Didn't You Know? Twins are IN!

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2011-12-07T19:34:00.001-08:00

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2011-07-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

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2009-04-20T19:13:00.001-07:00

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I can not believe they turned five.

2009-04-15T18:43:00.001-07:00

It still amazes me every day that I have triplets, what is even more amazing is that I survived the first five years. That is right my babies are five years old and will soon be graduating from preschool and off to big school as they say.

Over the years there have been many ups and downs, virus's and colds but we have made it this far, it can only be up hill from here.

So what advice would I give to new moms, well things do not really get easier, they change, the challenges change and the battles change. You go from being exhausted from lack of sleep to chasing toddlers around the house. Next thing you know they are asking you a million questions and you are always on the go. From Gymnastics to ball practice, there just seems to always be somewhere to go.

So in five years we have had many trips to the ER, one broken arm and I have even gotten away with out children or husband once or twice. (mommy time is much needed)

Take help where you can get it and as for those dumb comments and questions, they do end, or become less frequent as they get older. Smile and know that this too
shall pass.

Enjoy the small things.

Barb's Story (0Sept04Bride)

2009-03-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

About Me...

I met my husband on a blind date, while I was in nursing school in Dec. 2000. I was 19 and he was 29. Despite the age difference, we hit it off right away and have been inseparable ever since. We said our vows on Sept 24, 2004 in front of 80 of our closest friends and family. I had always wanted to make traveling a priority before having kids, so we set off to explore the world.

"Are You Taking Fertility Medication?"

After a few trips to Europe and some home renovations we thought that it might be a good time to start our family. Three weeks later, I was pregnant. Although I'm thankful that we didn't have any difficulties getting pregnant, I wasn't expecting to have it happen so soon. A couple of days after finding out, I was getting ready for work, and announced to my husband that we were having twins. He told me that I was crazy and that I should be grateful that I was having a one baby. He also said, "Besides, twins are weird."

A day or two later, I developed abdominal pain and spotting. I called my OB and I went in for an ultrasound. I was 5w5d pregnant. I knew something was up, when the U/S tech asked me if I was taking fertility medication. She then announced that we were having twins. Our initial reaction was laughter. Our laughter soon turned to tears of joy.

And So Our Journey Began...

Thankfully, my pregnancy was pretty uneventful. On Feb 21,2008 we welcomed Trent Stevan and Natalie Ruth into our lives. Although we had some difficult moments during our first year as a family, I wouldn't have traded it for anything. I once thought that people who had singletons were lucky because they had it easier than I did. Now, I realize that I'm the lucky one-I have two sets of arms that hug me, two sets of lips that kiss me, and two little hearts that will always be mine.

A Dream Come True Times Two! by Lindsey (dreamcometrueX2)

2009-03-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

A little background…..

My husband, Matt and I met each other 28 years ago. We were babies together, we played in the kiddie pool together, and we played road hockey together. Matt’s family moved away when we were about 9 years old. When I went away to University at 19, we reconnected and here we are today!!!

We were married in 2005 and right away I knew I wanted a family. After 6 months of trying I was diagnosed with severe Endometriosis. Here started my journey with infertility treatments. This was by far the hardest thing I have ever had to endure in my life so far. After 2 years of infertility treatments, and 7 IUI’s later we decided that this was our last attempt. Every month I would go in for my blood work and wait for the phone call telling me it was negative. Why was I to think this month would be any different.

I will NEVER forget the phone call that was different….it was positive! I was shaking so hard I could barely dial my husbands number to tell him the news! We were beyond happy.
Our first ultrasound at 6 weeks, and when they told us we were having twins I was in shock. I couldn’t believe that I was pregnant let alone pregnant with two babies! My dream had finally come true….times two!

At 20 weeks we found out we were having two girls. It was the greatest feeling to be able to put two names to the sweet little faces on the ultrasound pictures.

Looking back, I had a really great pregnancy. The first four months I had really bad morning sickness but otherwise I felt great, and I never had to go on bedrest…I was really lucky.
At my 36 week appointment, I remember waddling into the doctors office ready to strike a deal with the him. One more week and then maybe could we start talking induction???? I was so ready to have these babies! After my check up, the doctor informed me that Baby A’s amniotic fluid was lower than he wanted to see it and I was going to be induced the following day! Once again, I was in complete shock….I couldn’t believe I was going to meet my babies the next day.
After 11 hours of labour and 45 minutes of pushing….Olivia Grace, and Ella Georgia were born weighing 5,2 and 5,6. They were born on November 28, 2008 at 36 weeks and 2 days and were healthy and strong and the most beautiful little tiny girls I had ever seen.

Olivia and Ella are 4 months old now and every day is different, and crazy, and amazing all in one. There are so many things that I love about being a Mom. I love their smiles, I love their giggles, I love seeing my husband interact with his daughters, I love that they are starting to notice each other…it melts my heart to see that! I love the smell of their heads when I’m feeding them, I love when they hold my hand when we’re snuggling, I love that sometimes I am the only person they want to console them, and I love to see their little personalities coming through more and more every day. Every bedtime when I kiss them goodnight I think of how lucky I am to be their Mommy, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

March 2009 Update From Pam (Pea-Kay)

2009-03-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been half a lifetime since I wrote my entry. Literally, in the boys' case. They are now nearly 16 months old and have just started to walk. Life has gotten more and more fun with these guys. They've started to talk a little too. Every animal is a "cat", every sound is a "quack", and every food is a "cracker." We've discovered where they're ticklish and what they like to eat. We know their favorite books and how they dance. It's been such a joy getting to know these three little guys.

Linus is my big boy who loves to laugh. Oliver is my sweet, sensitive soul. And Miles will be your best friend within minutes of meeting you (especially if you have some cake!)

It's really amazing. Right now, they change so much every day. Every afternoon when I pick them up from daycare, I wonder what new trick they've learned. Or what new bruise they've acquired because of their wobbly gait. They've just started giving kisses and hugs, which makes the temper tantrums a little easier to bear, too.

I'm so proud to be the mama of these sweet boys - and I'm also proud to say I am getting much better at telling them apart!

What started off as the most terrifying day of my life, turned out to be the most miraculous

2009-03-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

Getting these babies was not as easy as it should be, and after our first failed round of invitro we had almost given up hope of ever having a baby of our own when I decided to give invitro a try once more. A couple days before my Dr Appointment to see if the invitro worked I decided to sneak and take a test at home. I was all by myself just staring at the test. It took the full 3 minutes until a tiny thin 2nd pink line appeared. It was not convincing enough so I jumped in the car drove to the store and bought 5 more tests, all different brands. One by one every test was positive. I was in total shock. I grabbed a shirt from the back of my closet that I had bought for invitro round one and almost threw away. It said BABY on it with an arrow pointing to my belly. I waited patiently for Jason to come home. If the invitro is successful, you do 2 more weeks of injections. If it is not, then you can stop the injections. When Jason got home I said "I have bad news..., I am going to have to do the injections for 2 more weeks." Then I unzipped my jacket to reveal the "Baby" shirt. He picked me up and swung me around. We were screaming!

2 days later, already knowing I was pregnant, I went to the Dr to get the official blood test taken. You want the test result Beta number to be 100. I got the call from the nurse while I was at work. She said "Jessica, are you sitting down, and are you ready for what your number is?" "I'm ready". "It is 1536!!!!" “What does that mean? Am I pregnant with 1500 babies?” She said, "you are definitely having AT LEAST two!" So now comes freak out mode. I was so worried. I always wanted twins, but I knew all the risks involved with having multiples.

At 33 weeks pregnant, and after 5 weeks of being confined to bed rest, I had a strong nesting instinct. Jason helped carry me into the nursery. I was sitting in a rocker folding their baby clothes. I stood up, lost my balance and fell. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, but didn't think anything of it. Turns out, it caused a placenta abruption 7 hours later. It was Monday Oct 1st 12:30 I was asleep when suddenly Jason heard me yell "my water just broke!" He jumped out of bed and turned on the light. I knew something was wrong when I saw his face. He said “that's not water, that's blood!” I jumped up and ran to the bathroom where I continued to hemorrhage - A LOT! Jason called 911 and within a few minutes paramedics were rushing in my room. I was hemorrhaging so bad that the paramedics were putting large IV's in my arm preparing for a blood transfusion. I was panicked and scared to death thinking I was losing my two babies. What started off as the most terrifying day of my life, turned out to be the most miraculous.

When we got to the hospital the nurse said they would try to slow down my contractions and there was “no way” I would be delivering that night and I would be bed ridden at the hospital for at least 3 or 4 more days if not weeks. We decided it would be best if Jason went home so he could pick up some things to bring back to the hospital. It was 5:45am by now. Everyone left and I decided I would try to get some rest. About 15 minutes later I started to feel contractions. They were coming hard and fast. Pretty soon they were so strong I couldn't even talk or breathe. I looked at my contractions monitor and each contraction was hitting the 100 mark (the highest mark on the graph!) It was one right after the next bam bam bam. I was still gushing blood. I pushed the nurse button and the same nurse that told me there was "No way we would be having these babies tonight" came in to check me and yelled out "Call her Dr at home and tell him to get here right now!" It was 6:45am and she told me my Dr lives 10 minutes away, and he will be here in 10 minutes- We are having these babies at 7:00 am in 15 minutes!The nurse said "where's dad?" I cried "He's at HOME!" I called Jason who was already on his way back and said "Get here right now we are having these babies in 15 minutes!!!" He slammed on the gas. Within 10 minutes the Dr was there, the Anesthesiologist was there, all the nurses, interns, neonatologists, were all there ready to wheel me into the operating room for my emergency C- Section everyone was just waiting for Jason!!6:55am Jason comes running down the hall. The nurses throw a white jumpsuit, hat, mask, and booties at him and say "put this on now." I look at jason and say "It's baby time", he looks back at me out of breath and panicked still and says "it's baby time babe".7:00 am I get the epidural I am numb a few minutes later. At 7:37am we here the Dr say "Baby!" We hear a tiny weak yelp, yelp without even showing her to us they pass baby Josselyn right thru the window into the waiting NICU. 1 minute later Dr says "Baby!" again and a little louder baby squeal, as they pass Jaxon threw to the NICU window, this time Jason glanced over just in time to see them passing Jaxon. So he got a quick glimpse. As soon as we heard their first little yelps we both let the tears roll down our faces, looked at each other and smiled.Jason asked for a baby update and they said they were still working on them. They were getting them hooked up to all the monitors still. A few minutes later they came in and said both babies are on oxygen but are doing well. They let Jason go in to see them, and wheeled me into recovery. I still hadn't seen my babies. About 45 min later Jason came in my room and showed me pictures on the digital camera and told me they were the tiniest, most beautiful perfect babies he had ever seen.

There is nothing like holding two precious tiny babies to make 5 weeks of bed rest, and a total of 240 thick viscous shots worth it. I would have done those shots while standing on my head if I knew what the outcome would bring. I am so grateful for my precious angels. They are two miracles I will never take for granted. I have loved every minute of being a mother. I will take the good with the bad. The 4 weeks they were in the NICU and the 15 hour days I spend there, the exhausting days and nights of nursing every 2 hours. The 12 diaper changes a day, Jaxon screaming with colic for hours at a time, and the hundreds of sleepless nights.
I love you with all my heart Jaxon and Josselyn. We are one happy little family and I wouldn't trade this life for anything in the world.

Jessarella

What happens when you try to work from home with two babies...

2009-01-28T14:21:00.000-08:00

Looking around for the first page of my issues list, I find this under the jumperoo. Still don't know who the culprit is....

We tend to seek happiness

2009-01-28T09:26:00.001-08:00

Get your own Family Sticker Maker & MySpace Layouts.

2008-12-26T19:46:00.001-08:00

My Miracles. My Jack & Molly.

2008-10-20T20:57:00.000-07:00

False Positive. That was my first pregnancy test result. I took many after all with negatives. After that - it was all systems were a GO for trying for a baby. But we didn't have any luck. A few months of charting and reading the famous Taking Charge of Your Fertility book, I noticed something was fishy. My cycles really seemed to be out of whack.

My first appointment with the OBGYN went fine. She recommended the Clomid Challenge Test. So the next cycle I started the test. My results came within a few days of my "day 10". I had failed. Royally failed. I knew something was wrong the doctor said she wanted me to come in. "And could your husband come, too?"

My first infertility specialist was in New England. My husband and I had just moved to the area and I was anxious to fix our baby problems. Our first appointment went by much quicker than I thought. I had expected a full exam, tests, then a conversation as to what our infertility journey would be. I thought we may have to do in-vitro. Well, the appointment went from the waiting room directly to the doctor's office. We hardly glanced at the exam room. After reviewing my records from the previous doctor, it was obvious I was going to need an extensive IVF procedure to have a baby. He recommended we think about adoption as well. I was devastated. My husband was devastated. I felt like a zombi for days. For the next 6 months, I was depressed. We couldn't do anything but wait. I researched adoption, donors, surrogates, everything possible to have a baby. All the while watching friends and family members get pregnant.

Then we moved again. See, my husband is in the military, we move a lot. This time, we moved near Seattle. Two days after our arrival, I had an appointment for us at a new fertility clinic. Then there was HOPE. Wonderful wonderful hope. The doctors there made me feel like all was not lost. Within four months, I was pregnant with two beautiful tiny embryos growing inside me. Even though the doctor's gave us an 80% chance of getting pregnant with one embryo, we asked for two "just in case".

Twins! We were elated. My pregnancy went fairly easy until the last month. Hardly any morning sickness. Heartburn was my worst symptom. In the last weeks, I developed pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure skyrocketed and my weight gain of 12 pounds in a week sent me to the hospital early. One week later, at 35 weeks 3 days, the decision was made to deliver the twins.

It's a Boy! And a Girl! We didn't know the sexes of our twins during pregnancy. So the excitement in the delivery room was really neat. I was scared of my c-section because it happened so quickly, but my husband was there to hold my hand and brought our angels to me as soon as they were swaddled.

The next month was a complete blur. Breast feeding, trying to sleep, taking a shower - it was all a challenge! After the second month, I gave up breast feeding and life became a little easier. During their second month, my husband was deployed. He left two days before their first smiles. He hasn't seen them roll over, giggle in their sleep, drool all over the new outfits I just put on them, or been able to rock them to sleep (only to fall asleep with them in the chair!).

Single parenting has been a challenge, but wonderful. I gave myself 10 minutes to cry about it in the beginning. Then I sucked it up and moved on. My babies needed me. And I needed them.

After the twins were three months old, life became easier. They sleep, eat, and play on a fairly regular schedule. They're now almost four and a half months old and we're about to start solid foods. It's exciting and new and wonderful.

I love being a mommy. I wouldn't trade it for the world. My heart melts each time they smile, lean their heads on my shoulder, or coo. I yearn for the day they come running to me yelling "Mommy!" but I also pray for life to move slowly so I can enjoy the short time I have with them as little little ones.

My miracles. My Jack & Molly.

All of you

2008-10-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

I just want to say...
That you girls have been so incredible! Everyone is sooo supportive of each other, so encouraging, so helpful, and just plain amazing! Since the twins have arrived I haven't been able to catch up with you all like I would like to...but I wanted you all to know you are in my thoughts all of the time. It would be one amazing day if we all got together someway, somehow to meet up and put a "real" person to the names.
HUGS TO YOU ALL

2-4 Babies? The story of JBSugar

2008-09-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

I was diagnosed at an early age with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Armed with this information, I knew that my husband and I had the potential for problems and spoke to my OB/GYN within 4 months of not having my menstrual cycle after stopping birth control pills so that we could try to conceive. After running lots of tests, I was placed on Metformin to help with the PCOS and was told to watch my diet. The OB also had us try the drug Clomid. After no success with 50mg of Clomid, than 100mg and 150mg, my OB decided to send me to a specialist. My first meeting with the reproductive endocrinologist (RE) left me feeling confident for the future. He recommended that I increase my dosage of the Metformin and begin walking for a minimum of 30 minutes every day. For my next cycle we decided to try Femara in place of the Clomid. When that alone did not produce results we had a sperm analysis done on my husband. His results were wonderful and the RE said we would be good candidates for intrauterine insemination (IUI). The next cycle, in addition to taking Femara, I gave myself injections of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and a trigger shot of Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) when my follicles were ready. The RE informed me that I was what he would call a “worst case responder” to our regimen. Rather than having one follicle that took all of the FSH and grew larger, all of my follicles were sharing it equally. On the day of my last ultrasound my largest follicle was 18mm followed by a 15mm and some 12mms. I was a little concerned because 18mm is the minimum needed in order to trigger but I trusted my doctor so I triggered and went in the next day for my IUI procedure. The procedure took less than five minutes and was a little uncomfortable and left me with some cramping. Now, all we could do was wait. I was told that I could test 2 weeks after the procedure to see if I was pregnant. 10 days later I couldn't resist so I pulled a test from my supply of Dollar Tree tests and tested in the afternoon while my husband was at work. When the second line appeared, I could not hide my elation! I made plans so that I could tell my husband when he got home. I used a digital test so that I could take a picture of the word “pregnant”. Then, my heart fell into my stomach as I realized that the results of the test could have been a false positive due to the hCG trigger shot. I was devastated so I kept the news to myself and decided to test again the next day in secret. The original test was taken on a Tuesday. I tested again Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Friday I called the RE and they arranged for me to have blood work done on Monday. Now I just had to make it through the weekend. My plan was to tell my husband on Sunday. I tested again Saturday and when it was still positive, I couldn't wait any longer so I told my husband by presenting him with a onesie with the name of his company printed on it. I still did not believe that we were pregnant until I had the results from the blood work Monday when the nurse called and said congratulations. The “beta” number that they test to see if you are pregnant needs to double every 48-72 hours so I had more blood work done 2 days later. The number did not double and the nurse mentioned a potential loss. I was so upset I cried for 2 days until I went back for more blood work. This time the beta number had more than doubled so we scheduled our first ultrasound to see the baby and the heartbeat. We had to wait about 2 weeks for our appointment but the day finally arrived and we went to see our baby for the first time. I was lying on the table, and my husband was in the chair beside me. The doctor said that he saw 2 heartbeats. Shocked, I turned to look at my husband, and his face was white with shock. I asked if he was ok and he nodded. The doctor than said, “I probably shouldn't say what I was about to say.” My husband and I looked at each other, we looked at the doctor and said “tell us.” The doctor had seen 4 embryo sacs. Only 2 had heartbeats but the possibility for 4 babies was still there. We scheduled an additional ultrasound 2 weeks later. The doctor does not think the 2 babies with no heartbeats will make it. When we had our second ultrasound the doctor confirmed that we would be having twins. The other 2 babies did not make it. One of the sacs was about 5mm and appeared empty. The other was about 13mm and you could see the remnants of the baby. This was bittersweet for us. We were elated to have 2 wonderful healthy babies but also saddened by the loss of the other two! Of the two remaining babies, the one on the right measured approximately 18mm and had a good steady heartbeat. We could see the head clearly and some of the other features starting to form. The baby on the left measured approximately 15mm and also had a good steady heartbeat, etc. For the most part my pregnancy was pretty uneventful. I did not suffer morning sickness as many women do. My husband and I continued to walk regularly in the early stages and the pregnancy progressed with no complications. Nearing about 28 or 30 weeks I began to notice that sitting at my desk at work for extended periods of time was extremely uncomfortable and put a great deal of strain on my body. The OB put me on modified bedrest where I was allowed to work half days and then go home and relax for the rest of the day. At about 32 weeks we noticed that my blood pressure was rising and I was experiencing swelling. I did not have pre-eclampsia but the OB did not want me going into the office to work anymore so I began working from home and was on modified bedrest where I could still get up but was supposed to relax as much as possible. At 35 weeks, 4 days I noticed that my back was hurting. I figured it was from sleeping in the recliner for the last 4-6 weeks and sitting on the couch all day. The following day when the pain became progressively worse we went to Labor and Delivery at the hospital to be checked out. I was not in labor but they kept me overnight for observation and to make sure the pain went away. Just as they were about to release me the next day I lost my mucus plug. The nurses suggested we wait a little longer to see if anything happened. I went to the bathroom about 1-2 hours after losing my plug and felt a huge gush. I figured it was my water breaking but it was a gush of bright red blood. I was in tremendous pain and could barely make it back to the bed by myself. It turns out that the placenta of Baby A had become detached from the uterine wall and now delivery was imminent. After laboring for about 5 hours they took me to the operating room to deliver. I pushed for about 50 minutes and Baby A was born. He was white as a sheet and did not make any noises. They rushed him into the other room where the doctors were waiting. He needed a blood transfusion and would have to spend time in the NICU. (I also had to receive a blood transfusion before leaving the hospital because when his placenta abrupted I lost a lot of blood too!) Baby A fortunately does not appear to have any long term problems do to his loss of blood. Less than 5 minutes later Baby B was born and she let out a good healthy yell. They took her to the transitional nursery for observation. Fortunately now both babies are fine and we all left the hospital together.

Annabelle and Parker were born March 13, 2009 weighing 4lbs., 7oz. and 5lbs., 6oz.

Hands full of love

2008-08-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have always been a planner. So when my husband and I were ready to have children I figured I could plan this too. I estimated it would take us 3 months to get pregnant and we would be blessed with one beautiful bundle of joy. To my surprise we got pregnant the first month trying. And the ultimate surprise came at our 8 week ultrasound. When the tech told us we were having twins I was speechless. My husband starting crying (tears of joy) and I immediately turned to him and said "We need a new car. What am I going to do about work? The nursery will be too small." The planner in me came out again. I eventually calmed down but it took a few month for it to actually sink in that we were having two babies.

My pregnancy went well considering I was carrying two babies. I did have to stop work at 30 weeks after fainting in the middle of church. I was also so big at the end that strangers would ask me if I was having twins. I made it to 37 weeks and had a scheduled c-section because baby B was breech. Nicholas John was 6 lbs 8 ounces and Avery Ann was 5 lbs 9 ounces. We were lucky enough to all come home together.

Now I can't imagine life without them. There have been challenges along the way but we always find a way to face them. I have mastered tandem feeding, grocery shopping with two babies in tow, and many more. Anytime we feel like we can't do it anymore, one look at their smiling faces makes it all worth the sacrifices. I feel like I have been given a blessing many women never get...to be a mom of multiples. Seeing them snuggling together in their cribs, holding hands on their playmats, and staring at each other is such a wonderful gift. I wouldn't change it for a thing! People always ask me if I have my hands full. I reply, yes...full of love!

That Was Easy!

2008-08-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

http://wilsontwins1.blogspot.com

I remember the last time I heard my husband say that and I now know that is the last time I will ever hear him say that for a long time. We both have jobs we love...he's a chiropractor just starting out and I'm an assistant women's basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. We knew that we wanted to try to plan our pregnancy around my season because I work a lot of hours for five months a year...we're talking many 12-16 hour days with travel and such. We decided to start trying in July of 2007 even though we knew we were going on vacation with his family and it was going to be difficult to time it right. After we got home from vacation I was exhausted!! I needed a nap every day and he kept teasing me that I needed a vacation for my vacation. Well, after three days of tsting with the Dollar store tests, I decided to try a digital with my sample that was still collected. I wasn't anxious because I couldn't see the line on the other one so I just read my magazine. OMG...I was pregnant! I ran to Starbucks to get my husband a coffee and a gift card. I came home and woke him up and he said," what's this for?" I said, "because you're going to be needing a lot more of these, Daddy!" During this time I was jumping up and down holding the test, which he couldn't read without contacts. He said, "What? You're pregnant? That was easy." We were very lucky to get pregnant so quickly and are thankful every day.

Little did we know that it was twins. We found out at our 12 week appointment and I immediately found my "Nest" friends. These women helped me through my entire pregnancy...up to seven post a day I'm sure. I mean who wouldn't flip out that they were going to be doubly blessed with two beautiful babies? It's the other things I needed them for: what stroller to buy, is this normal, how many cribs, am I crazy for feeling this way?

I had a relatively easy pregnancy (lucky again), although those 12-16 our days did cut back around 28 weeks and I was unable to travel with my team for a few big games. On March 17, 2008 I went in for a NST, with my c-section scheduled for Thursday. They checked both A&B Wilson and "B" was still transverse, so nothing new there. However, I was in the early stages of labor and because "B" had stopped growing, they decided we would have St. Patty's day babies(there's that luck thing...I should've known all along). I called my husband and told him he better get off of work because he was going to be a daddy.

At 5:00 pm Baby A or Aidan Taylor was born at 5 pounds, 1/2 ounce and Baby B or Brody Thomas was born a minute later. Both we rushed off to the NICU with dad as I needed immediate attention for blood loss. It was a scary situation, but I have the two most beautiful boys in the world.

I am so thankful for everything I have, even though as parents of twins my husband I face daily struggles; organizational, emotional and financial struggles. Throughout all the struggles, I have my nesties by my side (online) and without them, I know I couldn't make it through a single day!

I decided that if anyone can help me and my Nestie friends, it's you, Oprah. I decided to start this blog as a record of our trials and tribulations of infertility, pregnancy, and motherhood. Please read our stories and see how unique the bond we have is. It truly is phenomenal and I think that makes good television.

My 27 week belly picture...Showing my passion for my job!My team of young women...I love you guys!

Maternity pictures...Pictures at the hospital...

