I just thought I would hit all the major points of my pregnancy. Being pregnant with multiples comes with an array of potential problems which is why I was considered "high risk". My pregnancy with the twins was pretty rough.
Sick
I threw up every day from 6 weeks until the day I delivered. I took 4 mg of Zofran every 4 hours and 25 mg of Phenergan every night before bed. These meds took the edge off significantly but didn't completely resolve the problem. At 11 weeks I was hospitalized for dehydration because I threw up 14 times. I lost about 10 lbs in the first trimester but by the end I gained a total of 43.
Glucose Testing
Being a first time mom, being pregnant with twins, and a family history of diabetes put me at a very high risk for developing gestational diabetes. So I was lucky enough to have 2 glucose tests. One at 18 weeks and one at 28 weeks. Ugh. I barely made it through them without vomiting. I was blessed, though. Both came back negative!
Stretch Marks
People always ask me how I carried twins being that I am only 5'3". I just answer with, "I was all belly and I have the stretch marks to prove it." I noticed my first one at 24 weeks and by the end I had too many to count. Oh well, losing my flat tummy was for a GREAT cause.
Fetal Movement
One of the most common questions I get asked is how I determined which baby was Brett and which was Reese. Brett was on my left side through the duration of the pregnancy. She was vertex (head down) the entire time. I always worried about her because I hardly ever felt her move. Reese was on the right and - just like today - she never stayed put. She wiggled, squirmed and kicked. One time we saw her kick Brett right on the head in an ultrasound. The name Reese means "ambitious." Thus you can see how we decided. Baby A, my first born Brett and Baby B, Reese.
Uncomfortable
Obviously my belly got HUGE. My back hurt all the time. I had heart burn so bad that I couldn't sleep. From about 24 weeks on, I couldn't see my feet. If I sat down, I stayed until someone could help me up. When I needed to roll from one side to the other, I had to get on my hands and knees to do it. People say, "Twins? Two for the price of one!" No. It was two for the price of TWO. People would always look at me with pity written all over their faces. Ha. Around 26 weeks (during the summer) people would stop me and tell me how uncomfortable I looked and wondered how soon I would give birth. I replied, "December." The look on their faces... Priceless.
Preterm Labor
32- 35 weeks was probably the hardest part of my pregnancy. Around 32 weeks I was hospitalized for preterm labor. The first few days I was there I continued to dilate and efface. Finally with a load of smooth muscle relaxers in my body, the contractions slowed but didn't stop. So the hospital became my home until 34 weeks. Bed rest is SO boring! They gave me round the clock medication. By the time I was discharged, I received 1 steroid shot to develop their lungs, 2 Fetal Fibronectin tests, a million NST's, countless cervical exams, several ultrasounds, and 4 different oral medications plus my anti-nausea meds. Prenatal vitamins, stool softeners ( a HUGE problem) and a med called Procardia and one called Terbutaline. Procardia gave me the worst headache in the world and Terbutaline made my heart race, made me shake, and gave me hot flashes. When I finally went home, they sent me with all 4 meds to take there. My doctor sent me home with the condition of bed rest, lots of fluids, and the instructions to stop the meds at 35 weeks. Well I delivered at 35 weeks and one day! Delivery details to follow!
