Lights Out

We are finally off the lights. Both babies were sent home on bilibeds, for high jaundice levels. I should have expected it. all of my babies have had jaundice. Some higher than others. Well, 2 of 8 is the only one that didn't need photo therapy. If you know anything about jaundice, you know, with no underlying factors, biliruben peaks at 3-5 days. We hit day 5, day 6 day 7 day 8, and still really high numbers. By day 7, 8 of 8 started coming down. But 7 of 8 was still really high. Come to find out, he has breast milk jaundice. His body was processing protein in my milk instead of the biliruben. So my options were, quit nursing him for 24-48 hrs, or let him have jaundice and monitor him for 3-10 weeks, until he got it worked out. I chose the breast milk fast. I hate it. I had my supply built up for 2, then went back to 1, now I have to get back to 2 again. I feel like I am constantly feeding a baby. And it takes 30 minutes per kid, and they have started waking up at the same time. Which would be perfect, except for the fact that I can't tandem nurse yet. They are too small, and 7 of 8 doesn't latch well yet. Eventually she does, but we spend the first 10 minutes adjusting positions, and it takes both hands. I totally get why people bottle feed twins. When he was on formula, he was done in 10 minutes. Besides the making the bottle part, it was a quick process. But, I am determined to tandem nurse. It may take a little while, but it will happen.
It's nice to be back into our routine. Kids in school, Trent at work (although honestly, I would have kept him another week. I think he was done and ready to go to work again). Now if I could just catch up on my house, teach 6 of 8 how to use an inside voice, get her potty trained, and get 5 of 8 to stop crying about, everything. We would be in good shape.

Adding 7 and 8

So I finally get around to posting about our new additions. See their pretty color? It was a nice shade of orange earlier this week.
On Friday the 20th I had a dr appt, where my dr told me I was a 4 +, so being full term and considering my quick labors and being strep positive, we decided to set an induction date. my original plan was to hold off until labor started on it's own, but by 35 weeks, I was in so much pain. It got worse as the days went on, and not sleeping on top of that, I was getting mean. We got a date for the 21st.
I got up on Saturday morning about 4. I couldn't sleep. I would like to say I was excited, but that was the way I had been sleeping for the past 4 weeks. I called the hospital to see if they were ready for me at 6:30 and they told me to call back at 8. At 8 they told me to come in at 9:30. packed the kids up and took them to GMA's. So much for getting the garden in.
10:30 I was hooked up and antibiotics started. At 11 I asked the nurse to turn down the pitocin, my contractions that had been painless for the past 3 weeks were now painful and 3-5 minutes apart. She told me she hadn't started the pitocin, and I was in labor on my own. She checked me and I was at a 5+ and my bag of water was bulging. They decided to do an U/S to see if the babies were still head down, and found the girl in position A. The boy had been in position A the whole pregnancy.
After my first round of antibiotics my dr came in and broke my water about 3, and I was moved into the OR at 4:30 to deliver. My epidural only worked on half of me, and I was ok with feeling the contractions, but at the last minute decided to let the anesthesiologist fix it. Boy am I glad I did that.
At 5, my nurse asked if I was ready to push and I said I didn't know because the epi was awesome, and after being checked I was told the baby was right there. 1 push later 7 of 8 was born, and it was the boy. Then they broke baby B's water she moved. My dr. went to grab her, and felt a head, and a foot. After trying to fix that for 5 minutes she flipped breech and he decided to grab a foot and do a breech extraction. After he got her out, it took the nurses 5 minutes to get her breathing. I was back in my room before I really knew what was going on.
When I finally saw her, she was really bruised. From head to toe, down her left side. And apperently bruising causes them to get jaundice, and my babies get jaundice whether they get bruised or not. I came home on Monday, with bili lights and 2 healthy babies. Both are eating and finally coming down on jaundice levels. Both have day and night confused. Both are up from 1-4 in the morning.
I can't believe it has been 9 months. It really went by fast. This whole experience has been full of faith building trials. And I am grateful. I am grateful for 2 healthy babies. And I am so grateful for a husband that takes care of me, and his family.

Babies

Just wanted to post the babies are here. I will update with pictures in the next few days. 7 of 8 is screaming, so I need to go feed him. That's what I do now, feed babies.
Baby A 6 lgs 14 oz
baby B 6 lbs 10 oz.

37 Weeks.

Finally we're here. Full term.
And this is where we will end up. Tomorrow we are set to have babies. Wow, weird. We will be a family of 10. I will be able to breathe. And bend, and stand for more than 10 minutes. I am excited, and a little anxious. And a little sad. This is my final pregnancy. My family is complete.
Last week I was at a 3, and 50% effaced. The growth US showed I had 2 babies over 6 lbs each. One head down one breech, which put me in the running for a vaginal delivery. I was quite surprised at my NST this week, to find both babies head down.
I woke up this morning with timable not painful contractions, and decided that instead of going into L&D I would just wait until my dr appt today to see if I was progressing. I was at a 4+ and 90% effaced. That plus being strep B +, plus having labors under 5 hrs long, plus being 45 minutes from the hospital, he decided to set up and induction. We will be going in the 21st. I am just waiting to hear from the hospital on what time to show up.