My boys at 5 months...

the (condensed) story of the peaches

2008-08-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

(because nap time is apparently no longer for naps, which means mommy has zero time for herself, i just copied this from our blog: -little bites of heaven- with the hope that someday i will be able to rewrite it!)

john and i met in september of 2002, were engaged by january of 2003 and married in july of 2004. lydia was born in 1996, and when john and i got married, he adopted her. on january 14, 2007 we found out we were expecting a baby. two and a half weeks later, on the 31st, we had our first ultrasound and found out that instead of the one heartbeat we expected to see, there were actually three little blips on the screen. john almost passed out and had to leave the room for a minute to compose himself and when he came back we just looked at each other and said, what are we going to do with three babies. although we were a bit unsure how to feel at the time (it was a jumbled mix of emotions ranging from terrified to thrilled), it has turned out to be the most wonderful gift we have ever been given. raising these 3 precious babies, plus our incredible oldest, is simply amazing.

the pregnancy was anything but normal and after spending 6 weeks on modified bedrest at home and 8 weeks on complete bedrest in the hospital, we finally welcomed james, ella and cameron into the world on july 8, 2007. the girls had developed complications from sharing a placenta (they are identical) and the babies had to be delivered via emergency c-section. they were born 10 weeks and 5 days early and all weighed under 3 pounds. james andrew (baby a) was born first and was the biggest at 2 lbs. 10 oz. , "ella" elizabeth garrett (baby b) was born second and she was the smallest at only 1 lb. 10 oz. and cameron grace (baby c) was born last weighing 2 lbs 7 oz.

on august 14, 2007, after 38 days in the nicu, we were finally able to bring james home. cameron joined us at home only 3 days later on august 17, 2007 and ella was ready to come home 4 days after that on august 21, 2007. all 3 of the babies came home weighing under 4 pounds. after 101 days in the hospital combined (56 days for me and 45 for the babies) everyone was finally home.

then...and now. james, ella and cameron (completely unintentional, but in the same order)

childhood dreams of being a mother

2008-08-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be a mother. My own mother has always been such an inspiration to me and her dedication to me and my two siblings has constantly amazed me.
My husband and I met in 2000 and were friends for over a year before we started dating in the fall of 2001. Once we started dating we quickly realized how much our two families had in common, even though we were from very different parts of the country. One of the things that we have always agreed on is that being one of three siblings was a great way to grow up, and that we would definitely have more than one child once it was time to start our own family.
We were married in 2006 but waited a year and a half to get "adjusted" to married life and our new jobs before we started trying to get pregnant. Luckily it didn't take long and in February after only a few months we found out that I was pregnant! I had always imagined myself having the "perfect pregnancy" where I gained weight only in my belly (not too much of course) and carried on with all of my normal activities and exercises right up until my due date. I was sure everything was going to be fantastic!
I started to get my first signs that things weren't going to go exactly to plan when my severe morning sickness kicked in at around 6 weeks. At our first doctor's visit I was a total wreck, I was losing weight and worried that the baby would have problems. As the doctor turned on the ultrasound and showed us the heartbeat I felt instantly relieved, that is until she showed us the SECOND heartbeat... two babies! My husband and I were in complete shock! The idea of having twins had never even crossed our minds, but we always knew we wanted more than one baby so we were thrilled to hear we'd be having two at once!
After doing some research into twin pregnancy I realized that my dream pregnancy was probably not going to happen. A twin pregnancy comes with all of the hardships of a single pregnancy, times two! I was put on bedrest at 26 weeks to stop me from going into preterm labor,something my doctors began to fear when I started experiencing contractions that would not go away. I have now been on bedrest for several weeks and will stay here until I deliver, hopefully in another 6 weeks.
The pregnancy has not been what I imagined at all and I can certainly say I've put on weight in many more places than just my belly, but I know that everything will be worth it in the end when I see my two beautiful babies for the first time! Having multiples is definitely something that never figured into my childhood dreams of being a mother. I know that it will be so much more work, with so much more sacrifice, and so much less time for my husband and I. It has taken me time to accept all of these facts and to work them into my dreams of what life will be like once I do become a mother, but now that I know my two babies are on the way I couldn't imagine it any other way. My only wish now is that I can do as well raising my children as my mother did raising me!

Surrogacy Twins

2008-08-27T21:56:00.000-07:00

Published on behalf of Amber

Our multiples story begins when I was 15 years old and was diagnosed with MRKH, born without a uterus. I learned the only way I could have my own biological children was with IVF and a gestational carrier. The story begins again 1 year after I married my wonderful husband, Matt. We started to put out the word to our family and friends that we were looking for a surrogate to begin our family.

This is when a family member introduced us to Lora. She had a family of her own and had been a surrogate the year prior. We were so excited!!! After 3 IVF retrievals, 1 miscarriage, 1 emergency surgery for ovarian torsion, and almost 1 year later we are expecting our twins in December!!!! It has been an emotional road but every day will be worth it when we get to hold those babies in our arms!!!

Adelle
Stuart

Baby Feet

It's Better!

2008-08-27T21:02:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of goldengrace

Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that I would be the mother of twins. My husband and I were married for almost two years when we found out we were expecting. We had our first appointment with my Doctor when I was 7 weeks pregnant. She did an ultrasound in the office and said that she saw one perfect heartbeat. We were thrilled.

Fast forward to the end of my first trimester. We had an ultrasound appointment, and we so excited to see out little one. As I laid on the table, the tech asked us if this was our first ultrasound. We so no, and she said "Oh, so you know you are having twins then!" We laughed and thought she was just kidding. The she told us to look up at the screen, and there they were, our two little babies. To say we were in shock is an understatement. This was not what we had planned but we were thrilled, thankful, and terrified.

From that point on my pregnancy was normal until 26 weeks. At that point, I started contracting and going into pre-term labor. Over the next few months, I was rushed to Labor and Delivery three times, thankfully they were able to stop the contractions. I was sent home each time with a medication to try keep the contractions at bay, and on strict bed rest. Not exactly what I had imagined, but all that mattered at that point was keeping my boys in for as long as possible. Once again, this was not what we had planned.

On New Year's Eve 2007, I was at my Doctor's office for some routine testing. She noticed that I was contracting and that my blood pressure was a little higher than normal. She made the decision that today would be our boy's birthday. I was terrified. I was only 34 weeks pregnant and knew that the boys were not fully developed yet. I have never experienced that type of fear before in my entire life. Brandon Orlando was born first at 11:56 weighing in at 5lbs 1oz. Brody Craig came next am weighed in at a whopping 6lbs 1oz. Both boys were immediately whisked away to the NICU.

The next morning, I was finally stable enough to be wheeled in to see my boys. They were beautiful, I was instantly in love with both of them. All I wanted to do was hold them and never let go. The boys did well in the NICU. The main issue they faced was their feeding. It took them both two weeks to master it and then were finally able to come home. Those two weeks were the hardest two weeks of my life, this was the farthest thing from what we had planned.

Brandon and Brody are almost 8 months old now and are perfect, happy, and healthy little boys. Brody is my cuddle bear and loves to snuggle into my arms every night before bed. Brandon is my happy go lucky boy, his smile melts my heart. Although there are days when having two screaming babies makes me feel like I just might go crazy, all the other moments with them make up for it. I am so blessed to have these two boys and know they will bring us a lifetime of joy. There are many days that go by and I think... this is not what we had planned, its better!

This is the part where you hold my hand

2008-08-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

One year ago today we went to the Dr. for our first ultrasound. I was 8 weeks pregnant and we had just returned from an 11 day vacation out "West" with my parents where we drove over 5,000 miles in an RV and actually returned with all of us remaining friends. :) Unfortunately, I wasn't much fun on vacation since I had "morning sickness" the entire trip. (which ended up being "all-day sickness from 6 weeks-30 weeks!) My mom and I joked that maybe it was twins since I was so sick. Jeff told me to quit saying the "t" word but my mom and I still joked about it and I secretly wished. Little did I know that another "t" word was in my future!

When we went to the Dr. for that first ultrasound I was so excited that I had been feeling sick because it made me believe that this pregnancy was healthy. Since I had experienced 2 miscarriages over the previous 2 years, I was just so happy to be pregnant, but I was so anxious to hear a heartbeat so when the Dr. was taking extra time and wasn't saying a word, I finally spoke up.

Me: Is everything ok?
Dr: Yes, I'm just looking all around.
Me: Do you see a healthy heartbeat?
Dr: Well...*long pause*...I actually see 3 healthy heartbeats.
Me: uh hum, what?
Dr. I see 3.
*long pause*
Me: Jeff?
Jeff (from where he is sitting behind me): Yes? (said in the deepest, most serious voice ever)
Me: Are you still with me?
Jeff: Yes.
Me: Then this is the part where you hold my hand.

So Jeff came up beside the table and held my hand the rest of the appointment. Tears of joy and absolute shock were now falling down my face. I just couldn't believe it. I didn't know what to think. Jeff didn't really even speak. He didn't know what to think and honestly I think he was scared. After the appointment, we barely said much to each other in the parking lot before getting in separate vehicles and both driving to work. We were ecstatic, shocked and mostly unsure.

Immediately I started reading messages online at the “nest” MOM’s board. I'm not quite sure what I would have done without that message board and the wonderful mom's I have met on there. I truly consider some of them to be close friends and I haven't even met them in person. But the bond we share as moms of multiple babies is amazing.

Once I read every article and book I could find on triplet pregnancies I was ready for my first high-risk OB appointment. I felt pretty darn good throughout my pregnancy except of course for the "all day" sickness, but honestly, I was so excited that it was a healthy pregnancy that I was actually glad I was sick. Not every moment, but you know what I mean.

Around 18 weeks, the ultrasound tech guessed it to be all 3 girls even though I would have sworn I was having 2 boys and 1 girl. I think because I always envisioned myself to being a mom of boys. Not sure why I thought that. The tech was pretty sure, but we decided to wait until the 20 week ultrasound to see again before we shared the news. Sure enough...3 GIRLS!

A few days after Christmas at one of my regular appointments, the Dr. decided to send me over to the hospital to test for pre-term labor based on my cervix measuring a bit shorter. I was so scared! I didn't want these babies to come that early. I wasn't ready and was so worried about their health. I had to stay overnight for some tests and started the series of my now-favorite FFN test which basically tests to see if the babies are likely to be born within the 2 weeks following the test. Luckily it came back negative, but from that moment, I was placed on bedrest at home to make sure these babies kept growing as long as possible. I was so relieved that the girls were ok, but I was also so disappointed that I was on bedrest. I'm usually a go-go-go type person so for me to stay in one house, let alone, on one couch all day, every day...it was a bit daunting, but I knew it was for the health of the girls so that is all it took for me to do it.

I literally just sat around and waited for my wonderful baby girls to grow. I still felt great and really it wasn't until about 33 weeks or so that I really started to feel the heaviness of my belly and started to get uncomfortable. My goal the entire time was to make it to the Dr's recommended "full term for triplets"-- 36 weeks. I was uncomfortable, but if it was for the health of the girls, then bring it on! Over the weekend I noticed that my ankles were really swollen and my feet were super puffy. Since this was new for me, I decided to call the Dr. just to let them know. He had me come in to the hospital for some testing and sure enough, I was starting to develop the symptoms of pre-eclampsia. At 4:06pm, the Dr. said I was going to have the girls that night....say around 7:30pm? WHAT?! Did he just say tonight? I wasn't ready, I still had 9 more days until 36 weeks! I felt fine...it was just swelling. Well, what did I know? I wasn't a Dr. so no argument....just sit back and get ready. My mom rushed home for my bag (packed and ready...but at home) and also our camera!

She made it back in time with the camera and Jeff got suited up. So at 34.5 weeks I had a c-section that went very smoothly. I remember seeing the girls for the first time and looking at Jeff for the reassurance, that they were all healthy and doing ok. I could see it in his eyes...we were truly blessed. Anna Caroline was born first at 7:19pm weighing 4 lbs 7 oz, Ava Jane was born next at 7:20pm weighing 5 lb 3oz, and Alexis Marie was born third at 7:22pm weighing 4 lbs 2.5 oz. They were absolutely perfect and we were now a family of 5.

The girls did great and just needed to gain a bit of weight and maintain temperatures before coming home at 8 days old (Alexis) and 11 days old (Anna & Ava).

