I'm 30 weeks pregnant today. This signifies many things for me - namely that if I were to deliver now, I wouldn't necessarily need to deliver at the higher tiered hospital with the bigger NICU (which is about an hour away), but rather deliver at my home, and chosen, hospital with the smaller NICU.
I've been neglecting my blog, but I had to write this post because I'm just so overcome with emotion right now (I blame the crazy hormones and the fact I've had such a hard time sleeping the past few nights).
As I was preparing for maternity leave, there were a few things I had to make sure I grabbed for home - getting rid of my huge snack drawer at work (lol), some of my personal effects, and namely, my wall calendar. I use my iPhone calendar (which also syncs with DH's) to record all of my appointments, but for some reason, I like seeing it on my wall calendar, as well. It gives me a better picture of the week to come.
Just now, I was sitting here and I looked at my wall calendar, and I saw the "30" written in today's block.
When we first found out I was pregnant, I would start numbering the blocks. At every doctor's appointment/ultrasound/blood draw, they want to know how far along you are, and at first, it was hard for me to remember. Seeing the numbers helped me.
But I remember having this profound fear of numbering the blocks too far in advance - almost like I would jinx myself, and it would cause me to lose one, or both, of the babies.
Whenever we hit a milestone, I would add a few more numbers to the blocks. I don't think it was until after our gender reveal party that I actually numbered the calendar all the way through.
It just blows my mind that I'm 30 weeks pregnant today... That we've made it this far... That things, for all intensive purposes, have gone so unbelievably well. I never thought this day would come, I never thought I'd even BE pregnant, let alone this far along. And I certainly never thought I would be having twins. I just can't stop crying thinking about it. Thinking about all the pain that infertility and the treatments has on your soul, the permanent scars it makes - that I still have days where I wake up and think my belly isn't going to be there anymore. Days where I just wait for something to be wrong because there's no way I'm deserving of all of this. The emotions are just very overwhelming today.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
On my Surprise Work Baby Shower!
Yesterday, I was extremely hormonal, cranky, hot, and just generally not in a good mood...
... and then they surprised me at work with a baby shower. LOL. I felt like such an ass for being so cranky and hormonal all day, and they totally caught me off guard.
It was so sweet of them and really unexpected. Alot of people showed up, we had yummy cake, and they gave me lots of really cute gifts for the babies. :)
... and then they surprised me at work with a baby shower. LOL. I felt like such an ass for being so cranky and hormonal all day, and they totally caught me off guard.
It was so sweet of them and really unexpected. Alot of people showed up, we had yummy cake, and they gave me lots of really cute gifts for the babies. :)
Me & My Dad (we work in the same building)
Me & 2 of my work BFFs
Me & 2 other twin mommies at the lab (yes, mine will be the 3rd set of twins at our lab)
Monday, June 24, 2013
On 27w3d & my 31st Birthday!
Yesterday was my 31st birthday. We celebrated by going to a Phillies game! We tailgated and then went to our seats in the Hall of Fame Club. I think I am permanently ruined for regular seats after doing Hall of Fame Club. It's a private, air conditioned section, with private concessions and bathrooms. It was awesome!
I've had an amazing past few years. I was 27 when I got Mojo, and when DH & I started dating. 28 when we got engaged. 29 when we got married. 30 when we moved into our home. And now, I'll be 31 when I deliver our babies. I was pretty sentimental and emotional this weekend, just thinking about how lucky I've been and how life is working out for me.
Here's Mojo loving on my belly. <3
I did my 24 hour urine collection Friday into Saturday, dropped it off at Labcorp Saturday, and also did my 1 hour glucose test. I'm really hoping that I pass the 1 hour test because I am so NOT feeling doing the 3 hour. I'm also really curious as to what my protein levels are in my urine. I'm about 90% sure this is my last full week at work. My next appointment is on Monday, and if my protein is over 300, that's it. I'm honestly ready to be done work, though. I get unreal swelling in my feet and ankles from sitting at my desk, and it's just getting uncomfortable.
