Feeling better @ 4 months
Finally got my NT results from Gen*zyme Genetics. My risk of one of the babies having downs based on the testing is 1:4300, which is much better than the 1:470 age related risk. So J and I are very relieved. I was told that Trisomy 18 cannot be accurately estimated in twin pregnancies so we were not given a "screening" risk but my age related risk is 1:1600. I'm having my AFP "triple" blood test and a one hour glucose test on Monday.
Yesterday was my official consult with the high risk OB/GYN (Dr. H). He did the NT test two weeks ago but we never had a chance to go over my medical records or ask questions. I think he'll work out... It's tough b/c no one can live up to Dr. Z and his office so I have to lower my standards. Whats important here is that Dr. H only takes high risk patients and has tons of experience with any possible thing that might go wrong. So I should be in really good hands. He actually wants to see me every other week for the next month or two and then he wants to see me every single week. The only part of the visit that scared me a bit was when he told me the babies would be early and is was just a matter of how early. His biggest advice was to run (not walk) to the hospital is I have contractions. He said women wait b/c they think its a false alarm b/c they're only 28 or 30 weeks. Or they think that it will go away and then they end up being too dilated and there is no way he can stop the babies from coming. Whereas if you get there early enough he might be able to stop the contractions and give the babies longer to grow. Sound like I may be running to the hospital a lot b/c aren't there a lot of false alarms in pregnancy and I'll be terrified its the real thing.
My biggest worry is that this doctor is about 45 mins away and he only works at/delivers at a hospital that is near him. So if I don't make it to his hospital and have to go to the local one near my house than I'll have to use whoever is on call. Hopefully this won't be an issue and 45 mins will be plenty of time to get to the hospital... I'm also one of the few women that wants a C-section. It seems that most women really want a natural delivery but I just don't feel that way. For some reason I'm terrified of labor with twins. What if something goes wrong. What if I go through labor with one and then I still need a C-section...yadda yadda.... and Dr. H actually agreed with me. He said the last point I just made happens more frequently than you realize. He said 85% of his twin deliveries are C-section. So I'm planning on a C-section and hopefully I make it far enough to the scheduled date so that there are no issues on getting to the hospital on time.
And when I was weighed yesterday I had put on 5 pounds in 2 weeks. So obviously I'm feeling much better! I'm just about 16 weeks and have gained 8 pounds total. The doctor wasn't very concerned b/c he said I'm gaining now and as long as I try to hit the 40 pound minimum. Ideally more like 45 pounds than I'll be fine. I haven't had a migraine in over a week (knock-on-wood) and I have a little more energy. I still get tried rather easily but overall I went from feeling like death to feeling decent and what a nice change that is! I was actually able to go on 3 walks last week. This is the first time I exercised this entire pregnancy and I'm a person that was extremely athletic and active before I was pregnant. So it felt good to move around some. I'm eating as evidenced by the sudden weight gain. When I feel okay and don't have a pounding sledge hammer in my head than I eat non-stop.
My biggest new symptom is round ligament pains. This started about 2 weeks ago and scared the heck out of me. I was getting out of the car and pain shot up my groin and to the lower left side of my abdomen. I almost fell over. It really hurt and that one lasted for a while b/c I tried to walk it off which is the wrong thing to do. I was walking around a store holding my groin. Everyone probably thought I desperately needed to pee. It's happened probably a dozen times since and usually the pain doesn't last more than a few minutes. It feels like a Charley horse in your groin and mine seems to always lean to the right side. You're supposed to sit down or lay down if possible when this occurs to take the weight off the stretching ligaments. Dr. H said this is completely normal and a perk of pregnancy and will only worsen.
I will post a belly shot soon. I'm growing like crazy. Just the last 2 weeks alone have been drastic. I've actually had a neighbor point it out and come over to rub my belly (very annoying). My belly button is becoming more and more shallow... I bet it pops in the next 6 weeks. My biggest growth has still been in the boob area. That is becoming ridiculous. I've been a regular B cup pretty much my whole life and now I'm a D cup... who knows how big those babies will be when this is over.
Ohhhh and I ordered all kinds of expensive belly butter/lotion to prevent stretch marks. I'm sure its all a gimmick and won't help but I still feel that I have to try. I have been using Palmer's Cocoa butter up to this point but decided to try the "good" stuff. Anyone out there have any tricks/ assvice or brand they used that they like?
Labels: 2nd Trimester
posted by Keeping The Faith @ 7:29 AM
16 comments
16 Comments:
Okay...now I'm scared!!! I started getting worried now that I have to have the FFN test every two weeks. Like you, my doctor and hospital are 45 minutes away, without traffic. If the timing is way bad and we hit the morning or afternoon commute, it's more like 1.5 hours!!
And I am totally with you on the c-section. That was one of my first questions...I wanted to know if we could go ahead and plan to schedule it and my doctor was all for it. It's a big relief to me even though I know things don't always go as planned.
I'm so glad your feeling better and I know it's exciting to see your belly finally getting round! Seems like just yesterday I was so shocked when I had my first "stranger" ask when I was due...now there's no way around that question! My belly button is pretty much flat now so I'm just waiting for the pop.
Oh, and as far as stretch marks...I bought tummy butter or something like that from Motherhood but only used it once because it was like putting crisco on my belly and I just don't like being greased up! So, I've just been making sure to use plenty of my regular lotion on my stomach and hips every night. But, I would love to know if you have any recommendations after you've tried your new stuff.
