Later today I’ll do a 34 week update, but I feel like there’s more to be said than answering those weekly update questions.
I’ve been pregnant for 34 weeks. Some bittersweet, but mostly happy weeks. Weeks filled with new bliss at being pregnant; what couldve been called naive faith that our triplet pregnancy would be a smooth one; being rocked when we lost Baby B; adjusting to a pregnancy with two growing babies; slowly getting used to & even saying ‘I’m having twins’; then ending with almost two weeks on hospital bedrest.
The ‘twins’ word hasn’t come out of my lips easy. But it’s what the world already does & will think when they see Zach & Lucy. I’m not one to focus on loss. To pull down myself & others by choosing to only see what’s missing instead if the gifts God has given us. So in that light, I’ve added ‘twins’ to my vocabulary where there was once ‘triplets’. I’ve even purchased a TW INS onesie for them to wear when they’re big enough. I’m looking forward to that photo op.
But tomorrow, I’m going to give birth to all three of my babies. And I’m so excited. And a little scared. And nervous at what my reaction to Baby B will be. Should we have named her? Made other plans for post-birth? I’m standing now by the decisions Jason & I have made. Made for us & for Zach & Lucy.
I have loved being pregnant. Every moment. Every ultrasound. Every kick, punch & head butt to the vag or ribs. Every bit of food to add close to 50 pounds in order to make them as big as possible. Every second of the last two weeks of bedrest. I will honestly miss the big belly. I’ll miss wearing the cute maternity clothes (but don’t think I’ll be giving them up for a few months)!
Today I’m rubbing on extra belly lotion & taking it pretty easy. Enjoying time with family & babies’ belly attention before the big day tomorrow.
Where She Went by Gayle Forman is actually the sequel to If I Stay. So in the last week (actually two weeks ago now), I read both. I couldn’t put either down; reading If I Stay as a library e-book from my phone Fri & Sun then finishing Where She Went in the hospital last Wednesday. These books are written under the young adult genre but are not quite as fluffy as somethings that ‘YA’ might lead you to believe.
Both IIS & WSW, describe the story of two musicians, Mia & Adam. Mia is a talented classic cellist while Adam is in a rock band called Shooting Stars. IIS is set in Oregon, from Mia’s point of view & mostly involves the story of her & Adam coming together as a couple, her family & the aftermath of a horrific car accident. WSW picks up on Adam & Mia’s lives but three years after the accident & told from Adam’s perspective, mostly taking place in NYC.
I really liked them both for what they are: entertaining quick reads. But Where She Went brought me to tears. I really didn’t want the book to end. In the way back of the novel though, there’s a glimpse at what I hope is a third!
Can you believe it’s been ten days since my water broke? I can & can’t. The days pass both quickly & slowly.
I’ve been so very blessed to have had a family member stay every night with me. Jason last Monday, Dad Tues-Thurs, Mom Fri & Sat, Jason Sun, my SIL Beth this Mon & Tues & my Nana came today to stay til Fri when Mom &/or Jason will stay through the weekend. Also friends & my aunt have stopped by to pepper the days with other fun faces.
The mornings are busy starting with 6am heartburn & thyroid medicines, 7am blood pressure/temp/finger tip oximeter checks, breakfast snack, 8amish doctors visiting, 9amish babies’ heartbeat & Suz contraction monitoring & then ordered breakfast. Things quiet down around 10 am & are pretty chill until 7 or 8 pm. That’s when shift change occurs which means meeting the new nursing staff, a new round of checks on me coupled with dinner, prime time TV & the nightly monitoring. I think some people must not like the babies heartbeat monitoring, but I love it. It super relaxes me to hear their hearts beating away. & I think it’s interesting that while I have felt few contractions, there are some showing up on the monitor.
I feel like the babes are growing good thanks to the fabulous room service-like meals here. We’re also watched over by wonderful, caring nurses & checked in on by kick ass high risk doctors like my MFM & his residents. I feel her pretty frequently here- kicks, punches, rolls, head butts to the ribs- she’s letting me know she’s happy. He’s more calm, at least from what I feel. But the doctors have assured me that he’s fine- just a mix of him being so low plus having little water accounts for his smaller activity levels.