I didn't have a clue how the news we learned a year ago would change our life forever, but I feel so incredibly blessed and fortunate that this is my life. I get to wake up each and every morning next to a wonderful husband whom I love more now than ever and spend my day hugging, kissing, and loving 3 beautiful little ladies. The girls are nearly 6 months old and doing fantastic. Being a stay at home mom is one of the most challenging things I have ever done, but it is also THE MOST REWARDING. What more could I ask for?

~~~posted on behalf of Marie (WinterBuckeye)

A sweeter life…

2008-08-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

Most people would say how could life get much sweeter than owning a bakery…well it can! On May 10, 2008 my life as a MOM began with the birth of our boys Colton and Cooper, fraternal boys born at 37w6d at 6lbs 7oz each and 20” long.

Our lives have always been filled with a bit of adventure…from running off and getting married in the Bahamas just the two of us to my dreams of owning my own bakery to traveling every spare moment that we have to our favorite little town on the Pacific coast of Mexico where we plan to move and raise our children in the next five years.

We were a happy and content couple with two fur babies (Forrest and Bubba our golden retrievers) when the itch to add to the family became insatiable. I needed to have a baby! It took about a year before Scott was ready to commit…four months of trying and bam I was pg! I must have peed on 10 test sticks and the lines just kept coming up!!! I should have guessed something was up from getting a positive test 6 days before a missed period, to the most HORRIBLE morning sickness (that I suffered from all the way thru!) to the extreme exhaustion. The day finally came for the U/S at 7w2d and in we went. Well the U/S machine was a new one and the sales rep was there teaching the tech how to use it. Up pops one baby and everything looked great! No need to see if there is another one. Well my pictures would not print so the tech said to go into my appointment and then she would figure out how to print my pics…so we go see the doctor and Scott then leaves to head to work and I head back to the U/S tech to get my pics.Well they would not print so she says “lemme do a quick one on your belly you have to have a first picture!” THE MOMENT SHE PUT THE DOPPLER ON MY TUMMY I SAW TWO BABIES! OMG my husband has left for work; I am alone and am freaking out!!!! I call Scott and I put the tech on the phone because their was no way he was going to believe me that there were two now LOL. All I can say was stunned silence came from the other end. For the next 30 weeks we watched as our little beans grew from looking like little gummy bears to the perfect babies they are today. I definite had my ups and downs with being pg with two babies from major morning sickness for the entire pg, to pre term labor brought on by dehydration ( this happened three times!) and trying to do way to much to having contractions 6-7 minutes apart for almost two weeks before they arrived!

People ask me all the time has my life changed and is it so hard having twins. First off my life is NOTHING like it was a year ago and I would not change it for anything. I owned a nationally recognized bakery that I have now closed and put it on the backburner for when I have the time to spend on that “baby”. I am a freelance baker now so that I can take on projects that won’t take me away from my children. I love being a Mom and am blessed to be able to stay home with my children. Now I cut coupons, shop at consignment shops for baby clothes, don’t go out and drop money like I used to but I love being home and I have no problem doing that! Our “nightlife” is now a game of Rummikub or cards with a baby on each of our laps! Sure I have rough days but even a Mom with one has rough days!

I tell people all the time that I know my life would twins would not be as organized and does not feel overwhelming ( 95% of the time) thanks to my ladies on The Nest. Without these women I know my pg would have been different and I know that raising two babies at once would have seemed like a mountain impossible to navigate. Not anymore…each of us is either one step ahead or behind the other with words of encouragement to make it thru the next phase in our blessed lives.

Faith reborn – twice

2008-08-26T16:19:00.000-07:00

“A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on.”

In June 2007, my husband Kris and I decided to expand our family and start trying for a baby. To our shock and surprise, we got pregnant the very first time trying! I remember taking the pregnancy test and seeing the faintest of two lines, walking into the bedroom to tell Kris, and thinking to myself how our lives would imminently change. If I only knew then what was truly in store…

Excited and anxious, my doctor allowed us to get an early peek at our little “jellybean,” as I called my growing embryo, by ordering an eight-week ultrasound. The technician had Kris wait in another room at the start of my ultrasound so she could perform routine checks and make sure everything looked “normal.” I can only imagine how nervous Kris became when he heard me crying from the other room. Unbeknownst to him, these were tears of joy as the ultrasound technician told me, “now don’t get freaked out, but there are two in there.”

Seeing Kris’s face as he stared at the ultrasound screen is an image I’ll never forget. We didn’t tell him that there were two babies at first… instead, we just pointed out where the “baby” was and looked at his bewildered gaze. Eventually, I whispered to him, “we’ve having two babies,” and all he could utter was, “wow.” It is such a priceless memory for both of us.

At five months, a severe case of food poisoning landed me in the labor and delivery ward. The dehydration from the illness caused me to have contractions, and my cervix began shortening and funneling. After four days in the hospital, the doctor sent me home on modified bed rest. Needless to say, I thought the worst and resigned to the notion of giving birth to premature babies.

To my surprise, I actually had to give my twin girls an eviction notice! The bed rest seemed to do the trick, and I underwent a planned c-section at 38 weeks, two days. On March 21, 2008, I welcomed two healthy and beautiful little girls, Mya Katherine and Camryn Rachel. The babies weighed in at 5 lb. 3 oz. and 4 lb. 11 oz., respectively.

An awful coincidence brought a tragic twist to my post-partum happiness. Nineteen days after the girls were born – two years and three days after my mother passed away from a long battle with breast cancer – my father died unexpectedly. It was known that he was in the beginning stages of liver disease, but no one expected his passing. I thank God that he was able to meet his twin granddaughters, if only once.

I dealt with such an extreme mix of emotions – the sheer joy of becoming a new mother while experiencing the loss of both of my parents in a sad twist of fate. During those first few weeks – usually after a 3:00 a.m. feeding, no less – I found great solace on the MoM’s board. Knowing that there was a place that I could ask any question, regardless of how silly or commonplace, or simply a place where I could just vent, was wonderful.

Mya and Camryn are now five months old and are truly a blessing. I tell them every day that they have two guardian angels looking up from above.

A few weeks after my father’s death, I came upon this quote from Carl Sandburg: “A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on.” Now more than ever, I believe that to be true.

Bookend twins (singleton, twins, singleton)

2008-08-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

My story begins in 1996, 12 years ago. I was a freshman in college, 18 years old and engaged. I got pregnant with my son. Unfortunately, he cheated on me and I broke off the engagement. But, I had my son and I wouldn’t have changed anything for the world.

I planned to stay single after I had several relationships that didn’t pan out. But, someone I worked with wanted in the worst way to fix me up on a blind date with her nephew. I kept thinking “oh great” her nephew, what’s wrong with him that he’s 29 and not dating, turns out he was 30. But, to make her stop I agreed to go. George, her nephew, was late to the date. I was annoyed but he and I still went….with his aunt. We went to a karaoke bar. He and I talked as we laughed at his aunt who got drunk and started dancing on the bar. We didn’t have much in common but we did both like seafood and sci-fi. We went back to his aunt’s house and talked until 5 in the morning! The next date, he went to my apartment and we ate shrimp scampi and watched Sponge Bob Square Pants! The following day he met my son. I knew from that moment on that he was it, the one.

A couple of days later, I went for my annual GYN exam but found out I had an abnormal PAP. Several years of abnormal paps, HPV, CIN stage 1, 2 and 3, cryosurgery and cone biopsy and D&C and it was still abnormal. By this point in our relationship we were getting married. George and I married on July 10, 2004 and 2 weeks later we drove to Hershey Medical Center to meet with an oncologist about where to go from there. He told us to start trying for a family because the felt that we should have another procedure done and it would make my cervix so week I wouldn’t be able to hold a pregnancy.

George and I had agreed to not start trying for a year or so after we were married so he was reluctant to agree. However, he finally did in October. We were told to go to a Reproductive Endocrinologist. I made an appointment with Reproductive Management Associates of NJ. We met with the RE, had the testing done and found out that IVF with ICSI was our only option. We were waiting to have my cycle start up again to start the IVF cycle but knowing that my cycles are always 2-3 months long I called to talk to someone about it. They suggested coming in for a pregnancy blood work test. We found out I was pregnant after we were told we had no chance of doing it on our own! George’s mom’s birthday was that day. I ran out and bought a card to give her and a little gift. We called up our parents. My father cried and laughed and then asked us why we took so long. Little did they all know…..it ended up being an eptopic pregnancy and I had to have methrotrexate to stop any further damage to my fallopian tube. We were told we would have to wait until February to cycle again due to the shot.

We started our injections the end of January, had our retrieval and transfer around President’s Day in February. I bought cheepie internet tests to test the HCG out of my system and to use to test if I was pregnant or not. I remember calling up my mother-in-law and my mother bawling telling them I was convinced that the IVF didn’t work. But, I complained to my mother-in-law that I had gotten up several nights in a row to pee and I was very thirsty. She was telling George’s cousin how upset I was thinking the IVF didn’t work and she ended up telling George’s mom those were her early symptoms. The day before my beta, I took the pregnancy test knowing full well that it would be stark white. But, instead of it being white I thought I saw a faint second line. I ran down my stairs and started shoving my peed on pregnancy test in my sister and her boyfriend’s face! We were jumping up and down then he asked if I told George. I went upstairs, woke up my husband who mumbled “That’s nice”, rolled over, and went to sleep. Later that day he called me at work and asked me if I was pregnant. I went for my beta in the morning and it was positive! I called my mom, a teacher, who ran down the hallway screaming “IT’S A POSITIVE!!!’

At 4 weeks I became nauseous, couldn’t deal with certain foods or smells. At 5 weeks, I had my first ultrasound to find out how many stuck. We had put two embryos back and I wanted both but was scared to have twins due to my cervix issues. It was my husband’s birthday and I bought a shirt, wrapped it and brought it with us. The shirt said “I love twins”. They found one baby and even though I was disappointed I had only one baby I was carrying I was also relieved to know I wouldn’t have the complications that would happen due to my cervix and the removal of part of it. The following week we set up an ultrasound to find the heartbeat.

We went to the 6 week u/s and the doctor immediately started with “So, how many did we see last week?” I vaguely remember telling him that if there was more than one he needed to put one back. They showed us the heartbeats and I bawled during the second baby’s heartbeat. I was so scared about the potential issues that could happen. We got out of the car and called my mom up. She answered and I replied with “Hello grandmother of 3” and waited for her reply. She thought we were joking. She called me later that day asking if we were playing an early April fool’s Day joke. We called George’s mom and she was thrilled! I hadn't taken his shirt back so I gave it to him after this ultrasound.

7 weeks and I start throwing up. I start and couldn’t stop throwing up. I ended up being admitted to a high risk maternity ward of a hospital due to dehydration. I found out I had something called hyperamisis. In all I lost around 20 pounds with my twins. I was on a zofran pump, PO raglan and pepcid and had home iv therapy for several weeks as well.

They started monitoring my cervical length at 16 weeks and it was a bit low but not bad.
At 18 weeks it was 1.8; I was put on bed rest. At 21 weeks I had a rescue cerclage done which put me into pre-term labor. So, I visited the hospital frequently for not only the hyperamisis but for contractions. At 28 weeks I was put on mag. Sulfate to stop the contractions. At 32 weeks exactly, I was at a monthly growth ultrasound and we decided to take George’s mom with us. George knew I was having contractions but we didn’t want to tell his mom. She figured me out and began timing them at a minute apart. I was admitted and put on mag. Sulfate again and told I would be on hospital bed rest and they wanted to buy me a few more weeks. I was taken off the mag at 32 w 3 days.

While on the phone with my son at 32w4d, on September 17th, 2005, I heard a loud, audible “POP” then felt a warm gush. My water broke! I called my husband and woke him up! He was at the hospital in around 20 minutes; it takes 20 minutes from our house to the hospital. He showered and drove to the hospital. His parents were there before he was. I called my parents and, like the good college football fans that they were, they had to give their football tickets away. They called to let everyone know I went into labor and all of my family and their friends asked about the football tickets instead of the babies! I had a c-section due to baby B being transverse. My parents arrived from their 4 hour drive just as I was being wheeled into recovery.

At 1:24 and 1:25 our boys arrived. Jonathan Frederick was 4 pounds even and 17 inches long and Matthew James was 3 pounds 15 ounces and 17 inches long. They each spend 18 days in the NICU. Both boys needed CPAP, billi lights and to learn to suck, swallow, and breathe.

This was Jonathan at a few hours old.

Matthew at a few hours old.

When they were around 11 months old, I went to my GYN about my cycles and they mentioned something called PCOS to me. George and I felt there was no need to use birth control pills at this point considering my cervix issues and PCOS and his morphology issues... We decided to use ovulation predictor kits and avoid during the peek times. When February came around I felt a bit “off” and decided to take a pregnancy test. I remember calling up a friend and telling them I was but to expect it to be negative considering all we went through to have our twins. Much to my surprise, it was positive! I was due on October 18th but had my youngest son 5 weeks early due to pre-eclampsia. Our youngest son was born 4 days before our twins turned 2.

We now have a 10 year old son, twin sons who are almost 3 and a son who is almost 1!
Life with 3 under 3 has been hectic but well worth it. My boys, all 4, are best friends (and worst enemies!) and I wouldn't have it any other way.

A Scary Start to an Amazing Journey

2008-08-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

My husband and I found out on September 1st, 2007 that we were expecting and got quite the surprise a few weeks later when we saw not one, but TWO heartbeats on the ultrasound. Identical twins, they told us. After adjusting to the thought of double everything, we realized how blessed we were and couldn't imagine having just one baby. A few days after Christmas we found out they are boys and the excitement and reality started sinking in. Everyone said they would be here before we knew it... we just didn't realize it would be quite so soon!

On Tuesday, January 15th, I noticed a slight increase in cervical fluid and thought I should call the doctor just in case. After debating whether it was stupid to call since it seemed like nothing big - I had no cramping or spotting or pain - I finally left a message for my doctor. Dr. Macey called back and said it could be normal, but they should probably check it out just in case-- Thursday (2 days later) should be fine for an appointment. The next day, I just wasn't quite feeling the best. Again, nothing specific and absolutely no cramping or spotting, but I just didn't feel "right." So I called the doctor and they squeezed me in on Wednesday morning instead of Thursday. Of all the decisions I have made in my life, this could very well be the most important one of all.

Dr. Macey was in surgery all day, so I saw Dr. Thornburg instead. She didn't seem too alarmed by my symptoms, but wanted to check my cervix. After checking twice, she told me that I was in preterm labor and already dilated. I needed to get dressed carefully and my nurse Lori would take me to Labor and Delivery by wheelchair. I immediately began sobbing and knew it was way too early for our babies to arrive. Luckily the doctor's office is connected to the hospital so we were there in less than 5 minutes. I was immediately hooked up to an IV and started receiving Magneseum to stop my labor. I was 3 centimeters dilated and contracting every 6-7 minutes-- all of which I never felt. Not a single contraction. I was 23 weeks and 3 days along in my pregnancy and in labor-- with no significant symptoms.What if I had waited until Thursday to see the doctor? At the rate I was contracting and dilated, every minute made a difference. At 23 weeks and 3 days, the boys would not have survived if they were delivered. Talk about the importance of following your instincts.

Luckily the doctors were able to stop my contractions and I made it through the weekend without dilating further. I hit 24 weeks on Sunday, January 20th and was then able to receive two steroid shots to help the babies' lungs develop. This was a big milestone, but the neonatologists were still telling us that their chance of survival at this point was not great. If they were born before 25 weeks, we would have to decide whether to try and save them or not. Not a decision we wanted to think about.Besides a few episodes of contractions after I was given the steroids, the next two weeks were pretty calm. A handful of contractions throughout the day, but overall I was stable. I settled into my room in the Antepartum wing and made friends with all of my nurses. We received flowers, gift baskets, food, cards and packages galore... not to mention visitors too. We have never felt so much love and support from our family, friends and co-workers. We are forever grateful!

On Saturday, February 2nd, I had some big and painful contractions. They started occurring every 10-12 minutes, then every 8 minutes, and then every 5-6 minutes. We were pretty scared and thought this might be it. The doctor gave me a shot of Indomethacin, which finally stopped the contractions. They also gave me an extra shot of steroids for the boys' lungs-- as "icing on the cake" (since they already had two doses at 24 weeks) in case they were born soon. Sunday was pretty calm and we enjoyed the Superbowl without too much action. We both knew the day was close and prepared ourselves for the boys' arrival. I had made it 18 days in the hospital, which allowed me to receive 3 steroid shots and hit 26 weeks, which was great according to the doctors. Ideally I would make it to at least 28 weeks, but there were many babies born at 26 weeks who grow up healthy. My husband and I said a prayer of thanksgiving that night for making it so far, and we put our trust in God to carry us the rest of the way.

My husband went to the office on Monday morning, February 4th, with his cell phone in hand waiting for an update from me. Dr. Macey came by and said we'd be doing our weekly ultrasound on the boys and to check my cervix to see if it had dilated any further. Around 10am, the ultrasound tech came to my room and checked the boys first, who were doing great. She couldn't see my cervix very well so Dr. Kang, a specialist from Maternal Fetal Medicine, did a manual exam. Her face went completely blank and she said "You are complete (meaning fully dilated) and are having these babies right now." I said a few curse words, for which I apologized, and was wheeled immediately to the operating room. I called my husband at 10:15am and told him to get here now because the babies were coming. I told Dr. Kang he was 10-15 minutes away and asked if he would make it, to which she replied "I'm not sure."

There were about 10 people in the operating room when I got there, including several anesthesiologists, a NICU doctor, two NICU nurses per baby, and some other nurses. Dr. Macey was literally running from his office to the OR and made it a few minutes later. They gave me drugs through a spinal because we had no time for an epidural, and before I knew it they started on the emergency c-section. My husband made it about 5 minutes into the surgery and held my hand and distracted me the entire time. At 10:44am and 10:45am, Tyler Francis and Maximilian "Max" Andrew were born at 26 weeks 1 day gestation. We got to see each of them for a few seconds before they were immediately rushed to the NICU. After staying in recovery for a couple hours, we headed down to the NICU to meet our sons. They were hooked up to all kinds of machines, but the doctors told us they were doing well considering how early they had been born.

After 67 long days in the NICU, Max and Tyler came home and are doing great. They are almost 7 months old and weigh more than 12 pounds. They are rolling over and smiling and "talk" to each other all day long. Looking at them now it is hard to remember the terrifying days in the NICU when we weren't sure what each day would hold. Although being a mother of multiples can have its challenges, it is the most amazing experience in the world. We have already been blessed a million times over by these little boys and can't wait to see what our future holds.

Max weighing 1 lb 13 1/4 oz on his birthday at 26 weeks 1 day gestation

Tyler weighing 2 lbs 1/4 oz on his birthday

Max and Tyler at 6 months old - doing great!

The BEST and the WORST day of my life...

2008-08-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

We were excited to find out we were pregnant with our 2nd child. On our 5th week, I started bleeding and immediately got an ultrasound to find out if our baby was okay. As the tech looked at the screen, my husband and I quietly, but anxiously waited for her findings. Then, she showed us the heartbeat of our baby. The tears welled up in my eyes because I was so happy to see that our baby was okay. Then the tech paused and said, “Baby is okay….and here we see another sac.” Of course not knowing what that meant, in my head I wondered, “Sack of what??....Sack of potatoes, sack of rice???” Well, she elaborated and told us the best news….we were expecting twins!!!
My pregnancy was great! We found out were were expecting a boy and a girl. The pregnancywas a challenge, yes, but knowing that there were 2 babies inside me, it made everything bearable and worth it. However, the great pregnancy I had was about to bring the worst day of my life.
It happened at about the 37th week of our pregnancy when we came in for our routine Non-stress test. As the test went on, we were told that one of the twin's heartrate was dipping. An emergency c-section was needed – immediately. So I was rushed to the operating room and within the hour, my husband and I heard the first cry. Noah came out screaming and we were thankful that he was okay. And so we waited for Isabella, our precious little girl. We waited and waited. I didn’t hear her cry yet. No cry. Where was my little girl? What was going on? There was something wrong.
Our little girl was born lifeless. She had no heartbeat. No breathe. No movement. She had an Apgar score of 0. Her limp body was “worked on” to try to resuscitate her. My heart broke. The NICU nurses told us that she was finally intubated in an attempt to revive her.

In what seemed like forever, she miraculously took her first breath! She was literally brought back to life and my heart made whole again. She was such a fighter! She bounced back so quick that she even extubated herself! She’s had enough of the tubes and wanted to let everyone know that she was okay.
That hour of my life was the best and the worst. This story is the greatest and the hardest story I will ever tell. Knowing that my daughter came out limp and lifeless, just breaks me, but knowing that at the end, we were able to bring home both our son, Noah, and our little miracle, Isabella, gave us hope and really made us thankful for every breath each of our child takes.

Rosario
a.k.a. gr8joy

We better start negotiating...

2008-08-26T10:02:00.001-07:00

www.twomcpeasinapod.blogspot.com

Those words "We better start negotiating" were our fertility doctor's words to my husband when we went in for our first ultra sound and he said "You better only find one." We had found out in the summer of 2007 that I had PCOS and would need fertility treatments in order to get pregnant. We were very disappointed and discouraged to learn before we had even started to try that we would need help. We had original planned to wait until after our 2nd anniversary to start trying, but with the words of caution that it may take several cycles maybe even up to a year to get pregnant we opted to start right away. We were all surprised to find out I was pregnant after our first IUI, and ironically I was due on our 2nd Wedding Anniversary. As we drove in for my first ultrasound at 6 weeks, I asked my husband if he was prepared to have more than one, as it was a possibility, and he was certainly not at all prepared. After uttering the words about negotiating and the screen was flipped on and two beautiful little blobs with little flickers appeared I was certain my husband would pass out right then and there.

My pregnancy wasn't too difficult, but I did have some minor complications and scares along the way. I had 2 trips to the hospital due to bleeding caused by a complete placenta previa. At about 30 weeks, I started having regular contractions and was given drugs to stop them. On May 30th at my weekly non-stress test, my OB said, "I'll see you Monday, don't worry about those 2 big contractions they were like 20 minutes apart." I was almost 35 weeks, he made me promise I could make it 2 more weeks. That evening our first son had bigger and better plans, he was ready to come out and meet his mom and dad, my water broke at 3:30 in the morning! They were born on May 31st, 6 weeks early at about 1:30 in the afternoon, John weighed 5 lbs 14 oz and Luke was 4 lbs 14 oz. Luke was rushed off to the NICU and spent almost 3 weeks learning how to eat. John spent 2 extra days in the hospital before coming home with us.

For the months that I was pregnant, we wondered how we would manage with two, could we really do this? we constantly asked ourselves. We have no family close by, my parents live 4 hours away and my husband's family is 7 hours away. So we often wondered how we would cope with no family support and just the 2 of us with 2 infants.
Here we are almost 10 months later and doing great. I would say our biggest struggle has been sleep. We have one outstanding sleeper and one who just hates sleep, but he keeps us on our toes! I wouldn't trade them for the world. And as crazy as we are, we're thinking of adding another to the mix!

It's absolutely amazing to me just how different they are. John weighs a whole 3 lbs more than his brother now. He is laid back and relaxed and very quiet, just like me. Luke is much smaller, but doesn't let that get in the way, he has the loudest cry ever, he is our professor. Always studying everything, constantly staring off at unknown objects of interest. He's like his dad when it comes to that, a thinker. I look forward to seeing how they will evolve into their own people and enjoy the fact that they are so different already.

The best thing about being a mom is these 2 are great at producing the most wonderful smiles at the perfect moments. They seem to realize when I'm having a rough day or really tired and sometimes I must admit I get frustrated, but one of them will flash me that huge smile and I melt. Boy I'm in big trouble if they realize that as they get older!

Was that two heads?

2008-08-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

Other than that it took us a while to get pregnant, my pregnancy began like every other uneventful single pregnancy. No morning sickness. Great heartbeat detected. Great first ultrasound. Fast forward to our level 2 ultrasound at 20 weeks. We were elated because we were going to find out the gender of our baby and were actually giddy while the tech was getting ready. On came the screen, down went the wand, and I immediately saw two perfectly round white balls next to each other on the monitor. The tech shut the screen off and rapidly flipped through my file. I was about to have a heart attack thinking there was something wrong with the baby when my husband belted out "Was that two heads?" The tech put on the screen back on and said, "they didn't tell you were having twins?" I was in complete shock and didn't even say a word. Tears of joy and fear ran down my cheek. The tech could say that they were in one sack and looked to be girls but I had to see a perinatologist to finish the ultrasound. I had a great pregnancy the rest of the way and delivered identical twin girls via c-section at 37 weeks 1 day after an amnio deemed them ready. Megan Ann weighed in at 6 lb 1 oz and Claire Marie weighed 4 lb 14 oz. Neither girl need the NICU at all which I am so grateful for. They are now nine months old and into everything. It has been difficult at times but such an indescribable blessing.

* posted for Deb by beefsbride

"Its Twins" at 20 weeks

2008-08-25T22:10:00.000-07:00

Those were the words that my husband and I will never forget. Life for us started in March 2002 when I met my future husband. I was 20 and he was 23, we hit it off immediately and fell in love fast. We dated for 3 weeks and then moved in together. My parents were a little shocked and concerned. We were both trying to finish up college and enjoy our life together. Craig proposed to me February 21, 2004 and we were married the following March 2005. Our first year of marriage was like any other, we enjoyed our time with family and friends. In early 2006 I decided to take myself off birth control, I had been on the pill for close to 8 years and I was ready to be done. We decided we would not prevent getting pregnant, but that we didn't want to get pregnant too fast either.

I took a trip to Destin Florida with my parents late April 2006. I was over 2 weeks late, but just figured it was because my body was adjusting to being off the pill. The day after I returned from the beach I woke up and decided to take a pregnancy test. I remember this day like it was yesterday. I peed on the stick and within 20 seconds I saw 2 lines. My husband was in the kitchen making breakfast and I came running out saying "we're pregnant". He was like "are you sure", so I took another one, same result. We were in total disbelief, no-one gets pregnant that fast. It had only been 2 months of being off the pill. I knew at that moment we were truly blessed to be pregnant. I called my ob and they set up an appointment for some blood work to confirm pregnancy and then I started with monthly appointments, but no ultrasounds.

20 weeks comes along and its time for the BIG ultrasound, I was 100% sure we were having a girl, I had her name picked out and her nursery designed in my head. Were we in for a huge surprise. We get to our appointment early and had to wait forever. Finally, the u/s tech comes out to get us and we head back to the room. I'm a huge camera freak and made my husband take a picture of me and the tech as I'm laying on the table. Craig goes to put the camera away, this is after she has started the u/s. She says "you might want to take that camera back out" we say why? and she states "you're having twins". I will never forget how I felt in that exact moment. Life stopped for a few minutes while I picked my jaw off the ground and made sure my husband wasn't going to pass out.

Here is the exact moment we found out it was twins and then identical twin boys

Life went by really fast after we learned it was twins. I was over 20 weeks pregnant, that is 5 months. I didn't have enough time to plan everything and then on top of it worry about carrying 2 babies. I was scared, I never really told anyone, but I was terrified. How could I love 2 babies at once, how could I care for 2 babies, would we be good parents? All these emotions ran through my head.

I had a very easy pregnancy, we were lucky. I was never put on bed rest and never stopped working, even though I begged my OB to put me out. I worked up until 3 days before the boys were born. I was huge and uncomfortable, but extremely happy my boys stayed put until 37 weeks and 3 days.

I was induced on December 4, 2006 at 6:07pm. I was in labor for about 12 hours when I was given the green light to push. I pushed for about 2 hours when Andrew Michael Harris was born at 8:15am weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces. Once Andrew came out, Ethan (baby "b") flipped and when the mid-wife examined me she said "all I feel is hands and feet" and with his heart rate dropping dramatically I was rushed to the OR where they did an emergency c-section to get Ethan out. Ethan Dale Harris was born at 8:25 am weighing in at exactly 6 pounds. We had 2 perfectly healthy boys and I was in heaven.

A & E (as we like to call them) are now almost 21 months old and will turn 2 in 4 short months. These last 21 months have been the happiest times. Being a mom is amazing and being blessed with 2 babies at once is remarkable. We have truly enjoyed watching our 2 tiny babies turn into 2 big boys. Each day is filled with laughter and joy. My heart will forever be full of love.