Babies R Us sells Palmer's Stretch Mark Cream with
Cocoa Butter. None of these creams has been clinically proven to prevent or reduce stretch marks but at the very least, they help with the abdomen itching that can be downright annoying.
Don't know if your doc talked with you about practice (Braxton Hicks) contractions, but many pregnant women can feel them as early as week 20 of pregnancy. They become increasingly stronger as the pregnancy progresses but are not to be confused with real labor (your doc's office should be able to provide a cheat sheet for how to distinguish between the two). Good luck.
Assvice for stretch marks... Drink water. Lots of water. Staying hydrated is the best thing to do. I also used shea butter as well to stop the itching. I had a singleton and put on 40 lbs and do not have a single stretch mark.
Some people are predisposed to stretchmarks as well. There really is nothing that will stop it from happening from what all my Dr's have said. : )
glad to hear you're feeling better, and that you like the doc.
I find it interesting that he told you 85% c-section rate - my doc says it's 50% with twins.
I'm feeling the round ligament pain too - and I read somewhere that it's more common on the right side.
Hi Faith,
I'm so glad to hear everything is going fine. I can't wait to see the belly shot. Post it when you can. I bet you look adorable. Good to hear the headaches are subsiding and you are eating again. Take good care of yourself!
Good luck with stretch mark prevention. I never gave it a thought till my belly exploded in size practically over night and I was too late.
I ended up with preterm labor and we were able to keep it under control. I didn't even feel any contractions but my belly got very firm and "tight" several times in one night with no pain. Called the high risk guy the next morning and he hustled me into the hospital to get me started on meds to stop the contractions. So glad I called! Long story short, contracted on bed rest for 13 weeks then the contractions stopped when I was due! Go figure! Had a whopping baby boy a week later.
I'm so glad to hear that you are feeling better! Good luck with the stretch marks. Certain types of skin are more likely to get them than others. I have the kind that gets a stretch mark if you eat to much or sneeze too hard. I have some nice ones going already since the start of this pregnancy. It is amazing how you go to sleep and then wake up and BAM! There is a new subdivision on the road map. Some how I'm not to upset about them yet, let's see how I feel about that in a couple of months.
I felt a lot of ligament pain awhile back and it is rather uncomfortable. Mine was ALWAYS on the right side. (I kept being affraid it was my appendix, because well, what else can go wrong!) The bitchy nurse at my OB's office says I am still having it, but I say I have had a few contractions. I don't know if they are BraxtonHicks or the real thing. I am assuming they are Braxton, but they generally make me stop what I am doing. I, however, live about 4 minutes from the hospital and sometimes this actually happens at the hospital so I have felt comfortable that if they didn't stop after a couple I could get help.
I'm so glad to hear you are doing better!!
Weird that doctors always like to say that twins are born early. My doctor induced me when I was nearing the end of my 39th week. My SIL gave birth to 2 sets of twins at the end of 40 weeks (and she's 5'1" and wears a size 4 when she's at her heaviest)... so it's not a sure thing that they're early...
As for the AFP, I wonder why they are recommending you do it - it is completely useless in twin pregnancies.
Braxton Hicks, or practice contractions, can be painless or intense, and even sometimes painful (depending on the person), and usually are not considered pre-term labor. Generally if a woman has 4-6 per hour, she is to empty her bladder, drink a glass or two of water, and get off her feet. If the contractions continue at 4-6 the following hour, she is to call labor and delivery. Every woman is different so some are very attuned to these and get lots, while someone else may not feel any. But one's uterus technically begins contracting after week 6, with most feeling them after week 20, but even more so at 28 weeks. Toward the end of pregnancy, they can at times aid in dilating and effacing the cervix. While uncomfortable though, they actually do aid in toning the uterus in preparation for delivery so they're a positive. And as far as preterm labor, there are generally a host of other signs that are indicative of that, e.g. loss of mucus plug, breaking of water bag, bloody show, etc. In general, if the Braxton Hicks are irregular, meaning they do not keep occuring with increased strength, duration, and intensity, e.g. 5 mins apart lasting for up to a minute each, they are considered practice.
Glad things are going good and you are feeling better!
How great that you are feeling better and gaining weight! I hope that those ligament pains go away and that those babies stay for as long as possible!
I am so glad the NT scan went well...what a relief!
And thank Goodness the migraines are better too, I hope this is the start of you feeling GOOD for at least few months...
Yikes on the 85% c-section rate. I'm glad Carol said her doctor told her it was closer to 50%, but how's a gal supposed to get the straight story around here?
I know what you mean about comparing the OBs to Dr. Z,. we were spoiled huh?
On the other hand, maybe we did 'get what we paid for'!!
:-)
Glad to hear things are going well for you and the little ones. Can't wait to see your cute belly pics! :)
D
Thank you so much for your kind words. I can't tell you how much it means to me.
I'm so glad to hear that you're feeling better, and especially to hear that the little ones are doing well.
I can't wait to see that belly shot!
As for the stretch marks, yes take care extra during that last trimester.
You've already noticed the start of the rapid weight gain, and it's this that breaks down the elastin and collagen which is essential to keep the elasticity of the skin as it stretches during pregnancy.
It doesn't really matter what lotions you use, the idea is to keep the skin "lubricated", though Cocoa Butter is one of the best.
I have a free e-book all about stretch marks and how to prevent or remove them (if the prevention didn't come in time)
Oh, and I have wonderful twin boys, now aged 6. If you think stretch marks are a nuisance, just wait until the little ones discover how to crawl and then go in opposite directions :-)
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