test Results

I am 35 weeks pregnant with twin boys and boy do I have a case of tummy troubles. I'm gassy even though I'm not eating anything particularly bad. Perhaps it's because I have two boys, at least five pounds each, pushing my stomach into my throat!
Anyway, I was directed to call my OB/GYN today for results from my 24-hour urine test and liver test to determine if I have preeclampsia. This is particularly important because if I have the medical condition my scheduled C-section (Baby A is breech) moves from October 16 to next week. Eek! Yeah, it's only a couple weeks but whatever!
This morning I awoke at 5 a.m. having trouble breathing. Perhaps it was because, like my stomach, my two growing boys are squishing my lungs. However, it may have something to do with how my life is about to change forever and the preeclampsia diagnosis. Honestly, I wake up every hour during the night to pee and toss and turn so it didn't ruin the night. Being super pregnant with twins ruins every night while my husband sleeps like an angel floating on a cloud!
So, I rang my doctor mid-morning and she was with a patient so I awaited a return call. An hour and half later she called to tell me the lab didn't do the urine test correctly so they needed to retest it and would get back with the results later this afternoon - thank goodness I don't have to do the test over again. However, the liver test was fine so that means if I do have preeclampsia, it isn't bad because, if it was, my liver would be in bad shape.
So, the hours went by and around quitting time I decided to call for the results, especially since if I was OK I needed to continue my weekly appointments and didn't have one scheduled for next week. I called and guess what ladies and gentleman? No results! The nurse said they might get them over the weekend and, if so, my doctor may contact me. If not, I am to call Monday.
This waiting reminds me of pregnancy. You know something is going to happen but there's not much you can do until it happens. Yes, I could read about preeclampsia and get ready to have premature babies but that's about all I can do and I might not even have it! Yes, you can prepare for having children by reading everything and anything and buying every baby item known to man but, honestly, you won't know until it's 3 a.m. and you're elbow deep in poopie with two crying babies looking to you for comfort.
So ... I wait. I don't exactly know what I'm supposed to feel if I have preeclampsia. I don't feel terrible but, then again, I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant with two babies so I don't feel spectacular. Although I'm still waddling myself around the house - I don't leave home much - so I should be grateful!
I thought of something today while my mind was racing at 5 a.m. over how I am going to handle two babies. Instead of thinking, "How am I going to do this," I need to think, "OK. Let's figure out how to do this." Hopefully through the sleep deprivation and recovering from a C-section I will remember this ...

35 Weeks Pregnant With Twins: Tick Tock Tick Tock, Waiting For Preeclampsia Results

I am 35-and-a-half weeks pregnant with twin boys and have heartburn from eating candy corn pumpkins. For some reason I like the pumpkins much better than candy corn-shaped pieces -- a candy corn snob.
Anyway, Tuesday, at my regular doctor's appointment, my blood pressure tested a little high so I've been on a whirlwind of worry and tests -- 24-hour urine test and a liver blood test (they took two tubes of my blood!). Apparently I needed to turn in my urine before getting pricked, according to the phlebotomist, which irritated my doctor who wanted my blood taken before the urine test so we could go over the results today at my appointment. My doctor told me next time, if they tell me something different from what she orders, then I should tell them to call her office -- so I'll be the bad guy?
So ... I went to my local lab today to drop off my jugs of pee and get pricked. Over the past 24 hours I filled the orange jug they offered and had to use a clean, empty gallon container originally used for water. My goodness it feels great to simply pee in the toilet, wipe and flush instead of peeing in a cup (I eventually threw away) so I could pour hot, stinky urine in a jug. Also, opening the fridge to make dinner and seeing two jugs of urine is not appealing.
Today I felt somewhat embarrassed so I double bagged the urine and shamefully shuffled into the building. Of course I had to wait 30 minutes for an appointment so there I sat with 2 gallons of urine watching morning talk shows featuring peppy, skinny, happy, pretty people ... ick. There was an interview with Robin Williams about his new TV show and his enthusiasm reminded me of my almost 4-year-old nephew on a sugar high. Wowza! A look into my future with twin boys coming. When I was called back to check-in, hand over my pee, and give blood, the phlebotomist glanced at my urine, looked horrified and proclaimed, "Oh my! I'm going to need a big container for all of that!"
Thanks lady. Sorry I peed too much for you. I'm only super pregnant with twins and need to drink a ton and, therefore, pee a ton.
Oh ... did I mention I'm hormonal and don't have time for nonsense?!
After pee humiliation and getting pricked, I went to my doctor's and the top number of my blood pressure went from 140 to 124, which is great! However, the lower number was 90, which is borderline bad. Boo hoo. So, my doctor wants me to take it easy and call tomorrow for my test results. If they are bad then I'm going to be a twin mama very, very soon because with twins they don't mess around. If the results are not bad, then we shall carry on. So we shall see!
My husband's response: he's excited about having the babies sooner than later. It's nice he's in a good place mentally but, honestly, I'm the one who has to go through the craziness of major surgery, enormous maxi pads, pain, learning to breastfeed, etc. So, with that in mind, it makes sense he's OK and I'm ... well ... I'm a mixed bag!
However, as he also mentioned, we're as ready as we're gonna be! Also, my stomach is 52 inches so ... yeah ... I'm ready for it not to be that big!