I'm still feeling pretty good - tired by the end of the day, but overall, pretty good. I'm up about 35lbs as of this morning, and the babies are still wanting lots and lots of fruit. My sisters sent me an Edible Arrangements for my birthday, and it was like the best thing ever, lol. DH got me more massage gift certificates for a local pre-natal place. I went to Coach outlet and got a couple new purses. I got money from my mama, and I figure this may be one of my last opportunities to buy a new Coach bag, what with the babies coming, lol.
I had my first instance of feeling one of the babies have hiccups this past weekend - DH got to feel it. And I've noticed that the babies respond when they hear his voice... they just go nuts, which I think is so sweet. He talks to them in the mornings, lol.
We have our 3D/4D ultrasounf this weekend and I can't wait to see what they look like!
I've had an amazing past few years. I was 27 when I got Mojo, and when DH & I started dating. 28 when we got engaged. 29 when we got married. 30 when we moved into our home. And now, I'll be 31 when I deliver our babies. I was pretty sentimental and emotional this weekend, just thinking about how lucky I've been and how life is working out for me.
Here's Mojo loving on my belly. <3
I did my 24 hour urine collection Friday into Saturday, dropped it off at Labcorp Saturday, and also did my 1 hour glucose test. I'm really hoping that I pass the 1 hour test because I am so NOT feeling doing the 3 hour. I'm also really curious as to what my protein levels are in my urine. I'm about 90% sure this is my last full week at work. My next appointment is on Monday, and if my protein is over 300, that's it. I'm honestly ready to be done work, though. I get unreal swelling in my feet and ankles from sitting at my desk, and it's just getting uncomfortable.
I'm still feeling pretty good - tired by the end of the day, but overall, pretty good. I'm up about 35lbs as of this morning, and the babies are still wanting lots and lots of fruit. My sisters sent me an Edible Arrangements for my birthday, and it was like the best thing ever, lol. DH got me more massage gift certificates for a local pre-natal place. I went to Coach outlet and got a couple new purses. I got money from my mama, and I figure this may be one of my last opportunities to buy a new Coach bag, what with the babies coming, lol.
I had my first instance of feeling one of the babies have hiccups this past weekend - DH got to feel it. And I've noticed that the babies respond when they hear his voice... they just go nuts, which I think is so sweet. He talks to them in the mornings, lol.
We have our 3D/4D ultrasounf this weekend and I can't wait to see what they look like!
Thursday, June 13, 2013
On 25w6d growth scan
I had a growth scan this morning for the babies. Both babies look great, big, and healthy!
Ryder was laying sideways across the lower part of my belly. He is weighing in at 2lbs.
Brynley is breech and trying to snuggle up under my ribs. She is weighing 2lbs 1ounce.
They are both around the 65th - 75th percentile for all of their measurements. But, the measurements are based upon singleton babies. So, the fact they are so big and measuring so well is even better since they are twins.
The perinatologist said I'm doing a great job growing them. I felt like a very proud mama :)
I also had a consult with the perinatologist about my blood pressure and possible pre-eclampsia. Overall, she is much less concerned than my OB. She said my protein was at 228 (with 300 being the marker for pre-eclampsia), and that even with my "high" just-get-into-the-doctor's-office blood pressures, I wouldn't be diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. She said that they would get concerned once I start hitting stroke ranges, or 160/100. She also said because the babies are growing so well, it's another sign that I'm not having pre-eclampsia issues yet. And, she said I could have mild pre-eclampsia for a long time in the pregnancy and still be treated as an outpatient, basically, just have a close eye kept on me.
She said that my OB is doing the right thing being cautious and concerned, but that he is doing everything right - just making sure I'm closely monitored. I go back in 3 weeks for another ultrasound to see how they are growing!
Ryder was laying sideways across the lower part of my belly. He is weighing in at 2lbs.
Brynley is breech and trying to snuggle up under my ribs. She is weighing 2lbs 1ounce.
They are both around the 65th - 75th percentile for all of their measurements. But, the measurements are based upon singleton babies. So, the fact they are so big and measuring so well is even better since they are twins.
