36 weeks pregnant with twins! - Scan - (well yesterday)

36 weeks! Really really pleased I've got this far :)

There has been no more contractions but lots and lots of 'show' and I really wish I didn't have to get up 345612 times a night to go loo. But hey they are still in there growing so a few more potential weeks of discomfort is nothing in the grand scheme of things, although I certainly question my thoughts at 3am when the heartburn becomes unbearable and I have to do some sort of 3 point turn to get out of bed......... and I don't drive! ha!

So the scan yesterday went well. Both are head down still... whoop!! (his head was tucked up right near hers!) and all placenta, water checks etc came back normal. They couldn't get all of Twin 1 measurements due to her being "Too low in maternal pelvis" (good girl! she's heading the right way!) and Twin 2 is estimated at 4lb 9. Although I feel it's a teeny bit dinky (but I shouldn't compare!), the measurements were most certainly inaccurate. The sonographer measured them differently to the others (which may have been the only way due to how cramped they are) but the Abdomen measurements were taken from a squished tummy (which you could see) and he didn't get a full view, so I'm really interested to see how much they do come out weighing! None the less I'm 5'5, small build so I'm hardly going to have 8lbers..........

I have been looking into caring for smaller babies in case they are on the very small side, and I can see my sling and boobs being out A LOT! :D (at least I get all the cuddles!)

I also have had the offer from a local mum to have some of her milk stash (I put a post up on HM4HB (Human milk 4 Human babies http://www.facebook.com/HM4HBUK) and the lady who contacted me I already knew! So I feel more relaxed about them possibly needing a 'top up' if I'm unable to pump. :D!! Thank you lovely lady and TINTERNET!

So back to the scan - When all was finished he made the comment "not exactly porkers, but everything is fine" and because I didn't have the Antenatal appointment after (the one that mysteriously didn't get booked.....) I was given my notes and off I toddled!

So for now it's a sit and wait game! I feel like a ticking time bomb and everyone (including many of the mums at the school........ the butcher ........... grocer......the man with the dog......... the postman ha ha) is waiting in anticipation! and I'm here legs firmly crossed or waddling around at 4cms and quite happy to wait a little longer :D !

We have just 6 more days before we are clear for the home birth, let hope they at least hold on for that!!

Natasha x

Twin Pregnancy - 24 weeks- Home water birth here we come!

23 weeks 24 weeks

So after many weeks of illness, stress, birthdays and Christmas...... I am back and have more time now to update!

I contacted a local'ish IM (Independent Midwife) as after the consultation I knew then that searching for support was and is my only option.

I was told to get in touch with Jane Evans by another local IM as she has had Twin birth experience. I needed to know all my options and explore what I could, although affording one is questionable right now it's an avenue I needed to look at.

Well how pleased was I when I spoke to Jane! She was wonderful, very very informative, wise and you could hear the confidence in her voice. I was talking to someone with the complete opposite views of the consultant but it just felt so very right and comfortable, like I was talking to someone with complete sense!

She gave me great advice about diet and getting the babies to term and that if I am unable to get support from the NHS (will go into in a sec) then we would certainly be able to work something out. Massive weight lifted!

Now I have been told the new head of midwifery starting in Jan has facilitated a Twin homebirth under the NHS (not too long ago and of course went wonderfully :) )

I might be able to get her to help me, I am going to set up a meeting with her hopefully very soon (fingers crossed).

I have also found a new lovely midwife.... well I haven't met her yet but I have heard lovely things about her and tomorrow will be setting up an appointment with her. She asked me to book a double appointment as there's quite a bit to chat about so I am really excited!

The babies seem to be doing well, I have another scan on the 30th Dec 11, I am hoping my extra eating will have made them catch up and be closer to their gestation. I am not going to stress about it (as it wont help!) but I am really going to aim to get them matching with their current week and each other. Fingers crossed I will deliver two healthy 6lb + babies (at least!) after 37 weeks! (Lottie was 6lbs at 37 weeks so I think this is doable!)

I have been visualising the birth happening in water in my kitchen, I can see it and it's really helping me focus and not feel so worried about it all. It feels pretty daunting sometimes and I feel this will be quite an experience!

Well hopefully by next week I will have an appointment and some news from the scan.

Natasha x

18 weeks and 19 weeks pregnant with twins............ I'm rubbish!

18 weeks 19weeks

Well I'm now 19 weeks and 2 days pregnant. I have been avoiding a lot of pregnancy related stuff (not going on forums much etc) as I'm really getting nervous about our scan on Monday.

I can't believe the time is finally here and how quick has it gone already?! But I'm anxious to see they are both growing well and anxious to find out the sex.

I'm starting to get prepared for this non existent consultant appointment and get my facts written down incase I need them (which I am likely too). Found some really interesting things in the new NICE guidelines for twin pregnancy but I will go over that when I have more time.

Here are the NICE guidelines for those interested.