35 Weeks Pregnant With Twins: Attack of the Killer Kankles, Preeclampsia, Restless Legs, Carpal Tunnel

I am 35 weeks pregnant with twin boys. I had a checkup last week with my high-risk doctor and it went well, as detailed in my last post. It was my last checkup with him and he lauded me for a job well done -- referring to me as a woman with a body "made for twins" (I guess that's a compliment) -- so I was optimistic. Key word is was because my optimism got slapped in the face yesterday.
My newest development was kankles and swollen feet. So, we've got swollen, numb, achy hands which, I think, resemble baseball mitts, and swollen ankles and feet -- if I press down on my feet my finger leaves an impression ... gross. I hear this is all normal so I wasn't too worried until yesterday at my doctor's appointment when it was revealed my blood pressure is high.
Now, I realize after research (Googling it) you have high blood pressure if the top number (systolic -- look at me mom, I know big words!) is 140 above and the bottom number is 90 and above. Well my top number tested at 140 so, it could be worse but, then again, my blood pressure was great throughout my pregnancy so what gives?
Well, my doctor is concerned about preeclampsia, a medical condition characterized by high blood pressure and significant amounts of protein in the urine of a pregnant woman after 20 weeks (definition by Wikipedia). If we didn't treat it then it could turn into eclampsia, which is the life-threatening occurrence of seizures during pregnancy (again, thank you Wikipedia). Yikes! I read more about it yesterday but a lot of it was over my head so I figured out the gist.
So, my doctor sent me for bloodwork and a urine sample. Not just a simple urine sample but a 24-hour urine sample where I must pee-pee in a huge orange plastic jug ... although, seven hours in I notice this jug ain't so huge because it's almost full. According to directions, this jug must be refrigerated and, if I fill the jug, I must use a clean milk or water container for excess pee. I can't wait to deliver the frosty urine tomorrow to the laboratory before getting blood taken for a liver test -- although high blood pressure is the most visible sign, liver damage is also a sign.
My pregnancy had been going so well, minus a brief gestational diabetes scare, so this new development is discouraging. I know I'm almost at 36 weeks, which is the average for twins, so I shouldn't boo hoo. I should dig deep and unearth my inner gratefulness, wherever the hell it is!

34 Weeks Pregnant With Twins: Breech Baby, Trying The Optimistic Route

I am almost 35 weeks pregnant with twin boys and just saw an advertisement for peanut butter Pop-Tarts, so excuse me while I wipe drool from my chin.
Anyway, I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and ...
In Corner A we have a baby weighing in at 5.3 pounds.
In Corner B we have a baby weighing in at 4.15 pounds.
My fluid looks good, their umbilical cords are healthy and everything looks great except Baby A is still breech. He decided to switch sides of my belly -- moving from my right to my left -- but he's still somewhat laying across with his feet at the bottom. Picture a yin-yang and you will be picturing the position of my boys.  So, my plan is to keep chug-chug-chugging along until my scheduled C-section in T-minus 26 days! Let's hope I make it because I want those babies bigger and healthier!
My doctors, family, friends and strangers keep saying "you're almost there" and "you're nearing the finish line!" I don't think of Oct. 16 (or whenever they are born) as a finish line. Yeah, they will be out and about and I will slowly work towards getting my new body back after being taken over by two creatures for almost nine months but I'm about to reach the starting line of the craziest adventure of my life. A mother of twin boys!
I can still hardly wrap my head about the fact I will be a mother. Aren't I still a young adult and carefree? It's Friday night -- shouldn't I be drinking wine or a crisp, clean cherry vodka tonic or a seasonal fall beer while figuring out what I'll do this weekend? I don't even have a dog, an animal most couples use for practice before the big event. What if I get overwhelmed? What if I don't have what it takes to raise twins? What if I'm a bad mom? What if I lose myself?
These thoughts, and more, typically rear their head around bedtime. At first, I entertained them and, like watering a plant, they grew. They expanded and became less thought and more of a likelihood -- the unknown started to become known in my mind with assumptions and what-ifs.
That's until I started fighting back, I started answering these doubts with little bursts of optimism -- sometimes aloud, sometimes in my mind. I acknowledge the difficulty of the situation but remind myself it will be OK. I will get through the hard times and, anyway, there's no use being Debbie Downer because the boys are coming whether I am optimistic or not. It will be better if I get my mind straight now.
I know this optimism may not be a constant when the boys are here, especially in the difficult first months and year, but I can still try. All I can do is try my best, that's all any new mother can do and should expect of herself.

