Squishy Baby

We got to see our cute little baby girl on ultrasound today. Yep, she's still a girl, no doubt about it. Shmuel got the eye of doom when the ultrasound tech showed us the tushie shot. I went "yeah, that's a girl" and gave him a look. The ultrasound tech was like "yep, it is...you have a girl already?" and I nodded. She asked "do you have only girls?" And I shook my head...one lonely boy. Poor Dovid. Well, he will just have to remain outnumbered for now.

She is definitely a cutie, though. I think she has the Chana B pouty mouth going on here. Can't wait to see who she looks like!

While the main part of the ultrasound at 18 weeks is usually to check growth and structures, our ultrasound had all that plus an in-depth look at baby's heart. A week or so ago I checked her heartbeat with a doppler. I had done a lot more exercise that day than I usually do - out shopping and cooking. When the day was over and hadn't felt the baby as much as I had the previous days, I was worried and used my doppler to find the heart rate. I could tell that the heartbeat was somewhat irregular and incredibly fast - somewhere between 210 and 240 bpm or so. I made sure to rest extra and then retested in the morning. No longer irregular, but still definitely over 200. So I checked again that night, same thing. At that point I would have sworn it was going above 250. The next morning it was regularly irregular. Like going beat, beat, small pause (repeat) - almost like a missed beat, but maybe not quite enough time for one. But this time it was super slow - like 110.  The day after that I was finally able to go to the midwife's office, and it was around 150 but still regularly irregular (beat, beat, beat, pause, repeat). Since we already had this ultrasound scheduled, and since there's nothing they can do about it so early, we waited the week to see what her heart looked like structurally and to determine what (if anything) was causing this irregularity.

Fast forward to today, B"H her heart looks structurally normal. We could see that it was beating irregularly, and everyone from the ultrasound tech to the MFM doctor agreed that her heart was having what's known as PAC's (premature atrial contractions). The doctor explained that most likely it's because all of this baby's "wiring" is brand new and hasn't matured enough yet. So, we're going to keep a watch on it. I'll have another ultrasound in two weeks to check that and also check my cervix again. (Cervix was looking fine today.) I was also given permission to go back on the beta blocker I was using to control my migraines before pregnancy. This might even help the baby get her heartbeats on track, but the big side effect that they want to check for is IUGR (growth restriction). I use the lowest dose, so hopefully it won't affect her, but they need to make sure anyway, and I'm not going to turn down a perfectly good ultrasound opportunity.

In other news, I just started my last clinical rotation of nursing school, and it's on the maternity floor at the hospital I go to. So far I've only been on the floor one day, but I actually got to participate in a birth (and hang with the mom postpartum). It was pretty sweet, and probably the best clinical day ever.

Heartbeat Fun

For a few days I've been trying to see if I could get baby's heartbeat on the doppler, but I wasn't having any luck. Until this morning when I tried and found it almost immediately! I found it toward my left side, so I think that's where baby must have implanted. I listened for a while, calculated the heart rate (which was in the 170's), then posted gleefully on my Twitter about it asking if anyone wanted to hear. Of course people did! Ugh...that meant I needed to try to get it AND video. So I then spent the rest of the day trying to locate baby again. LOL Just because I could find it easy once didn't mean I would again. I tried like three times over the course of the day before finally getting it. Yay! So, I made a little video, and you can watch it. At the beginning I say it's "just for Sarah." I was going to say more, but then the baby moved, and I had to relocate the doppler, so it threw my attention. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Ultrasound!

I had my first cervix check ultrasound today, and everything looks great. My cervix is holding at 4cm (woo hoo), and the baby is growing, too. The baby seems to be measuring on target or maybe a day or two behind, which isn't a problem. He/she already weighs about 4oz and had a heart beat today of 151bpm. So far, so good! And, without further ado, the pictures.

Cute, eh? Silly baby's foot was hiding "the goods," so no idea about sex yet. *sigh* Well, at least I'll be back there in 2 1/2 weeks for the "big" ultrasound. Maybe baby just wanted Daddy to be there when we find out.