On a last note, I wanted to say thank you to all the amazing women and MoMs on the nest multiples board. I have found some life-long friends and appreciate all the help over the last 21 months. Thank you, MoMs ROCK!

More Than Lucky - Multiple Multiples

2008-08-25T20:57:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of jodynjames2005

When I met my husband, James, I already had three children from a prior marriage. Two of whom were twins! After having a placental abruption at 25 weeks and making it to 35 weeks (including 6 long weeks in the hospital on bedrest) before having them, we thought that they'd be fine. Heck, an amnio even confirmed that Emilia, my daughter, had sufficiently developed lungs. But, as it turned out, they tested the wrong twin's fluid. Camden, despite being a hefty 5 pounds and a 35-weeker, crashed, died, and had to be resuscitated the night of his birth. He spent 9 days on a ventilator, in a medication-induced coma. We could only touch him with our pinkies because anything more led his vitals to go haywire. Finally, on day 9, the vent came out and I was able to hold him. And, 21 days after his birth, he came home.

We were very blessed because Camden had no long-term health problems. Emilia was healthy as a horse from the get go. But, they weren't easy babies. Oh no! Emilia had colic and screamed for 3 months straight. Neither one would sleep without being held, upright, for the first 6 weeks of life. Since my ex-husband was deployed on a 3-month cruise when they were 11 days old, it was all me, all the time. And I had a 2 year old, too! I remember sitting on the couch, holding two babies, and just sobbing pretty much around the clock out of sheer exhaustion. I used to wish that I would die, not because I was depressed, but because it sounded incredibly restful. Imagine just laying there, alone, in silence! Needless to say, I didn't off myself, and eventually things improved. Babies slept through the night, I learned to juggle three children, and I even figured out how to do it on my own once I left my ex-husband when the kids were only 2.5 years old and 8 months old. Sure, I once left Toys R Us with two infant carriers slung over one arm and a kicking toddler in the other arm, with all three kids screaming, and once the three of them conspired to greet me with a kitchen literally coated from floor to kid-height walls with ranch dressing and dog food when I woke up, but for the most part… we made it. We were a family.

And, then… then I met James. And we got married! Well, ok, we got married 5 long years after we started dating and about 4 years after I started dropping hints, but, we got married. And, we always joked that there was no way in heck that we'd ever have kids together. I mean, why the heck would we?! We had three already. And, seriously, I'd been lucky to survive their infancy! But, lo and behold, one day I said to James that I might like to have a baby. He looked at me like I'd sprouted a second head and that was the end of it. Then, one day, a few months later, he told me that he might like to have a baby. I looked at him with similar horror, and that was the end of it. But, one day, another year later… we both knew. We wanted to have a baby together.

Since I'd had my tubes tied with Camden and Emilia, we knew we had two choices: a tubal reversal or IVF. I initially looked into tubal reversal but quickly found that the cost was actually higher for us (since IVF was covered by our insurance but not a reversal) and the success rates were comparable. As it turned out, James is infertile, and rather impressively so. Not only did we need IVF, we needed ICSI, too. His sperm couldn't find my eggs if they bumped into them in a petri dish, much less in my uterus!

We began our first IVF with all of the confidence in the world. I was hyperfertile and had naturally conceived triplets (we lost one at 6 weeks), for god's sake! There was no reason to expect any issues. We talked baby names, and nursery décor, and planned for a beautiful baby girl. We even spent an extra $5,000 to choose the gender since we were so sure it would work. And, it did. For about two seconds. Our little girl tried to stick, but failed, and we walked away with a BFN and shattered hopes.

I'm not sure that I would have had the strength to do IVF again on my own. IVF wasn't as difficult physically as I'd expected, but it ripped out my heart and broke it into a million little pieces. But, James never doubted. He said we'd keep trying until we succeeded, no matter how many tries it took, or how much money it cost (our insurance covered just under two attempts). And so, I dragged my bitter, cynical self to the RE for another million sessions with the dildo cam, and we did a second cycle. But, I was afraid to hope. I no longer believed that it would work. Until about 2 days after our transfer. When I just knew. I knew I was pregnant, and I knew it was triplets. A few days later, I peed on about my 100^th stick and I got a BFP! And, a few weeks later, it was confirmed. I was right. Three beautiful little sacs, with three beautiful little heartbeats. Triplets!!!

Since we already had three children, you might think that we were somewhat dismayed by the news that it was triplets. But, we were probably the happiest people in the world to be having triplets. We were over the moon with excitement. We emailed ultrasound videos, and created a blog, and couldn't wait to meet our three little angels. We never doubted and never regretted it. We were having triplets, and we were thrilled.

One day, at 9w5d, I had a teeny tiny spot of blood. That's it. Literally one spot of blood. But, my MFM said to come on in and get it checked out. On my way there, I kept imagining what I'd tell people when we found that one of our babies had died. I had no reason to suspect that one speck of blood meant that we'd lost a baby. But, I knew. Baby B no longer had a heartbeat. He'd been wiggling and waving at us on the ultrasound only one week before, but now he was gone. I've never cried that hard in my life, and there is not a day that goes by that I do not think about what should have been, or the baby that never was. He lives in my heart, and I miss him deeply.

But, this isn't a sad story. Because, after 22 weeks of bedrest, six weeks in the hospital (including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's!), two placental abruptions, and about a million hours spent Nesting, our two beautiful girls were born: Alice Priscilla and Charlotte Ellen. They were born at 32 weeks, and weighed in at 4 pounds even (Alice) and 3 lbs 13 ounces (Charlotte). They were perfect… but a little undercooked. Alice never really needed anything except time to learn to feed and grow, but Charlotte took after her big brother Camden and spent 7 days on the vent. Still, they both came home at just over 1 month old, and they have never had a single health problem since.

Alice is our go-getter, always on the move, always smiling, always ready to join in the fun. Charlotte is our cuddle bug, always giving kisses, fussy unless we're with her, and a mama's girl. These days, at just shy of 8 months old, they roll and sit and eat solid foods and sleep (sometimes) and laugh and smile, and generally brighten our lives every day. They are our sunshine.

Incidentally, James's mother had two sets of twins. I used to laugh and say "who does that?!" Well, the answer is me! And I wouldn't change it for the world.

Success After IF and Loss

2008-08-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of Disney102399

We were your typical couple. We were young, just married and ready to start a family. Little did we know the path to a family would not be so easy.

After trying on our own for about 3 years we decided to talk to a doctor. She ran a bunch of test which all looked fine. So she suggested doing IUI. We did 6 cycles with no success. She recommended we see a RE. We went and met with her and she suggested we move onto IVF. We were a little surprised by this but were willing to do whatever it took. We started our first cycle in September 03. But it was a BFN. Did another cycle in March of 04. Also a BFN. I needed to take some time off. It was all really starting to get to me. So we decided in July of 05 to try again. We got the best news: I was pregnant.

At my 6 week u/s they told us we were expecting twins. We were so happy and excited! My pregnancy was normal. I had all the symptoms, morning sickness and I was tired all the time. At 18 weeks we found that they were a girl and a boy. Instant family! We were thrilled! Little did we know that 5 weeks later our world would change.

On December 28^th my water broke. I was 23wks3d. Way too early. They determined it was my son’s water that had broke. But he looked ok on u/s. They put me on meds to stop the contractions. But the next morning I went into labor. Brian William was born @ 8:15 am on December 29^th. He was with us for 14 hours. So now we needed to focus on my daughter. I had a bad reaction to the meds they had me on so they had to take me off. Three days later I started contracting. I delivered my daughter, Lillian Ruth, on January 1 @ 12:39 am. She was actually the New Year’s baby for the state of Maine. Sadly, she passed away 40 hours later. We were devastated. We just couldn’t believe after all we had to do to get pregnant that our precious babies would be taken away from us. We needed time. Time to process what had happened. Time to grieve our loss. Time to heal.

We decided to do another cycle in August 06 and it was a BFN. I knew I had one more cycle in me. On February 23 we got the best news again: I was pregnant. Six weeks later we found out we were expecting twins again. We were thrilled but also very scared. This time around we weren’t taking any chances. We started seeing a high risk doctor. At 12 weeks I had a stitch placed on my cervix. At 16 weeks it was confirmed we were expecting 2 girls. My pregnancy went very smoothly. After years of going to others’ baby showers, leaving in tears, it was finally my turn. My shower was so great. And so special. To see how many people cared about me and my family. It was so great! I was 34wks2d when I had some spotting. I was admitted to the hospital and stayed there till I gave birth. I was put on meds to stop the contractions. The meds worked great until the morning of September 30^th. I woke up that morning and was very uncomfortable. The Dr checked me and said, “Looks like you are having some babies today”! We were so excited! Charlotte Lorraine and Margaret Theresa were born @ 2:39 pm via c-section. They were healthy and beautiful! Hearing them cry was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. The first time I saw them I was in disbelief. I couldn’t believe they were mine. I couldn’t believe they were finally here. But most of all I couldn’t believe that our dreams were finally coming true. We were finally parents. They spent about 15 hours in the NICU, mostly for observations, and then went to the regular nursery. They came home with us 4 days later. And to leave the hospital where I had said good bye to my precious babies 18 months early, now with 2 healthy babies, was the best gift in the world.

I look at my girl’s everyday and thank God for them. They are my pride and joy. They make me happier than I ever imagined I could be. I miss Brian and Lillian everyday. I know they are looking down on us and are smiling. And every time I look at Charlotte and Maggie I see them.

My Road to Irish Triplets and a Spare

2008-08-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

"I have a surprise for you!!"

That's what the ultrasound technician said as she put the wand to my belly. I already knew, though. I saw the 2 little surprises the instant the image came up on the screen.

"No, surprises... we don't want any surprises," I told her.

I looked to my left, and there was my husband (completely unaware of the life-changing news he was about to hear) holding our adorable 8 month old daughter, Lyndsay. I instantly thought of my older daughter, Kaylie, who was only 8 years old at the time, and Lyndsay, and thought of how huge their life was going to be altered.

"It's twins!" She said gleefully. I was instantly nauseated. We weren't ready to have another baby, much less TWO. We had a baby already, and there she was sitting on her Daddy's lap drinking her bottle. My mind was racing. I thought of having three babies in diapers, three babies in car seats, a toddler and two newborns! What the hell was I going to do?

I had only just come to terms with the thought of having two kids within 16 months, but this would mean 3 babies, THREE babies within 16 months. That's 4 kids by the time I'm 27 years old. I was terrified.

That was May 9, 2007.

As my pregnancy progressed, I went through the whole range of emotions that I think any MoM (mother of multiples) goes through: fear, denial, depression, fear again, and finally acceptance. According to my husband (who works 2 full-time jobs, mind you) it was going to be a piece of cake. "Nikki, it's like making sandwiches," he told me, "If you have the ingredients out, just make two more sandwiches." As if, changing diapers was, in some way, as simple as making sandwiches.

As for complications, I was one of the lucky ones. I had quite an easy pregnancy with no complications, no bedrest, no nothing. I only put on about 35 pounds and felt really good (well, as good as you can, I suppose). My only complaint was the normal aches and pains of a twin pregnancy. But by 37 weeks, I had it. I asked to be induced, and I was.

December 12, 2007, at 8:18 PM, Michael Jr (or Mikey as we affectionately call him) was born. Three minutes later at 8:21 PM, and after only one push, little Ashley arrived. They were perfect. Mikey weighed over 7 pounds, and Ashley was about 5 1/2 pounds, both very good sizes for twins. They were healthy and happy, and, really that was all I hoped for.

As I sit here typing this up, I can't help but think of how much we have all changed. Kaylie, my little helper, is 9 years old and has her first day of fourth grade tomorrow. Lyndsay, my little sweetie, is 2 and a little firecracker. And my two babies, Mikey and Ashley are so worth all the anxiety and nightmares that I went through while I was pregnant. Mikey is my sweet baby boy... tough and rough, the way a little boy should be. And little Miss Ashley, my little peanut, she's about 3-4 pounds smaller than her brother, very petite and quiet, but by far the snuggliest baby ever. Even my husband and I have changed. I feel like we are so much closer than we were before. We are really a team now, and we both work our (you-know-what's) off to keep our family going. I don't think we've even gone out on a date in almost a year. But through it all, we are still head over heals in love.

Although a blessing, every day is also a struggle. My husband and I don't really have anyone that is available to help us, and it's just been us since day 1. And, with my husband gone almost 100 hours a week for work, it is mostly just me here. And, it's not easy. I think that's it in a nutshell. Having multiples is not easy. But, it is the most rewarding experience I can think of. Seeing the way the kids interact with each other is priceless. But by far, the best thing has to be having those two little gummy smiles flash at you. That makes all the sleepless nights, never ending piles of laundry, and completely destroyed house, 100% worth it.

-Nikki Johnson
(mikesbridetobe)

“Watch, we’ll have twins and they’ll both be girls!”

2008-08-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Our History
My husband and I went on our first date in 1999, despite attending different colleges and moving to different cities upon graduation - he moved to Baltimore and I to New York City. The timing wasn’t right during our early twenties, but somehow, we always kept coming back to each other and were finally married in May 2007.

We knew we wanted a family right away and started trying to conceive during our honeymoon in Italy. We didn’t get pregnant on our honeymoon, despite all the wine and romance, but didn’t have to wait long. We found out we were pregnant that September.

My husband loves surprises – he’s the type that doesn’t peek at his Christmas gifts – and insisted we let the gender of our baby be a surprise. I grudgingly agreed (I hate surprises and always hunt for my Christmas gifts!), but joked on a whim that if they were twins that we would find out their genders. Twins would be surprise enough! My husband responded “watch, we’ll have twins and they’ll both be girls!” Famous last words...

Twins?!?
I was never someone who dreamed of having twins. Honestly, the thought never, ever crossed my mind as a possibility. So, when we went to the OB for our 8-week ultrasound, no one was more shocked than I when the technician started the ultrasound and immediately said “It’s twins!” Shocked in disbelief, I demanded evidence and asked her to show it to me on the screen – there it was, two tiny heartbeats! My mom was with us at the ultrasound, screaming and jumping around the room in joy. During all the chaos, I had to stop and ask “Where’s Ron???” My husband was sitting down in the back, stunned silent. After our initial shock, it didn’t take us long to be overjoyed by our shocking news – the best surprise ever!

Pregnancy and Birth
We told most of our friends and family the news immediately. I’m terrible at keeping secrets and felt that if something bad did happen that we would need the support of our family and friends. Funny enough, I never worried about the complications of carrying twins, despite the warnings from my doctors.
Gratefully, our girls were delivered via scheduled c-section at 38 weeks on April 30, 2008 without the complications that so many multiples pregnancies face (bed rest, pre-term labor, etc) and were completely healthy. Abigail Frances was 19 ¼ inches long and weighed 6lb 11oz and Liliana Ellis was 18 inches long and weighed 5lb 13oz.
The girls are 4 months old now and thriving. Abby is the outgoing, mouthy one with a personality all her own. She loves to babble away and "talks" our ears off! Lily is our sweet girl. She smiles with her whole face, squinches up her nose and has dimples.
We can’t imagine not having twins and there are so many benefits to having them. Our girls learned patience from the get-go and as parents, we’ve learned to go with the flow. The girls will always have each other throughout their lives and that thought just warms our hearts.

Multiples Community
One thing I never expected in my pregnancy was to find such an incredibly supportive thoughtful group of women as I found on the nest. I see so many daily displays of support and concern that go so far beyond what a friend would provide, that it’s amazing to think we are ‘strangers’!

The deluge of recent celebrity twin births makes pregnancy and infancy look idyllic and glamorous. But in so many cases, this just isn’t the real world and I think the public would be interested in an honest take on what being a MoM (Mother of Multiples) is like - the joys and the tears. The incredible strength exhibited by the women on this board is inspirational to all.

-Aimee (coffee bean)

Our Journey to Twins

2008-08-25T19:20:00.001-07:00

THE BEGINNING:

My husband Bryan and I met in the summer of 2006. We started dating later that fall, and were engaged in February of 2007. Our wedding was a wonderful day, filled with friends and family, on June 29, 2007. Shortly after, we purchased our first home. While we weren’t actively trying to start our family, we weren’t using any preventative measures. However, I was diagnosed with PCOS several years prior, and knew that it would take some time to get pregnant. My main problem is that I don’t ovulate regularly, and it would be hard to know when an opportune time to get pregnant is. In January of 2008, Bryan and I decided to try our first round of Clomid. I can not tell you how ecstatic we were on February 16 (my brother’s wedding day) when we found out we were pregnant. We had thought for sure we’d have a long journey ahead of us, and it would take months, if not years, for us to get pregnant.

One of the first things out of Bryan’s mouth was “I hope we have twins”. He must be a mind reader, because I’ve always wanted twins. We wanted two children, and thought having both at once would be such a fun blessing. Twins run in my family (I’m the third generation), so I knew we had a chance for twins. In fact, we were so sure we were having twins that I demanded an early ultrasound at 7 weeks. I know my OB thought I was nuts, but he gave into my plea. Sure enough, we saw (and heard) both little heartbeats! Here are pictures at 7 and 12 weeks gestation.

At first the pregnancy was a breeze. Weeks 7 through 15 I had a lot of morning sickness, but nothing I couldn’t handle. I was able to continue teaching, tutoring and doing everything I’d done before. Of course I was usually tired by the end of the day, but it really wasn’t so bad. At 16 weeks we found we were expecting two little girls – we could not have been happier! I started planning the nursery around a pink and green shabby chic theme, registered, and started to get excited for my baby shower.

THE BIG SCARE:

At the end of the school year, I was noticing that it was getting harder to walk without an intense amount of pressure. I just chalked it up to being a smaller person pregnant with twins. I went in for a normal OB appointment and ultrasound. The girls looked great, but the doctor was concerned about the length of my cervix. A normal cervical length is between 3cm and 5cm. Mine was measuring under 2cm, and when pressure was applied, it would go under 1cm. I was set up with an appointment at a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist for the following day. At that appointment, I was sent directly to the hospital for contraction monitoring. I was given a shot of Brethine to stop the contractions I was having, and ordered home on strict bedrest. This was luckily the last day of school for me, so I knew I would be able to follow through with bedrest. I went home, ordered a ton of books from Barnes & Noble, and got prepared to stay with my feet propped up for a week or two. Boy, was I wrong!

The next week I went for a follow up appointment. This time, I was dilated, my cervix was opened, and the waters on Baby A were hanging in my birth canal. Basically, my body was in labor and I was only 21 weeks pregnant. I was sent immediately to the hospital. My husband barely had time to get to the hospital before I was taken to have a rescue cerclage performed. My biggest fears about labor and delivery have always been getting an epidural. I had a spinal given to me before the rescue cerclage, and weighing the fear of losing my babies over the fear of pain was a no brainer – I would have walked over hot coals to keep them inside of me.

While I was not put under for the surgery, I remained groggy the rest of the night. My husband said I tried to answer Jeopardy! questions while half asleep, making no sense at all. My dad came to visit at the hospital, and I don’t even recall him there. I woke up the next day feeling very tired from all the medications I was on. All of a sudden, I felt a gush of water. I immediately called my nurse because I feared my water had broken. The resident on call collected a sample, performed a test, and confirmed my worst fears – my water had broken at 21 weeks. I called my husband and parents and had them come to the hospital.

The general consensus of the doctors was that my water had broken, I was in active labor, and that they would take out the cerclage and let me deliver that day. Bryan and I had a very emotional talk with the NICU doctor, one of the kindest men I’ve ever met. He told us the chances of survival (less than 2%) and that chances were they would have been too small for their instruments to even try to help. He told us about comfort care, and how we would be able to hold them until they passed, and would be given medications so they’d not feel pain. After he left, Bryan and I just held each other and named our baby girls – Audrey Claire and Natalie Marie.

When my doctors reappeared at 4:00pm to take out my cerclage and prepare me for delivery, something compelled me to ask the most important question of my life. I asked just how much amniotic fluid I had lost, and could we check it with an ultrasound. One of the doctors wheeled a machine into the room and checked the girls out. He was very surprised to find that Natalie’s sac remained perfectly fine, and Audrey’s had only leaked a small amount of fluid. At once the delivery was canceled and a different action plan was set in place. I would remain in the hospital on constant antibiotics (to prevent infection from the open amniotic sac) and contraction medication. I shudder to think of what would have happened if I’d not asked that question.

I ended up spending three weeks in the hospital. Everyday the doctors were amazed that I was not leaking fluid and that Audrey was even gaining fluid back in her sac. I had successfully stumped a team full of highly qualified specialist, who could only chalk this up to a miracle. On July 4th, I was sent home on strict bedrest.

ALMOST THERE:

As I type this, I am now over 31 weeks pregnant. I have been at home on bedrest since I left the hospital. I go to the MFM specialist two to three times a week for monitoring. I have bought my girls 10 more weeks in the womb. Each day they are there is a blessing. I can not tell you what an emotional roller coaster ride this has been. Without the support of my husband, family and friends, I’m not sure how I would have gotten through this. I have fought through bouts of depression, guilt, helplessness – you name it. We have gotten past most of the scary weeks, and are now into a safer zone. If I gave birth today, they’d spend 6 weeks or so in the NICU. If I had given birth at viability (24 weeks), they would have spent about 5 or 6 months in the NICU. These are truly miracle babies, and we can not wait until their birth. They have filled us with so much love already, and they aren't even here yet. And thanks to the help of our family, they will be coming home to a gorgeous shabby chic pink and green nursery!

- Jennifer (nbjenni)

A journey through the heart

2008-08-25T18:20:00.000-07:00

You have heard it before, “well we were only going to try for one but…” and that basically sums up the start of our story. My husband and I decided to try for a baby and once we got all the issues sorted out, no ovulation and placed on clomid, we got our BFP! We were shocked and thrilled. I developed horrible morning sickness and I was miserable but the baby was progressing well. They were able to find a heartbeat at 10 weeks and everything was looking good. We headed into our big ultrasound at 19 weeks and we couldn’t wait to see that little baby. Well after looking at my uterus for a grand total of 10 seconds, the tech asked me “so you are having two right?” WHAT!?! That is when we found out about our two little bundles of joy. We were shocked and scared and thrilled and about every other emotion you could imagine.

After we got over the shocked, we really embraced the situation. We were going to have two girls! What joy and what a blessing. Pregnancy continued along fine. I had a slight placenta previa but that moved away and everything looked great. At week 28, I head in for a routine ultrasound to measure cervical length and to check for growth. Everything was pretty text book and I felt great. The day after my 28 week U/S, the hospital called me back. They had forgotten to do a colored transvaginal Doppler on me, so back to the hospital I went. I was alone because everything seemed fine so I thought that my husband didn’t have to come. Towards the end of the U/S, I knew something was up because several doctors filed into the room. After I was dressed, we all sat down for a talk and that is when they told me I had vasa previa. I had never heard of it but the doctors started to educate me on it. It seemed that there were blood vessels just crossing over the cervix. They hadn’t been absorbed by the umbilical cord like they were supposed to be. If the vessels ruptured or were compressed, that would cut off blood flow to one or both of my babies. Labor would mean almost certain death. They tried to reassure me that catching the vasa previa was a blessing because now they knew it was there and they could have an action plan. I remember just soaking in the information and then wandering around the hospital crying. I called my husband to tell him and he made the mistake of googling it and seeing the startling statistics, vasa previa carries a 50-100% mortality rate. He left work early so we could be together and just digest the news. We told our families and select friends and asked for prayers and lots of them.

After a horrible night of crying and screaming, we decided that we needed to be positive. They had caught the vasa previa and detection usually meant a 100% survival rate if everything is done right and there is no bleeding or labor. We knew God was with us because it was a Godly intervention that the hospital realized their mistake and ordered a second u/s for me, the u/s that showed the vasa previa and therefore saved my babies.

I was placed on modified bedrest and I knew that it was for the best of my babies. Everyday I prayed that I would make it to 34 weeks, when I was scheduled to have a c-section. It broke my heart to have the girls so early but I knew that the chances of me making it any further were slim and we weighed all the risks involved. Babies at 34 weeks have an almost 100% chance of survival without long term issues plus I knew my girls were fighters. I could feel their spirits everyday. As I stayed in bed, feeling them kick, I knew that they would be okay.

On May 20, 2008, I went in for my c-section. The operation went well and no complications. At 8:22 AM, Ashlyn made her appearance, quickly followed by Fiona at 8:23AM. I was only able to see them for a few seconds before they wheeled them out of the OR and down to the NICU. It was another 5 hours before I saw my girls, in their NICU isolettes looking so small and beautiful. I spent all the time I could with them and I cried everyday that went by when I wasnt able to hold them. It was bittersweet when I left the hospital, I was glad to be going home but not without my girls. A new mom going home without her babies is unnatural and hard to deal with even when you know they need to stay.

Fiona, the larger of the girls, needed to learn how to eat and she needed to grow. Ashlyn had a longer journey. Even thought I was given doses of Betamethasone while I was pregnant, Ashlyn’s lungs were still underdeveloped and she had a Pneumothorax, a small hole in her lung. Despite this, she was progressing well until they discovered that blood was accumulating in the chest cavity. While Fiona was getting better everyday, Ashlyn faced new hurdles. She went from a CPAP, which is very common for preemies, to an oxygen tent to a ventilator. Throw in a central line that went into her scalp and daily head ultrasounds and we were scared but we never gave up. God had intervened before and we knew God was with us and so were all the prayers. After 8 days, Ashlyn was able to breath on her own without the aid of supplied oxygen. She started taking bottles and after 12 days in the NICU, both of our girls came home. We never even fathomed that they would both be home at the same time, but there they were in the backside of our car. They were so tiny but had been through so much.

I stay at home with Fiona and Ashlyn and it is hard. I don’t have family close by to help out and being the mother to twins puts you in a unique situation. A source of support/prayers/laughter/and shared moments is the multiples message board I belong to. We know how a fellow MoM feels torn with her time and energy. We understand how overwhelming and scary a pregnancy can be. We’ve all gained the weight, had the swollen feet, and many of us have faced complications. We are a true community filled with love and caring and most of us will never meet in real life.

Beating the odds

2008-08-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

I am known as "sweater" in my online life.

My husband Jason and I knew we wanted children from the moment we were engaged. Shortly after marriage, I got pregnant around Christmas time 2007. I had a fairly easy first trimester without the classic morning sickness that many women experience. I only had one doctor appointment and everything was great. My doctor recommended that I didn't come in for my 2nd appointment to try and hear the heartbeat via doppler until I was closer to 14 weeks pregnant rather than 12 weeks due to my tipped uterus. She felt we'd have a better chance at hearing the heartbeat if we waited a little longer.

Jason and I were really excited to hear proof that a baby really was there! I had a dream the night before this appointment that Jason and I were sitting at our kitchen table with two brown curly haired babies in their high chairs eating dinner. I told Jason about the dream when I woke up and we laughed that my dream must’ve fast forward a few years since there were two children. This dream came to give me strength and hope much later in the pregnancy.

A nurse practitioner was performing the appointment that day. I explained to her that I was experiencing some intense pains once in awhile and she looked concerned. She said that the pains I was describing are pains that I shouldn't be feeling yet so soon in the pregnancy. She then went on to tell us to not be upset if we don't hear a heartbeat and she feared that I had an ectopic pregnancy. As she put the doppler down on my belly a loud strong heartbeat was heard immediately. We were all smiles in the room. The doppler was then moved to the other side of my belly and the heartbeat was picked up again. It was a beautiful sound...that suddenly sounded like a horse gallop. I took my eyes off my husband and looked up and said, "Is that.." and my sentenced was finished by the nurse practitioner with the word "TWO".

She then said that they've never picked up on twins with a doppler before and that it was HIGHLY possible to just be an echo. Although she did not look convinced that it was an echo. She said she was getting readings of 140 and 160 bpm and that it was too far apart. So we were sent to the hospital the next day for an ultrasound to just "check it out". Of course Jason and I were convinced that it must be "just an echo".

We went to the hospital the next day excited at the chance to peek in on our baby early since we were only going to get one ultrasound at 20 weeks. During the ultrasound we definitely saw TWO little gummy bears on the screen. We were shocked and beside ourselves with every emotion possible.