34 Weeks Pregnant With Twins: The Train Is Slowing Down Before Coming Into C-Section Station

Here I sit, in a men's flannel shirt (it's a Houndstooth pattern so at least I feel a tiny bit fashionable), gray yoga pants and fur-lined men's moccasins enveloping my swollen feet. I'm 34 weeks pregnant with twin boys ... or pools of molten lava, jury's still out. My hands ache and are numb, I have some lower back pain and in my vaginal area, am sore, restless legs are more restless, I'm exhausted but can't sleep ...
Sleep, perchance to dream ... what a load of crap. I've had some allergy problems recently, probably because Mother Earth ain't sure if it's fall or Indian summer, so I take Benadryl Allergy at night (as suggested by my OB/GYN). It helps me sleep a little but not much. I can't fall asleep until midnight to 1 a.m. Then I wake almost every hour, sometimes to pee, sometimes to chug water as if I haven't been chugging water all the ding dong day. Then, by mid-morning, I'm exhausted.
Mentally, I am doing OK. When I was a newspaper editor, a few years ago, I took out my stress by double checking windows and doors at night before bedtime -- Boogey Man Patrol. After quitting, this obsession stopped. Now, it's reared its ugly head, which means I am stressed about my twin boys who will be here in a month or less. Although, I'm starting to feel better because we've gotten almost everything ready and also because of a Facebook group.
Yeah, a Facebook group: The Official Group of National Organization of Mothers of Twins Club, Inc. Basically, I Googled "Twin Facebook Group" and, voilà, I found this group. It's very helpful. Mothers and expectant mothers of twins post questions and receive a wide range of answers. It helped me realize every child is different so it's going to be a lot of learning-as-you-go but it's nice to have a community of women with similar experiences, especially since I live in the boonies and am not the most social person. I know these connections, although through cyberspace, will come in handy as I raise my twins.
We have the nursery set up for the most part, figuring we may rearrange as we start caring for the boys. We have a pack-n-play (still in the box) for our bedroom so they can sleep close to my boobies for the first week or so. We have a double stroller, although it only came with one converter for our car seats ... as if we'd only want to keep one child in their car seat. Lame but the stroller was a gift so we shouldn't complain. Also, we put the stroller together and it folds up quite nicely ... but we are having trouble figuring out how to unfold the damn thing. Of course.
We have a hospital bag ready ... well except for being filled with necessary items. The empty bag is sitting near the back door ... so ... yeah ... we should start filling it up soon. I have a C-section scheduled for Oct. 16 but recently have been feeling pressure from Baby A. Throughout my pregnancy, I haven't felt him too much, Baby B is the show stopper. My OB/GYN was OK with this because it's only bad if his movements change. Well, over the past few days I've definitely felt movement and pressure down below. We have a doctor's appointment Thursday so we shall see if he's still in the breech position but I think the babies want out!
I'm ready to have my body back and start the healing process that goes on after pregnancy but I know 34 weeks is a little early for twins -- I'm pushing (not literally) for 38!