Midwife Appointment

I saw the midwife today, and it was awesome! My hubby got to come along, too, which was cool. I talked to the midwife about doing a VBAC. She had read the surgical notes and 100% agreed with me that VBAC was the way to go. (Yipee!) She said that the prior C-Section was totally fine and that the placental abruption was probably a "twin thing". (That's what I thought too.) She also assured me that we would do ultrasound cervical checks for as long as I wanted to, since we don't have a clear idea of whether or not my cervix is truly incompetent and when it might start to funnel (if at all). This way we will catch something if it happens early. Luckily, I don't have any history of pre-mature labor, since I didn't even really go into labor with the twins...although I might have been at 35 weeks, it doesn't count since that's in the normal range for twins. Also, the fact that I had no cervical change from 33 - 35 weeks with the twins (while holding out at 2 cm dilated) is a great sign. We also got to hear the baby's heart beat, which was a perfect 155bpm. All in all it was a fantastic appointment, and I am *so* glad that I'm switching over to the midwife practice.

My Baby Has a Nose!

Among other things. lol We had our nuchal translucency test done today, and all went well there. Baby is measuring 100% on target for his/her due date - 60.7mm CRL with a heart rate of (I believe) 149bpm. Nuchal fold was perfect...like 1.6mm, and they like to see it below 3mm. He/she was bouncing around all over the place during the exam and seemed to be having a good time. Here's a scan of the only picture I got *sigh*.

I can see that it's a head with a nose. :-D Anyway, after the scan the MFM doctor came in, and boy was that fun. NOT! The guy proceeded to scare me senseless about doing a "trial of labor" rather than an elective C-Section...telling me how much higher the risk of horrible things happening if I try to labor. Things like uterine rupture, higher risk of infection after a C-Section during labor rather than a C-Section not in labor, that kinda stuff. So, I'm being an informed patient and going straight to the source--the man who did the C-Section! He's supposed to call me so we can discuss what HE feels the risks are of laboring/delivering vaginally vs. planned C-Section. Since I want to have many kids, having several C-Sections is a really bad idea and something to try to be avoided, but having the baby and I live through labor/delivery is kinda the ultimate in importance. The doctor who did my C-Section has no monetary gain from me having a C-Section this time around, since I won't be delivering at his hospital. Hopefully I'll be able to get an honest doctorly opinion from an "innocent bystander" who actually knows EVERYTHING that happened in the delivery room. What are your thoughts? You guys know the story, what do you think are my chances of uterine rupture or something equally horrifying? :-)

Fun Evening

Yeah right... LOL I tried for a half an hour to find the baby's heartbeat today, but I just couldn't. I tried in every position imaginable and all over the place, but I was getting nowhere. So, I called the OB on call and she said #1 that after seeing the heartbeat numerous times on ultrasound and hearing it on Sunday that the chances of miscarriage are crazy amounts of low. Then she said that going to the ER to see if they could find a heartbeat would be annoying, long and expensive. So, she said that she would let me come up to labor and delivery for a quick check with her, and she wouldn't even make me register (thereby avoiding insurance fees and such). I was like "sign me up, I'll be right over". So, I went! One of the nurses brought me up to labor and delivery, and she actually recognized me from my trials and tribulations with the twins. She brought me into a room and I waited less than 5 minutes before the doctor wheeled in an ultrasound machine. She poked around, and we could see the baby but it took a little bit to find the heartbeat. (The ultrasound machine up there isn't the greatest, and she even said she's a bad sonographer. lol) She did find it (WHEW) and we watched it for a bit. She had no idea how to get the actual heart rate, but just seeing it and seeing that the baby was nice and big (she couldn't figure out how to measure that either), it made me feel LOADS better. So, nothing's really wrong...just the baby hiding from Mommy. I've decided no more doppler tries this week. I have an appt with the OB on Monday and then an ultrasound next Friday (the 25th), so I'll be juuuuust fine. And then I'll nearly be out of 1st trimester and able to breathe better. :-)

Finally!!

