Some Growing Baby Girls-30 Week Appointment

So, today I ventured to the doctor for our 30 week appointment.  Let me tell you, I was AMAZED at how much can change in 2 weeks time inside a body with two growing babies.  Growing babies, all of them, but especially multiples is truly an act of God and not something man can do alone. 

What did we learn today??

 First of all, it's hot!! And it's a long way from here to the doctor.  And that long drive plus this heat makes my legs, ankles, and feet HUGE.  So big, they hurt to bend them.  But, there is good news in that.  My blood pressure continues to look great and so the doctor said that although the swelling is uncomfortable, there's not much to do about it and it's not a worry since it's not indicative of high blood pressure/toxemia.  That is awesome news.  He said to stay out of the heat, keep my feet up, and drink plenty of water because it doesn't need to get worse and lead toxemia, but otherwise, it's fine for now. 

I asked about the cramping feeling I have been having the doctor explained braxton hicks vs. real contractions to me and as of right now, I'm pretty confident that I haven't had real contractions.  He said to lay on my left side, be still and drink plenty of water when the cramping happens.  He checked me today and no change since the last check which was a month ago, so we are still sitting at 1 cm.  Great news there!!!  I will be checked each and every time I go now.

The sonograms are not lasting too long as they know what they are looking for and pretty much have their baseline for which to measure against and they just do what they need to do and we are on our way.  Don't worry, they still schedule two ultrasounds and charge us for two, but the length of them isn't too long these days.  Baby A, Elissa, is weighing in at 3 lbs 10 ozs, and a heartbeat of 131.  That's a 14-15 oz. gain in 2 weeks for Baby A.  Baby B, Ellie, is weighing in at 3 lbs 6 ozs, and a heart beat of 155.  That's a 10 oz gain for Miss Ellie.  AND, that brings us to a total baby weight gain of 24 ounces, or 1 lb 8 ounces.  (that's if I've done my math right and we all know I might have gotten some of that wrong.)   Both babies are measuring right at 30 weeks, which is right on track.  All major organs that they look at each time or still there and still working properly, including their girly parts.  My babies havent' turned into boys. haha!

What about my weight gain?  I gain 3 pounds in two weeks.  The doctor didn't even mention weight gain, I had to ask.  Obviously, when I gain almost 2 pounds of baby, it stands to reason, there will be come weight gain on my end, too!  That puts my total weight gain at 19 pounds for 30 weeks.  I think that's awesome but I can see my eating habits go down hill by the day.  Good thing is, I get plenty of water. 

I asked the doctor if he would make me carry 12 pounds of baby and he said if he had to, he would!!!  I was only half kidding, but I did want to know some type of range we were looking for here.  He basically said that usually with twins, there is usually some growth restriction at some point.  My babies apparently do not feel restricted and feel just fine to grow, grow, grow!  He is very pleased with what he called their growth pattern.  Of course, this is a given, but he did say that once they got to be about 5 pounds each, I was going to struggle for the ability to get around, which is right around the corner.  He said as long as the babies are growing and do not appear to be in distress, we'd just keep going.  I reminded him I had to start back work in 2 weeks, and his told me that I'd done so good that he didn't see a reason to tell me that I couldn't at least try it.  It's a given, though, that I can't walk around or stand for more than those few hours a day, but he said as long I felt good in 2 weeks, to go for it!!! 

When I go back, in two weeks, we will do a thing called a biophysical profile, where they will check to make sure the babies aren't under any stress and check the length of my cervix.  In two weeks, he may have something else to say about going back to work. 

All in all, it was a great appointment and I felt encouraged that we were going to make it just that much longer.  I do have a baby sitting in an odd place, or maybe even a nerve, and it feels like I'm trying to walk on a broken left leg the first few steps I take.  Once I get myself up and get myself moving around, it usually eases up to be at least bearable.  I hope that doesn't get any worse. 

In other baby news, I got a few things from craiglist from a sweet girl I got to know a little bit over email the past few days. You never know what you are going to get when you blindly buy from people on the Internet, but I was very pleased with the few things she had to get rid of.  She even took the time to wash some of the covers.  I was excited to get that stuff checked off my list.  Thanks Kim, it was good to meet you and that sweet girl of yours is too sweet.  I think she needs a sibling!!! haha!!!

It's a been a bit of ups and down around here lately.  Sid's grandmother, Nene's mother, went to live at an assisted living here in town this week.  Thoughts for their family would be great, as it was a difficult decision to have to make, but one that I think everyone will benefit from.  On the up side, Sid's other grandmother, Jerry's mother, has been in town since Sunday and she spent the night with us and kept Bailey all day long today.  I feel like she probably sacked out by now after dealing with this wild child all day long. haha!  But Bailey could not have enjoyed herself more!!!!  We are gearing up for the fair.  Well, most of the Whitehead family is gearing up for the fair.  I'm just here for the duration. 

OH!! I don't have any video from this weeks appointment, but like I said, it didn't last long and other than Baby B having the hiccups, there wasn't much to see new or different this time anyway!  I don't have many pictures of anything new, but I did see something very funny today.  As I was sitting the parking lot of a major furniture store this afternoon waiting to meet the lady to get the baby stuff, a young preppy couple came out with a fancy stroller and the lady promptly took the baby carrier and put it into the SUV.  The hubs was smoothly trying to get the fancy stroller folded down and in the back of the SUV.  I am not kidding you, 10 minutes later, both lady and man were battling with this stroller, at one point having it laid upside down, trying to fold it down and get it put into the car.  I did take a pic from where I was sitting when the man finally got down on the ground up under the stroller while the wife tried to a find a way on top, but I don't know if it's legal to post something like that, so I'll refrain, but it was very funny.  I started to roll down my window and asked what kind it was so I'd make sure and stay away from that brand.  Then I started to roll down the window and remind them their baby was in the hot car.  But, alas, 10 minutes later, it miraculously folded up and, they threw it in the back of their jeep, and they took off.  Can you imagine the language that was shared over that stroller.  I'll probably be cursed for laughing at that, but oh well!!

Ya'll stay cool!!! Much love! Barbie