33 Weeks Pregnant With Twins -- How Much Weight Am I Supposed to Gain Again?

Here I sit, 33-1/2 weeks pregnant with twin boys with a heating pad on my aching back and "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" on my TV screen.
I was browsing Facebook today and someone -- a stick-thin acquaintance -- shared a recipe for Hot Fudge Peanut Butter Pie complete with a picture of a gooey, luscious slice. It looked smooth, mouthwatering and delicious, getting my hormones all hot and bothered and my huge panties in a bunch. Another Facebook friend -- not so stick-thin -- shared one for Buckeye Brownies ... peanut butter, chocolate, mmm. Later, I elegantly waddled into the kitchen to prepare a bowl of plain steel cut oats and, while pouring oats from the container, spy a recipe for oatmeal cookies on the container. I'm being taunted.
I've gained weight. Yeah, a good amount of weight. Fifty pounds. There, I wrote it out. In the beginning of my pregnancy, my OB/GYN told me I should expect to gain 35-55+ but it's different when you've gained the weight than when you're thinking about the weight you will gain. Maybe I am carrying the heaviest babies known to man (somebody call Guinness!) or I've just gained a lot of weight. I'm 6' so it's not horrible and my doctor isn't worried about my weight but this is the most uncomfortable I've felt in my life and, as a girl who was 6' in sixth grade, believe me I've felt uncomfortable a lot. I feel as sexy as a bag of Russet potatoes, avoiding mirrors and cameras like I avoid unpasteurized cheeses and raw fish.
I eat pretty healthy and typically eat the same items everyday except for a couple treat meals on the weekend because Saturday is treat day in my house!
Weekday Meals
Breakfast: omelet with spinach and tomato, serving of cereal with banana and almond milk, prunes
Snack: serving of rice cakes
Lunch: serving of meat, carrots, serving of oatmeal (plain steel cut oats) even though it gives me raging heartburn
Snacks throughout afternoon: peach, apple, walnuts and raisins (raging heartburn), snack bar (sometimes all of them, sometimes not)
Dinner: serving of meat or serving of cottage cheese or yogurt, cooked vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower with a little cheese, fruit, two slices of bread with hummus or avocado
The only middle-of-the-night snack I've had is coconut water to help combat restless legs.
I think I've done pretty well. On the weekend anything goes -- like this weekend I am making homemade pumpkin bread and am interested in meals ranging from Chinese food to ... well ... I'm super pregnant so anything. Can I get an amen!? My cravings range from macaroni and cheese to iced cinnamon rolls to salads drizzled in ranch dressing to peanut butter anything. Typically these cravings stem from seeing an advertisement or restaurant and going, "Oooo, Chinese food. I want Chinese food." My poor husband has to hear these statements but, thankfully for him, his "sympathy weight" has been about 5-10 lbs. He still looks great, which makes my roly poly butt even more difficult to handle.
Pre-pregnancy I typically ate the same items during the week, minus a few snacks, and had my treats on the weekend but I made up for it by working out -- I was into running and some weight lifting: definitely not Hans and Franz from the old SNL sketch but 15 to 20 lb. weights. Now I take a swim class once a week and stretch daily but that's definitely not running three miles and pumping iron. The only thing I'm interested in pumping nowadays is a danish to my lips.
I'm looking forward to not being so large. I figure it will take a long time to take this weight off -- at least as long as it took to put on -- but I don't like looking in the mirror. Yes, I know I am carrying two babies who are healthy and growing strong. Yes, I know I don't have gestational diabetes or any complication and my doctor is OK with my weight gain but, as women, we are programmed to diet. Magazines, celebrities, the media -- they tell us to workout, eat healthy, lose weight. Now, when we're pregnant, we are supposed to be growing a human life but, a la Kim Kardashian and Jessica Simpson's crucifying, we worry about gaining too much weight. It's sad.
For the pregnant women who workout diligently throughout the nine months and gain a tiny amount of pounds (Princess Kate Middleton), that's fine. Good for you. However, for those of you who don't ... it's OK. It's not about your waist line, it's about the health of your child(ren). Maybe I can remember this too!
I have a C-Section scheduled for October 16 currently, unless I go into labor before and/or Baby A decides he no longer loves living the breech life. Frankly, I think the poor little man is out of room down there but I ain't no doctor. As for the C-section, it reminds me of my pregnancy pounds. All I can do is eat healthy and try my best, if the pounds add up ... I can't worry. Likewise, all I can do is motor on and if I have a vaginal delivery, fine. If I have a C-section, that's fine too. I can't worry about everything or I will lose my mind.