I haven’t read as much as I thought I might. I’ve actually just finished two books (one of which I’m posting on tomorrow). I also finished Mothering Multiples which is a LLL book on breastfeeding multiples. I re-read through the multiples childbirth workbook from class too. Days pass quickly chatting with family & friends & nurses who’ve become friends, flipping through magazines, watching random TV (oh I do miss DVR) & the hospital movie channels too. Jason & I were entertained by clowns Friday & Mom & I were serenaded Glee-style by the university men’s acappella group Saturday afternoon. 🙂
Since there’s been no changes in the 10 days, my nurses & doctors feel pretty confident I’ll continue to stay pregnant until they induce me at 34 weeks. We’ll begin a few things Saturday night but my induction is technically scheduled for Sunday morning. I’ll try to do one last weekly update before hand!
Mom took these photos of me & the belly with my cell late Saturday night in my hospital room. I look tired, makeup free but happily still pregnant.
{hospital bracelet, Kohls maternity/nursing gown}
How far along? 33w2d by my calculations, but the hospital considers the week switch on Sundays instead of Saturdays so they call me 33w1d.
Maternity clothes? Yes. Beginning last Monday evening, I wore hospital provided attire. Then I learned mid-week that I could wear my own clothes if I wanted. While the Kohls by us didn’t have them, luckily Mom found a few maternity/nursing gowns with robes at her Kohls & brought them down Friday. We ordered another online so now I’m switching off wearing prettier gowns.
Weight Gain? I was up 45 pounds as of last Thursday’s doctor’s appointment. I haven’t been weighed since but think the belly might be a little bigger.
Stretch Marks? Yes, on both sides & I kinda don’t care.
Sleep? Sleep in the hospital at first was near impossible due to nurses checking in or giving meds every two hours. Now I’ve learned to ask for sleeping pill if I can’t sleep & they also don’t have to give me medicine over night.
Movement? I think just sitting here thinking about the babes has me hyper-aware of them. I feel her really often & he let’s me know he’s hanging out with a few kicks & punches too.
Genders? Baby A, Zach, is a still a boy & C, Lucy, is a girl.
What I Miss? Baby B {some of the nurses when they’re doing the heartbeat monitors will refer to Lucy as baby B; I’ve either corrected them or ignored it & said “her” or “Lucy”}. I randomly today told the husband I miss wearing jewelry. I took all mine off before we left for L&D Monday night. I think this is the longest I’ve gone without wearing a necklace/rings/earrings in years & years. I also miss Moekitty~ Jason’s been good about sending me fluffy kit photos though!
Food cravings? As you’ve probably seen from my instagram feed, the food here in the hospital is really good. But the Dairy Queen commercials are getting to me~ I’m sad there isn’t a DQ close by, but the hospital’s ice cream & milkshakes are hitting that spot. I was also kinda craving a Gigi’s cupcake yesterday. I ordered a cupcake with my lunch today & am hoping it tastes as good as it looks.
Food aversion? None really.
Labor signs? Zach’s water broke last Monday afternoon. So I’m now a PPROM {premature preterm rupture of membranes} patient on hospital bedrest. No other labor signs for the last week though {random little contractions but not active ones}. They’ll induce labor if I don’t go on my own by 5/20.
Belly button in or out? It’s popping more & more out but I’d still call it an innie.
What I’m Looking Forward to? A few more days of being pregnant {aka having ‘medically boring days’ as the MFMs wish me every morning}. Spending time with my SIL who’s on her way to hang out for a few days. Then a few days with my Nana. Then babies!!!!!
Symptoms? The swollen feet that have plagued me for weeks {months?!} disappeared being in a hospital bed. So nice to see my feet looking normal. The heartburn medicine they give me here has actually worked better than what I was previously on. I really feeling well.
Weekly Wisdom? A positive attitude really helps. A nurse told me yesterday, as I was mentioning how the days fly by & that it hasn’t been bad, how my attitude really does effect my bedrest stay. We open the blinds each morning, I brush my teeth/wash face etc & we’ve established a bit of a routine when it comes to showering & getting out of the room occasionally. I really think texting & social media {twitter, instagram, facebook & of course blogging} makes me still feel connected to friends too which really has helped.
Milestones? Still pregnant! Baby Center told me yesterday that the babies are about 4 pounds {weight of a pineapple} but we know they were that size over a week ago at our last ultrasound appt. Since they gain about a half pound a week, I’m guessing they’re more like 4.5 & 4.75 pounds now. Guess we’ll see for sure soon.
I decided a couple weeks ago that I wanted some maternity photos done. The only photos I had to document this pregnancy were self-portraits & I didn’t have a single photo with the husband. I turned to twitter for thoughts on maternity pics, was it too late & to see if any of my photography friends were available. Thankfully my friend & Chi O sorority sister, Nicole Faby was available for Sunday week ago {at 31w1d}.
Here’s a few of my favorites from our mini session. I’m so thankful we had these done!!