The perinatologist said I'm doing a great job growing them. I felt like a very proud mama :)
I also had a consult with the perinatologist about my blood pressure and possible pre-eclampsia. Overall, she is much less concerned than my OB. She said my protein was at 228 (with 300 being the marker for pre-eclampsia), and that even with my "high" just-get-into-the-doctor's-office blood pressures, I wouldn't be diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. She said that they would get concerned once I start hitting stroke ranges, or 160/100. She also said because the babies are growing so well, it's another sign that I'm not having pre-eclampsia issues yet. And, she said I could have mild pre-eclampsia for a long time in the pregnancy and still be treated as an outpatient, basically, just have a close eye kept on me.
She said that my OB is doing the right thing being cautious and concerned, but that he is doing everything right - just making sure I'm closely monitored. I go back in 3 weeks for another ultrasound to see how they are growing!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
On 25w4d, pre-eclampsia, & getting the nursery ready
I'm 25w4d today. According to the scale this morning, I'm up 30lbs, but I'm not sure that's completely accurate because I am definitely swollen today. It's ungodly humid everywhere I go, and my poor fingers were so swollen this morning that I couldn't even wear my wedding set. :( I'm wearing my titanium "EMS" wedding ring instead, which is a little more forgiving when I'm swollen. I haven't been able to wear my watch or bracelet for a couple of weeks now, I guess the weight gain is going to my wrists? LOL. As I'm typing this, I'm thinking "I need to get a fan for my desk and I need compression socks".
At my past few OB appointments, the OB has made some comments about my blood pressure. I'm not getting crazy high readings, and have been tracking at home as well, and I'm always right around the 130/80 mark... sometimes higher when I'm at the doctor because I have definite white coat syndrome. I stress myself out about the blood pressure reading, knowing I'll be in trouble because it's high, and then what happens? It's high. If I can wait until the end of the appointment to have it taken, it's always much lower and within normal ranges.
Anyways, 2 appointments ago, my OB mentioned that I need to start thinking about when I will come out of work. At my last appointment last Wednesday, he told me he wants me out of work ASAP. In fact, he wanted to put me out of work that day. His concern is that my blood pressure is slowly creeping up, I'm having pedal edema from sitting at my desk all day, and because I'm already high risk, it puts me at higher risk for pre-eclampsia. He had me do another 24 urine collection 2 appointments ago, and my protein came in right under 300 - with 300 being pre-eclampsia (along with elevated blood pressure). He told me that he's "trying to be nice" with me right now because he doesn't want to stress me out more and send my blood pressure up, but that I need to slow down, treat this as the twin/high-risk pregnancy this is, and stop working. He said that if I keep at the pace I'm at, I will deliver the babies closer to 34 weeks or earlier, which really freaked me out.
I think the thing that freaks me out the most about it is that I feel great! Honestly, I love being pregnant, and there have been some minor discomforts at times, but overall, I just feel so good that it's hard for me to believe that something bad could be happening. If I felt like shit, I could understand things more, but I really just don't. He said that makes it even more concerning, because I'm mostly asymptomatic, and things could turn ugly quickly, and put the babies and I at risk. He said that I need to be at home, laying on my sides, eating/drinking/napping whenever I want in the AC and continuing to bake these babies.
Anyways, I'm trying to play Let's Make a Deal with my OB. I go back tomorrow for a blood pressure check. Thursday is my ultrasound with Maternal Fetal Medicine to see how big these babies are. My next "real" appointment with him is Monday the 17th. He asked me to bring DH since I'm "not being cooperative". I have lab appointments set up to do my 1 hour glucose and another 24 hour urine collection on the 22nd. He told me that if my protein is over 300, that's it - no more work. So, my hope is that if my blood pressure stays in check and I'm still feeling well, I can stay at work until July 1st... thinking that he will set up another appointment with me for after the 24 hour urine and glucose results come back for the last week in June.
Speaking of the size of these babies... I'm really excited to see them again on Thursday. My OB, when palpating my belly, asked when my next growth scan is... because he thinks they are big. Well, I'm SURE they are big - DH is big, my dad & sisters are all tall, and his entire family is tall. I've said from the beginning that I'm growing "Ryan-sized" babies in here - they have always measured ahead. Even as twins, they measure ahead for as if they are singletons.