Random Picture That Has Nothing to do With Post

I am at 35 weeks now. It was another of my goals. 13 weeks, out of first trimester. 17 weeks, find out sexes. 20 weeks, half way. 28 weeks, viable. 32 weeks, I can deliver at the hospital I wanted to. 35 weeks, Well I'm not sure what to call this week. Painful maybe, exciting, maybe ready?
At my NST on Thursday when the nurse was starting the US to find out where to place the monitors, I told her they were both breech, so start out on top. She said, lets just look over here first. And wouldn't you know it. Baby A had turned head down. HUGE excitement. I no longer am in for a planned C-section. It could still happen, but for right now, I can just go into labor on my own. My biggest worry about a CS was not even recovery. It was not being able to hold my baby right after delivery. Which, depending on how quickly the girl comes out, may still not happen. BUT, I at least want that option. The downside of the boy going head down, not planned CS. I do not have an evacuation date anymore. I guess we may still get one, but it's more of a play it by ear scenario. Other downside. His head is now engaged in my pelvis, and it hurts. It hurts to walk to stand, to go up stairs. I'm afraid this pregnancy has added 10 years to me. There is also a lot less movement. They have run out of room, so the movement I do get is painful, and more stretching than kicking.
And as a side note, keep in mind, if you have told me in the past 10 weeks that I look great for carrying twins, the growing part is just getting started. I bet in the next 3 weeks, I will double in size. Ouch. Oh and to the woman that keeps saying 'you need a wagon someone can pull you in, look at you waddle' go bite rocks. Yes, I see this person often, and the joke is getting old. AND, if you can't tell , I am not in the mood.

Easter and 34 Weeks

This is what happens when you have a pre-teen a 19 month old and want to get 6 kids in one picture. My 10 yr old wants nothing to do with family pictures. Unfortunately for her, the Easter egg hunt, and pictures come as a package deal. The Easter bunny hid eggs while we were at church this year, with 9 am church, I just could not handle that kind of chaos in the morning. Some times we let him come on Saturday night, to reserve the entire Sabath day for a Christ centered Easter. We didn't do that this year because Trent was laying carpet in the hallway until 10 at night. But we will go back to doing that next year. I prefer it.
I am also at 34 weeks. Everything is progressing as a singleton pregnancy. Which is good, they will cook until they are full term. I have weekly NST and bi-weekly drs appt. By now in twin pregnancies, people go weekly, but because everything was still looking good at 32 weeks, then 34, he said I can come in again at 36. We are also planning on a C-section on the 27th. right now they are both still breech, and will probably stay that way. I am really bummed about that. But, I really don't have a choice, so I won't let it get me too down.

Kind of Panicy

I know I have been horrible at updating this blog. I can't say I will be better. But, today I had my 32 week appt. So I at least have something to say. On a day to day basis, I really have nothing.
I went in to have a growth US this morning. This is where my panic started. There were no problems. As a matter of fact, things look fabulous. But, baby A is 4.4 lbs and baby B is 4.2 lbs. I know these weights can be off a little, but I am going with them. They are supposed to grow a half a lb a week in the next 8 weeks. That is 16 lbs + of baby. Just the sound of that, feels painful. And I remember, they told me 5 of 5 was 8.5 lbs. She ended up being 9.14 lbs. I almost have that much baby right now. Then my dr. tells me, we will start talking about a C/S date at 38 weeks, because both babies are breech. And if they have moved in and out of position over the past few weeks, there was a chance they may flip again, but since every single US they have been in this position, chances are slim we will end up head down. Not what I want. But, I am willing to go with that because I really think this is what is supposed to happen. I don't feel the need to push for a version or hold out hope they will flip.
I now get to start my weekly NST, too. The problem is, my dr doesn't work the days the hospital does NST. SO, I get to drive across town twice a week. Which is starting to pose a problem, since my belly is touching the steering wheel, and If I push the seat back, I can't reach the peddles.
I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
for now, I just need to push the discomfort to the back. I still have 6+ weeks left. Unless my body gets tired of hauling this much weight around in it and I go into labor on my own. Which is another source of panic. My labor has never been over 5 hrs. And I usually have my baby with in the hour of my water breaking. I'm sure things will work out fine, but I always run the 'what if's ' through my mind.
for now, I will just be grateful there are only 2 in there, and not 3. Or I can be grateful I have now hit the 32 weeks mark, and I can deliver at the hospital of my choice. Or, that my babies are over 4 lbs, so if they came now, they would be a decent size.
And I'll just end with a general, ouch.