My doctor called me the next day and asked that Jason and I come in that afternoon to discuss the big news since this would certainly change my prenatal care. During this doctor's visit we were told that the ultrasound tech did not see a membrane separating the twins. All the different types of twins were explained to us with a chart. We were told that our babies shared a placenta and gestational sac and POSSIBLY an amnio sac as well. Apparently if identical twins split too late, an amnio sac has already formed around the egg since the body thought it was going to be one baby. This is called mono amniotic-mono chrionic. If it were to split any later the babies would then be conjoined.

Since mono amniotic twins are sharing an amnio sac, it means they are actually touching each other. This is extremely dangerous since their cords can wrap around each other and create many knots.

My doctor sent us back to the hospital the next day to be seen by a Perinatologist to look for this very important membrane separating the twins with a level II ultrasound. We were told that they were highly unlikely to be mono amniotic twins since it’s so rare. I believe the doctor said “you have statistics on your side”. The doctor also told us she’d never had a patient with this condition either.

Jason and I left that appointment feeling confident about our next appointment with the specialist. I did of course go online and search the web for everything I could find related to this mono amniotic thing I was going to go see a doctor about.

The information I found was devastating. I found myself printing off countless sheets and highlighting startling facts and information. I suddenly became TERRIFIED and just had a feeling. We all know that feeling. This was the night that I introduced myself to the ladies of the MULTIPLES board on The Nest. I had been a member of The Nest boards while trying to conceive and I was also no stranger to the 1st and 2nd trimester boards. I was scared out of my mind and turned to complete strangers for support.

The ladies of this board wrote me encouraging words and their own personal experiences with possible diagnosis of this condition. Even though I was assured that no other member of the board had this rare condition, that it was still something that could be overcome if I did.

I’ll never forget that appointment the next day with the specialist for the rest of my life. We could see the babies were boys immediately and just watched in amazement at the clarity of this level II ultrasound compared to the first ultrasound we saw just days before this. When the doctor confirmed to us that the babies were in fact mono amniotic I can only describe the moment as if I were just told that the world was coming to an end. I asked the doctor if the statistics I found online were true or up-to-date and he shook his head sadly confirming the grim news.

I had a 50% chance of the babies surviving and the statistics fell lower and lower after that of them being “normal”. I was told that IF I make it to viable age (24 weeks of gestation) that I have to live out the rest of my pregnancy in the hospital to give the babies a better chance of making it. I would have to be monitored every week by the specialist leading up to this hospitalization as well. The babies would HAVE to be delivered via c-section by 32 weeks IF I were even able to make it that long. We were told that it was very common to see one or both babies gone at any of these monitors due to the harsh knots in the cords that can occur.We were of course given options of selective reduction to give at least one baby a better chance.

We started this long road of countless specialist appointments along with my regular OB appointments. Every appointment with the specialists left me in tears because of all the other possible complications we were watching that happens with most women carrying identical twins (TTTS, IUGR etc...).

I finally decided that enough was enough and I could not continue the pregnancy with the thought that my boys would not make it. I decided to plan for their arrival and to just do whatever was asked of me. We attended every appointment asked of us, and I prepared our home and my life for the boys to come.

I left the life I knew and checked into the hospital on May 21 and made many friends along the way with hospital staff and all my best girlfriends online on the MULTIPLES board on The Nest. I’ve counseled many other women on that online community who feared the same diagnosis.

I had lived every moment of that stay knowing that at any time they would have to take the boys if one of them distressed on the monitors. We were watching my little baby (Baby A – Jaxon) very closely since he had much less blood flow in his cord due to tight knots in his cord. His weight was significantly less than the other baby so I was constantly worried about him.

I had been in the hospital for over 7 weeks and had my c-section planned for July 17. Three nights before this anticipated date, I was conducting business as usual and had gotten ready for bed along with my 10pm nightly monitoring. Jason kissed me and left the room to go home for the night right as my nurse was entering to hook me up to the monitors. Within moments of being hooked up, Jaxon’s heart rate plummeted and my room was filled with doctors and nurses. I've never experienced the feeling I felt when I knew the baby was about to be gone.

They said I had to be put under immediately as they started to rush my bed into the operating room. I didn’t even know if they had contacted my husband as they were running my bed down the hall, trying to put in an IV and just pulling up my pajamas to perform the surgery. I was hysterical since I wasn’t able to see since they pulled my glasses off my face and I didn’t know if the doctor on call knew if they boys were mono amniotic. I had a beautiful day planned for my surgery with my favorite nurses and the specialists there to perform it, and of course my husband at my side. None of this happened. I thought the doctors were cutting me before I was put under and then I was out.

I woke up as they were pulling the tubes out of my throat in the recovery room. My husband was standing next to me and came close to my face so I could see him. He looked exhausted and I suddenly realized where I was and felt paralyzed by fear. He suddenly held up a micro-preemie diaper and told me that we had a baby boy in each one of those diapers. I sighed the biggest sigh of relief I’ve ever had my whole life. He also whispered that they cut my from the belly button down to get the boys out. This was definitely not the birth I had hoped for or planned. I will always morn the loss of the “moment of birth” that I so looked forward to all those long days in the hospital. But I can’t really complain since my boys are here.

Baby B – Brady weighed 3lbs, 5 oz.

Baby A - Jaxon weighed 2lbs, 7oz.

Brady came home from the NICU just after 4 weeks, and Jaxon after 3 months with some complications that have led to further hospitalizations. Jaxon hasn't known a life yet without feeding tubes or oxygen due to a severe case of infant reflux.

This has been the most emotionally challenging road that we have ever been on. I think my husband and I have been through more together in our first year of marriage than some people have in 50 years of marriage. There have been many other things along this ride that have happened as well that has just added bumps along the way. Those common sayings of “When one door closes, another opens” and “You’re not given more than you can handle” have new meanings to me. I never thought in my whole life that I’d be at a hospital every day for 5 months straight without an end in sight.

Through all this I still feel like the luckiest person in the whole world. We still have a long road ahead of us – everyday is still certainly heartache and a challenge, but each day is also filled with the love of my miracles. I have TWO beautiful babies, and the ladies remind me of this everyday in my online world. I look to them everyday for support, guidance, laughs and sometimes to just talk about girl things. They have become my rocks. They got me through countless hours, days and weeks when I was in the hospital. We share in each other's happiness, joy and sorrow on a daily basis. Our hearts break for each other and we celebrate each other.

They have shown me and reminded me that random acts of kindness really do exist. And because of them I will certainly pay it forward to as many as possible that follow me.

We beat the odds….we really did…and I'd love to beat a few more.

http://lettenbergertwins.blogspot.com

It all began long, long ago...

2008-08-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

http://lotsofbabiestolove.blogspot.com/
It all began long, long ago…with the birth of my grandfather and his identical twin brother. Donald and Ronald were very close and had that “special” bond that most twins do. As they grew they eventually joined the Marines together and in 1950 they received papers stating they would be going to fight in the Korean War. As fate would have it, my grandfather, Donald broke his ankle just before they were going to be leaving so he was honorably discharged. He watched as his other half boarded the plane to Korea, not knowing that would be the last time he would see his brother alive. On November 20th, 1956 Ronald was killed in action. His remains were left behind because the battle in the Chosen Reservoir was to hostile to stop and collect those who were killed. Many years later the majority of the bodies left in that battle were buried in the Hawaiian punchbowl and marked as “unknown” soldiers. The pain of losing his other half never lessened for my grandfather. With the advances in technology and science DNA matching became a possibility. My grandfather donated a blood sample for the military to possibly match with his twin (since they obviously had the exact same DNA). Numerous attempts to match them went on and on with no success. Then on May 7th, 2003 my grandfather received the official notification that they had indeed recovered his brothers remains. Here is the moment my grandfather signed to have his brother returned home to Minnesota.

Fast forward to October of 2006, my first child, Samuel was born. From day one Sam and my grandfather had a bond that nobody could understand but them. They are very attached to each other and have something very special. My grandfather swears that Sam is his brother, Ronald, and has come back to him in a special way. The resemblance between Sam and my grandfather and Ronald is uncanny.Fast forward again to October of 2007, we learned we were expecting triplets! At 6 weeks 1day we were told that we were having identical twins and a fraternal triplet. When we went back for out 8 week appointment we learned that one of the identical twins no longer had a heartbeat and would reabsorb on its own. We were sad to hear of the loss of one of the babies, but were hopeful and happy for the twins we still had. Our pregnancy was a typical “twin” pregnancy, with its ups and downs, bed rest and preterm contractions, hospital visits, and scares.

On May 7th, 2008, five years to the day that my grandfather received official notification of the recovery of his twin brother, I woke up feeling pretty normal. I was a little tired though because I didn't sleep very well the night before, but didn't think anything of it. Around 11:30 in the morning I decided I was going to take a quick shower. I sat down to use the bathroom first and when I stood up I had a clear fluid trickle run down. Honestly, I thought "maybe" it could be my water but deep down I didn't believe it. I told Scott that I possibly broke my water but not to get too excited because I wasn't completely sure. After my shower I laid down in bed for about a half hour and stood up to a soaked bottom. I called the clinic and they asked me to come in at 2 in the afternoon (which at this point was about an hour from then.)

I no sooner walked (ok wheeled) into the clinic and painful contractions began. They quickly put me on the monitor and it was clear things had changed. The babies looked wonderful on the monitor but I was VERY clearly having REAL contractions. They did a Ph test to check to see if it was truly my water and within 10 seconds she said "You need to go directly to the hospital. Have someone bring your overnight bag, put their car seats in the car and prepare yourself to have your babies in your arms today." None of this seemed real, it was all happening way too fast and my husband and I were in major denial and a serious state of shock.

We got to the hospital within minutes and walked in the door and they were there waiting for me. I got placed in my room and had a flood of nurses and doctors enter the room. One started an IV, one was getting the babies on the monitor, one was preparing me for surgery, and someone else put those lovely stockings on my legs. One doctor did a quick ultrasound to confirm their positions (both were transverse- they were laying sideways like they were in a bunk bed), the other doctor called anesthesia to find out what they wanted to do since I had eaten a small lunch. It was all so surreal and happened so fast.

I walked into the hospital at 4p.m. and was taken back to the operating room at 5p.m. I was given a spinal to numb my body from the chest downwards. I was told the incision started at 5:30 exactly. Three little minutes later (5:33) my little Zachary was born. His sister, Madeline came into the world one tiny minute later (5:34). Madeline was a champ; she cried and pinked up immediately. Zachary on the other hand was being lazy. He needed quite a bit of stimulation to get him breathing. But after a few hours he perked up and is doing as well as Madeline.
Zachary weighed 5 pounds 9 ounces and is 18 ½ inches long, Madeline was 5 pounds 6 ounces and is 19 inches long. They are both HUGE for 34 "weekers". Apparently the average 34 week baby weighs about 4 ½ pounds… so our little ones are not quite little. They both started nursing VERY well and we are soooooo excited and pleased with that. They had to be put under the bilirubin lights because they are both jaundiced (which is very common in premature babies). We were told they would be in the hospital for a minimum of two weeks, but nine days after they were born they came home. It was a joyous and difficult mother’s day for me. I was discharged from the hospital on Sunday, Mother’s Day. I was much like a wet noodle, I sobbed and sobbed and felt horrid just leaving my babies in the hospital without me. It was the most difficult day of my life.

You are aware there are two?

2008-08-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

I research. I prepare. I like to be organized. I have itineraries for trips we want to take . . . someday. I know what we’re doing for my husband’s birthday . . . in 8 months. I love planning. It’s what I do, and it’s what I’m best at.

When we started thinking about having a baby I started preparing. I typed questions for the birth center we were going to use. I knew which stroller we were going to buy. I found the top three daycare centers in our city. I was ready for a little baby. It took longer than we expected, but as soon as I got confirmation that I was pregnant I made our first appointment with the midwife.

The birth center was so relaxed and personal. I loved the idea of giving birth in a house without sterile medical equipment or hospital noises and smells. It was so natural. However, the planner in me was anxious about not having an ultrasound until 20 weeks. I had to see that there was actually something inside me. When I was offered the chance to have an NT scan at 11 weeks, I jumped at it. Not only did it give me an opportunity to prepare if anything was wrong, but it also let me see proof that something was really in there. The joke was on me, the planner.

The sonographer placed the ultrasound wand on my stomach and immediately asked, “You are aware there are two?” Um, no, we were not aware. Of course I was thrilled that I was pregnant. I was overjoyed that the babies seemed healthy. It’s just that hearing that there were two was shocking. Shocking is an understatement. For ten minutes all I could do was cry and laugh and swear. It certainly wasn’t the romantic image of the first ultrasound I had always pictured. And, when I stopped swearing, all I could say between laughter and tears was: “We need a new car.”

So, all my carefully made baby plans went out the window. I found a progressive OB and a great hospital. I read the twin bible, When You’re Expecting Twins, by Dr. Luke. I crammed nearly 3500 calories in my mouth every day. I rested whenever I needed a break. We bought a double stroller. We hired a nanny. I started getting really excited about having twins. And, I had a great pregnancy. I was really lucky. My girls were born at 36 weeks 6 days after my blood pressure skyrocketed. I labored in the bright lights of the operating room with what seemed like hundreds of medical personnel surrounding me. Rowan and Gracen were big and healthy and spent no time in the NICU. They were absolutely perfect. I couldn’t have planned it any better.

My daughters have taught me to relax and have more fun. I know what tasks need to get done, but the girls set the pace. There are no more plans on paper. Now it’s about them and the amazing things they do. Smiling and laughing at strange noises and silly songs. Rolling around. Sitting up. Reaching out for each other. It is exhausting to be the parent of twins. Going to work is my vacation, and coming home to them is my reward. I’m absolutely in love with my girls.

This Is Our Miracle

2008-08-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

Less than a year after we married, my husband and I decided we wanted to start trying for a baby. I had always had irregular periods and had suspicions that I might struggle a bit to get pregnant and I couldn't have been more right. After 22 months of trying to conceive, 2 rounds of Clomid, 3 rounds of injectibles and IUI and a miscarriage, we were thrilled to find out we are blessed with TWINS! The joy we experienced hearing the news will never be forgotten. I'll never forget when the ultrasound tech said, "It's TWINS!" It was like music to our ears. I just began sobbing and shaking. The nurse had to tell me to stop shaking so she could get the heart beat! My husband had the look of pure happiness on his face as he squeezed my hand and patted the tech on the top of the head! It was truly a magnificent moment in that little room.

After all we have been through to get pregnant, we had been secretly hoping for twins! Being blessed with twins meant we didn't have to suffer through the fertilty treatments, stress, and loss all over again. All the prayers from everyone worked - we have truly been blessed. Everything we went through those 22 months made it all worth it now. We see why things happened the way they did - because THIS is what was supposed to happen to us. This is the miracle we were to receive.

My pregnancy was completely normal and uneventful until I hit 29 weeks. I went in for my regular ultrasound and found out my cervix had shortened substantially and my OB instantly put me on strict bed rest and wrote me out of work. My husband and I were taken by surprise that it happened so fast. We went from two paychecks to one instantly as my employer did not have STD or paid maternity leave. Luckily we were able to manage financially while I was off work due to the savings we had accumulated after learning we were having twins.

I remained on bed rest the rest of my pregnancy as my cervix continued to stay short and then at 34 weeks I was hospitalized because I had dilated to a 3.Unlucky for me, my OB was going on vacation in Mexico for a week and I was stuck in the hospital praying I didn't deliver. I held out until 35 weeks and 4 days- the day before my OB was to return. I began going into labor with contractions and the on call doctor decided it was time. We were in shock and very emotional and BAM an hour later our twin boys were born! It all happened so fast, it was like a whirlwind...a whirlwind I'll never forget.

One of my boys was born completely healthy and went to the newborn nursery and our other son had breathing troubles and was sent to the NICU where he remained for 9 days. It was so hard to leave him behind when I was discharged and we visited him everyday praying for him to get well enough to come home. Those were probably the longest 9 days of my life. He had some setbacks and they thought he would be in the NICU for weeks. Once I was discharged, he decided he was going to fight to get home ASAP and that he did! He surprised us all when he made leaps and bounds and came home so soon.

Now our boys are 3 months old and sometimes I feel like this is all a wonderful dream and one day I'll wake up and it will all be gone. Like it's too good to be true. Like we couldn't have been this lucky to be blessed with such wonderful sons. As tough as raising twins has been so far, every minute is worth it. I was able to stay home with them the first 3 months but have now had to return to work part-time in order to make it financially. My husband has his9-5 job and a job on the side to make extra money. We have figured a way to juggle our schedules so that our boys don't have to go to daycare and we can take care of them ourselves. It's tough, money is tight and my husband and I don't get to spend much time together, but in the end it is all worth it to raise our boys ourselves.

I am so thankful to be involved in such a wonderful, supportive online message board. The ladies I have met have been there for me through it all - the joys, the panic, the stress, the endless questions, everything - and I couldn't be more grateful. I only hope one day we can all meet in person - with all our kids! Boy, wouldn't that be a sight!

ThisIzLove

Living Life One Day at a Time

2008-08-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

It finally came – two days before Christmas. Mike was still at work, and I was busy packing, preparing to leave in a few hours to be with his mom’s family for the holiday. I knew “it” was late – I’m a planner, and after months and months of charting and using an ovulation prediction kit, I knew my body…so I knew I was late. I didn’t want to “waste” the pregnancy test – was it too early to take one? – but with leaving town and Christmas arriving, I decided to take one anyway. And that’s when it came – the 2nd pink line. There was no mistaking it – there were actually two lines this time! I was pregnant.
On Friday January 8th, I had my first doctor’s appointment at 8 weeks. My doctor confirmed early in the appointment that I was indeed pregnant. But he kept questioning how far along I was…how sure was I of my last period start-date? I knew it – for sure. After a few moments, we questioned him…why did he keep asking? His response was that my uterus was measuring a little “farther along” than it should for 8 weeks…he’d like to do an ultrasound to get an accurate measurement. Of course, they had no room for another appointment that day, so we were scheduled for the following Tuesday.

All weekend we speculated…but I should say we already knew. Mike and I have always discussed having kids – and having twins. We have twins on both sides of our family (my uncles and Mike’s mom), so it always seemed like a possibility for us (putting actual genetic chances aside at that time). I remember discussing at our premarital classes…no more than 3 kids – if we have twins the first time, we’re done. If we have one, we’ll try for another, and if it’s one baby, we’re done – but if it’s twins, we’re really done.

So when we went in for our ultrasound on Tuesday, we weren’t shocked to see two babies on the ultrasound screen…surprised, but not shocked. It did shock us when the technician said “let’s make sure there’s not any more in there”, but there were not…we had two sacs with one baby in each. We were elated!

As a “planner”, I started preparing right away…I bought the Baby Bargains book (we’ve got to save money as best we can!), I found the Multiples Board on The Nest (which I spent hours reading!), joined my local Mothers of Twins Club, and later that spring, Mike and I enrolled in the Multiples Class and other classes at the hospital where I would be delivering. I found such wonderful help from the girls on the Multiples Board – though I didn’t post much, I was a ‘lurker’ – logging in almost daily to read about their experiences, the supplies they recommended, and the overall support that they offered.

My pregnancy was relatively smooth. I often had people comment about “how huge” I was getting, and I had to remind them that I was carrying two babies. Ironically, I only gained about 20 pounds the entire pregnancy…and 9 lbs of that was baby! (I always joked that I “wasn’t small to begin with” and that my belly weight migrated from other parts of my body.) My doctor was never concerned about my weight gain, but after our 28-week ultrasound, he sent us to a specialist since our twin boys were not gaining weight as rapidly as he would have thought.

At 29-weeks, I started having Level 2 ultrasounds with the perinatal specialist. At that 29-week appointment, the doctor had no concerns…yes, the boys were small, but there were two of them, he would “expect them to be small”. Four weeks later, his opinion had changed a bit - the difference between the boys’ sizes was getting bigger - and he wanted me to start being monitored with weekly non-stress tests and growth ultrasounds every two weeks. The weekly non-stress tests quickly became bi-weekly appointments but the results were all coming back the same…no concerns! We were given a c-section date of August 11, but by Monday July 21, the doctor was even more concerned…Baby A just kept getting further behind Baby B. He wanted them out the next week.

So our August 11th scheduled delivery became July 28th in a matter of minutes. Holy cow – we went from having 3 more weeks to prepare to having only 1 week…we were shocked, nervous, and excited all at the same time. Oh, and my own birthday is July 27th – what a present!

So, at 35 weeks 6 days, the boys were born at 12:07 and 12:08 p.m. on July 28th. Each of the boys needed a few minutes of oxygen, but quickly started breathing on their own. Connor weighed 4 lbs 11 ounces and Logan weighed 4 lbs 2 ounces. They each had 10 fingers, 10 toes, and were precious! We were very lucky that the boys did not need immediate NICU time – they even went with me to recovery for a little while. The nurses came down and got the boys so they could start running further tests on them.

Once I was in my room, we found out that Logan was having some difficulty maintaining his temperature – they weren’t too concerned at this point, but they were monitoring him so he couldn’t come into my room with his brother. By Monday night, Logan was put into the Special Care Nursery to be placed into the isolate…this would help maintain his temperature until he could start doing that on his own.

The rest of the week is a whirlwind – Connor was doing great and Logan was in and out of the isolate. By Thursday afternoon, I was devastated with the news that my sweet Logan would not be released with us on Friday…he needed to maintain his temperature 24 hours outside of the isolate before being released, and he was put back into the isolate around noon on Thursday. We continued to be hopeful though – and Logan came back out around 3 a.m. Friday morning…so the 24-hour time test began.

We arrived home with Connor around 5:00 pm on Friday…it was so difficult leaving Logan behind. But we had a timeline – the nurse was saying he should be released by the next morning. This was hard – but I kept reminding myself about all the strong women on the Multiples Board who had sustained many more nights without their children at home…and if they could do that then I could do one night. At 6:30 the next morning, the nurse called – “come get your son” could have never sounded so sweet. By 8:15, we were home…and our family was finally together.

And now, as I sit here writing this, my boys will be one month old this week. My life has changed – my world revolves around them. The boys get fed every three hours, we change diapers, they play and look around before they fall asleep, and then the process starts all over again. We’re experiencing a lot of firsts too – first time each friend or family member visits, first outing, first bath, first days home alone (after Mike went back to work) and oh yeah...first (second, third, etc.) sleepless night. It’s hard, sometimes harder than my paying job, but you get through. I’ve learned you can’t plan everything – and you have to go with the flow. Each day I remind myself of the words one experienced mother said in our Multiples class. She said, “I took it one day at a time. If that day was especially hard, then I took it one hour at a time. But it worked and we managed.” And that’s working for us too – just taking it one day at a time.

Jaime
From the nest: jd070106

The Path From 1 to 3

2008-08-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

THE PREGNANCY

I married my husband, Brian, in September 2005. We were high-school sweethearts, we started dating our senior year. 9 months after our wedding, we welcomed our absolutely amazing beautiful baby girl, Layla Rain. I realized then that life will never be the same again (and in a great way!) the minute you lay eyes on your child. Everything in the world is more enjoyable once you have a child. To see everything through their eyes is fantastic.

After one wonderful year with her, we decided to start trying for another baby. She was a great baby and we thought it would be a good time to bring another little one into our lives to give her a little playmate!

Almost exactly 2 years after my first positive pregnancy test (September 28th, 2005), I took a pregnancy test (September 27th 2007) and it practically turned positive the minute I peed on it! And this was 3 days before my period was even due. It was then I started to think things might be different this time.

At about 4 weeks pregnant exactly, I started throwing up and a LOT. When I ate, I threw up. When I didn’t eat, I threw up. When I thought about food, I threw up. It was horrid! The week before my first appointment, around 8 weeks, I told my friends and family that I was having twins. They giggled and thought it was funny, nobody took me too seriously.

At my appointment, I was laying on the table with my husband and daughter watching the screen. The doctor said “I see the heartbeat. And there I see the heartbeat”. Although I expected it, my heart stopped and I actually smacked the doctor and said “Are you serious???”. Wow! 2 babies! Their due date was June 8th, 6 days before my daughter’s 2nd birthday. I came out of the appointment and called my mom who sarcastically said “So how are the twins?”. To which I responded “Mom, it is twins!!” You can imagine the silence I heard on the line! Soon enough everyone knew and everyone laughed and laughed. I guess that’s what you do when you hear news that is somewhat shocking!

Although of course we were nervous, we were so excited. I mean, 3 babies under the age of 2 is a lot of kids! People think 2 under 2 is lot and I was going to have an extra one!

The pregnancy progressed as one could expect with twins. It was difficult, more difficult than I could ever imagine. Not only did I have 2 in my belly, but I had 1 running around who needed all my attention. People say the 2nd trimester is the easiest, you don’t feel sick anymore and you get your energy back. Nope, not here. I threw up from weeks 4-20. Then again from 26 on! And I was so darn tired. But I trudged through, knowing that it would be over soon and I’d have my beautiful babes.

At week 30, I was put on full bedrest due to the fact that I would start having contractions even stopping for quick errands. Walking would be too much for me.

At 34 weeks, 1 day (and 45 inches around!) I called the OB to ask to come in early for my appointment because I had been having pretty rough contractions over the morning. I didn’t think too much of it because I was always having contractions. The OB sent me right to the hospital, where I continued having contractions. When I got checked, I was 4 cm dilated and we realized there was no turning back. After roughly 11 hours at the hospital, I got up the use the bathroom and when I came back, Baby B’s heartbeat dropped and then spiked but never leveled out. So by about 15 minutes later, I was in the OR for an emergency C-section.

THE BIRTH
At 12:35, Corbin Blake (5 lbs. 1 oz.) entered the world. They rushed him quickly out of the room, I didn’t even see him. At 12:36, Spencer Lennon (4 lbs. 12 oz.) was born with his cord wrapped twice around his neck. I actually saw him for a quick moment. After getting sewn up I was wheeled back to my room and didn’t see the boys again for 4 hours after their birth. It was the first time I’d even seen Corbin!

Soon enough, I was told that Spencer may have to go to the Children’s Hospital in Cleveland to get additional help with his breathing. 9 hours after his birth, I was told to go talk to him, explaining to him that things would be OK. My baby wasn’t even due for 6 more weeks and I had to go say goodbye. I couldn’t even hold him, I had to just touch his hand. The pain in my heart was amazing. They took him away and I didn’t see him for 48 hours. The next few days went well for the boys. After a day, I finally got to hold Corbin and after 2 days Spencer came back and I could hold him too. Within a few days, Spencer had a very low white blood count and we had to wear gloves and masks to even touch him. It seemed that every time you turned around, there was something else to worry about! Luckily within a day or two, the levels bounced up and he got to be in his “big boy bed” where his brother went to the day before.

After 9 days, we took Corbin home. What a wonderful feeling! And how scary to bring home a child who isn’t due to be born for 5 more weeks and weighs less than 5 pounds! A teeny little peanut! The day after, we brought Spence home too. Our family was home!
NOW
As I write this, the boys are almost 4 months old. And it has been the most amazing 4 months of our lives. The boys started out swimming in preemie clothes and they now fill out their 0-3 clothes nicely! They started out ~5 pounds and now are both topping 12! They hold up their heads and are moving right ahead. They giggle and smile and it just melts your heart! Layla loves them to bits and has been a wonderful big sister. Our family of 5 is crazy busy, but we’re all crazy in love and can’t wait for the next chapters!

I love my 3 beautiful children and I am so grateful I had the chance to have these boys. Although it was frightening, the experiences I went through teach you not to take a thing in this life for granted. As you watch your baby boy get taken away from you with more tubes coming out of him than you can count, you know what’s important.

If I could go back, would I do it all again? Absolutely. These 3 beautiful children are mine for a reason and I’m going to spend my whole life trying to make them feel as lucky as I do.