Today the nursery is being painted. I'm beyond excited! All of the twins' bedding came in, and I did a color consult with an interior decorator to help pick paint colors for our entire house.
The nursery theme is My First ABC by Kidsline.
Originally, I wanted to do a safari/jungle theme, but everything was either very feminine or very masculine - and I wanted something that wouldn't look too "off" for either baby. My biggest "want" was something that had elephants in it because I love them! I figured this set worked out nicely. I plan on having the changing pad be a sagey green, Ryder's extra crib sheets being red, and Brynley's extra sheets being lilac. We are painting the nursery a sagey green above the chair rail, then a white chair rail, then a light tan color. Our furniture color is similar to that in the picture.
Everyone has been so insanely generous to our babies already, and I swear I already have enough clothes for them for the first 6 months or so. Once the nursery is set up, DH & I need to re-do their closet structure (the structure the builder puts in is crap and doesn't use the space well), and then I can really go through all the clothing and see what we really have.
Other than that, not much else going on... here are some belly pictures :)
Here I am at 24 weeks and 25 weeks.
At my past few OB appointments, the OB has made some comments about my blood pressure. I'm not getting crazy high readings, and have been tracking at home as well, and I'm always right around the 130/80 mark... sometimes higher when I'm at the doctor because I have definite white coat syndrome. I stress myself out about the blood pressure reading, knowing I'll be in trouble because it's high, and then what happens? It's high. If I can wait until the end of the appointment to have it taken, it's always much lower and within normal ranges.
Anyways, 2 appointments ago, my OB mentioned that I need to start thinking about when I will come out of work. At my last appointment last Wednesday, he told me he wants me out of work ASAP. In fact, he wanted to put me out of work that day. His concern is that my blood pressure is slowly creeping up, I'm having pedal edema from sitting at my desk all day, and because I'm already high risk, it puts me at higher risk for pre-eclampsia. He had me do another 24 urine collection 2 appointments ago, and my protein came in right under 300 - with 300 being pre-eclampsia (along with elevated blood pressure). He told me that he's "trying to be nice" with me right now because he doesn't want to stress me out more and send my blood pressure up, but that I need to slow down, treat this as the twin/high-risk pregnancy this is, and stop working. He said that if I keep at the pace I'm at, I will deliver the babies closer to 34 weeks or earlier, which really freaked me out.
I think the thing that freaks me out the most about it is that I feel great! Honestly, I love being pregnant, and there have been some minor discomforts at times, but overall, I just feel so good that it's hard for me to believe that something bad could be happening. If I felt like shit, I could understand things more, but I really just don't. He said that makes it even more concerning, because I'm mostly asymptomatic, and things could turn ugly quickly, and put the babies and I at risk. He said that I need to be at home, laying on my sides, eating/drinking/napping whenever I want in the AC and continuing to bake these babies.
Anyways, I'm trying to play Let's Make a Deal with my OB. I go back tomorrow for a blood pressure check. Thursday is my ultrasound with Maternal Fetal Medicine to see how big these babies are. My next "real" appointment with him is Monday the 17th. He asked me to bring DH since I'm "not being cooperative". I have lab appointments set up to do my 1 hour glucose and another 24 hour urine collection on the 22nd. He told me that if my protein is over 300, that's it - no more work. So, my hope is that if my blood pressure stays in check and I'm still feeling well, I can stay at work until July 1st... thinking that he will set up another appointment with me for after the 24 hour urine and glucose results come back for the last week in June.
Speaking of the size of these babies... I'm really excited to see them again on Thursday. My OB, when palpating my belly, asked when my next growth scan is... because he thinks they are big. Well, I'm SURE they are big - DH is big, my dad & sisters are all tall, and his entire family is tall. I've said from the beginning that I'm growing "Ryan-sized" babies in here - they have always measured ahead. Even as twins, they measure ahead for as if they are singletons.
Today the nursery is being painted. I'm beyond excited! All of the twins' bedding came in, and I did a color consult with an interior decorator to help pick paint colors for our entire house.
The nursery theme is My First ABC by Kidsline.
