Thursday, June 26, 2008

From Steve's perspective



Another week and half has flown by since Jennifer’s last post. Time is moving fast these days (well, for the most part), much faster than we had initially anticipated after first hearing the words back in early May, “modified bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy.” That is a good thing I suppose. We are both quite busy, me a little busier than her obviously, but she is being quite productive for someone tied to the couch, with all the knitting (3 baby caps so far?), reading, web surfing, napping, and TV watching (mostly educational programming, i.e., “What Not To Wear,” various home improvement shows, and of course “Law and Order”). The visits and meal drop offs help her pass the time as well, and of course, are much appreciated!

We had two doctor visits this week, and just to sum it up, both appointments were short and sweet, with things pretty much nice and stable with our twins and mom. With all the doctor chats and good ultrasound test results to date, I (we) are finally getting somewhat relaxed about these appointments. I had compared the anxiety level of going to our doctor appointments to showing up for a test unprepared (think college or high school pop quiz) or having to give a public speech without any knowledge of the topic! So much is out of your hands and your control (and if you are a worrier and like to be well prepared,, that can be a nightmarish scenario!). The only thing we can control, and have done so very well, is keeping Jennifer rested and well fed. That seems to be paying dividends, and lets hope that continues to be the case. Again, our goal is to keep these babies in until 32 weeks or later (early August or beyond!), and currently she is at 26.5 weeks.

We continue to feel good baby “kicks” from both babies, which is encouraging to feel these little ones pack such a punch. The only minor set back for Jennifer is a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists. The doctors said this is normal, and we plan to get some wrist braces or wraps to maybe help alleviate some of her discomfort (usually worse in the morning or after naps). I am beginning to make some progress on my “honey do list.” I have made a lot of progress with some yard projects and am now focusing more on the inside (per Jennifer’s request, and per some common sense I suppose). Just this weekend, the nursery has taken shape with the assembly and set up of a crib and the organization of the gifted and acquired baby supplies, as well as getting all the non-baby related boxes and items out of the nursery. Jennifer has also picked out some fabric for the nursery window treatment and crib(s), and our friend Edward Walker is going to assist with the sewing and related set up. I have even spent some time alone in Raleigh area fabric stores chasing down fabric swatches and such (just one example of my dedication to my wife and twins!).
Until next time.

Monday, June 16, 2008

25 weeks and counting...

Tomorrow will be 25 weeks, and we are entering the stage of viability. This is a big deal with twins since so many come early, and we feel better with every day that passes. I'm sure the Ensure Steve makes me drink, and my time at home, on the couch, helps keep the babies in, and provides them much needed nutrients.

We went back to the perinatologist this afternoon for another ultrasound to check the babies for growth. Overall, things were really good! The fluid around each baby was good, and the membrane between the babies is still intact. Also, pre-term labor is still not a big concern right now - yea! They also took measurements of the babies. Baby A is estimated to weigh 1 lb 9 oz, which is the 50th percentile for twin babies at this stage - pretty good! Baby B is estimated to weigh 1 lb 4 oz, which is in the 10th percentile for twin babies at this stage. The growth discordance between the two babies is 19%. We were pretty pleased with all of this information, and we expect Baby B to stay small for the duration of my pregnancy as a result of the twin to twin syndrome.

However, Baby B being in the 10th percentile and the growth discordance of 19% puts us on the edge of concern. The doctors get concerned when babies fall below the 10th percentile, and growth discordance is above 20%. So, we are not quite out of the woods yet. There is a small chance that the twin to twin syndrome was not 100% corrected which could cause growth restrictions of Baby B. On the other hand, Baby B might just not have had enough time to catch up yet. So, the doctor wants to take another look next week.

On a fun note - Steve got an early Father's Day present. Baby B was pretty active Friday night, and Steve got to feel some pretty strong kicks for the first time. We've been waiting a long time to feel significant movement so it was a lot of fun to feel such strong kicks. It also gave us encouragement that the babies are growing bigger and getting stronger!

My bed rest continues to go well. I retract what I said about TV being pretty good. I found out, after my first week on the couch, that episodes are repeated within a very short time! But I have improved my knitting skills, and we continue to be well fed by our friends and family (thank you!). We've had lots of visitors which really helps to pass the time. With any luck, the next 2 months will pass so quickly that I won't get everything done that I want to get done. I feel like I've become quite the procrastinator; always thinking that I have plenty of time before the babies come : ) I've also gotten pretty good at taking naps - me and the dogs snoozing in the living room!

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Yahoo group link

Several folks have asked for the link to the yahoo group.

here it is:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jenniferandsteveguy/

Once there you have to sign in with a yahoo ID to view the calendar.

We really appreciate all of the dinners - they are yummy, and help us out so much!!

23 weeks!




Time flies when you're laying on the couch all the time! I was so happy to get out of the house for a doctor's appointment that we decided to take some pictures. I even put on real clothes and a little bit of make-up!

We've had good news this week from both the perinatologist, and the OB! The fluid levels around both babies look good, and the blood flow to each baby looks good too. The docs also think I am not in danger of pre-term labor any time soon. Hearing that was a huge relief to us! The perinatologist will look at the growth of the babies in two more weeks, and we hope Baby B shows some improvements. We also found out that I should be able to deliver them at the hospital of our choice - Wake Med. just a few minutes away (instead of Duke).

I will continue the modified bed rest and keep the babies in as long as possible. I've been filling my days with visits from family and friends, emails, reading, and knitting (I'm getting better and faster!).