I was *finally* able to find the baby's heartbeat on my doppler just now. I've been trying on and off for weeks, but I didn't really think I'd hear it until after 10 weeks. Since 10 weeks I've been trying nearly every day with no luck. Boy, was the heartbeat difficult to find!!! In order to find it I had to be standing up (so my uterus was farther forward) and it still took me several minutes of searching. Once I found it, I got to listen to it for about 20 seconds before it disappeared again and I couldn't relocate it. (I didn't try for very long since I had just heard it, but still.) Yay!!! I finally go to hear it, and it's gorgeous. :-)

I'm so boring

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I haven't done anything *so* interesting in the last few days. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday--I gained 7 pounds in the last 3 weeks ICK! I think it was due to the Jewish holidays and rediculous amounts of unhealthy, fattening food. But, what can you do. I just have to watch myself to gain weight, but not go overboard. My fundal height is 20cm, which is equivalent to about 20 weeks in a singleton pregnancy and is perfect for where I am in my twin pregnancy (15 weeks). The babies heartbeats are going strong, and I can definitely feel them moving around in there. It's kinda creepy, actually. lol

I also got a flu shot. If you are pregnant or TTC, PLEASE go get a flu shot!! Some doctors don't want you to get one during 1st trimester, which is why I suggest it to my TTCers as well. If you have some time to go before you hit 2nd tri, definitely ask the doc what you should do. The flu is NOT FUN and isn't good for your baby either. And the immunization is safe!!

This past Sunday I spent all day with my friend Melanie--first playing an awesome computer game and then watching "Iron Man" with her and her family. Movie was ok, but I would rather have spent those 2 1/2 hours playing more of the computer game. lol I'm such a NERD!

Ultrasound

I had my neuchal translucency today and they also took blood for a sequential screen. Baby A measured 5.32cm (12w 0d), had a heart rate of 161bpm and the neuchal fold measured .84mm. Baby B measured 5.99cm (12w 4d), had a heart rate of 143bpm and the neuchal fold measured .78mm. All measurements are normal (including the neuchal folds), and baby B is even measuring a few days ahead! No idea about gender yet...and I can't put pictures up because the USB cable to my scanner decided to die. So I ordered a wireless card for the printer so I don't have to deal with my idiotic USB ports any longer. I will post the pics when the wireless card arrives.

As for the ultrasound, baby A didn't move around too much, but baby B was really having a good time. He/she was bouncing around and even looked like he/she was sucking his/her thumb! Very, very cute! Baby B has a bigger nose than baby A...that was kinda neat to see. And they have all the parts they're supposed to (and no extras lol)!

Heartbeats and Home Pregnancy Test

I think I actually found both heartbeats on the doppler today. They were somewhat close to each other, but I'm almost positive that it was two different heartbeats. I found them each right under my belly fat roll (about 4-5 inches below my belly button); one toward the right side and the other toward the left side.

Even though I'm almost 11 weeks pregnant and heard both heartbeats, there's nothing like seeing the word "pregnant" on a home pregnancy test. I have a few left over, so I figured I'd take the digital one and get to see the word again. Sure enough, it came up in about 60 seconds (that's the least amount of time it takes for a digital test to become positive). Hehehe I just love seeing that word.

Doctor's Appointment

So, I had my 10 week doctor's appointment today. My blood pressure was pretty high at 138/80, so the doctor will probably have me start back on the baby aspirin when I get to 2nd trimester (in 2 weeks!!). She felt for my uterus, and it's already pretty high. She also listened for heartbeats. She found one really easily, but the second was hiding. There were a few times she *almost* found it, but we think the baby was hiding behind a particularly loud blood vessel of mine, which was blocking out his/her heartbeat. The doctor isn't worried, especially since my uterus is growing perfectly for twins at 10 weeks, so I'm not worried either. And I think I found that second heartbeat yesterday with similar difficulties. We scheduled another appointment for 2 weeks from now (it will be the day before my neuchal translucency ultrasound). I can't wait!

Ultrasound

The ultrasound went great--will post pics probably on Sunday if I can get my scanner to work... Two babies, both measuring perfect for 8w 3d; two heartbeats, one at 176bpm and the other at 190bpm!

Ultrasound

Ok, I know this is the post everyone's been waiting for! We have two beautiful, perfect little heartbeats!! Baby A measured .95cm CRL (which is exactly 7w 0d) with a heartbeat of 137.7bpm and baby B measured .86cm CRL (which is 6w 6d) with a heartbeat of 146.8bpm.

Here are the photos!!

First is a picture of both beans at the same time...


Next is a picture of Baby A by his/herself


This is a picture of Baby A's measurement (you can see the yolk sac next to him/her...it's round)


This picture shows Baby A's heartbeat


This is a picture of Baby B's measurement


And, finally, this is Baby B's heartbeat