Originally, I wanted to do a safari/jungle theme, but everything was either very feminine or very masculine - and I wanted something that wouldn't look too "off" for either baby. My biggest "want" was something that had elephants in it because I love them! I figured this set worked out nicely. I plan on having the changing pad be a sagey green, Ryder's extra crib sheets being red, and Brynley's extra sheets being lilac. We are painting the nursery a sagey green above the chair rail, then a white chair rail, then a light tan color. Our furniture color is similar to that in the picture.
Everyone has been so insanely generous to our babies already, and I swear I already have enough clothes for them for the first 6 months or so. Once the nursery is set up, DH & I need to re-do their closet structure (the structure the builder puts in is crap and doesn't use the space well), and then I can really go through all the clothing and see what we really have.
Other than that, not much else going on... here are some belly pictures :)
Here I am at 24 weeks and 25 weeks.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
On Things to Buy When You Get Your BFP
I'm writing this post specifically for one of my BFFs, Kasey, who I just know is going to get her BFP very soon.
When I got my BFP, I was honestly so clueless about pregnancy because I had spent SO much time just concentrating on the idea of getting pregnant and TTC. And, I found that many of the things I learned no one tells you about (probably because then no one would want to get pregnant, lol). I've honestly had a dream pregnancy so far, if you don't include the kidney stones - very little morning sickness, just normal aches and pains, and nothing out of the ordinary from what other mamas have experienced. However, I have been formulating this little list in my head for Kasey and figured it would be something good to update as I go along and learn more things about my pregnant body.
Medications & Personal Items
Zuplenz - it was a life saver for me when my morning sickness was at it's peak. It's the new Zofran, but dissolves faster, tastes better, comes in a higher dosage, and for my insurance, was cheaper than Zofran.
Colace & Fiber-Con - constipation hits hard in the first trimester, your digestive system changes due to the hormones. I'd never suffered from it before pregnancy and never want to have it again. My RE & OB both recommended these as safe and good to take on a daily basis.
Peppermint Lifesavers - the normal ginger ale, crackers route didn't work for me with my morning sickness (which, side note, lasts all day and night long). I would always try to keep my belly full and have the peppermint on hand. Also, in the mornings, I would drink juice versus water.
Sensitive Toothpaste & Mouthwash - I started having serious tooth sensitivity in my 2nd trimester and found out from my dentist that root exposure is common in pregnancy, resulting in sensitive teeth and/or bleeding gums. I learned to stay away from whitening toothpastes during pregnancy and to start a sensitive toothpaste... my issues have seriously decreased (almost gone completely!) since switching. Also, get mouthwash. I could barely brush my teeth without puking or gagging, so I relied on mouthwash some days.
Pantyliners - just trust me on this... especially if you are using Endometrin, lol.
Sarna Original Lotion (for injection sites) - my RE pregnancy nurse suggested this as I was getting awful bumps and rashes from my progesterone injection sites. It's the only thing that worked well.
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Massage Cream - my skin was like the Sahara literally from the minute I found out I was pregnant. I was literally flaking off skin, it was insane! I started using this as a regular lotion because of it's creaminess and the thickness. I've been using it on my chest and belly daily and don't have a stretch mark yet. I know the little bastards are coming, but I truly believe moisturizing daily has kept them at bay so far.
Missha BB Cream & Clinique Moisture Surge - I have always used the BB cream, but even with the moisturizing powers it has, I needed more in pregnancy, so I started using the Moisture Surge. Both are lightweight and feel so nice on your skin. I would use the Moisture Surge at bedtime and the BB cream in my morning routine.
Snoogle pillow - I don't use mine all the time yet, but on days where my back or legs are achy, I use it and love it.
Clothing
Non-underwire bras - I've been out of underwire bras since my first trimester. My belly sits really high right now, and I just can't tolerate the underwires.
Belly Band/Belly Belt - these didn't work so well for me (my belly was huge from the beginning), but I know others who had great luck with them
Gap Demi Panel Modern Boot Pants & Gap 1969 Demi Panel Sexy Boot Jeans - these were my "go-to" work pants & jeans in the first trimester. However, towards the end of my first trimester, I had to switch to full panel pants because it was just too uncomfortable. I also like that Gap almost always has promo codes available. I have consistently purchased my "pre-pregnancy" size from them and been fine.
