The belly - 36 weeks

I am ginormous! At my 35 week appt, I was measuring 44. I forgot to ask what I measured this week, but it is BIG!

For comparison, here I am at 40 weeks with Abigail:

36 week ultrasound

The girls are looking great. Super crowded in there, but everyone is healthy. They are both weighing in at (approximately) 5lbs 4oz. That's right on target for twin growth at this stage. The perinatologist said that he'd expect that they'll weigh right about 6 lbs each by next week's delivery day. It is hard to believe that there is already 10.5 lbs of baby in me, and it will probably be 12 lbs by next week. I think if we were able to wait for me to go into labor naturally, I would have a couple 7+ pounders on my hands. Yay! Birth weight is a big deal for all babies, but especially twins. I hope they weigh in above 6 lbs at birth, because that just feels like a good, healthy weight. But at this point, everything is indicating that they will be healthy and strong, regardless of whether they hit that 6 lb. mark or not.

Baby B is now vertex (head-down) but Baby A is still breech, so there is no change in our delivery plans (C-section, Aug 7, 3:30pm). I don't have any more appointments or ultrasounds before the big day, so there's pretty much no turning back now! I can't believe we are going to meet our little girls in less than a week!!!!

My mom (Grandma Grace) is going to arrive on Saturday to help us get ready, to watch Abigail while we are in the hospital, and to help out once we get home. (My dad - Grandpa Peter - can't make it this time, but hopefully he'll get to meet the girls soon. Maybe Thanksgiving?) Then a couple/few weeks later Aaron's parents (Nana and Grandpa Mike) will arrive. Then Aunties Kendra and Kyrstin will come visit in early September. We love our families, and we are so appreciative of them coming to help out and celebrate with us. If we didn't have people coming to help, I think I would be freaking out right now. It's really nice to know we'll have some extra hands around for a while.

We have a date!

Well, at my 35 week appt, Baby A was still breech. (She's been stubborn and has stayed that way since at least 28 weeks.) So, although I really, really wanted an unmedicated natural delivery, I will be having a c-section unless a miracle occurs and she turns head-down before I hit 37 weeks. I got the call today from the Dr. office, confirming that the date and time for the c-section is:

Aug 7, at 3:30pm
(less than 2 weeks away!!!)

That's the day I turn 37 weeks. I had asked for it to be on the 14th (38 weeks, which was the absolute latest they would let me go for a c-section) and my midwife said she'd shoot for that date. But I knew that the OB really would prefer to do it sooner, so I wasn't too surprised that it got bumped up a bit. I feel like the girls should be fine at 37 weeks, so I decided not to make a big deal about it.

We will be praying specifically that the girls are good nursers, because that is the one thing that I've heard can still be problematic between 36-37 weeks. We would certainly appreciate your prayers as we approach their arrival.

We'll keep you updated between now and then. I do have a growth ultrasound next week, so we will get an update on how big the girls are getting. I'll try to get some more belly pictures taken too, for posterity's sake =)

35 week update

Fundal Height: 44!
Babies positions: Baby A breech, Baby B transverse. Baby A could still turn head-down, but considering that she's been breech since at least 28 weeks and they are getting really cramped in there, the midwife said it's not really likely at this point. I have another ultrasound next week to check their growth, so we'll see if she moves at all by then.
Delivery plans: I am being scheduled for a c-section around 38 weeks (near Aug 14), due to the babies' positions. I will post when I have a date and time confirmed. If Baby A turns head-down before then, we will cancel that plan and go for a natural delivery.
Misc: My feet/ankles are still huge. They will likely stay that way until delivery. It's pretty bad when I can barely even get my feet into my flip flops! BUT, I do have a nice, pretty pedicure now! Aaron took Abigail to the Zoo on Saturday, and I got the day off. I used some birthday money to get a pedicure, get my haircut, and get a massage. I also took care of some appointments at the hospital and just generally enjoyed having the day all to myself. Possibly for the last time in...um...EVER?

Oh, I also got the crib all ready to go. We plan on having the twins in our room at first, but it feels nice to have the crib all set (and maybe we'll use it for naps sometimes). We still have a TON of prep to do before I'll feel "ready" for the babies, but I'm trying not to worry about it too much. It's just hard to get anything accomplished nowadays, so I feel a little overwhelmed by my to-do list sometimes. BUT, #1 on my "to-do" list is stay healthy and keep these babies cooking until they're good and ready to come out, so I make sure to not overdo it, and I don't feel bad about taking naps and being generally unproductive most of the time.

Fat feet

My feet are huge! These pictures don't really show the extent of the swelling, but here is a comparison between my normal feet (left) and my current preggo feet (right).

The belly - 32 weeks 1 day

Here I am at 32 weeks with Abigail. I look tiny compared to today!


Here's the Abigail belly at 37 weeks. I think that's a lot closer to how I look now - and that makes sense, since I am measuring 37.

32 week update

"Well, these girls have no sense of direction"

...That was the first thing the perinatologist told me at our ultrasound today. They are both breech, with their heads right up in my ribs and feet/butts down in my pelvis. That is the exact opposite of the position we want them in for birth! We will keep telling them that they need to turn around, and hopefully that will happen before delivery time.

Other than that, everything looks good. Both girls are healthy, very active, and have good weights. Baby A is 3 lb 12 oz; Baby B is 3 lb 8 oz - right on schedule for growth. It is a good sign that their weights are staying so close together - that means they are sharing nutrients well.

I'll try to post a belly picture soon. I'm getting BIG! Last week my fundal height measured 37 cm (the equivalent of a 37-week singleton pregnancy).