Nate and I first found out that we were having twins in August of 2011. While we were shocked, we found out when I was just 6 weeks along, so had a while to get used to it.
I started showing pretty early - like wearing maternity clothes at 13 weeks. And I am not talking a belly band or a hair tie around my jeans... I am talking full on maternity clothes. While my pregnancy was pretty easy, I did have trouble sleeping pretty early on. I am a stomach sleeper... and if I couldn't sleep on my stomach for any reason, then I would sleep on my back. Well because I started getting big so quickly, I stopped being able to sleep how I wanted pretty early as well. So I was crabby about that.
When you are pregnant with twins, dr visits are a little different (from what I understand - of course I have nothing to compare it to). I went more frequently, and had tests done that single pregnancies don't have to get. One nice thing - you get to see your babies more because there are more ultra sounds. One of the tests that I had to take would read a certain level of a hormone; if this test was positive, there was a 50% chance that you would go into labor in the next 2 weeks. Without this hormone present there was only a 5% chance. I started to get this hormone checked at 26 weeks. All was fine at first, but then at my 30 week checkup, I had a positive test. I was pretty worried about this, and was told there is nothing that can be done, but just to take it easy. Luckily I made it through those two weeks and at my 32 week check up my test was negative!
Making it to the 32 week mark was a big goal of mine and my doctors! 32 weeks is when the lungs are fully developed and babies born after 32 weeks have the best chance of survival. Whew... I could breath easy. Well, breath as well as I could carrying around 2 babies.
At this point I was HUGE. I was measuring way bigger than a full term single pregnancy, and I could feel it. But it was my goal to make it to 37 weeks. I already had a c-section scheduled for 38 weeks (March 30), but didn't know if I could make it 6 more weeks... so my mind was set on 5 more.
Starting at about 32 weeks along, I was having contractions. I would have maybe one an hour. When I was at a Dr appt, they measured them, and said they were contractions and not braxton hicks, but they were nothing to worry about if they were not regular.
At 34 weeks, on Tuesday, March 6th I was feeling like I was having contractions... but they were not regular and not bad, so I did nothing. That night, we had someone coming to our house to close on our re-financing. All through signing 100 pieces of paper, the contractions were getting worse. I was starting to get worried... it was too early. After the closer left, I decided that they were not getting any better, and were coming more frequently... so I thought it would be best to go to the hospital - just to be on the safe side. I knew there was a chance that we would have to stay in the hospital, so I decided I wanted to shower before we went. In the shower the contractions stopped. After that - nothing. So I decided I was fine and went to bed for the night.
The next day, March 7th - I got up and went to work. I started having contractions again, but they were only about 2 an hour. But they started coming quicker... so I decided to go home and lay down... to see if I could get them to stop.
Well, they didn't stop, in fact, suddenly they were coming every 5 minutes... the sign to go to the hospital. With Nate on his way home, I showered again and packed my bag. Once Nate got home, we called the dr to say that we were on the way. Telling us that because I was not far along, they would give me some drugs to stop labor, we drove to the hospital not thinking that I would give birth.
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| Leaving the house to go to the hospital... face doesn't show the pain I am in... |
On of my favorite parts of the drive to the hospital (the only part I remember...) was when Nate laid on the horn .2 seconds after the light turned green to make sure the car in front of us got going a little quicker. He was that guy... the panicked dad to be.
So we got all checked in to the Hospital, and I got all hooked up to the machines. At this points I was having contractions every minute... At least that is what the nurse said - to me, it felt like they never stopped. The nurse said that before they gave me the drugs to stop labor, they just had to make sure I wasn't dilated. Well - no such luck... I was already over 6 cms dilated.
This was the point that I broke down crying. I knew that it was too early... that my babies, while most likely healthy, would have to go the NICU. My doctor came in and settled me down, and I got prepped for surgery. We kenw we were going to do a c-section because baby B (who turned out to be Henry) was sideways and there was no way to tell what way he would come down once Baby A (Zoey) was out.
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| Nate in his scrubs... looking all Doctor-ish |
What should have been the best moment of my life, was ruined by the fact that I was puking my guts out... while being strapped down on my back, with my arms to the side. Awesome.
But as soon as they said I had a girl and then a boy (who came out peeing... and continued to pee for a good few minutes) it was all worth it. Well, maybe it was also that I was done puking at this point.
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| Zoey 4lbs 13 ozs 18 inches |
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| Henry 5lbs 1 oz 18.5 inches |
With two small, but healthy babies on the way to the NICU, I was left in surgery to be stitched up. I was wheeled into the NICU afterward to see them, but I was so exhausted I hardly remember this.
After getting a good night's sleep (well as good as you can get with nurses poking and prodding you every hour) I got to head down to the NICU the next morning to see my babies. Holding them for the first time was so special.
The month that we spent in the NICU is well documented on this blog... and this blog was a savior. I was able to get all my emotions out, share our precious babies, and update family while they were there.
After 3 long weeks, Henry got to come home from the Hospital. It was bittersweet - knowing Zoey was there and 3 of us were at home...
In the week that Henry was home and Zoey was still at the hospital, we visited Zoey every day, and Henry took naps with his sister. I really think that it was those naps together than helped Zoey get better even faster...
And exactly 4 weeks after she was born... Zoey got to come home too...
Where they could nap and sleep together all they wanted.
And that is the first month of Henry and Zoey's lives...
I just wanted you to know someone on Instagram is stealing your pictures and claiming them as her own. Her IG name is "suprisedwithtwins" in case you want to see.
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