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Birth Story and twins update (Long)
I realized I had the twins 11 days ago and haven't posted any updates at all. So today is the day!
I went into the L&D on Nov. 5th (at 26 weeks) with some severe pain in my upper right ribs and stomach, so they wanted to make sure I wasn't pre-eclamptic. I wasn't, but was having contractions and didn't realize it. I was also dilated 1 cm, 60% efface, and my cervix was at 2. They gave me lots of drugs to stop contractions and kept me for 2 days observation. My fetalfibronectan was negative. I was supposed to go home as long as my cervix was unchanged. During the u/s, the tech found that Baby B had way too much fluid, and Baby A had hardly any. The peri came in, I could tell she was concerned. She said this was a symptom of Twin to Twin transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), where one baby is stealing from the other (very rare but serious). They weren't sure if this is what I had though because the babies were still close in size, and cord flow looked good, which are the other symptoms of TTTS. They needed to do an amnioreduction right away to remove fluid off of Baby B. I hate needles and was scared out of my mind, but all in all it didn't end up being so bad. They kept me one more night to monitor contractions, and sent me home on full bed rest.
Home bed rest was uneventful. I ended up needing another reduction a week after the first for fluid build up again, but everything else looked good and I went back home to bed rest. I went in again that Thurs. and the fluid was rising yet again. My cervix was down to 1.6 cm. They did another fetalfibronectan and sent me home, but said if it came back positive, I would be going on hospital bed rest the next day. Guess, what? It was positive.
I was admitted the next day, and had my 3rd reduction. At this point I was 28 weeks, and basically moved in as I was planning on being there awhile while the babies cooked some more. They checked fluids again on Monday, the 21st and fluids finally looked normal! Baby A had more fluid than she had in awhile, and Baby B was within normal limits. I had my Thanksgiving dinner in the hospital on Thursday. Friday they did another u/s to make sure fluids were holding steady through the holiday weekend, and they were. I was starting to feel my contraction more though, and they were giving me lots of turbutaline (which I hated but helped).
On Saturday, I was having a lot of the tightening contractions, but there was no pain with them, so there wasn't any concern. Later that afternoon I started feeling constipated pains, which was nothing new on bed rest. That night DH went to get us A&W for dinner, and got back really late, around 8:30ish with dinner. He had literally just gotten there, and I was pushing myself up in bed to go to the bathroom before eating when I felt a little pop, and then water just started gushing from me. I freaked and jumped out of bed and said "Oh God!". DH looked at me and said "What?" and then saw all the water and said "Oh God! Sit down, I'll get the nurse." I felt like Niagara falls was coming out of me it was so much fluid, I wasn't prepared that it was that much when your water broke. They don't prepare you for that. I was so scared. I couldn't stop shaking, which I guess is a normal part of labor, but I would have been shaking no matter what I think. Everything was a whirlwind at this point. They put me back in bed and hooked me up to hear the babies heartbeats and my contractions. The constipation feelings I was having....yea those were my real contractions, and they were now coming 2 minutes apart. I was already 4 cm dilated. They got a hold of the on call doctor, and let me know I would be delivering (duh!). They gave me a ton of IV meds, fluids, etc. and prepped me for my C-Section. I just kept saying it was too soon. I was 29 weeks and 2 days, my goal was to make it to 30 weeks. OH so close!
Basically my water broke around 8:45 pm, and they had baby A (Audrey Lynn) out at 10:14 pm. She was 2 pds 5 ounces. Baby B (Quinn Simone) was out at 10:15 pm, and was 2 pds 8 ounces. Everything went smoothly, both babies cried which made me cry since I knew that was a good sign. Audrey's Apgar scores were 7/8 and Quinn's were 8/8, extremely good for such preemies.
They have doing this well ever since. They were only vented for one day, I never even had to see them with the vent. Both babies have been taking turns having recent days without needing O2 assistance at all, and when they do is is such a small amount it's not even measurable. They both lost weight at first which is typical, but are now back to 2 pounds 7 ounces as of last night. They are having their PICC lines removes today. They are my strong little turkey's that have fought hard since the beginning. My placenta results showed they are definitely identical, and that I 100% had TTTS. TTTS is so scary, and I am so lucky I had such a great outcome. As long as the girls end up ok, I think this was for the best because I was in so much pain pregnant. I was stretched so tight my skin looked see through, and I could barely move. I was not cut out to carry twins.
Thanks to all you ladies for the continued TP&J you sent my way. I am working on a blog right now that will have pictures and will post soon! If you made it this far, thanks for reading my story.
Re: Birth Story and twins update (Long)
PHOTOS REMOVED
Amazing! I'm glad the girls (and you!) are doing so well!
P.S. Terbutaline sucks a$$, doesn't it?
So glad to hear the whole story-----you did an incredible job getting through all of that and it sounds like your daughters are amazingly strong fighters also! So excited to keep seeing photos of your little girls!
Hope the remaining NICU time goes quickly and smoothly! Congrats!
Photo courtesy of Ann Goldenberg Photography
I'm so glad that the girls are doing well. A good friend of mine actually had TTTS with her twins and my cousin did as well. Both sets of girls are doing great. Obviously you are done with TTTS, but my friend Steph's story is at the bottom of this webpage - it's the Colorado story. Both girls are now 4 I believe are doing great.
http://www.worldtttsawarenessday.org/
Growing Up Olson
~Working Mom~Breastfeeding Mom~Cloth Diapering Mom~BLW Mom~
Blog - No Longer on the DL ~ The Man Cave
Shawn and Larissa
LO #1 - Took 2 years and 2 IVFs ~ DX - severe MFI mild PCOS homozygous MTHFR (a1298c)
LO #2 - TTC 7 months, surprise spontaneous BFP!
Thanks A! I knew this month was TTTS month but I didn't know today was the official awareness day. Just posted on my FB.
Congratulations again. Sounds like you are doing great as their mom and that they are thriving!
Thanks for sharing - your story really puts things in perspective and provides so much insight.
Are you united with the CCOKCs?
No more baby siggie pics. Boo.
It must be so scary to have your water break so early! (and yes, it's a whole lot of fluid! That's how my labor started both times and it shocked me!)
So glad they're doing well. Hope they have a nice uneventful NICU stay and you can bring them home as soon as possible.
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
4 losses: Blighted ovum 1/11, CP 12/11, CP 3/12, and our perfectly healthy baby girl Charlotte Grace, missed M/C 5/31/12 at 8w5d
Surprise unmedicated BFP 9/21/12!! Beta #1 9/22 (10 DPO): 46 Beta #2 9/24 (12 DPO): 226! Heartbeat 136 bpm at 7w! It's a BOY! Theodore Joshua 5/23/13 7:36am 7lb 13 oz, 19.25 in
Congrats! I'm glad your girls are doing well!!
(I hated Terb too. The side affects were not fun!)
DS 09/08
Mama's Gonna Buy You A Mockingbird
Big hugs and sending lots of strength to you and your girls!