33 Weeks Pregnant With Twins -- Exhausted, Hormonal, Ready For Babies ... I Think

I'm 33 weeks pregnant with twins and officially hit rock bottom. No, I'm not eating Ben & Jerry's out of the carton ... although that sounds lovely. I am watching a movie, in the middle of the day, on the Lifetime Movie Network and I haven't changed the channel. Honestly, it's not that bad but, then again, it's not that great either.
I've been working from home more and more and officially spend a lot of time here so I'm trying to get used to daytime TV. I moved on from the Investigation Discovery channel because I'm having a hard enough time sleeping at night -- I couldn't fall asleep until 3 a.m. last night -- so I don't need to watch TV shows about real-life boogiemen/women. So, here I am, watching junkie mom Anne Heche and her daughter, Kristen Bell, who's trying to keep the family together. Women, tears, Lifetime.
Why is there nothing on TV during the day or am I a rube? Please, help! With twin boys coming in less than 5 weeks, I have a feeling I will be watching weird TV shows in the middle of the night and during the day while attempting to breastfeed two at once. One of my sisters recommended a Real Housewives show, I think LA or somewhere fancy, but I don't need to watch spoiled, Botoxed bimbos complain about caviar and white wine while I'm unwashed, exhausted and cleaning poop off butts. Milk is leaking out of my breasts and they're in a catfight over wearing the same outfit to a party ... I'll pass.
I still get daily e-mails from Baby Center about baby-related information, which, for the most part, are helpful but I've stopped reading baby books. I'm reading "50 Shades of Grey." Although, the book is rather corny. I am reading it because I need a distraction but also because women are in a fit over Charlie Hunnam being selected as Christian Grey so I wanted to see why the fuss. So, there's a girl who is about to graduate from college and she's never had sex and never gotten drunk ... instead she's interested in English literature yet she's beautiful but doesn't know it and a billionaire hunk is interested, like obsessed interested, in her becoming his submissive. Maybe I've got bigger fish to fry in my life or feel as sexy as a wet, brown paper bag or, like Sweet Brown, ain't got time for that but ... how stupid is that? His touch tingles her belly, deep into her sex. Give me a break. Is this what women want ... I ponder this while Baby B kicks me in the rib before getting a mean case of the hiccups.
I can't help but wonder if I would have liked this book better pre-pregnancy but have a feeling it's ridiculous no matter where I am in life. I also wonder if post partum I will ever feel sexy again.
Really, it all boils down to this: I am reading this trash because I feel overwhelmed when I read about baby stuff online. I reached my quota. Once I'm changing diapers and breastfeeding, it will be different but there's not much more I can do because I learn by doing, not by assuming. I'm not ready for babies but, hell, I'll never be ready so bring on the chaos!

32 Weeks Pregnant With Twins - Hooray, I'm Not On Bedrest

I am 32 weeks pregnant with twin boys and hip, hip, hooray, I am not on bedrest -- knock on wood. That's not to say I am tap dancing through life, but I can still do things ... just in slow motion. Also, the list of things I can do diminished and continues to diminish.
I am currently working part time and went to my office one day this week (it's about an hour each way), which wasn't awful but I'd rather not do it again. Thankfully I think I'll be working from home from now on. Also, I'm still taking a prenatal swim class once a week for an hour -- swimming makes me feel amazing! I could sleep in that pool!
Maybe I should sleep in the pool because night time is no longer the right time for sleep. I drink more than two gallons of water a day (I'm not kidding) but still have restless legs before bed and occasionally during the day. The ocean I consume also causes me to pee a couple times at night -- not as many times as one would think for drinking so much. The odd thing is I sleep on my side and I'll wake up without the urge to pee. However, I've learned I do have to pee but I need to roll over and sit up to feel the urge. I also sometimes wake with a panicky feeling and need to drink a huge glass of water or more and/or stretch to relax. As I type this I have restless legs and need more water.
I've been reading about breastfeeding, as I want to breastfeed my twins, and understand my thirst will grow. I can hardly imagine being thirstier.
Another issue is carpal tunnel, especially in my right hand. I've been struggling with this for weeks and it's gotten worse -- some pain and major numbness. Hopefully after birth this issue will eventually go away.
After giving birth. Oh yeah, I will have twin boys in less than six weeks. It's hardly believable. Hubby and I are almost done putting together the nursery and gathering must-haves. I still need to pack a bag for the hospital -- and figure out what to put in there -- and get a few odds and ends but I figure I'll still need a few things after delivery because we will be figure-it-out-as-you-go parents. That's not to say we are clueless -- we've taken classes, read books (I've read more than Mr.) -- but we definitely will be novices. Hence the title of my blog, we are rubes.
I'm excited but scared with a fear that rears its ugly head around bedtime but my husband is Bob Marley -- It's gonna be alright. I want to be somewhere in the middle because I figure his optimism may wane after the boys are home. It's unfair to think my brain can handle something as life changing and crazy as having twins, so I should relax. However, if you think about it, carrying these babies for 32 weeks helped me somewhat realize this shit is happening -- although I can't wrap my head around it! He, however, will need to wait until the babies make their great escape to know, yes, this is real! You haven't been dreaming, I haven't just been getting fat for months!