We're Parents...

I don't have time to type all of the details but here is what is going on in our lives: I wrote this on sat. 11/15 to some friends and family: I just wanted to give you a little update on the babies. Unfortunately yesterday morning my water broke for our little boy. I was 32 weeks, 4 days which is obviously still early for twins. I was admitted to the hospital and will be here until the babies are born. I am only 1 cm dialated and I was given steroids to develop their lungs. we have been told that so far they have been "textbook babies" and that everything is going well. They are both weighing in around 4.5 lbs. the goal is to keep them in my belly until 34 weeks at which point it would actually be more dangerous for them to stay in then to have them since the water is broken. So...andy and i are slowly adjusting to the idea that we will be parents of NICU babies within the next 9 days (hopefully the babies will not come before then). The best guess is that they will have to stay in the NICU from 2-4 weeks. While this is not ideal we know that are being given excellent care and the babies will be fine. Then Andy's update on 11/16: This is Andy. Apparently, the babies decided they couldn't let us get settled too comfortably into any particular routine. I left to go home for the night at about 11:30 last night with Meg stable and holding steady. However, I got a phone call summoning me back to the hospital around 2:45 am this morning (11/16). Meg had started to go into an active labor and the OB decided that we needed to start prepping for a Cesarean section. We then got bumped for a more pressing case, but Meg went into the OR at about 5:45 am; we became parents at 6:15 am. Our son, Coleman Brooks, was first with his sister Gwyneth Pearl soon after. (Very soon. Literally, no more than 30 seconds.) Cole weighs 3 lbs, 10.5 oz while Gwen weighs 3 lbs, 13 oz. Due to their early gestational age (32w6d), both babies were taken immediately to the NICU. Fortunately, once we got up to see them, we found out that both are doing very well for their early age. Neither has required any breathing assistance, and they have stable vital signs. Meg is now getting some much-deserved rest/sleep. She got about 1 hour Friday night and about 90 minutes last night. After a rest this afternoon, the nurse is supposed to come back to help her get set up with the pump so that she can start producing milk for the babies. This will be a whole new adventure for sure. Around 6:00 this evening, Meg will have finished the 12-hour bed rest post C-section. At that point the staff will try to get her into a wheelchair so that we can go see the babies again. This is all very new still, but I'm hopeful that this is the last of the major surprises. Right now, Meg's anticipated discharge date is Thursday, 11/20. Obviously, she is in a different room than before.I'm sure she would love to hear from people (once she is a little more rested.) As far as the babies go, they will have to be in the NICU until they reach at least 35 weeks, and then we go from there. As of today the babies are progressing beautifully. They are not out of the incubators and are in their big boy and big girl beds because they are now regulating their temps. All they need to learn how to do now is feed which is difficult because they have to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing. Thankfully i have been able to pump and they are receiving all breastmilk. whoo hooo!! They are now at the point where they can take a little milk in a bottle but get warn out very easily. We also have put them to the breast and Gwen appears to know what to do but gets really pooped out. Please keep us in your thoughts and feel free to call us for updates.

                                                            Last Belly Picture

                                                    Happy Birthday, Coleman Brooks Stamps

                                                Happy Birthday, Gwyneth Pearl Stamps

                                               Getting wheeled to the NICU together

                                                            Visiting Cole in NICU (3 hours old)

                                                        Visiting Gwen in the NICU (3 hours old)

32 Weeks Along...

Today i went to the OB for my first stress test and u/s to measure the amniotic fluid around each of the babies. We got a very good report-- both babies are doing well and there is plenty of fluid around both of them. The u/s tech actually told me that the little boy's head was lower than the girl's feet. Don't ask me what this means because between the doctors and specialists i am still thoroughly confused about if the babies can actually move around and switch which one is presenting first. The OB did say that if the boy's head is consistently lower than i still have a good chance at a vaginal delivery. whoo hoo!!! I think the stress test stressed the nurse out more than anything. Apparently our little man was happy sleeping and then when she stimulated him he decided to "run" from her and all of the technology. Basically she had to keep moving the probe on my stomach for 15 minutes or so and she still didn't get much info on him. While she did this my job was to push this little button every time i felt the babies move. The third belt on my belly measured contractions and while there were a few small ones the nurse and doctor both said that it was totally normal at this point. The doctor also told me that if i were to go into labor at this point that he would try to stop it but only up to 34 weeks. Yup, folks...that means the babies could be here anytime BUT we want them to stay in there for as long as possible. Just make sure to remind me of that as i get bigger and bigger.

Speaking of getting bigger and bigger...I am now up around 35 lbs and these last few days I have really started to feel like i'm dragging. Now, don't get me wrong, I have been taking it easy during the entire pregnancy but now i am extremely uncomfortable and the couch has become my best friend. Oh the joys of being pregnant with twins. It'll all be worth it when we have two healthy babies, though :)

Reality is setting in...

On Sunday, November 9, 2008, we visited Andy's coworker,Jeff, and his wife and met their 3 week old twins. We were amazed as to how tiny little Noah and Emmalyn were only to find out that they now each weigh about 8 lbs! Their fingers and toes were so tiny which left us wondering how much smaller our little guys will be when they are born. We had the opportunity to ask Jeff and Lena a bunch of questions about specific products, sleeping schedules, hospital stay etc. They both seemed very calm and laid back (sleep deprivation?) so hopefully they will be a good support system for us when we are trying to figure this whole parenting twins things out next month. Yes, i said NEXT MONTH!!!!