Gap Full Panel Modern Boot Pants - these are my current "go-to" work pants. Totally comfortable, machine washable, and they look great.
Express Best Loved Bra Cami - I still wear these under almost all of my shirts. It really smoothes things out, especially when wearing full panel pants.
Motherhood Secret Belly Line - I love their shorts, jeans, and capris. Also, once you sign up for their email list, you get coupons and promo codes all the time and their online selection is much better than what's in our local store. They often do 30% or 50% off clearance, too. I have consistently purchased my "pre-pregnancy" size from them and been fine - mostly mediums, but I bought shorts in larges since I'm sure I'll be huge by the end of the summer, lol.
Books
I never read What to Expect When You're Expecting. In fact, I gave my copy (which had been passed to me by a friend) to another friend who was expecting a singleton. My pregnancy nurse at the RE had told me from the start that I needed the "multiples bible" aka When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy by Dr. Luke.
If you are ever on a Mom of Multiples board, you find they all reference Dr. Luke. She has done great research into the best things for a pregnant mama of multiples, including weight gain guidelines. I read this book cover to cover in a matter of days when I got confirmation I was having twins. To be honest, I don't follow her diet guidelines exactly (I try to stick with the basic principles, but sometimes I just cannot eat that much food or eat those specific things), but I have been following her guidelines for weight gain. I'll be 24 weeks on Friday and I'm up 25lbs as of the scale this morning - which is right on track. She provides information that shows early weight gain is best to have big, healthy multiples at birth.
Other books I've read and found informative include:
Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers
Mothering Multiples
The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers
As you can see, I plan on exclusively breastfeeding the twins and have been really trying to read up on information about it. I love that all of the books broke down "myths" I'd heard about breastfeeding and really took it back to it's core - a natural thing that almost every mother can do. I think the best thing about today's society is that women can do whatever they feel is best for their child and that there are options - but I also think that some of the issues women encounter with breastfeeding are due to lack of education (on their part and/or their healthcare providers' part) and can be due to a somewhat Westernized-thought pattern on breastfeeding issues.
-----
That's all I can think of for now, but will update with more as I think of it. :)
When I got my BFP, I was honestly so clueless about pregnancy because I had spent SO much time just concentrating on the idea of getting pregnant and TTC. And, I found that many of the things I learned no one tells you about (probably because then no one would want to get pregnant, lol). I've honestly had a dream pregnancy so far, if you don't include the kidney stones - very little morning sickness, just normal aches and pains, and nothing out of the ordinary from what other mamas have experienced. However, I have been formulating this little list in my head for Kasey and figured it would be something good to update as I go along and learn more things about my pregnant body.
Medications & Personal Items
Zuplenz - it was a life saver for me when my morning sickness was at it's peak. It's the new Zofran, but dissolves faster, tastes better, comes in a higher dosage, and for my insurance, was cheaper than Zofran.
Colace & Fiber-Con - constipation hits hard in the first trimester, your digestive system changes due to the hormones. I'd never suffered from it before pregnancy and never want to have it again. My RE & OB both recommended these as safe and good to take on a daily basis.
Peppermint Lifesavers - the normal ginger ale, crackers route didn't work for me with my morning sickness (which, side note, lasts all day and night long). I would always try to keep my belly full and have the peppermint on hand. Also, in the mornings, I would drink juice versus water.
Sensitive Toothpaste & Mouthwash - I started having serious tooth sensitivity in my 2nd trimester and found out from my dentist that root exposure is common in pregnancy, resulting in sensitive teeth and/or bleeding gums. I learned to stay away from whitening toothpastes during pregnancy and to start a sensitive toothpaste... my issues have seriously decreased (almost gone completely!) since switching. Also, get mouthwash. I could barely brush my teeth without puking or gagging, so I relied on mouthwash some days.
Pantyliners - just trust me on this... especially if you are using Endometrin, lol.
