22+ Weeks

High risk specialist on Friday gave us good news. They redid the Level 2 sono measurements and found that both babies are doing super well. Our girl has closed the size gap to a couple of days. She measured 1lb 1oz and was about 4 days ahead of the average. Our boy is still a week ahead and he was 1lb 3oz. It looks like any concerns about early twin to twin transfusion or placenta problems with the girl have been put to rest.

In other news, I have this great book about multiple births that has been helpful. Much more helpful than the two other books I checked out of the library. This one - I'd get the title if I wasn't too tired to roll across the bed - was written by a doctor who ran a multiple births clinic. (I'm not a doctor so don't follow this advice yourself unless your dr. says to). Helpful medical advice included:

Mothers of twins should drink AT LEAST 128oz of water a day, consume roughly 3800 calories a day, and gain between 20-30 lbs by week 20. Weight gain between 20-28 weeks is especially critical. She actually recommends to many MOM's that they have a milkshake every day to help boost calorie, fat, and calcium intake. How great is that?!?

Also rest is key. Do less. Take naps. Keep stressors at bay. This is especially true after 20 weeks. Women who ignore doctor's advice to take it easy often end up in the hospital with preterm labor or worse, with preterm infants. (Here's me not ignoring the doctor anymore).

Because of the contractions I'm having, I've been checked at every dr. appt. for PTL. So far there haven't been any cervical changes which is great. However, I have noticed that my contractions, though irregular, are getting stronger. Yesterday, before the most amazing Super Bowl upset I've ever seen, I had two strong, scary contractions back to back. The contractions felt REAL. They did not feel like BH contractions. Both took my breath away. I could hardly walk (I was going down stairs when I had the second one) or stand upright. The worst was that I felt that special cramping that is the precursor to the urge to push. I immediately crawled to the couch and put my feet up. John ran in with 16oz of water and a bendy straw. I had one more painless contraction after I got comfortable and then it all stopped. I have had more BH since then, a lot more, but no painful contractions. This evening I noticed that several of my BH were really long - meaning my belly stayed hard for several minutes before slowly relaxing. But it's hard to know if it was a real BH or if it's just two babies pressing up against my belly for a bit.

Pardon my typos. Spell check doesn't seem to be working right now.