Evan, Aidan, Bella & Sophia » July 2004 Journal Entries » AboutMyBaby - online baby scrapbooks, photo albums, videos, birth and pregnancy announcements

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Thu, Jul 22, 2004 3:50 PM
Slawek and I have opted NOT to have the quad blood screening nor the nuchal translucency screening for our babies. The quad screening is a maternal blood screening that will give you a percentage of your chance of delivering a baby with down's syndrome, spina bifida, or trisomy 18. The quad screening is NOT very accurate, first of all, and second of all, it is even LESS accurate for twins (my alpha-fetal protein is too high with both babies).

Our Perinatologist informed us that we could elect to have the Nuchal Translucency screening done (which is 91-95% accurate), but it has to be done between 11 weeks - 13 weeks 6 days. I am 12w3d today. After some discussions with the genetic counselor and with Slawek, we have declined this test also. It is only an ultrasound, but we have decided that we wouldn't change the outcome of the pregnancy, so why go through with it? Plus, I have Level II ultrasounds EVERY SINGLE MONTH now, and the likelihood that something would be picked up later is possible (if there was a problem).

Phew ~ I am glad to get that decision off our shoulders.

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Thu, Jul 22, 2004 3:45 PM
Looks like I am going to be a stay-at-home-mom for a while! After careful consideration, I declined a very generous (more than I make are Shire) job offer at another company. My Perinatologist recommended it. For many reasons:

1. I wouldn't have worked at the new company for 1 year, so I don't qualify for any form of disability (bedrest, which is likely to be prescribed between 20-28 weeks).

2. Because my new employer does not have to *hold* my position since I wouldn't have worked for them more than 1 year.

My wonderful Perinatologist wants me to focus on the pregnancy and the babies right now anyway, and with bedrest looming sometime between September - November (I begin weekly cervix measurements on 8/18/04), I can't risk taking the new position.

I spoke with the Shire Executive V.P. of Marketing yesterday and he guaranteed me a job through 12/31/04. More than likely, I won't make it that long, but if I don't ~ I will be able to apply for Short-Term Disability. I will get 2 months at 100% pay and 4 months at 60% pay. After the Short Term Disability runs out, I will be discharged from my position and will get the retention bonus/package for staying employed with Shire. Then I will begin to collect unemployment.

So ~ that's decided! I am going to stay home with our babies for their 1st year. I am very excited. So is Slawek.

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Mon, Jul 19, 2004 9:00 AM
12 weeks/3 months pregnant TODAY! WOO HOO! We finished registering on Saturday. What an adventure! Me, Slawek, mom and Richie went to Babies R Us for a few hours. In the beginning, we were going through one thing at a time (making decisions), but by the end ~ Richie wanted out of there and we just opted to choose whatever looked best. It was comical. Oh well, I am glad that process is entirely over. We tried to register for only 1 of certain things that we thought we could get away with only having 1 ~ and 2 for the *must haves*.

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Mon, Jul 12, 2004 3:58 PM
11 weeks today ~ Today we had our 1st appt. with our Perinatologist, Dr. Brady (Good Sam Seton Center). He was wonderful. First we had our Level II ultrasound, measuring growth and viability. The babies both measure 11 weeks + 2 days (ahead of schedule growth!). Both babies' heartbeats were pounding away very strong. One twin had a heartbeat of around 155 and the other was 153. (On my home doppler, they always range from 168-176!)

Slawek and I are overly impressed at the level of care we have received there today (and will continue to receive throughout the pregnancy.) I just can't believe this is all real now. The babies no longer look like something you would dip in cocktail sauce. They look like real live human beings!! And they move all around and bobble here and there now! It's amazing to see movement!

They are VERY active now, swimming and waving ~ kicking and moving their arms all about ~ flipping from their back to their side. It was so cute to see. The level II ultrasound lasted a full 30-40 minutes, so we got to see lots of movement.

My ovaries are very swollen (from the IVF), STILL. They are 8 cm. each (normal ovaries are 5-6 cm). This means limited BD, no exercise, no boating. OMG, are these things EVER going to go down? And the corpus luteum cysts are still there. The Perinatologist is hoping they go down in 1 week or so.

They took 5 vials of blood & catheterized me! They had to get a urine sample to check for infections, and refused to let me pee in a cup. They made me get cathereized. Can I say, that was painful? We had a long conference with the Perinatologist. In addition to my daily prenatal, he wants me to take the following EXTRA vitamins for twins:
- Folate (prescription)
- 400 IU vitamin E
- 1000 mg vitamin C
- Ferros Sequel Iron supplements (2 per day)
- Calicimate (2000 mg/day Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc)

Also, starting week 16, I have to go in once per WEEK for an ultrasound to measure cervix. He said since this is my first pregnancy, they have no idea how my cervix will respond. So, they want to check it WEEKLY to make sure I am not thinning out (going into labor).

He said to "be prepared to go on full bedrest at 20 weeks." He also went over the possibility of having to have my cervix "stitched" closed.

All-in-all, we are very happy with the experience today. We spent all afternoon at Good Sam hospital! We arrived at 12 noon and didn't leave until 5 pm. At least the hospital food was excellent (Polish kielbasa with saurkraut!!)

Grow babies Grow!! You look perfect.

Our next Level II ultrasound and Perinatology appt. is 8/18. Starting then, we will go weekly. I have 1 month of no appts. now!

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Tue, Jul 6, 2004 9:48 AM
This morning I have had a horrible time with m/s again. After being on the Lake all weekend (with no trouble whatsoever), I woke up at 4 am and proceeded to throw up stomach acid & dry heave every hour until I left for work. I have been utterly miserable today. It happened 3 times. If it happens just 1 more time today, I am going home for the rest of the day. This is awful.

Now I am just counting down the 6 days left until our 11 week ultrasound and my 1st perinatologist / OB appt at Good Sam. We are very excited!

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Mon, Jul 5, 2004 3:44 PM
Found BOTH of your heartbeats today!!!!
Baby A = 168 beats per minute; Baby B = 176 beats per minute.

Baby A is very, very low ~ on my right-hand side.
Baby B is higher, diagonally between Baby A and my belly button.

Slawek's parents and sister got the chance to hear the heartbeats today, too. We held the baby doppler up to the telephone and they could easily hear the heartbeat thumping away. All three of them said "it sounds like a train!"

I have played the heartbeats for my mom, too!

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Fri, Jul 2, 2004 8:14 AM
Today I heard Baby A's heartbeat!!! 170-176 BMP! We rented a home heartbeat doppler from www.babybeat.com (which we will use throughout the pregnancy) and I was able to quickly pick up Baby A's heartbeat (on my right side, or left side of the u/s photo). I tried to find Baby B's heartbeat (on my left side, or the right side of the u/s photo), with no luck. I believe I have found the placenta (whooshing through the tree noises), but haven't found that little one's heartbeat. Just like in the ultrasound photos, Baby B seems to want to hide. Come out, Come out wherever you are!!!!!!!!!

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