Sarna Original Lotion (for injection sites) - my RE pregnancy nurse suggested this as I was getting awful bumps and rashes from my progesterone injection sites. It's the only thing that worked well.
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Massage Cream - my skin was like the Sahara literally from the minute I found out I was pregnant. I was literally flaking off skin, it was insane! I started using this as a regular lotion because of it's creaminess and the thickness. I've been using it on my chest and belly daily and don't have a stretch mark yet. I know the little bastards are coming, but I truly believe moisturizing daily has kept them at bay so far.
Missha BB Cream & Clinique Moisture Surge - I have always used the BB cream, but even with the moisturizing powers it has, I needed more in pregnancy, so I started using the Moisture Surge. Both are lightweight and feel so nice on your skin. I would use the Moisture Surge at bedtime and the BB cream in my morning routine.
Snoogle pillow - I don't use mine all the time yet, but on days where my back or legs are achy, I use it and love it.
Clothing
Non-underwire bras - I've been out of underwire bras since my first trimester. My belly sits really high right now, and I just can't tolerate the underwires.
Belly Band/Belly Belt - these didn't work so well for me (my belly was huge from the beginning), but I know others who had great luck with them
Gap Demi Panel Modern Boot Pants & Gap 1969 Demi Panel Sexy Boot Jeans - these were my "go-to" work pants & jeans in the first trimester. However, towards the end of my first trimester, I had to switch to full panel pants because it was just too uncomfortable. I also like that Gap almost always has promo codes available. I have consistently purchased my "pre-pregnancy" size from them and been fine.
Gap Full Panel Modern Boot Pants - these are my current "go-to" work pants. Totally comfortable, machine washable, and they look great.
Express Best Loved Bra Cami - I still wear these under almost all of my shirts. It really smoothes things out, especially when wearing full panel pants.
Motherhood Secret Belly Line - I love their shorts, jeans, and capris. Also, once you sign up for their email list, you get coupons and promo codes all the time and their online selection is much better than what's in our local store. They often do 30% or 50% off clearance, too. I have consistently purchased my "pre-pregnancy" size from them and been fine - mostly mediums, but I bought shorts in larges since I'm sure I'll be huge by the end of the summer, lol.
Books
I never read What to Expect When You're Expecting. In fact, I gave my copy (which had been passed to me by a friend) to another friend who was expecting a singleton. My pregnancy nurse at the RE had told me from the start that I needed the "multiples bible" aka When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads: Proven Guidelines for a Healthy Multiple Pregnancy by Dr. Luke.
If you are ever on a Mom of Multiples board, you find they all reference Dr. Luke. She has done great research into the best things for a pregnant mama of multiples, including weight gain guidelines. I read this book cover to cover in a matter of days when I got confirmation I was having twins. To be honest, I don't follow her diet guidelines exactly (I try to stick with the basic principles, but sometimes I just cannot eat that much food or eat those specific things), but I have been following her guidelines for weight gain. I'll be 24 weeks on Friday and I'm up 25lbs as of the scale this morning - which is right on track. She provides information that shows early weight gain is best to have big, healthy multiples at birth.
Other books I've read and found informative include:
Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers
Mothering Multiples
The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers
As you can see, I plan on exclusively breastfeeding the twins and have been really trying to read up on information about it. I love that all of the books broke down "myths" I'd heard about breastfeeding and really took it back to it's core - a natural thing that almost every mother can do. I think the best thing about today's society is that women can do whatever they feel is best for their child and that there are options - but I also think that some of the issues women encounter with breastfeeding are due to lack of education (on their part and/or their healthcare providers' part) and can be due to a somewhat Westernized-thought pattern on breastfeeding issues.
-----
That's all I can think of for now, but will update with more as I think of it. :)
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
On Our Twin Gender Reveal Party
I wanted to do a post about our Twin Gender Reveal party. I had so much fun planning it, and we had such a great time with our loved ones.
To be honest, I originally didn't want to do a Gender Reveal Party. I knew that I didn't really want to do the cake thing, and it was hard for me to think of a way to reveal it without a cake... But, once I started thinking about it - all of our loved ones have been so unbelievably supportive and loving throughout our journey that I really wanted to share learning the sex of our babies with them. Plus, I love parties, and this will be my only pregnancy, so I wanted to really "do it all".
