34 Weeks 2 Days

I had another NST (non stress test) yesterday.  I get them every Tuesday and Friday.  They are really boring.  Supposedly, they can take as little as 20 minutes.  Mine have never lasted under an hour.  All they do is wrap bands with heart monitors around my belly on each baby.  Then they put a third band around me at the top of my belly to measure contractions.  I usually have 3-5 contractions while I'm there.  I push a button every time the babies move.  They need to move so many times in an hour along with their heart-rates going up and down during those movements so they know the babies are not under stress.  Both babies have been fine every time we go.  It's getting harder and harder for baby boy to move.  He's head down and engaged, therefore there's not as much room in my pelvis for him to move.  Baby girl is transverse up high, so she has more room to move.

On Tuesday my blood pressure was something like 132/80 at my NST.  Yesterday when I got there it was 154/80-something.  By the time I left after an hour and a half of laying my top number was down to 138.  I've been tracking it and its been up and down.  I called L&D (labor and delivery) yesterday afternoon and asked them if my blood pressure got to a certain high, should I call or come in.  They said if my blood pressure got above 160, to call.  They may have me come in for another NST.  I worry I may be getting preeclampsia.  I have no other symptoms.  I'm not swelling and I don't have a headache, so maybe its just PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension).   We will find out Tuesday at my appointment if I have protein in my urine.  If I do, then it is preeclampsia.  Let's hope not.  The best thing I can do is stay on bed rest and keep checking my BP.

I called one of my cousins last night and she made me feel a lot better about it.  She developed preeclampsia at 30 weeks with both of her babies.  She was put on bed rest and the earliest she had a baby was 36 weeks 0 days.  She said bed rest is very important.  I'm already on bed reset and taking it seriously since my cervix has shortened early.

I know I need to make it to 35 weeks in order to have my babies in Logansport.  I'm 5 days away from that.  I hope to make it to 36 weeks at least.  We will see.  Send prayers and wish us luck!

The good news is the babies are developed enough that they wouldn't need the betamethasone steroid shots for lung development any more.  According to: http://www.webmd.com/baby/antenatal-corticosteroids-for-fetal-lung-development  "Many infants born at 33 to 34 weeks' gestation have sufficient lung maturity to breathe on their own. But considering the low-risk, high-benefit nature of this treatment, corticosteroids are typically used up to 34 weeks of pregnancy."

If the babies are gaining 1/2 a pound a week, baby boy should be around 4 pounds 15 ounces and baby girl should be around 5 pounds 9 ounces today.  Baby girl was gaining weight faster than baby boy, so she may be a little more and he may be a little less.  Unless, he hit the growth spurt that she hit, then who knows.  The ultrasound tech is predicting a pound difference by the time they are born.  

I also get tested for Strep B on Tuesday and checked for dilation.  Any predictions?  I've been on bed rest a week and a half and I've been having less contractions.  I have been, however, seeing tiny bits of my mucus plug off and on again the past 3 days.  I'm going to guess I'm only 1cm dilated.  Then again, I've never had a baby, so I don't know what to expect.  I'm no expert in this area.

Zac and Abby are doing great!  They are doing wonderful in school.  I'm so proud of them.  They make me a proud mama!  Right now they are sweeping the tile floors.  They know I can't get up, so they are extremely helpful.  When I do get up, they tell me to lay down.  They are so sweet!  They take care of me.  I feel so lucky to have them and Shawn.  My mom has also been a great help.  She has been coming over on the days Shawn works and putting supper in the crock pot for us.  She also took me to my NST's this week while Shawn was at work.  They are boring, but she kept me company.  She helps me run my errands.  I had to go to CVS after my NST yesterday to get thyroid medication.  Yesterday's crock pot meal was delicious.  She made vegetable soup with vegetables from her garden.  Fresh corn, carrots, potatoes, onions, etc.  I can't wait for leftovers!

I'm lucky to have so many people taking care of me.  I didn't realize how difficult a twin pregnancy can be until I started experiencing it.  Some women are lucky and have no issues.  Then there are some of us who have to take it easy to keep the babies in a little longer.

Take Care!

~Sam