Worth the Wait

2008-08-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Four years ago my husband and I were married on July 30, 2004. I was still in college working on my teaching degree. I went to my OB in December 2005 and he told me I would have trouble getting pregnant (I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome(PCOS) and that when we were ready to start trying to make an appointment so that he could start me on clomid. I took clomid for 6 months. The OB did a HSG test. The results of the test were that I had 2 blocked tubes. I was sent to a specialist. The doctor did a laparoscopy surgery. Thankful he was able to unblock both tubes. We tried clomid and all I did was produce a lot of cyst. We went through month after month of infertility medications, until our last option was in-vitro fertilization. My husband and I was very excited to start the whole process. I had my egg transfer on my husbands birthday!!!! I just knew that was a good sign. Waiting two weeks to find out if I was pregnant or not was so hard. I had tested the day before I was to go to the doctor for blood work. The pregnancy test had a VERY LINE second line. I was shaking and woke up my husband. I made him look at the test. He said he saw it. I went to work, but I told him to go to the store and get a test that says PREGNANT/NOT PREGNANT. That day at work was so long. When I got home I tested and sure enough it said PREGNANT!!! That was the best feeling in the world.

Three weeks later we had our first ultrasound. We didn’t care how many were there, just as long as a baby was there growing. Then the ultrasound tech said it was TWINS!!!!! It was amazing to see our little beans on the screen. We had an ultrasound every week until I was 10 weeks. At 10 weeks I was sent back to my OB. I had an ultrasound every month. Both babies were growing at the same pace. I had an amazing pregnancy. At 15 weeks and 5 days, we found out Baby B was a BOY and Baby A the doctor guess a BOY (later confirmed he was a boy). At 24 weeks, I noticed I was having a lot hardening of my belly. I went to the doctor and he said I had an irritated uterus (my uterus was thinking I was 35 weeks because of the twins). He took me out of work and was on modified bedrest. At 28 weeks, we went to Labor and Delivery. I was having contractions and was 1 cm dilated. The doctor put me on medication and the contractions finally stopped. I was sent home on strict bedrest. During my 29th week of pregnancy I went back to labor and delivery 2 more times.

On Thursday, March 13, 2008, I went to labor and delivery again. But this time the doctor could not stop my contractions. My doctor called a hospital that had a Level 3 NICU. On Friday night I was given my first shot of steroids to help develop the babies lungs. I was then taken to Oshner in New Orleans by ambulance. We meet with a high-risk doctor. He told us I would be lucky to keep these babies in for 2 more weeks and I will be in the hosptail until I delivered. Throughout the night and the next morning the contractions had slowed up. My husband left the hospital to go to work that night. My dad stayed with me at the hospital. At 4:00 pm I received my second steroid shot. Around 5:00 pm, everything changed. I started having stronger contractions. The doctor checked me and I was 4 to 5 cm dilated. I was in LABOR. I was so scared. I had the nurse call my husband to leave work and get to the hospital. I was given my epidural. The epidural slowed everything up. I was in labor all night. Sunday, March 16, 2008 around 7:00am in the morning the doctor came in and said they would induce me the rest of the way. I was exactly 30 weeks pregnant. At 12:00 pm I was wheeled into the delivery room. Within 2 pushes, Wesley Michael was born at 12:05 pm weighing 3 pounds 9 ounces and 16 inches long and within 3 pushes Timmie Joseph was born at 12:12 pm weighing 3 pounds 9 ounces and 16.5 inches long. Both boys were doing great. They were both taken to the NICU. Timmie was put on a ventilator for 12 hours and Wesley was on room air the whole time. Thankfully the boys just needed to maintain their own body temperature, gain weight, and feed from a bottle.
We lived 45 minutes away from the hospital and we visited the boys twice a day. Wesley came home on April 14 (only 4 week in the NICU). He weighed under 5 pounds when he came home. Timmie came home April 19 (only 5 weeks in the NICU). He was also under 5 pounds. It was the hardest thing in the word going home without your children. The first night I got home from the hospital I cried the whole night. Now that the boys are home it the GREATEST thing in the WORLD!!!!! The boys are 5 months old and are both healthy and full of energy.

Love,
Holly and Timmie

Can You Say Outnumbered?

2008-08-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

Chris and I met at our volunteer fire department in 2000. We are bothfirefighters (he does it for a living as well as volunteer). We gotmarried in 2003 and decided in Spring of 2005 we wanted to start tryingfor a baby. VERY soon afterwards we found out we were pregnant. When Iwas about 5 weeks I was having some pain so they did an early ultrasound- and saw one baby, and another "empty" sac. Two weeks later I had ascary episode of bleeding, at that ultrasound they found that there werenow two babies and heartbeats and another "blood clot" that couldn'tpossibly be another baby (against the odds). At 12 weeks we saw allthree strong heartbeats! We were immediately transferred to a MaternalFetal Medicine Specialist and the rollercoaster ride began!

Things went pretty well for several weeks. I was sick and very tired -but that was expected. The 18 week ultrasound told us we were having 3girls (given that we had 4 female dogs and a female cat at the time - myhusband was outnumbered in a big way - he only had one male cat on hisside!!!). At about 20 weeks I hit the wall. I had to start working 1/2days at home for my IT job. Luckily this was possible because I wascontracting. No working=no salary! At 24 weeks it was full days at homeand at 28 weeks I was fully effaced and was put in the hospital on bedrest. I stayed there till 32 weeks 2 days when I delivered (1/25/05). Wewere very lucky that they were perfectly healthy - they never had anybreathing problems or required oxygen or medications. They only spent alittle over two weeks in the NICU as "feeders and growers".
They came home one at a time - a day apart and it's been a wonderfulride ever since. They were born during RSV season so we were very strictabout not allowing visitors and even limiting family. It meant we dideverything by ourselves - but it was worth it - we developed a militarylike schedule that kept everyone happy and meant at least some sleep formom & dad. With Chris' schedule and my job's flexibility one of us isalways home with the girls - so he's a true 50/50 dad.
Now that the girls are older some things are easier and some are harder- but every day is an adventure! I am always amazed by their love foreach other - how protective they are of each other all the time - andthe bond they have. From day one they have never been able to go tosleep without each other. They also have a very hard time beingseparated from each other - yet they have such different personalities.In all - they are amazing!!!

Um, wait... what?

2008-08-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

My husband and I are some of the luckiest people alive. We got married in August 2007 and by April 2008 we had decided it was time to start trying for a baby. We figured it would take a few months so maybe we would get have some good news for our first anniversary. Well, we got pregnant immediately.... it was a little ridiculous actually. We were thrilled. A few weeks later, when I was about 7 weeks pregnant, my doctor did an ultrasound. Since the ultrasound screen was full of incomprehensible smudges, I spent most of my time watching the doctor as he deciphered what he saw. His face did a couple of funny contortions and, after the scan was done, we found out why. The doctor pulled us into his office and as we sat down he said, "I'm going to ask you a funny question, but do twins run in your family?" My husband and I looked at each other, looked back at the doctor and I guess our faces said it all: "Um, wait... what?".

It was confirmed at my next ultrasound when there were two little sacs and two little heartbeats. The last four months have been unbelievable, full of excitement and terror, anticipation and anxiety. I guess we should get used to it because, come January, we'll be parents to two little bundles of joy! We can't wait!

An adventure

2008-08-25T11:52:00.005-07:00

Two year olds require a lot of energy. Two two-year olds are an adventure, my house is always crazy and I love it! I am the happily married, full-time working, part-time grad school going mom of two and half year old twin girls, Delaney and Alison.

My husband and I met in college, during my sophmore year. We were married the fall after I graduated from college and two years later, we decided we were ready to start a family. I became pregnant after our first month of trying and was in for the shock of my life when at 9 weeks, during my first ultrasound, we learned I was expecting twins! Our life has been in high gear ever since.

My pregnancy was relatively routine until 27 weeks. My husband and I had just purchased and moved into our first house. I was excited to decorate the house and purchase things for my girls. At my regularly scheduled appointment, my OB discovered that I was dialated and in labor (news to me!). I spent the next six and a half weeks on strict bedrest, and delivered two beautiful girls at 34 weeks. Delaney spent exactly a week in the NICU and Alie was home after nine days. My girls were wonderful babies. They slept a lot. We were able to quickly get into a routine and discovered things that worked well for our family. I returned to work when my girls were almost 3 months old.

The best parts of motherhood for me are the relationships. I love the relationship I have with my daughters, the relationship they have with each other, their father, their uncles, grandparents and Godparents. I really love watching their personalities, likes and dislikes develop. Delaney is deliberate, careful, excited and sometimes bossy. Alie is curious, funny and adventurous. They love the Disney characters, princesses and "bad-guys", chasing each other around the dining room table, playing with baby dolls, coloring, playing in the pool, riding their tricycles in the alley, my little ponies and pizza. They are learning their colors and how to count. They recently mastered day-time potty training. Everyday they say something that makes me smile and every night, as I fall asleep I wonder how I was so lucky. It is awesome to receive kisses and "I love yous" from two little girls everyday. I love listening to the conversations my girls have with each other.

One of the things that has suprised me about motherhood is how much and how little my life has changed with the birth of my daughters. Of course my husband and I anticipated a shift in our priorities once we became parents, but I don't think you can ever fully anticipate such a huge change until you are parents. I think we thought that our lifestyle would change dramatically, not that we were huge social butterflies before we had children, but we were active. We are still active, we just bring our daughters along for the ride. Delaney and Alison are the most important people in our lives, but that doesn't mean that has to come at a huge sacrifice to who we are. Growing and experiencing things together is amazing.

For now, I am trying to enjoy everyday as it comes while looking forward to the future. I am so blessed to have my wonderful girls, my awesome husband and my loving family and friends. When my husband and I started this adventure, I could have never imagined this in my wildest dreams.

My Double Bubble

2008-08-25T11:44:00.001-07:00

My husband and I were blessed with a beautiful daughter almost 19 months ago and now we will be welcoming two brothers for her in late September/early October! Our road to a family had some ups and downs, but we definitely feel that there is nothing more valuable than the lessons we have learned along the way.

My husband and I dated for about 6 years before we got married. We both knew we wanted a family, so we started trying to get pregnant shortly after we moved into our first house. I was pregnant within a few months, and we were ecstatic! Everything was going great! We had a great house, my husband had a new job that he loved and now the pregnancy... Our joy was short-lived, however...On the same day, I began to lose the pregnancy in the morning and by lunchtime, my husband had lost his job. He had been 'caught' sending information to his father about opening their own business up. The doctors gave me no real explanation for the loss of the pregnancy - just one of those things that happens.

A few months later, we started trying to get pregnant again and were successful! Things were looking up - my husband and his father had opened their business and it was going very well. My pregnancy went fairly well, although I did have to be induced due to high blood pressure at 39 weeks. Being a mother was the most wonderful job I've ever had, so when it came time to go back to work, I just couldn't do it! Luckily, I was able to work for my husband out of the house for about 6 months while also taking care of our daughter.

During those six months, we 'accidentally' got pregnant again. It was a complete surprise to us, but unfortunately, my body must not have been ready for it and it ended in another miscarraige. We decided to take our time and not try again for a while, since the second miscarraige had been especially hard on us. But, God had other plans for us!

I thought that maybe I was pregnant again, but I didn't want to take a test or even mention it to my husband, since we were still kind of healing from the previous miscarraige. When I was about 2&1/2 months pregnant, I finally took a test and it was positive. We were cautiously optimistic, but I think deep down, we both were afraid to lose another pregnancy. So, we went to the doctor's for confirmation and asked for an ultrasound, just to make sure there was a viable heartbeat. The midwife that did the impromptu ultrasound admitted she didn't do them all the time, but that she'd be happy to do one to set our minds at ease. So, I hopped up on the table and she showed us that wonderful, fuzzy picture of our child. As I looked at it through tears of happiness, I noticed another fuzzy ball and asked what it was. She looked at it and said, "I think that's another one!" Another what?????

The ultrasound techs squeezed us in for a "real" ultrasound to confirm the 'double bubble' and sure enough, there were two babies, each in their own sacks with strong heartbeats. We were shocked, but thrilled! As the weeks went by, we found out that we are expecting twin boys and they are more than likely identical. The pregnancy has been pretty non-eventful and now, with only another month or so to go, we are so excited to meet our boys and for them to meet their big sister. We can't for our family to be complete!

I love My Little Dudes!

2008-08-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

I'm a Bostonian born and raised, and an English major to boot - so how did the word "Dude" become such an important part of my vocabulary? Well, at the age of 30 I moved to Los Angeles, fell in love with a California "Surfer-Dude" and it's been a totally radical ride ever since. We were together for 6 years before we got married. We always knew we wanted to get married and have a family, but my "Dude" just likes to take his time about things ... like proposing, LOL.

We were married within 6 months of getting engaged and started trying to have a family immediately. I figured since I was one of 7 children and none of my siblings had any trouble, we'd be pregnant in no time. How wrong I was. Instead of that positive pregnancy test I was hoping for, I started having spotting and horrible pain every month. I went through multiple ER visits, MRI's and CT scans and finally had a laparoscopy to be diagnosed as having endometriosis. They removed the endo they found and we tried again - still no luck. We tried Clomid, but that brought back my endo pain tenfold. We tried IUI and were thrilled to finally see a positive pregnancy test, but it was not to be - we lost the baby at only 6.5 weeks. I was devastated.

We met with our RE and decided to move on to IVF. I'll never forget the day the doctor called and said to me "Peggy - congratulations, you are very pregnant!" My beta number was really high and she told me she wondered how many were in there. I have to say, the Dude and I were a little nervous about that. Sure enough, at our 1st ultrasound there were 2 little sacs - but one was much smaller than the other and did not have a heartbeat. The Dr. said the second one would most likely not be viable. We were sad about our Baby B, but happy to have a healthy singleton to focus on. Two weeks later I had some bleeding and we went in for an u/s to check that everything was okay with Baby A. Well - Baby A's heart was beating just fine, and so was Baby B's! The second sac had caught up and we were suddenly expecting twins!

Now I'm only 4'11", so this was going to get interesting. I laughed when I met a twin Mom trying on Maternity clothes who told me to buy everything in extra large. Turns out - by the end even XL maternity clothes didn't fit. We bought a minivan with adjustable pedals - but I still couldn't fit behind the wheel and had to stop driving by the time I was 6 months. I couldn't stand up long enough to take a shower without getting completely exhausted, so The Dude bought me a shower chair and helped me dry my feet and legs afterwards. When I developed PUPP's at 8 months, the Dude helped me in and out of oatmeal baths to ease the itching. He brought me protein shakes in the middle of the night and should have bought stock in Mint Chip Ice Cream. But through all the discomfort and challenges of a twin pregnancy - we were so fortunate that I never had any real complications. I carried those babies until 37 weeks 3 days when we scheduled a c-section since the babies were both sideways and I was just huge.

Our twin boys were born on March 7, 2008 and were both healthy and strong and the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. I was another matter - my uterus was overextended and refused to contract. I lost a lot of blood and nearly had an emergency hysterectomy. Fortunately they were able to save both me and my uterus, but I was put on strict restrictions for 6 weeks. So imagine, if you will, 2 newborn babies, a mother who can't lift them, walk without assistance and who cries at the drop of a hat, and new father who's never been around babies and has law school exams coming up. Somehow my laid-back Surfer Dude held it all together and we survived those first eight weeks. He took on the night feedings so I could rest and heal. He learned how to change a diaper, burp, and swaddle a baby in record time. With a lot of help from family, friends, and a team of wonderful post-partum doulas, we made it through - and he even passed his finals!

Now our sons names are Teddy (Theodore) and Robie, both family names we are very proud of. For the first 3 months of sleep-deprived chaos, however, they were pretty much known as either "this dude" or "that dude". As in "Did you feed this dude yet?" or "I just changed that dude. I think." or "Dude - this dude just peed (barfed, pooped) on me!" or "Get that dude a binkie!" My family visiting us from Boston thought this was pretty funny. They are now unanimously referred to by family on both coasts as "The Dudes". The Dudes are almost 6 months old now and every day is an adventure. It's exhausting and exhilarating and I love those little dudes (and the big Dude I'm married to) more every day. I can't believe how blessed I am to have such an amazing family - my family. The family I was afraid I'd never have.

I also have to thank all the amazing MoM's on the Nest Multiples Board. Their advice and support through my pregnancy and as a new twin Mom has been invaluable. It helps so much to know that you're not alone - that others think and feel and go through all the same joys, fears and frustrations that you do as the parent of multiples. If Twins are IN, I hope all twin (or triplet, or quadruplet, etc.) Mom's find themselves a support network as giving and caring and strong as the Nestie's I've come to know. You dudes rock!

Good things come....

2008-08-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

Well, how many is it? That was our question when going in for an ultrasound with our fertility specialist. I had been seeing a fertility specialist for a few months after being diagnosed with secondary infertility. I had gotten pregnant with our first daughter, Brooke Olivia, pretty easily and she instantly became the love of our lives. When we began to toss around the idea of baby #2 it took very little effort before I became pregnant again. We were thrilled and Brooke was excited to become a big sister. She went to all of my ultrasounds and would pat my tummy and say "baby." Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended in an early second trimester miscarriage. We were heartbroken not only for ourselves but that Brooke had lost her sister.

When we began trying again, I was pregnant the first month but again suffered another devastating miscarriage. I sought the help of a fertility specialist to figure out why I couldn't stay pregnant. He put me on medication to help regulate my cycles and sustain a pregnancy. In two months I was pregnant again. This time we knew I had ovulated 3 eggs so the big question was..How many babies?

We were relieved and excited to find out that there were "only" two. We could handle twins but triplets may have been out of our league. I was extremely guarded but read everything I could about twin pregnancies. I'm not really sure if the fact that I was going to give birth to TWO babies and bring TWO babies home with me really hit me until it happened. I guess I just didn't believe that I was lucky enough to become a mommy again.

Although my pregnancy wasn't easy, I was able to carry my babies to term. Jared Michael and Jenna Paige were born March 31, 2008 and both weighed about 6lbs. I realized the moment they were born that everything I went through to bring these two gorgeous babies into the world was so worth it. They have taught me that sometimes the road to happiness isn't easy but it does work out in the end and good things are worth the wait.

Life with three kids can get pretty crazy sometimes but then I see the babies laughing at their big sister or her kissing them and teaching them something new and I stop and remind myself that this is all worth it.

A Dream Becomes Reality

2008-08-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

It all started 5 years ago, my husband and I lived together for 4 years and everything was perfect. In December 2006 my husband got in a tragic dirt bike accident which left him paralyzed from the chest down. The doctors were not convinced he would ever walk again let alone be able to use his hands. He stunned doctors when he has complete hand movement and when he took his first steps 6 months after the accident. Even though he uses his wheelchair most of the time we have a healthy active lifestyle.

The accident brought are relationship to a whole new level and in November 2007 my husband proposed to me in Maui, HI and we married in May 2008. We knew from the first time that we met that family was a important part of our lives and it would be a dream to start a family of our own.

When we first learned of my husbands accident we were convinced we would have to do IVF. We began meeting with Urologists who told us IVF was our only choice and my husband would have to have surgery to remove his sperm. We finally met with one doctor who was convinced my husband did not need surgery and there were other techniques that would work for us.

Soon after our wedding we decided to really start trying because we were unsure how long it would take for us to get pregnant. Well, 2 months later I had a “funny feeling” on Wednesday July 16th so I took a at-home pregnancy test and it came out positive. We were told we would have to wait 2 weeks before we could get an ultrasound. I began to have dreams of twins and on August 4th we went in for our first ultrasound and they saw two sacs one with a heartbeat and one without. We then had to wait another two weeks and we found out on August 18th that both sacs had heartbeats and our measuring on track.

Words cannot describe how we feel, overjoyed, thankful, scared, and nervous all in one. We are thankful that we have family and friends and with the help of this wonderful group of women there is no question in my mind that it can’t be done. I am prepared for good days and bad days but in the end we will be so thankful to have two beautiful babies. What once was a dream will soon be a reality.

The Adventures of A&E

2008-08-25T10:21:00.000-07:00

Like many young couples, my husband and I were excited to start a family. We wanted to time it just right so that I could finish teaching during a school year and have some time off with a newborn. When we started trying, we had no idea what all we would have to go through just to get pregnant.
We struggled with infertility issues for 20 months before finally getting pregnant. I have PCOS and do not ovulate on my own. We went through four doctors before finally finding someone that could help. It took one cycle of injectibles and IUI's 2 days in a row to finally work for us.
I am sure many people cannot imagine the pure joy I felt when I saw that positive test. By that time, my mission was to get pregnant and provide children for my husband. I felt like a failure being the one that couldn't get pregnant. I was a teacher and great with kids and desperately wanted a child of my own.
During that first u/s, we were hoping for twins. We kept saying we can be 2 and done. They did the u/s and sure enough.....2 sacs in there! We were so excited. (I was already so sick as well and my hormone levels were through the roof so we suspected more than 1). I was very sick for the first 4 months. I lost weight and had 2 stomach viruses within a month of each other on top of morning sickness (which for me was all day sickness).
I started showing signs of preterm labor around 22 weeks. I was admitted to the hospital where I stayed for 5 weeks on medicine to stop my contractions. I was told if I could hold out to 24 weeks, they would give me steroid shots to help their lungs develop. I was terrified. My husband was absolutely fantastic throughout all of this. He would drive to the hospital everyday after work to see me. He even snuck my dog in the lobby one day when I was really down.
I kept surprising the docs and making it another week, then another. During this time, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and went through the steps until I finally ended up on insulin injections to control it.
At 28 weeks (after 5 weeks in the hospital), my doctor decided I could go home and stay on bedrest. I followed their orders exactly at home and was determined to make it as long as I could. I was told after 32 weeks, they wouldn't stop my labor. Around 32 weeks, I was still holding them in. I was sent for twice weekly NSTs and saw my doctor once a week. It was a 45 minute drive (with no traffic) to see my doc. Each week was a bonus! Around 34 weeks, I was miserable. I was so big and uncomfortable that sleeping was almost impossible.
I went for my 36 week appointment at 36 weeks and 2 days.
Me at about 36 weeks

They had been keeping an eye on the fluid levels for baby A and they seemed lower that day. The u/s tech wanted the doc to check it out. I was also fully effaced and dilated to 1 cm. My contractions were 8 minutes apart even on the meds. My doc made the decision for me to go ahead and have the babies that day. Baby B had somehow flipped head down a couple days before (trust me I felt it!) so they gave me the option of how I wanted to deliver. I decided to try a vaginal delivery. Things went a little faster after that. I went over to L&D, got hooked up to the monitors, was given an IV of pitocin to speed things along, and got a dose of antibiotics for group B strep. I had a reaction to the antibiotics and started getting a rash and intense itching so I was given benadryl in my IV. Wow that stuff works fast!
I got my epidural, rested for a bit, then woke up and was 10cm. I did some practice pushing in the room then headed over to the OR (just in case). We soon discovered Baby A was having a tough time coming out since she was face up (OUCH!). I had a tear (arterial I think) and started losing alot of blood so they started moving fast. They vacuumed out baby A to try to find the source of the bleeding. As soon as she was out, baby B flipped feet first. The nurse did a quick u/s and saw it then said something about prepping me for a c-section (my biggest fear was delivering both ways!). The doc acted like she was crazy and said they had no time since I was losing alot of blood. They reached in and did a breech extraction for baby B. By this time, my epidural wasn't working well anymore and I felt everything. I also felt them stitching me up.
Baby A, Avery, was a healthy 5lbs 3oz and 18.2" long. Baby B, Evan, was a healthy 5lbs 2oz and 18.3" long. We were so relieved they were here and healthy.

I had lost quite a bit of blood (my blood count was 12 when I went in and was 7-8 after delivery). I was offered a transfusion since I was on the borderline of needing one and declined after they scared me with their talk of hepatitis.
Avery was jaundiced and Evan lost a little weight so they stayed 3 nights and I only stayed 2. It was so hard leaving them there but they were in the regular nursery and doing okay. Little did I know, I would miss having the opportunity to send them to the nursery so I could get a good night of sleep!
At my postpartum check-up, my doctor admitted he wasn't sure I could stay pregnant to 24 weeks. He said he honestly thought I would lose the babies or they would be born very early. He was amazed I made it to 28 weeks and 36 weeks was miraculous. I told him he shouldn't have doubted my determination (although you can't will babies to stay in there).
Those first few months are a blur now. I look back and can't remember how I made it through trying to nurse, pumping every 3 hours, and dealing with them on different schedules.
When they were 4 months old, my husband had to leave for 3 months of training. I was on my own with them for 3 months and that was quite a challenge. Then I had to sell our house and move on my own. We survived all that and moved to a new military base. Soon after, my husband had to leave for 6 weeks, was back for 2, then left for 6 more weeks. I never imagined being a single (but married) mom to twins. We have had our ups and downs, pneumonia with a short hospital stay, torticollis with some PT, moving with 6 month old twins by myself, living in a 1 bedroom apartment for a month to be closer to my husband, moving again to a new base, more pneumonia with breathing treatments, and teething. I can honestly say every single second of my pregnancy, delivery, and life so far has been worth it. My little 16 month old miracles keep me going.

Life in the military is crazy and life with twins is crazy but we do it and try to enjoy the adventures!

A very, very Merry Christmas

2008-08-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Our journey to pregnancy and parenthood started with me throwing out the rest of the birth control pills on Christmas Day 2005. At age 26, surely it wouldn't be long before we would be parents...or so I thought.
18 months and 4 medically induced periods later my husband told me I was pregnant on May 20, 2007. I have learned that a year and a half to struggle through (unexplained) infertility issues is actually not that long of a time, however as many of you know each month brings a flood of so many emotions and (for me) let down after let down of seeing no pink line. Finally 6 weeks after taking my last round of Clomid my husband asked me to take another HPT. He has been promoted at work and was moving out of state the next week (while I stayed around to finish out my school year) and he wanted to know. I, on the other hand, did not want to know. I was so tired of taking, and failing, test after test. So that blessed morning I took the test and he read the results. Sitting there in bed, I knew it was negative again. Eric was in the bathroom much longer than necessary to just look at a stick and see if there was a line on it or not. After what seemed like eternity, he literally bounced out of the bathroom singing, "You're going to be a mommy! You're going to be a mommy!"
Nine celebration filled months later I delivered two perfect, healthy babies on Christmas Eve morning (37 weeks exactly). I had possibly one of the easiest, most uneventful twin pregnancies ever and an absolutely wonderful delivery with my husband and mother there to welcome Kiernan and McKenzie to the world! Coming full circle, our journey to parenthood started on Christmas Day 2007 when we were able to bring home our 1 day old twins. The past 8 months have been full of more love, happiness, joy, excitement and celebration than I ever could have imagined. The stress and sadness from that dreaded 'we're trying' period seems like a lifetime ago when I look into the eyes of my son and daughter. A quick shout out to all my Nestie Mamas---thank you so much for everything! This online community of caring has truly amazed me. The support, knowledge, and advice from you ladies has had a tremendous impact on the mother that I am today. One of my biggest joys now is to reply to posts from pregnant and new mamas going through things that were so very important to me on my journey...giving back to the community that helped me so much!

Thank you,

Trina, Kiernan and McKenzie
www.totsites.com/tot/andersontwins

"You're joking. Seriously, you're pulling my leg, right?"

2008-08-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

Growing up I always knew I wanted to be a mom. I was never that girl who picked up every baby she saw at family parties, but I knew that motherhood would be a part of my life. I knew I would marry my best friend and have babies.

I did marry my best friend in July 2005 after 4 years of dating. One of Rich's best attributes is his love of children. He is the kind of man who has always wanted to be a father. We wanted to wait to try until after I became tenured. We started trying in June 2006. My hope was to become pregnant by September or October so that I could be pregnant during the school year and give birth at the start of summer break. At 29, I never thought we would have trouble conceiving, but we did. It's called unexplained infertility. After testing both my husband and me for possible reasons why we were having trouble, nothing came up abnormal. I was irregular, but aren't most women?