Mom Mom's 90th Birthday Party

On Saturday, November 8, 2008, we drove to Aunt Terrie and Uncle Milt's to celebrate Mom Mom's 90th birthday. It was great to see all of the relatives and to catch up. Mom Mom had a ball visiting with her nephews and niece and we enjoyed some delicious food. We got many questions about the little ones and it was strange when everyone kept saying that the next time that we saw each other Andy and i would be parents.

Unfortunately, the drive to West Chester was very uncomfortable for me. After the trip i declared it to be the last road trip until after the babies were born. Thankfully I can still drive a few miles here and there to do errands around town. BUT if these babies make my belly grow outward another 1.5-2 inches i will be touching the steering wheel!

Our little girl too...

On Wednesday, November 5, 2008 i noticed our little girl had the hiccups too. Her brother seems to get them much more often then she does, though. I wonder if they will ever get them at the same time in my belly. Oh and I'm also curious whether or not he will have the hiccups more often then she does after they are born. If so, he will definitely take after his mommy!

Little Man Had the Hiccups...

On Thursday, October 30, 2008 I was lying on the couch in the evening and noticed that the little boy was doing something different. Finally, i realized that he must have the hiccups because it was a rhythmic kind of movement instead of the usual random kicking. It was fun because Andy was home so he could share in this fun moment of feeling his son hiccup for the first time :)

30 Weeks!!!

On Monday, October 27, 2008 we made it to 30 weeks (see pictures). I went to the OB and had the opportunity to discuss the c-section procedures with him. Oddly, he had a medical student with him and they reviewed my entire history outside of the patient room and since i was sitting right by the door, i could hear everything that they said. I felt like saying: "Yoo hoo, i'm here so why don't you just come in and answer my questions". The doctor said that i was measuring at least 36 weeks and he seemed happy with my progress. He told me that if i have the c-section that there would be about 12 people in the room and that unfortunately i wouldn't get to see the babies until I was in the recovery room. Andy, on the other hand, could follow them while they got washed up and checked out. Please tell me how unfair it is that I will have carried them for all these months and then i'm the one who won't get to see them? I asked if they would at least hold them up over the curtain but the doctor said that they wouldn't want to ruin the sterile field :( He did tell me that i most likely could try to feed them while i was in the recovery room and would be up and about 10 hours later when the spinal wears off to visit them if they have to spend some time in the NICU.


We also met with a pediatrician...

Caution: Babies Fighting for Prime Position

On October we went to our monthly appointment with Maternal Fetal Medicine. They did an u/s to measure the babies and they are still both around the 40th percentile and weighing in at 2 lbs 11 oz and 2 lbs 13 oz. Our little girl was kicking away during the u/s! Sometimes i think she kicks her brother's head all day long. Poor little guy! The sonographer told us that she thought that the little girl's feet were lower than her brother's head making her Baby A. While i did not want to hear that because she is still breech, I did look at andy and say: "See? I kept swearing that her little foot would pop out first!" because she kicks me so low. After an internal u/s we found out that indeed the little girl is Baby A which means that if she does not turn then I will be forced to have a scheduled C-section. It was difficult to hear because we were hoping for a vaginal birth but I keep reminding myself that we just want the babies to get here safely and to be healthy.

This week was also our last Child Birth Class complete with a tour of the hospital. It was a nice idea but unfortunately we did not get to see where I will be since i'm considered "high risk". We did check out the tiny infant beds and the instructor said that both babies could stay in there together in our room provided that everyone was healthy. I can't believe that they will both fit in such a small space.

Partytime Again

Gestational Diabetes Take Two...

Yup, i had to take the GD screening test again the week of October 13, 2008 and unfortunately i completely bombed it with a 185. When I went to the OB the following week, she told me it was time to take the 3 hour test again. I kindly declined and said that i would rather take the GD classes to learn how to take my blood sugar and change my diet for the next 8-10 weeks. I was very glad that i stood up for myself because when i called the nutritionist to share the info with her she said: "You didn't hear this from me but you wouldn't pass the 3 hour with that number!". A few days later i took the class and of course the only other lady in the class could not speak english so it took hours and hours. arg. Oh well...at least the dietician wrote my meal plan so that i could still eat a lot of food to help these babies grow and my blood sugar levels have been excellent.

This was also (finally!) the week that Andy got to wear the baby belly at child birth class. The instructor commented that she had no way to make it feel like he was carrying twins but at least he got a little taste of what it feels like to be carrying around all of this extra weight. He has commented several times about how i have gained about a third of my pre pregnancy weight and has been very accommodating in helping me get up off the couch.

Oh and check out my Two Peas in a Pod t-shirt in the picture below :)

There Are 2 Car Seats in the Honda!!!

On Sunday, October 11, 2008 I went to Caroline's baby shower but unfortunately we had to leave early because it was time to get the car seats installed. Who knew that you had to schedule a time to get them installed/checked like the moment your test read "pregnant"? I called all over the Lehigh Valley several weeks ago and everyone was booked through early December. Thankfully, the Whitehall Police came through. As it turned out we didn't need their help afterall because daddy Andy managed to install them properly on the first try. Go daddy!!!! It has been very strange driving with TWO carseats in my car. I can't believe that I'm going to be driving around our little ones SOON!!!

Caroline has officially declared that i'm bigger than she is but i'm not sure about that...