One of the first things I did was hire a photographer. During parties, I'm always running around so I never get to take pictures and I definitely wanted our reveal and reactions documented. Julia is a good friend of my sisters' and she has recently started a photography business, so she was perfect for it. (She will also be doing my baby shower. I'm really excited to make photo books from both events to keep for the babies.)
When I first started planning it, I knew that I wanted lots of pink, blue, and yellow. For the paper goods, I used the Party City Tiny Bundle theme. I bought coordinating stuff in pink and blue, and tablecloths in yellow from Party City, as well (I love that you can almost always get a good coupon or promo code with them).
I had seen a really cool banner made from ultrasound pictures on Pinterest, so I knew I wanted to do that as well. I bought the cardstock backing from Michael's, and had leftover blue ribbon from our DIY wedding invitations. I also wanted to make a "guessing sign" for our guests, which I made from posterboard from Michael's.
I also wanted to do something related to my cravings, so I used the leftover cardstock for that and bought cheap frames from Dollar Tree. I also bought cheap vases from Dollar Tree, and bought yellow roses the day of the event from our local produce place (super cheap!) to make centerpieces.
For the actual reveal, we used balloons - but not in the typical sense. I saw somewhere (maybe Pinterest?) that someone had done this... at our ultrasound, we didn't find out the genders. We had them put the information into an envelope. My BFF was at the ultrasound with us, so she got the envelope. I had purchased black balloons and tons of pink and blue confetti. Her job was to put the correct colored confetti in the balloons (blue for boys, pink for girls, blue & pink for boy/girl), blow them up, and put them in a box. When it was time, everyone got a balloon and a thumbtack, and we all popped them at the same time.
As you can see, I was very surprised by the color of the confetti.
And I can't forget the very handsome big brother, Mojo. :)
To be honest, I originally didn't want to do a Gender Reveal Party. I knew that I didn't really want to do the cake thing, and it was hard for me to think of a way to reveal it without a cake... But, once I started thinking about it - all of our loved ones have been so unbelievably supportive and loving throughout our journey that I really wanted to share learning the sex of our babies with them. Plus, I love parties, and this will be my only pregnancy, so I wanted to really "do it all".
One of the first things I did was hire a photographer. During parties, I'm always running around so I never get to take pictures and I definitely wanted our reveal and reactions documented. Julia is a good friend of my sisters' and she has recently started a photography business, so she was perfect for it. (She will also be doing my baby shower. I'm really excited to make photo books from both events to keep for the babies.)
When I first started planning it, I knew that I wanted lots of pink, blue, and yellow. For the paper goods, I used the Party City Tiny Bundle theme. I bought coordinating stuff in pink and blue, and tablecloths in yellow from Party City, as well (I love that you can almost always get a good coupon or promo code with them).
I had seen a really cool banner made from ultrasound pictures on Pinterest, so I knew I wanted to do that as well. I bought the cardstock backing from Michael's, and had leftover blue ribbon from our DIY wedding invitations. I also wanted to make a "guessing sign" for our guests, which I made from posterboard from Michael's.
I also wanted to do something related to my cravings, so I used the leftover cardstock for that and bought cheap frames from Dollar Tree. I also bought cheap vases from Dollar Tree, and bought yellow roses the day of the event from our local produce place (super cheap!) to make centerpieces.
For the actual reveal, we used balloons - but not in the typical sense. I saw somewhere (maybe Pinterest?) that someone had done this... at our ultrasound, we didn't find out the genders. We had them put the information into an envelope. My BFF was at the ultrasound with us, so she got the envelope. I had purchased black balloons and tons of pink and blue confetti. Her job was to put the correct colored confetti in the balloons (blue for boys, pink for girls, blue & pink for boy/girl), blow them up, and put them in a box. When it was time, everyone got a balloon and a thumbtack, and we all popped them at the same time.
As you can see, I was very surprised by the color of the confetti.
And I can't forget the very handsome big brother, Mojo. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)