Nice Multiple Pregnancy Guidelines

Twin pregnancy

They both seem to be very active, I feel the rolling around and have had the odd foot prodding out! I lent over to get my drink the other night and felt something uncomfortable that was protruding a little... so I pushed it and it quickly moved! I had forgotten this part and I didn't think it would be happening yet! I can feel them kicking from the outside, it's really lovely but strange that it's happening everywhere!

The braxton hicks are still here a lot, I do remember experiencing quite a few of them during Charlottes pregnancy but these are most certainly stronger. I am not worried about them as I know its all good practice. If they get any worse I think I will mention it.

16 weeks pregnant with twins

16 weeks

I don't feel much of a growth change this week but I am feeling their taps a lot more and have become hourly or more which is lovely and reassuring.

My sickness has started to come back, although it hadn't totally gone I did have a few weeks of far less than I had experienced but in the morning I'm feeling sick and food issues are creeping in again.

I just hope it goes away and it's a glitch!

15 weeks 6 days pregnant with twins.

I'm having twins!

Ok so I am having an OMG moment, hitting me again I am going to give birth to two babies! My body is making two babies! It isn't going to feel real until they are here and even when they are I am sure I will look down while feeding them both and still feel disbelief that I have made and given birth to two babies as well as mastering tandem feeding all in one! I am sure I am going to be hit intermittently through out the pregnancy with OMG as it really is still a shock.

Pregnancy dreams

I have never experienced so many odd dreams and nightmares during pregnancy before, I guess hormones could play a part, as well as subconscious worries. Although I don't have nightmares about the pregnancy or babies it's always unrelated but I am pregnant in them and aware of that while dreaming. But yes very weird and some quite frightening!

Alternative cold remedies for children

I have been making vapor coconut rub and lavender/spearmint steam bowls as the girls have had bad colds (well more so Olivia with the coughing).

It worked very well, along with New Era colds and chesty coughs homeopathy range and a few high in Vit C Pome'gannets' (Charlotte will not budge on the name!) she had a peak day yesterday and is noticeably much better having only started a few days ago and hasn't suffered (been wingy or unlike herself). The steam bowls have seemed to also get both girls off quicker, I think it's the lavender relaxing them and I have also noticed Olivia is calmer when she wakes at night, where as before there was some sort of 'drama' when she woke (when there was nothing wrong, just over tired). It could be all coincidence but I believe these things have worked :)

I will try and update tomorrow with a pic, but I am rubbish at updating............ so don't quote me ;-)

15 weeks 1 day - Twin Pregnancy

15 weeks

Just a small update with 15 week bump picture. Even my uterus has crept just above my tummy button in just a few days or so (feel it every morning) . Babies kicking lovely and feel them at least 2/3 times a day which is really reassuring!

We decided to use the holidays to tidy (among take the girls certain places etc) as it's just totally got on top of me... well us and we need to sort it out as it's driving me insane!

So toy sorting and cleaning the house being the main things to do........(I still haven't managed to put dusting into my routine however.......... I don't dust).

It's getting done bit by bit and just helps have a clearer head, until we have the next lot of mess, but oh well!

Natasha

Twin Pregnancy 11 weeks - And self doubt

11 weeks today and I feel awful.

After taking Olivia to school I spent the rest of the morning throwing up. I am shattered, my lower bump hurts and my pelvis aches............ and I am only 11 weeks.

I am going to make a doctors appointment this week as I'm wondering if my thyroid levels are right because I have been feeling really low.

I have been looking at baby clothes already and taking into consideration that they may be quite small (around the 5lb mark) Olivia was 6.8lb at 39 weeks and Charlotte was only 6lb at 37 weeks and only being 5'5 myself it's quite likely they will.

The clothes are tiny, although 'cute' it's quite scary to think at how small they could be!

I'm most certainly going to breastfeed them, to me there is no other way of feeding. It dawned on me that if they came earlier than 34 weeks and don't have a good sucking reflex (and I am struggling to express) I will need to source donor milk as it's quite likely the hospitals supply is going to be short. But I will be asking this when I first see the consultant. Also a standard practice is to use fortifiers in the human milk and that donor milk in hospitals is pasteurised, again I need to research my options on this (info found in link below).

I really do not want them having formula. My main reason for this is their 'virgin gut' being compromised and obviously nutritionally breast milk is far better for premature babies as well as preventing infections etc.

http://www.eatsonfeetsresources.org/?page_id=532

So my mind is boggled at the moment with this but I guess there's no point thinking about it too much until I see the consultant and their 'policy'.

I am still feeling quite overwhelmed about going through a twin pregnancy, because of my feelings on birth and feeding are not of the countries 'norm' I really feel this will be a huge test of my beliefs and realising how challenging this will be for me mentally.

Is having such strong views going to hinder my judgement during important times? I am in a state of self doubt about how I feel about things.

Having also come to the conclusion (after much research!) that I am no longer going to have my children vaccinated (these babies will be vaccine free) am I throwing myself into fire? With this on top of the decisions I am possibly going to have to face and fight with wanting a home birth, making sure the babies receive breastmilk and co sleeping, am I just creating more problems and stress?

Although I say I have self doubt, I do really believe this is right.