Every month that went by caused more heartache. It also seemed that everyone we knew was getting pregnant. It was not that I was unhappy for them, but we just wondered why it was not happening for us.

So I went on a mission to do everything under the sun to help improve our chances of conceiving. If you can think of it, I tried it. Of course I did all the things my doctor recommend such as monitoring ovulation and having intercourse every other day. Well, then I took matters into my own hands. I saw an acupuncturist for 6 months to regulate my period, I took herbs, I ate more organic foods, I charted my monthly cycle and the days we had intercourse, I tried different positions, I stopped drinking alcohol and caffeinated beverages, I cut down on my sugar intake, and I saw a nutritionist. After 12 months of trying, I began to lose hope. My husband never lost hope; he told me that he knew we would have a child. Our next step would be taking Clomid. My doctor recommended no more than 6 months. My husband and I decided to give it 4 months; if that did not do the trick, we would pursue IVF. Well, after 3 rounds of Clomid we were finally pregnant!!!

The morning I found out we were pregnant I was in disbelief. I became so used to seeing negative pregnancy tests that I thought this one was broken. We were on cloud 9. I was still in disbelief that we were actually pregnant. We went in for my 8-week sonogram to check the heartbeat. The sonographer just held her two fingers up. I knew immediately what she meant. Well, lo and behold, there were two tiny heartbeats. I thought, "You're joking. Seriously, you're pulling my leg, right?" I thought it was a mistake, but when I realized there were actually TWO heartbeats, I started crying immediately, not out of joy, but out of fear. I knew several women who were pregnant with twins and lost one. I knew there were all kinds of complications that arise in multiple baby pregnancies. I also weighed about 110 lbs, and thought, "How the hell is this body going to support two babies?" My husband was beaming. He was so excited, and I sat there scared and worried. That night was one of the only times I ever became nauseous and threw up. It had nothing to do with morning sickness.

After the initial shock, I was ecstatic. Two babies!!! TWO!!! We could not be anymore blessed…doubly blessed! I loved being pregnant. I was teaching high school English, and the students were wonderful to me. My pregnancy was great up until my seventh month. I only gained weight in my belly, and it was pushing down on my lower half. I could barely walk without wincing in pain. The rest of my body still looked like it did when I was 110 lbs. After a couple of visits to the hospital with contractions and a shortened cervix during weeks 29 and 30, I was put on Niphedipine to reduce the contractions and ordered to stay on bed rest. Bed rest lasted 6 weeks. It was very hard on me emotionally and physically. I left my career without saying goodbye to any co-workers or my students because I was put on bed rest during spring break. My body was already so sore from pregnancy, but it became worse when I was not getting any exercise whatsoever. My father who is retired moved in with us to take care of me. We credit him with the health of our twins.

We initially feared that the babies would arrive too early, but I actually had to be induced at 38 weeks and 5 days. My son and daughter were born on May 23rd, 2008, after a long labor and a grueling 3 and a half hour vaginal delivery. Both Quinn and Keira had to be vacuumed, and I almost had to have an emergency C-section for Keira whose heart rate dropped, but the vacuum worked in time. Quinn weighed 6 lbs. 6.5 oz., and Keira weighed 6 lbs. 12.5 oz. My small frame supported those babies much longer than any of us expected. (Thanks, dad!)

The first few weeks home with the twins were quite trying. The hardest time for me was the week my husband went back to work after his paternity leave ended. I had a major meltdown every day. We don't have help, so I am doing this all day every day until 7 when my husband gets home from work. It was also an adjustment going from having a career outside the home to being at home alone every day with our babies. It was hard because I have worked since I was 16, and now I am a stay-at-home mom. I no longer contribute financially and I do not have regular adult interaction each day. I have to say that I am TOTALLY over those two things. I make sure I get out at least once a day with the babies whether it's to take a walk, go shopping, get together with other moms, or visit family.

After the first month we now have a nice routine, and Keira and Quinn sleep between 8 and 11 hours each night. I breastfed them for one month, but it became too much. Doing the football hold with two babies is something I will never forget!

Everyone says, "You must have your hands full." Any parent with a newborn has his or her hands full. The great thing about being a parent of multiples the first time is that you do not know any different. For example, holding a bottle up to Quinn's mouth with my left foot, holding a bottle to Keira's mouth with my right hand, and waiting on hold with the pediatrician's office while looking up directions online is completely normal for me!

Keira and Quinn are almost 3 and a half months old. The babies are content, and their blossoming personalities make me melt. I feel like they've been a part of our life forever. All of the problems with trying to conceive, the stress over having twins, the complications with the pregnancy, the extremely difficult labor and delivery, the pizza dough-like belly, the stretch marks, and the initial baby blues are all worth it. Keira and Quinn are a double blessing (and double the trouble!). We are so grateful to have them in our life. I cannot wait to see what life holds for them.

~Erin Leland

Great Expectations

2008-08-25T10:05:00.001-07:00

Getting pregnant wasn't as easy as I expected and being pregnant was not nearly what I expected,. Being a Mom, however, is so much more than I ever could have expected.

My husband and I struggled with infertility; I was diagnosed with PCOS and we found success with injectable fertility medication and IUI. On June 21, 2007 I got my first positive pregnancy test, three weeks later we found out that we were expecting twins. We were blessed with not just one baby, but two!

Besides a bit of morning sickness and occasional fatigue I felt terrific. I never felt more alive than I did when I was pregnant. Knowing that you're growing two human beings who will change your world for the better is an indescribable feeling.

For reasons that we still don't know, I went into pre-term labor and was hospitalized at 19 weeks pregnant. It was one of the most terrifying days of my life...at 19 weeks, my babies did not have a chance of surviving. Seven weeks of bed rest and medication gave my children a chance.

I delivered Dylan Anthony and Cassidy Nicole on November 26, 2007 at 26 weeks and 1 day gestation. Born 14 weeks early and weighing 1 lb. 13.5 oz and 1 lb 13 ounces, they both came out of me fighting for their lives; they both came out crying. My daughter spent 88 days in the NICU and my son spent 80 days in the NICU.

I still grieve the loss of a "normal" pregnancy and delivery. I still struggle with the pain that my body gave up on them. As a Mom you will do anything to keep your children safe; I was unable to safely keep them inside of me. Dylan and Cassidy both experienced the "normal" ups and downs of NICU life, and my husband and I watched them through major growth and minor setbacks. Within the first 24 hours of life Dylan suffered a Grade 1 brain bleed and a Pneumothorax that required a chest tube. Both babies needed multiple blood transfusions from donors that I wish I could find to thank. My daughter and son struggled to breathe and fought to eat, they had to learn all of the things that most babies know innately. I watched my children have episodes of Apnea and Bradycardia. I watched them as they were intubated and extubated. I saw them turn grey, blue, and purple. Even on the scariest of NICU days, I saw them progress. I never thought I could have been strong enough to watch them hurt. I knew in my heart, that my strength needed to outweigh theirs. I read them books through their isolettes; I sang them my favorite songs; I told them stories of the world outside of the NICU. I spent their first Christmas and New Years by their side in the hospital. I prayed so hard I knew God would hear me.

Today I'm often stopped by strangers who want to know more about my children. They tell me "you sure have your hands full"; my response is always "full of love". I share their story often, so that people know that they are in the presence of greatness...that they are in the presence of God's work. The doctors and nurses at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ saved my children. They cared for them and loved them as if they were their own. They worked God's plan.I am the Mother of two miracles! I am the proud Mother of two happy, healthy, and heavy 9 month old children.

April Quartell Erck
Westfield, NJ

Twenty Tiny Fingers...

2008-08-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamt about being a twin, having twins, having twin siblings. I imagined myself having two beautiful girls who I could dress up alike and who would play with each other. Never once did I seriously think that twins were in the cards for me. I dismissed my thoughts as a mere fantasy that will never come true, since twins don’t run in my family, but it is always good to have a dream. While training for ballroom competitions, one of my favorite practice songs was “Twenty Tiny Fingers, Twenty Tiny Toes”, and as I was quickstepping to it, I thought with some degree of sadness that it will never be me.

***

I met Chris in my last semester in college. I was one of the two girls in a Computer Science class he was also in. Introduced by a mutual friend, it didn’t take him too long to ask me out. After all, girls in Computer Science are a scarcity! We started dating in February 2006, as I was waiting on replies from Computer Science graduate programs, and he was in his 3rd year. I never thought this would lead anywhere serious, but as we were forced to spend a year apart, as I pursued my dreams of becoming a Computer Science Professor, and he looked for jobs close to where I go to school, we realized we were meant for each other. We got engaged on Christmas, in 2006, and we were married in October 2007.

When we got married, Chris was only 22 and I was 23, he had just moved to a new state, was one of the first ones among his friends to get married and started a new job. He was very opposed to the idea of having kids right away, but I was obsessed with the idea! I wanted to have kids as soon as possible, as in a job I would never have as much flexibility as I have in Graduate School. He finally gave in and I went off birth control. We went on our honey moon in January 2008, and as shortly after our return we found out I was pregnant! We were delighted, but also petrified, because we thought it would take a couple of cycles off of birth control (as opposed to the first one!).

We scheduled the first appointment for 5 weeks and the first sonogram for 6. At the ultrasound everything looked good, the tiny white blob looked really good in the big black blob. Even though I was very happy that the baby looked healthy, I could help but be disappointed a tiny bit, that there was only one! Oh well, maybe next time we will get two, after all, no one has twins! At 11 weeks we had our next ultrasound. I was really scared of what I’d see, because I was terrified of having had a missed miscarriage. Well, as we were in the doctor’s office, she started doing the ultrasound, and I could see the tech’s face. At one point it became really weird, and she went back to her computer with my info. She asked me when my last ultrasound was, and after I told her, she looked even more perplexed. At this point of course I started freaking out: oh my God! What’s wrong with my baby! Then the tech goes back to the machine, looks at us and asks: “Did you know you were having twins?” My husband Chris became white as a sheet! He didn’t say anything for about half an hour! They told us that the tins were identical and that they were mono/di, which in itself brings a whole lot of complications, like twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, etc.

It took us about 2 weeks to get over the shock that we would be proud parents to not one but two babies! Now that I am 30 weeks, we are somewhat prepared, but really, as new parents, can you ever be completely prepared to care for two babies? All of my childhood dreams came true, even though I was not expecting them to. What I didn’t realize when I was little, was how much work goes into binging up not one, but two babies! As I read the stories of all the other ladies on the Nest, I think about how amazing these women are and hope that I can be half as good as they are. This group of women has been such indispensable support throughout my pregnancy, and I am sure will remain such as we clumsily struggle with parenthood.

Unforgettable Moments

2008-08-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

Six months, two weeks and three days ago my life changed forever! Our beautiful twin boys, Ryan and Owen, were born via c-section at 36 weeks and they have captured my heart ever since.

Zach and I found out we were expecting just 6 weeks after being married. We knew we wanted to start a family right away and couldn't wait to see our little baby's heart beat during that first ultrasound. Right away the technician stated "I think there are two in there." My heart skipped a beat and I immediately thought, "Two what?!"

After some further investigating there certainly were two little heartbeats strong as can be and the state of shock kicked in! We laughed and cried and laughed! An unforgettable moment.

Fast forward to 12 weeks later. During a level two ultrasound, it was discovered that the twins appeared to be at risk for Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. One baby was considerably smaller and had less fluid surrounding him. The doctor immediately started throwing out options like laser surgery and fetus reduction. I had never been so scared. Another unforgettable moment.

After talking with the nurse, bringing home some frightening literature and then "Google-ing" it we were scared to death for our unborn babies. Enter "The Nest" and the beautiful women I reached out to on the Multiples board. Many MoMs had gone through this and were filled with valuable information allowing me to catch a few hours of sleep that night.

We contacted our regular OB who referred us to a hospital 2 hours away with a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with experience in TTTS. He ordered weekly ultrasounds and modified bedrest for the remainder of my pregnancy. I was 18 weeks along. He then reassured us that it will be o-kay and for the first time we felt confident that our little ones would be o-kay. An unforgettable moment. We continued to drive 4 hours every Thursday to check on our little ones. At around 28 weeks we started going twice a week and my husband was always at my side.

Finally, at 36 weeks my OB decided to induce me. After 6 hours of labor, little Owen's heartbeat began to drop dramatically. They wheeled me off into surgery and both babies were in daddy's arms within 30 minutes! I couldn't stop crying when I heard their little cries and just kept thanking God over and over! The most unforgettable moment!

Being a MoM has many challenges but I would not change it for a second. I love the support I get from the wonderful women I have met on the Multiples board and consider them all my "friends". Though we have never met, we all share a connection that leads us to lean on eachother through good moments and bad moments and I am forever grateful.

Heres to unforgettable moments!

3 little train girls

2008-08-25T05:41:00.000-07:00

My husband and I met by total random chance a few years ago when we were both riding the same train. Suddenly the train stopped, and the conductor announced that we would be stuck for a while.

The boy sitting in the seat behind me struck up a conversation with me. I'm usually pretty shy, so I was surprised to be talking to such a cute stranger- he had spiky blue earrings and carried a skateboard. I found out he worked at MIT, where I was in grad school at the time.

After a little while, the train started moving again. He got off at his stop and I continued on to mine, and we somehow never exchanged names. That evening, I know I bored my sister to death talking about "train boy" and how I needed to find him again. About a week later, I was walking up the street in Cambridge and I ran into train boy. He blurted out "train girl!", to which I had to respond "train boy!". Turns out he'd told his friends about the girl he met on the train too. We exchanged names right then, and had our first date not too long afterwards.

Two years later, we were married. The tables at our wedding were adorned with little toy trains.

Not too long after the wedding, my family stared going through some tough times. In March of 2006, my sister was in a diving accident and shattered her C6 vertebra. She's been working hard at making progress, but there's still a very long road ahead of her. The following March of 2007, my father was hit by a car and pinned between a car and a building, dislocating his hip and shoulder and shattering his femur.

So it was a welcome bit of happy news when we discovered I was pregnant in April of 2007. My husband had been joking that it was twins, since twins do run on my mother's side of the family. I had an ultrasound fairly early, around 6 weeks, and we saw two little sacs inside. Ecstatic, we started telling close family that we were having twins.

Two weeks later, I went back for an ultrasound to check for the hearbeats. I knew something was awry when the ultrasound technician said "well that's odd". She called my husband over to look at the screen- I was of course convinced that there were no heartbeats. Low and behold, one of those two sacs had two heartbeats- identical twins and a fraternal twin, 3 healthy little hearts beating away. I started laughing uncontrollably, as I didn't know how else to react. Most people don't go to the doctor expecting to find out they are carrying triplets.

The first half of my pregnancy was largely uneventful. At 21 weeks, everything changed. At a visit for a routine weekly ultrasound, the doctor discovered that my cervix had shortened considerably and decided to perform an emergency cerclage. I was sent home on bedrest, which was a very big adjustment for me. I spent 2 months at home, sitting on the couch with my dogs and trying not to get too bored. At almost 29 weeks, I was admitted to the hospital as my blood pressure was creeping up. I managed to hold out until 31 weeks, 4 days, when my girls were finally delivered.

Today, Fiona, Hannah, and Maya are the 3 most amazing little girls I've ever met. They are crawling, babbling, laughing, drooling, smiling little wonders. We've been really lucky, and the worst we've had to deal with is a few runny noses and no real sickness.

It is a huge challenge, and every day is a marathon. I think I'm only going to know how to do things in multiples of three for the rest of my life. It's physically, financially, emotionally exhausting, but it's all worth it to see those three smiling faces each morning.

This spring, we took the girls for their first train ride. Someday they may come to appreciate the little twist of fate and broken down train that brought them into this world.

Uh...this is interesting.

2008-08-25T01:13:00.000-07:00

I always had the gut feeling it would take me a long time to get pregnant. I did not expect to need a surgery in order to do it. In July 2007 after a year of trying I was diagnosed with a uterine septum. I underwent surgery in August 2007 and in November of that year after 18 cycles of trying, surgery, acupuncture, clomid and numerous other potions and prayers we were finally pregnant.

We turned to each other in shock at our first ultrasound after hearing our doctor say, "uh, this is interesting." I said, "twins?" He said, "no, triplets." I wish I would have had a camera to capture the look on my husband's face. Thankfully we were referred to a high risk doctor for the remainder of my pregnancy because my babies might not even be here today without her early intervention.

Unfortunately we lost our 3rd baby between 9-12 weeks. I went into preterm labor at 24 1/2 weeks due to a funneled cervix and was admitted to hospital bedrest. I was given steroids to mature my babies' lungs and drugs to stop the contractions. I made it to 26 weeks, 6 days before I had to call my husband crying to tell him not to go to work that morning because our babies were to be delivered that day. My little girl had succeeded in kicking out the rest of my cervix and her foot was stuck in the birth canal. On May 8, 2008 Marshall and Cecilia were born.

My husband and I spent our spring and summer going to the NICU everyday, if not twice a day. My son spent 54 days in the hospital and surprised all the doctors and nurses by coming home in record time. The next 35 days would be the hardest of my life. Leaving my daughter in the NICU was heartbreaking. There were nights driving home that I would scream at the top of my lungs in my car. It was the only way to release my frustration. My daughter was doing so well with the exception of feeding issues. She just wouldn't take her whole bottle during her feeds and that was keeping us from being a family.

We finally convinced the doctors that we would be able to tube feed her at home and she was better off with us. After 89 days in the hospital we became a complete family. We brought our daughter home on August 4th. It was the best and the scariest day of my life. We now had our twins home!

Since that day Marshall and Cecilia have been keeping us on our toes and up all night. My daughter was able to get rid of her feeding tube after almost two weeks of being home. And even though we are exhausted and we don't know what the future will bring due to my children's early arrival, my husband and I are delighted we finally have a family.

Did you have them at the same time?

2008-08-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

Our adventure began back in August 2002. Tim and I met on a blind date -- we were introduced through family members (as I like to say, my aunt pimped me out to Tim's mom and the rest is history). Two years later and two moves across the country & back we were married in a beautiful ceremony on a rainy and crisp fall day -- 10.2.04.

We often talked about a family, but realized that we really liked our lives the way they were. We could travel whenever we wanted, go out to dinner whenever we wanted, buy whatever gadgets tickled our fancy. We decided to adopt a rescued golden retriever dog we named Tabasco. He became enough "responsibility" for us and we were very happy with our little family.

Fast forward to July 2007 when we found out we were pregnant. A.Total.Surprise. About a week after the shock of the pregnancy wore off we were laying in bed one night about to go to sleep. Tim turned to me and said "you know we're going to end up with twins or triplets". I asked him what prompted him to say such a crazy thing. He replied that with my family history (my mom is a fraternal twin in a family with several sets of multiples) and the fact that NONE of our friends have multiples, it would be just our luck to be the ones with twins. We would totally forget about that conversation until a few weeks later, when we had our first ultrasound. The dr. went in and found a little bean on the screen . .. and then said something I will never forget. "Here's your baby and here is your other baby". Um, WHAT?!?!? Tim and I just stared at the woman in total shock. I don't think we really said anything. She said it is always interesting to see people's reactions. Um, yeah. We told our families later that weekend and they were shocked as well -- to say the least. Tim is an only child and I have one brother -- needless to say, our families really didn't believe we would ever actually have a baby -- let alone two at one time!

The next several months were very difficult. I experienced 10 weeks of non-stop all day "morning" sickness. I so wish I could have been brave and gone through my pregnancy with a big surprise at the end, but we decided to learn the genders as soon as possible. We were overjoyed to learn in mid- November that "baby A" was a boy and "baby B" a girl. Woo-hoo . . . JACKPOT!!

We were still in for a very rough road ahead. I was placed on strict bedrest at 24 weeks due to a shortened cervix. It was very scary and I was not given a good prognosis if the babies would arrive so early. Thankfully, I was allowed be at on bedrest at home and spent the next 9 weeks in the loving care of my husband and dog (as well as our family & friends). I don't know what I would have done without all of their support during this time! It was a roller coaster from week to week. I was able to spend my time at home connecting to other MoMs both locally and across the web. I don't know what I would have done without their encouragement and advice!

My twins were born on Feb. 13, 2008 at 32 weeks 6 days gestation by c-section (the easiest part of my entire pregnancy, as I like to say!). Bennett Michael & Kendyll Samantha (their middle names are in honor of their grandfathers, Mike & Sam) were healthy and both weighing in at over 4lbs. The next few weeks were difficult -- both babies needed assistance with breathing and spent time learning to eat. Kendyll was in the NICU for 21 days and Bennett came home after 26 days (during the "Blizzard of 2008" in Ohio).

Bennett & Kendyll are 6 months old and you would never know they were preemies. We are so blessed and are enjoying our time with them -- even if we have to field random questions from strangers every time we go in public ("are they twins?", "did you have them at the same time?", "are they identical?"). I never thought I'd be a mom, let alone a mom of twins. Do we miss our old lives -- sure. But I wouldn't change our lives now for anything! We have made some sacrifices and I chose to return to work full-time. We are fortunate to be able to have someone come to our home to watch Bennett & Kendyll and although we spend more in diapers & formula (and now cereal & food) than we ever thought, we are so blessed to have our healthy family.

~~ Sara (Nestie beefsbride)
http://mommyoftwinsinwaiting.blogspot.com/

Triple Blessed

2008-08-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

My husband and I received the shock of our lives May of 2007. After 17 months of TTC we were finally going to be parents! We went for the scheduled ultrasound at 8 weeks and right away the doctor found two heartbeats, we were thrilled twins, but then the doctor kept probing around and found one more sac and another heartbeat. Triplets!!!! The moment I found out I was having three babies was one of the most exciting scariest moments in my life. Thoughts of how am I going to take care of three babies started to pop in my head, and then thought of how is my body going to handle a triple pregnancy was the next thought. I am my mom's miracle baby. I was born with Tetrology of Fallot ( a congenital heart defect), and underwent two major heart surgeries for repair by the time I was 4 years old. One of the surgeries being open heart. Any pregnancy would be high risk for me, but a being pregnant with triplets was even more high risk. I was the first case of carrying multiples that my cardiologist has treated. So along with the normal doctor's visits that are common among women carrying multiples I also had to go and see my cardiologist.
My heart did great with carrying three babies, but my pregnancy did not escape complications. At 24 weeks I went on hospital bed rest for a week, followed by 7 weeks of strict home bed rest for shorting cervix and contractions. At 32 weeks and one day I underwent emergency c-section to deliver my babies. Baby B's heart kept decelerating, and the doctor's needed to deliver her fast. I was given an epidural, but I was not numb fast enough, so I was put under general anesthesia to deliver my babies. I did not know what I was having before delivery, and was not awake at the time of delivery, so in the recovery room, the nurse had to tell me the sex of my babies. That day I gave birth to two boys and a girl, Aidan Patrick 3lbs 15oz, Tara Kathryn 2lbs 14oz, and Sean Joseph 3lbs and 8 ozs.
Immediately after birth my babies were taken to the NICU. Here they spent the next 21 days learning how to eat and grow. My daughter the trouble makers, was completely oxygen and medicine free in the NICU. The boys however, were on CPAP and medicine for a few days, and also went home on apnea monitors.

I thought having babies in the NICU was hard, but the real challenge was when we brought them all home. It was nonstop feeding and changing babies. Every three hours it was the same routine, day and night. Being a first time mom I did not realize how isolating it can be. It was almost impossible to leave the house with 3 preemie babies. The weather was awful this winter,and it was too overwhelming to even think about going anywhere with 3 babies. Finding the ladies on the Nest, was great. It was nice to knowing there are other moms out there going through the same challenges I was facing and could really relate with my situation.
The first couple months, actually the first 6 months of my babies lives were very challenging for me, but I would not change it for the world. See them all smile and interact is priceless and makes all of the stress, not sleeping, worth it.

Twins, again!?!? What are the chances?

2008-08-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

Our twin journey began when we went in for our first ultrasound. The ultrasound technician turned to us and said "Everything looks great, I see two heartbeats" Our confused looks must have said it all, she replied "Oh, is this your first ultrasound? You didn't know, your having twins!" I think that my husband was about to pass out and I couldn't stop smiling. Immediately the worry began, and still hasn't subsided! Now we had two babies to worry about. Neither of us had much experience with babies at all and now we were going to be responsible for two of them, we were so happy and excited yet so incredibly nervous. Aside from some morning sickness and food aversions, I had a relatively healthy and uneventful pregnancy until 31 weeks. I went in for a normal check up and they discovered that I was having contractions and would likely give birth within the next two weeks. This came as a total shock to me, I was tired and uncomfortable but I had absolutely no idea that I was having contractions. They immediately admitted me into the hospital where I was put on medication to prevent labor and steroids to help develop the babies' lungs. After almost two weeks in the hospital I developed pnemonia and needed to be taken off the medication. The next day, my water broke and I had an emergency c-section at exactly 33 weeks. On December 10, 2006 we welcomed our precious little boys into the world; Matthew Samuel 4lb 12oz and Chase Patrick 5lb 8oz! This was both the happiest and scariest day of our lives. Matthew was born first, the nurse quickly brought him over to us so we could take a look at him and give him a kiss before taking him away to the NICU. Chase was born next, a crowd of nurses surrounded him and he was immediately whisked away to the NICU. It was very difficult not to be able to hold my babies until the next day. It is a very strange empty feeling to have carried these two babies with me for 33 weeks and then to be left neither pregnant nor with any babies. Matthew was in the NICU for about 2 weeks, he basically just needed to grow and learn how to eat on his own and maintain his body temperature. Chase spent 3 weeks in the NICU, he had some respritory problems and some episodes of sleep apnea. This required him to wear an "apnea monitor" for the first 4 months of his life which would alert us if he would stop breathing.

After spending a difficult and emotionally draining 2 and 3 weeks in the NICU we were finally able to bring our little boys home! The first few months were difficult but we were so grateful and excited to have two healthy babies that we really only focused on the joy that our two little boys brought to us. Matthew and Chase are now 20 months old and they are just unbelievable! Everytone tells you how quickly they grow but I can't believe that these two toddlers are our "preemie babies". It is difficult to have two children the same age at the same time but I wouldn't trade it for the world. The way they "talk" to eachother and run around playing with eachother just melts my heart, I almost feel that mothers of singletons are truly missing out on something so incredibly special.

This past May we had the surprise of a lifetime! I was pregnant again. We weren't planning on having our children so close together but we always knew that we wanted a third child so we were delighted. After all, we survived the first year with twin boys. We figured one baby would be a breeze compared to raising two premature twins. Well, we were in for another big surprise! When we went in for our first ultrasound, I jokingly said to my doctor "Are you sure there is just one in there?". Well, much to my surprise he mentioned something about my "second set of twins".Yes, we are having twins again!! When we told our family and friends everyone thought that were joking. I mean, who has two sets of twins? It is just insane! We had to show everyone the ultrasound just so they would believe us. After adjusting to the good news, around 9 weeks into the pregnancy I developed the Chicken Pox. I was very lucky and did not have any complications myself from the illness however there was about a 20% chance that the babies may have some complications and/or birth defects due to the illness. I met with my doctor and a specialist several times after the illness and they advised me of what my options were. Basically, whether I wanted to have different tests done and whether I wanted to continue with the pregancy based on the results of these tests. We decided that we will not have any testing done and that we were going to continue with the pregnancy. So, far everything looks great. I just went in for our "big" ultrasound and the doctor informed us that we have an excellent chance of having a normal pregnancy. This was a huge relief, although complications can still arise we are feeling very optimistic. We are hoping and praying for the best yet prepared for the worst. We also found out that we are having a boy and a girl this time! We are so excited, happy, blessed and a bit scared! But, we can't wait to meet the "new twins" and welcome them into our family.

