Sunday morning, March 29, 2009. 33 weeks.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Last night we went to our third of five Twins Classes put on by Swedish. I can't tell you how much I dislike going to these things - the late hours, the forced comaraderie, the oversharing - but Ashley is adamant that we attend, so every Wednesday we trudge up to First Hill from downtown for class from 6:00 to 9:00.
The first class two weeks ago started, after the totally uncomforatable "get to know you" part (we haven't brought up Charlotte because we don't want to freak out the new parents-to-be any more than they already are, which means we have to pretend to be innocent first-timers), with a movie about conception and cell division. I don't know about the other 14 couples attending, but I already knew how I got into this situation. What I need is advice on how to manage it.
The second class, last week, was all doom and gloom. The basic message, at least to my ears, was: Your kids will be premature and, after your Caesarian, they will spend up to five weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with tubes up their noses before you can take them home and try to bond with them. For already overly anxious parents this was not good material to contemplate for a week.
Last night's class started with a movie about Caesarians, both in real life and computer animated. Scary stuff, but now that I've seen it I'm less scared. And if that is what it takes to get those kids out safely we are in favor.
Then came what we've been waiting for: The Panel Discussion. Our teacher had 12 parents of twins aged three months to 14 months come in and talk to us about everything they had gone through. And they had been through a lot: preeclamsia, bed rest, prematurity, Caesarians, NICU, feeding problems, post-partum depression, you name it. But they were all really happy and wouldn't change a thing. So we learned a lot - most importantly that despite all the crazy medical stuff we will encounter in the next couple of months it will all be worth it.
The first class two weeks ago started, after the totally uncomforatable "get to know you" part (we haven't brought up Charlotte because we don't want to freak out the new parents-to-be any more than they already are, which means we have to pretend to be innocent first-timers), with a movie about conception and cell division. I don't know about the other 14 couples attending, but I already knew how I got into this situation. What I need is advice on how to manage it.
The second class, last week, was all doom and gloom. The basic message, at least to my ears, was: Your kids will be premature and, after your Caesarian, they will spend up to five weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with tubes up their noses before you can take them home and try to bond with them. For already overly anxious parents this was not good material to contemplate for a week.
Last night's class started with a movie about Caesarians, both in real life and computer animated. Scary stuff, but now that I've seen it I'm less scared. And if that is what it takes to get those kids out safely we are in favor.
Then came what we've been waiting for: The Panel Discussion. Our teacher had 12 parents of twins aged three months to 14 months come in and talk to us about everything they had gone through. And they had been through a lot: preeclamsia, bed rest, prematurity, Caesarians, NICU, feeding problems, post-partum depression, you name it. But they were all really happy and wouldn't change a thing. So we learned a lot - most importantly that despite all the crazy medical stuff we will encounter in the next couple of months it will all be worth it.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Ultrasound, March 24, 2009
We had another through ultrasound this morning followed by a visit to Dr. Levine, our OB. Everything looks good except for the differential in the babies' weights; 21%. The doctors don't like to see a differential larger than 20%.
In any case, Garnett weighs about 4 pounds 12 ounces (73rd procentile) and Avery weighs about 3 pounds and 11 ounces (8th procentile). So we have a robust boy and a petite girl at this point. They both had plenty of amniotic fluid surrounding them and the bloodflow through both umbilicals was strong and consistent, so the doctors are not too concerned.
Everything else looks good; strong hearts, big bellies, and beautiful bones and heads.
Garnett is still head-down and in position to be first born and Avery moves from transverse to breech and back again. Garnett's feet are in Avery's face most of the time.
The twins were camera-shy this morning so we don't have good pictures for this update.
In any case, Garnett weighs about 4 pounds 12 ounces (73rd procentile) and Avery weighs about 3 pounds and 11 ounces (8th procentile). So we have a robust boy and a petite girl at this point. They both had plenty of amniotic fluid surrounding them and the bloodflow through both umbilicals was strong and consistent, so the doctors are not too concerned.
Everything else looks good; strong hearts, big bellies, and beautiful bones and heads.
Garnett is still head-down and in position to be first born and Avery moves from transverse to breech and back again. Garnett's feet are in Avery's face most of the time.
The twins were camera-shy this morning so we don't have good pictures for this update.
Monday, March 23, 2009
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