I guess our beliefs have to be challenged sometimes in order to gain strength and knowledge on the decisions we make.

Being the minority during times like this make me feel alone and like I am some lunatic doo lally parent.

But then I slap my face and think well hang on one darn minute! How many long hours have I spent researching, experiencing and learning? I have spent countless hours and time making sure that I am looking and reading the right things and that they felt true to my feelings on the subject and backed up, speaking to other parents and investigating as much as I can so I feel informed and educated enough to go against the grain. As much as I never felt I was doing it with that purpose (but it's what I have done) I always had/have the girls best interest at heart and following my instincts lead me on this path.

I do know that I am not really alone, there are thousands of parents and families who think the same way and live in a similar way, this gives me comfort that in fact I am not a lunatic doo lally parent, I just parent differently.

Ooo haven't I gone on there?!

As you can see I have millions of things wizzing round in my mind and I guess it helps to write it down!

Here are some bump pictures taken today

11 weeks exactly

Not much more to add to this today, but will likely update during the week if I manage to see the doctor and with any other goings on here :)

Natasha x

Yes we are expanding and Yes we are having TWINS! 10 weeks 4 days

I have been considering doing a blog for sometime about the goings on of family life and the pregnancy of our twins.

I started a blog back in 2008 when pregnant with my second child, but after so much going on around that time I just couldn't focus on it. So here I am again pregnant and starting a blog again!

I am currently 10 weeks and 4 days pregnant.

We didn't find out I was pregnant with twins until around 7 weeks, I had a scan prior to this at 5 weeks due to bleeding and one sac and yolk was seen. The sonographer said it was too early to see much else and I was to come back in two weeks time.

From that day I had the most awful sickness, greasy skin, hair and spots. I was absolutely shattered and so bloated. Having had a very easy pregnancy with both girls (barely any sickness, skin looked amazing and felt healthy!) this was quite a shock.

I then had it in my mind that maybe I was carrying a boy? Maybe this is why I feel so rough.

As the week passed I started feeling worse, food became unappealing and the nausea was nothing like I have ever experienced before. Almost like I was on a boat and it was coming in waves.

I had no reason to suspect I was carrying twins, it never entered my head that I could be.

Finally It was the day for the scan. I went to our local EPU (early pregnancy unit) and got seated in a little room........... waiting........... feeling sick and just hoping that everything was alright with the pregnancy.

The midwife/nurse came in and said that I didn't look too peachy......... well no I certainly didn't feel it! She went though my notes, told me I was having another transvaginal scan (looks like a dildo he he) and that I would be going through in a little while.

Off she went and there was me sat armed with ginger biscuits in hope it would curb the sick feelings just enough so I didn't feel like I was going to vomit during the scan.

She came back and took me over to the sonographer.

Told to take off my bottoms, get on the bed and put my feet in the stirrups. This then reminded me how undignified your life becomes when you are pregnant!

She begins the scan and as she does I eagerly watch her facial expressions thinking and worrying that shes going to say "sorry but you have miscarried"

What feels like a lifetime she says "Well everything looks fine but there are two here"

I then had a rush of adrenaline and felt in total shock, my first words were "Oh my fu**ing god!"

She said that she just wanted to check my ovaries but everything looked good and the babies looked like they were progressing well. I was still in shock and just kept saying Oh my god........ oh my god... oh my god.

The sonographer gave me a picture so that OH wouldn't think I was fibbing and after a little talk about bleeding and making sure I rest I was on my merry way.

This is the scan picture 7w 3days

After telling family and friends it still didn't feel real, even now at 10 weeks it's still sinking in.

Since that scan I had another at 9 weeks due to a bleed, but both were fine and growing well.

I am apparently having Fraternal twins (ovulated twice) as they have a separate sac and placenta.

Since the second scan I bought an angelsounds doppler as the spotting I was getting was making me worry and thought it would help ease that. I found one of the heartbeats just after 8 weeks and found them both at gone 9.

Now at 10 weeks I am able to be certain its both (and not the echo of one) as they are on either side below my tummy button.

I made a recording of them

Baby on the left side

Baby on right side (quiet but you can hear better on the next)

Then going from right to left (with placenta wooshing in between!)

I listen to them everyday and it helps give that peace of mind.

I am also looking very pregnant and my uterus is already a few inches below my tummy button. Sickness is still there and I am still sick most mornings, I hope this goes by the magic 2nd trimester when I apparently bloom!

10weeks 5days uterus just a few inches below tummy button

I am pretty sure I have felt slight flutters too, as my uterus is high up already I think I can discount it being 'bowel movement' and having had two children already who I felt early in tri 2 I really think I can feel them already!

The cravings haven't been to obvious until now and all I want is fatty foods, chicken and roast dinner. I am yet to curb the roast dinner one, I have been gagging for a roast dinner for WEEKS!

So today I am making it my mission to do it and an apple crumble to top it off! :) (of course Olivia is extremely happy at the thought of apple crumble which I haven't made in months!)

Will update again on Monday when I am 11 weeks!

Natasha x