"Hmmmm, I think you're having twins"

2008-08-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

My husband Mike and I began dating in September of 2002 but had met several years prior to that since he was a friend of the family. We actually got together in a weird circumstance... he needed a date to a work function and was willing to pay me to go- unless I had a good time. Well the rest is history and we were married on April 16th, 2005.

We had said from the get go that we would have a baby. We had talked it over and we agreed that we wanted 1 child and we would be able to give that child all of our love and attention and we would never have to worry about being outnumbered, no arguing etc. Immediately after our wedding we began trying to get pregnant. I started charting right away to get an idea of when the best time to conceive would be and after about 6 months of charting and no pregnancy I had a feeling something was wrong. My Dr told me that it was all in my head and that I didn't need any testing now and that if in 5 years I still wasn't pregnant than she would start testing on me. I switched Dr's ASAP.

I decided to go to my PCP and after a few appointments with her she felt I needed to use clomid and wasn't comfortable prescribing it so with a bit of research we found a new OB I was comfortable seeing and she highly recomended so I made an appointment with them for the following week. After the first appointment and going over all my medical records we started with clomid right away. The first month was an anovulatory cycle however during the second month I got a postive OPK and my Dr had me come in for a follicle scan. As he's looking at my ovaries he tells me that I could have twins- he sees 2 big eggs. I joke around that if I get pregnant with twins, I will give one to him. He laughed and then told me it was just a slight possibility and that one egg was bigger than the other and he thought the smaller egg was just supporting the bigger one.

Well wouldn't you know 13 days later I got a postive pregnancy test.
When I was 8 weeks, 5 days pregnant we went in for an ultrasound and I will NEVER forget the look on my Dr's face when he was doing the scan. His face was all scrunched up and I immediately thought something was wrong and that is when he said, "Hmmm, I think you're having twins". I thought he was joking...he was not! LOL.

I had a very easy pregnancy up until about 31 weeks when I was diagnosed with borderline toxemia and was taken out of work. I was put on modified bedrest... at a growth scan at 33 weeks, 5 days my Dr was concerned that he would need to deliver the babies b/c Nathan was showing a decrease in amniotic fluid. I started seeing a high risk specialist the next day and she said that she would just do some additional monitoring twice a week and then if anything changed we would induce me immediately. Well the twins had plans of their own- 2 days later my water broke! I labored for 19 hours and the when my Dr finally came in and checked me he said, "I feel a head... I think you're almost ready to push." and then he said, "Uh oh". No one wants to hear those words after laboring for 19 hours. He then told me it wasn't Nathan's water that broke, it was Morgan's and she was footling breech and her foot was stuck in the birth canal with Nathan's head and I needed an emergency c-section. They were born within 45 minutes.
Nathan was born on Friday, April 27th, 2007 at 6:56am at 4lbs, 3oz and 17 inches long. Morgan was also born at 6:56am weighing 3lbs, 15oz and was 16 inches long. They were born at 34 weeks, 2 days. They both needed assistance breathing at first- Morgan was on the vent for 24 hours and Nathan for 6 days followed by CPAP for a few more. After that they were both feeders and growers. Morgan came home after 24 days in the NICU and Nathan came home 10 days later.

Our twins are now 16 months old and they are awesome! You would NEVER know that they were preemies. I love watching them interact with each other and the best sound in the world is the sound of them laughing together. It melts my heart each time they interact and show compassion for one another. In retrospect when the Dr said, "Hmmmm, I think you're having twins" and I couldn't believe it I could no longer imagine life any other way!

My New Year’s Twins

2008-08-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

I always knew I wanted to be a Mom. Growing up I never thought about what I would do as far as a career, all I knew is that I wanted to be a Mom. I met Jack when we worked together at a 7-11. We were married for about a year when we decided to start trying for a baby. Around five months later, we found out, I was pregnant!
Jack’s parents would always joke that we were going to have twins. There are six sets in his side of the family, and after four granddaughters, they REALLY wanted to have a grandson. For my parents, this would be their first grandchild and did not care either way. The day before my big ultrasound to find out the sex of the baby, we went to visit Jack’s parents. Once again, they both joked that we would be having twin boys. Jack and I told them they were crazy.
The day of the ultrasound there were so many emotions going through me. I knew Jack really wanted a boy but I was terrified, growing up with sisters I didn’t know anything about boys. As soon as the ultrasound technician put the wand on my belly she said to us “You know it’s twins right?” We were shocked. I remember walking around the rest of the day laughing hysterically and saying “Oh my God, Oh my God” over and over again. Later that evening when we started calling all our friends and family no one believed us. I don’t know why they thought we would joke about something like that.
My pregnancy was pretty normal until around 32 weeks when I went in for a normal check up and NST scan. My ob told me I was having contractions even though I couldn’t feel them he sent me to the local hospital. The contractions didn’t stop so they sent me by ambulance to a hospital about an hour away to a hospital that was better equipped to handle preemies. I was in the hospital for ten LONG days on bed rest. While there, I would have such strong contractions I was sent to a delivery room twice. Luckily, my husband was out of work so he could spend most of the time with me, at the same time my husband wasn’t working where were we going to get any money? While in the hospital I think, I cried every day. I was there for Christmas, I hated being there and I missed my family who was visiting from out of town.
After ten days, I had made it to 34 weeks the hospital sent me home because at this point I could deliver anywhere. I was so happy to go home to sleep in my own bed and to see my cats. It was also the day of my baby shower. I stayed at home on bed rest for three days only leaving to go to a doctor’s appointment. On New Year’s Eve, we went to our friend’s house across the street and had a small party and I laid on their sofa the whole time. Shortly after midnight my husband and I went home, I went to the bathroom before bed and the toilet was full of blood. We went back to our friend’s house because Jack had been drinking and needed our friend Tammi to be the designated driver to take us to the hospital. Looking back, driving to the hospital was pretty funny. We were in our friend’s new car and I was afraid that I was going to ruin the seats. Our friend Jack in the front seat kept telling his wife Tammi to drive faster and he and my husband Jack kept reminding me to breathe to which I replied that they needed to shut up because by then I was having REALLY strong contraction
I ended up having to have an emergency c section because I was bleeding and nobody could figure out why. My boys Sam Wayne and Max Crandell were born at 2:46 and 2:47 am New Year’s Day. Sam weighed 5lbs and Max weighed 3lbs 14oz. They were the first babies born in our county in 2008. The next day two newspapers and the local news channel showed up to interview us.
Sam and Max had to spend seventeen long days in the NICU; they were there just to learn how to eat and had jaundice. Leaving my babies in the NICU was the HARDEST thing I have ever done. I went to visit them every day and at the end of my visit, I would kiss them good bye, run back to an empty room the hospital had kept for me and sob.
Around four months old, their doctor thought that Sam might have some problem with his head and neck muscles, but now both boys are right on track, have started to crawl and are tearing the house apart! I quit my job to stay home with them, daycare is just too expensive and I love being a stay at home mom. I do feel bad that I can’t take them to Gymboree, or swimming lessons or things like that by myself because of their rules about there being an adult for every child. I hope they aren’t missing out.
Now my boys are almost eight months old. They have gotten so big so fast! Some nights when I go to check on them while they are sleeping I still and shocked that I was lucky enough to get pregnant with twins. I wonder if that shock will ever wear off, I hope not.

Triplets for me.

2008-08-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

My triplets are now 4.5 years old, it has really been a wild ride for us and I think that when I was pg with them was the start of the upswing of birth's and pregnancies of twins and triplets. Our story is much like many others on here. Dh and I had been trying to get pregnant since we got married, I knew because of my age and previous medical problems that I was going to need assistance to get pregnant, however we had to wait the required year in IL to start treatments. We started right off with IUI<>

I had honestly given up on getting pregnant, and expected a negative outcome of the treatment. Imagine my surprise when I got so sick at dinner at only 8 days past ovulation. At nine days I tested and it was positive. I was confirmed at the dr office on day ten. Three weeks later I was told triplets.

For a triplet pregnancy it was very uneventfull, I had a cerclage in at 11 weeks, mild/moderate bedrest following. The babies were born at 30 weeks and 3 days, and spent 28 days in the NICU. In the past four years we have gone through a lot but it was well worth every struggle and challenge.

our story

2008-08-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have been together for the past 15 years, three of them, happily married. In the summer of 2007, we decided that it was time to start a family. We bought a house and got the dog; it was time for the baby; besides my mother would not let go of the subject. Coincidentally, on her on her birthday, July 24th, we found out that I was pregnant. On my 1st Doctor's appointment it was confirmed, we were having twins.

We traveled to Florida to surprise my mother with her belated birthday present and long awaited wish. After arriving home from the joy of seeing my mother's expression at the great news, I had a message from my doctor to call him as soon as possible; I did. He told us that my progesterone level was very low and that I needed to take supplements; my husband rushed to the pharmacy and I started my progesterone treatment. Two days later, it was confirmed that I miscarried both babies. We were devastated but decided for a natural miscarriage not knowing that after the loss of my babies, this would be the most painful, hardest, and worst experience of my life. I was 8 weeks pregnant and was having full labor pains. I miscarried one baby on a Thursday, a week after finding out my pregnancy and the second baby 3 days later.

After waiting for a normal period, I was given the "OK" to start trying again. The first time I got pregnant on the first try; this second time it took us 3 cycles. On January 6, 2008, Three Wise Man Day, I took a pregnancy test and it came back positive. This was the best gift God could've given us. I saw my Doctor the next day and he confirmed my pregnancy. I started the progesterone and waited for a sonogram. During this time, Brian and I had a conversation about finding out the sex of the baby. Since I was positive I was going to have a singleton, I told him that the only way I would find out the sex was if we had multiples. And guess what!...it was confirmed. God sent us two little angels again!

My pregnancy was very difficult; I had complications with placenta previa and several bleeding episodes. During one of these bleeding episodes, our baby boys had to be delivered early on 07/16/2008 via C-section at 31 weeks. Baby "A", Gaven, was 3lbs, 3ozs and spent almost 4 weeks in the NICU. Baby "B", Christian, was 4lbs, 5ozs and spent almost 3 weeks at the NICU. They are both healthy and growing fast. We are so blessed and we Thank God, our family and the ladies from Multiples and Success After Loss boards from The Nest for all the support and prayers that we've needed and received during this difficult time. Now we are the proud parents of identical twin boys and I spend all my time feeding, burping, changing dirty diapers and pumping,..and I wouldn't change it for the world.

story by: Zeidy

How do you feel about twins?

2008-08-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

Some women just know they are having twins. The possibility of twins never crossed my mind. My husband, who is my best friend and soulmate, and I already had a 1 1/2 year old daughter together at the time we decided to try for our second child. We felt so blessed already, but we wanted to give her a sibling. We were excited and surprised at how quickly we became pregnant. A few days before our first appointment at 7 weeks, I started feeling a bit of panic. Had we made the right choice? Should we have waited another year? Would I be able to handle an almost 2 1/2 year old and a newborn? These were questions we had already asked and answered, but I was suddenly nervous again. When we arrived for our first appointment, they did an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy. My husband and I were both relieved to see our baby's heart beating on the screen. A few minutes later my husband grew very quiet as he and the technician studied the screen. I was starting to get really scared when the technician said, "how do you feel about twins?".

The news that we were having identical twins barely sunk in before we were dealing with the complications of a multiple pregnancy. There was a time when the doctors feared we didn't have a membrane separating our girls, which is a very high-risk situation. Luckily, they eventually found a membrane, but they do share a placenta, which is still high-risk. We have also dealt with a large subchorionic hemorrhage, which had me on strict bedrest for the remainder of my first trimester. We have needed the help of all our family to get through this pregnancy. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and neighbors have all helped out in caring for our daughter while I have been on bedrest. I am now 30 weeks along. Most recently we have been dealing with the fact that our twins are starting to have a large difference in their weight gain, probably from sharing one placenta. We are just hoping that even though they are growing slower than the doctors would like, they can keep gaining weight steadily for a few more weeks before we have to deliver them.

I am now a stay-at-home-mom with our 2 year old daughter. Before she was born, I worked as registered nurse in a surgical intensive care unit. I truly knew nothing about twins before this pregnancy. A multiple pregnancy is so very different than a singleton pregnancy. My family and friends have been more than supportive, but I know they don't truly understand what I am going through. I am so thankful for an amazing group of supportive women online who have been through or are going through a multiple pregnancy. These women have helped me with things like: finding the best twin pregnancy book out there, how to possibly find maternity clothing to fit a twin belly, tips on how to feed two newborns at once, and even things like how to manage bedrest while remaining an active participant in my daughters life. These women have given me the support and courage to switch doctors when my first doctors didn't have the experience I would have liked with a multiple pregnancy. Even though I have never met any of these women, I am thankful they are in my life. Their stories have given me hope and courage.

I am nearing the end of this pregnancy now. I realize that I will probably be relying even more on this group of women soon, when my girls are actually here. And as always, I am sure they will be there to offer suggestions or just support when I need it.

Could have remained a DINK, thank God I didn't

2008-08-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with a wonderful man and married him when I was 32. In my circle of career-focused, independent friends this was not late in the game and I wouldn't choose to live any part of my life differently. My husband is 4 years younger than me so 9 months into our marriage (in March of 2005) he was less than enthusiastic that I wanted to go off birth control but I mentioned that it could take months and not to worry - some stork wouldn't be dropping off a baby the following day. Oh how true that is for so many women.

We went about the anticipation of a "positive" like any other couples. We talked about names, discussed whether we'd want to be pregnant during a certain time of year, and started planning for the conversion of the guest room into a nursery. Over the 2.5 yrs it took us to conceive, these conversations happend less and less. It becomes too painful to speculate about these children I wasn't sure I'd ever mother.

Our infertility story is like so many others, years of planned intercourse, months of drugs, 4 failed IUIs and one successful IVF. Max and Luke arrived in May 2008 and my anxiety about how they got here has nearly vanished.
We could have remained DINKS (duel income no kids). There's something utterly liberating about vacationing in Vail with adult friends or buying that sports car for EACH of us. I would have been happy living with just my husband for the rest of my days. However, motherhood suits me. The joy I receive when one of my boys reaches for a toy for the first time or giggles his first giggle is beyond something that can be written. I can't wait until they can see the squirrel in the back yard or start mimicking daddy. I know there will be bruises from falls and cuts from ball teams but I'm ready for it all.

I never thought I'd be a stay at home mom but we're in a fortunate situation that allows me the option. And guess what? I took it! Even in this crazy economy where I'm paying $17 for a haircut instead of a $70, cutting coupons and buying generic, I wouldn't trade it for the world. By the way, this new job of mine is more demanding and takes more organizational skill than I thought I had. It's also the most rewarding :). I'm not familiar with the job of mothering one child but I'd never pass on the job of mothering twins.

Multiple McNuggets

2008-08-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

My husband, Charlie, and I were married in December 2003. We started trying for children almost right away. Each month I would wait expectantly for a chance to test, but each month I instead greeted an unwelcome monthly visit. I began charting. Everything seemed to be in working order, but things weren't happening.

After a year of trying I made an appointment to discuss my options. First there was an HSG, then a prescription for Clomid. Ever hopeful, I decided to wait to fill it until I started my period.

The day I was supposed to start was Fathers' Day. That morning I decided I might as well use my last test. It was a cheapie one, but slowly it seemed there were two lines appearing. Wait, two lines? Charlie was still sleeping, so I jumped in the car and raced to Walmart. A digital test. Couldn't wait. Official discovery of my pregnancy? Right there in the Walmart bathroom. I got back in line and bought my husband his very first Fathers' Day card. What a perfect surprise.

After waiting so long, Annabella was such a welcome addition to our lives. I couldn't imagine anything better, except adding more little ones to our growing family. It had taken so long to conceive that we decided to stop preventing just after her first birthday. I'd been nursing and still hadn't started having periods again, so I didn't know what would happen. Just after Annabella was 15 months old I finally saw another period. It was the first time in a long time (ever?) that I was happy to have one.

The next month I realized that I was a few days late. There was no way, was there? Another positive pregnancy test and we were thrilled again. It had happened so fast - the first month we were "trying." I started feeling pregnant right away. Morning sickness returned, a problem I had faced the first time around. This time, though, it was worse. Much worse. Twice as bad. I joked that maybe that meant there were two in there. Everyone laughed. Right up until the ultrasound at my first appointment. The tech pointed to the screen and asked, "What does that look like?"

Shocked doesn't even begin to describe the feeling. I won't say I embraced the idea of twins right away. In fact, I was upset. Could we do this? Emotionally, financially, exhaustedly - how would having two babies change things? Charlie and I fought. We were both feeling the stress of things. I felt guilty about what my daughter would have to face. What had I taken away from her? I read the warnings about twin pregnancy - high risk, bedrest, preemies, problems.

My pregnancy wasn't problem free, but I did manage to avoid some major issues. I failed my first GD test, but (just barely) passed the three hour. I was checked for pre-term labor and got the steroid shots, but moderate bedrest helped. I struggled with the morning sickness, the massive weight gain, the aches and pains that carrying 15 pounds of baby can cause. By the end I couldn't walk without wincing. Making it from the car in the parking lot to the doctor's office three times a week was serious exercise. I couldn't lift my daughter, couldn't reach to put on shoes, couldn't live my life without help every.single.day. Yet I am thankful for every day of pain that meant the babies were growing and thriving.

I made it to 37 weeks and 5 days. Seeing those two healthy babies for the first time was more of a reward than anyone could ask. Lorelei Bradley entered the world weighing 7 pounds and 8 ounces. Sawyer Patrick was right behind her, one minute later and two ounces lighter, at 7 pounds and 6 ounces. Despite some major blood loss, two transfusions, and an extra day in the hospital I was as happy as I could be.

What have I learned from being blessed with twins? I have learned to appreciate my family. The ones who let us come live with them for a week when the first week home from the hospital our plumbing decided to push things in the wrong direction. The ones who showed up every day to hold babies, to let me sleep, to encourage me, to feed me, to show their love. I have learned that laundry smells like a hermit crab cage when you leave it in the washer for days. I have learned that sometimes an episode of Curious George will appease a two year old and let you get babies to nap in peace. I have learned that everything worth having in life is hard work: my marriage, my children, my life. I worry about the future - about money and our little house that seems to shrink every day and insurance and keeping these kids as healthy as they started out and everything that pops into my head when I finally manage to get three kids in a bed and have a minute to sleep. More than that, I smile. I laugh. I feel my heart bursting with joy at just how lucky one person can be.

My support through all of this, my other "family" who I'll probably never get to meet, has been the girls who are all a part of this blog, of our board. As a mom to three under three, there isn't much time in the day to do things for yourself, but I always try to find the time to check in on the board. I see myself in others, whether through their struggles or successes. I've found a place where others can understand the unique frustrations, challenges, and joys of having two or more together. The obstacles of nursing and napping, the mommy guilt over giving more attention to one or the other (or the other!), the questions about strollers and cribs, diapers and cars, pre-term labor and how on earth you can get them to sleep. I'm grateful each day for my children and for the fact that without knowing anyone in my "real" life that I can talk to about these things at all hours, I can always log on and find someone there. Love you ladies!

Our Journey Through Life

2008-08-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

It really goes back to the day before we got married. My soon-to-be husband, Justin and I, found out, by home pregnancy test, that we are pregnant! We are thrilled. We had been together for 4 years, getting started on our lives together and happy to start a family. Nothing could be better! Our wedding went off without a hitch and afterwards, we told our families and they were nothing but happy for us, as this would be the first grandchild for both of our parents.

A week before my scheduled appointment, I start spotting. I was so scared. I didn't even know what to do. My shaky hands dialed the doctor's office and they let me come in earlier than my appointment. During my check-up they tell me that I am 8 weeks along and that this bleeding doesn't seem normal. They want to send me to get an ultrasound right away, but I will have to wait until tomorrow for the only opening they had. That night was terrifying. I tossed and turned and couldn't sleep, thinking of my poor little bean of a baby. He or she might be in trouble. I may not get the wedding miracle we were so happy about.

My mother-in-law took me the next morning and Justin was going to meet us there. I figited in my seat, rubbing my belly nervously. Justin arrived right before we were called back into the room. Panic set in. The ultrasound tech was nice, but seemed to know that they were expecting trouble. The instant the picture came up on the screen, a smile hit her face. She said, "Oh." Oh, what did that mean? A good oh or a bad oh? She said, "Ok well I see two heartbeats..." "Twins?", I asked. "Well....It's the thrid one's heartbeat that I'm looking for and, oh, there it is". TRIPLETS! What? I was expecting the worst and I get fabolous news instead! The bleeding was just implantation bleeding and everyone, all four of us, were just fine.

I guess my mother-in-law was expecting bad news also, because as we came out she had hidden all the magazines with pictures of babies on them. We told her everything was fine and I handed her the picture of the ultrasound as we walked outside.

She took one look and said, "Twins?". "A.....B.....C", I said. "TRIPLETS!", she screamed. That is how everyone reacted when I told them the news. My mother almost fainted. Then came the, "Oh, how can you handle three babies" and other comments like that one. I just knew in my heart that I could handle it. It just felt like taking care of my babies would come easy.

The rest of the pregnancy came easily, up until I was 27 weeks. I was working at a preschool- working 10 hour shifts and I was exhausted. On November 5th, I was the last one at the school, waiting for Justin to pick me up since we only had one car. I decided to use the restroom before he got there, and as I sat down, out came a rush of blood. Terrified, I tried to call Justin at work (he didn't have a cell phone). No one answered. Frantic, I called my mom, who lived about 10 minutes away from where I worked. She left in a hurry to come get me and I sat in the restroom and waited. So scared, alone. Finally, my mom got there and as she was helping me into the back of her truck, Justin pulled up. He was going to follow us to the hospital, since I was already sitting in her back seat.

I arrived at the hospital and was wheeled to Labor & Delivery, where they checked me and said I was 80% effaced and 1-2 cm dialated. They gave me magnesium and after a couple of hours the bleeding stopped and so did the contractions. The doctors decided to keep me in the hospital until I delivered. I was so angry. I didn't want to stay in the hospital. I was lonely and scared, but I did it for the sake of my babies. After a few days I was ready to make them let me go home, and I'm glad I didn't. Seven days later I started bleeding, AGAIN. Back to L&D I went, where they got the contractions and the bleeding under control again. Three days after that, on November 15th, I started bleeding for a third time and this time it wasn't stopping. At 8:20 am Anna Jeanne was born, at 8:21 Ayva Verlie was born and at 8:22 Justin Case was born, by emergency C-section.

They were all doing well, and were only on ventilators for 2 days. My world was so full of happiness. My three, sweet babies were doing good. As good as three, 11 week early babies could do. After 55 and 57 days I brought all three of my sweet bundles of joy home.

It was scary, and joyous, and overwhelming at times, but staying home and raising all three of them, is the best thing I've ever done. Right before they discharged the babies, they brought us into a room and sat us down. I was told that we had some things to go over about their discharge. Not the case. They were about to drop a bomb on our sweet homecoming.

The girls, Anna and Ayva, had a brain condition that showed up on routine ultrasound scans of their heads. It was called Periventricular Leukomalacia, or PVL. The doctor kept talking and it all seemed to fade.... I heard mumbling. I finally came back to earth and heard that thier brains were scarred. A part of it was less dense than the rest. It could mean nothing for them, but it could also lead to Cerebral Palsy. I burst into tears. They told me not to worry. That we wouldn't know anything for sure until they were around one year old. How could I not worry. My sweet girls....

We went home that day, happy and sad all rolled into one. Starting our lives as a family after 2 months of being apart was the best day of our lives, but learning that some day something bad could happen for our girls. It crushed me.

I tried to not let the news get to me. I loved my babies for who they were, not for what was wrong with them. All seemed to be going well, they were getting physical therapy as a precaution and for the first 8 months of their lives, I felt like we were starting to catch up.

On July 10th, 2008, Anna started acting weird. She was rolling her eyes funny and it really scared me. But after minute she was ok and I put her to bed. The next day as I was laying her down for a nap she started acting weird again. This time it was worse and I knew deep down in my heart, she was having a seizure. I was taking care of the babies by my self and I called Justin at work. He rushed home and my mom came over to watch baby Justin and Ayva while we took Anna to the children's hospital. The care there was so dissapointing. They barely even looked at her and told us to go home with an appointment for the 21st of July. I was not going to give up on my daughter's health so easily, and as her "events" became more frequent and more severe, I called the hospital and I made them let us come in the following Monday, July 14th. They gave her an EEG and told us she has something called Infantile Spasms. It is a type of seizure where the brain is "angry" and it prohibits them from learning the milestones that every baby does.

Two weeks later something terrible happened. Ayva started doing the same movements that Anna had. I took her to the children's hospital and they admitted her. This time our expierence with the hospital was much better and they took good care of her. On July 25th, Ayva was also diagnosed with Infantile Spasms. My whole world was turned upside-down. Thoughts of what-if's and what-will-be's ran through my head constantly. Thoughts consumed me. I felt as though something should be done, but everything was a wait and see game. We had to wait to see if the girls would end up having CP. We would have to wait to see if their seizures could be controlled with medications. We would have to wait for every answer we had about our children's health.

Which brings us to today. We are currently on medications for their seizures that are not helping. Next week the girls have follow-up EEG's and we will be switching their medications. As for the diagnosis of CP- we are still waiting. Hoping that day will come and go and be a distant memory in our lives. It pains me to see my children in pain. My heart aches for them. As I watch their brother, Justin, learn to crawl, talk, sit up and do many other things that the girls should be doing, I am saddened for my girls. They too should be sitting up, learning to crawl, holding their heads up and many other things that the seizures have taken from them. It is a struggle every day for all of us, but we are a close family and my husband and I have a lot of family support. It's not an easy life, but it's our life and we intend to live it for the fullest. No matter what happens in the future for our girls, or our son, we will take it in stride and deal with it as it comes. For I would not change one minute of those wonderful lives we created.

- Sarah (saucysarie)

The Support of Strangers

2008-08-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

After trying unsuccessfully for over 3 years to get pregnant we were told IVF was our only option. We found a wonderful clinic (Oregon Reproductive Medicine) in Portland, Oregon (almost 3 hours away from where we live). With their help we started the IVF process in April of 2008. Through my three years of trying and my IVF cycle I found great support on the Trouble Trying to Conceive board on www.thenestbaby.com. There were so many woman, just like me. Whenever I had a question, no matter what time of day I would post and get answers within minutes! The girls were so supportive and encouraging.

Our IVF cycle went perfectly. We ended up with 10 nearly perfect embryos, we decided to put two in and freeze the rest. On May 8th I had my first beta test, I was pregnant! I celebrated Mother's Day with my Mom, I was so excited because I was pregnant but so nervous because I had heard so many stories of miscarriage. On May 12th I went back in for my second beta. I'll never forget my call with Brandi (my nurse from Oregon Reproductive Medicine) she said "you are pregnant and your number is really good!" She told me what the number was and I said wow, that is high and she said "yes, it is." I said is that like twins high? And she said "yes, it could very well be twins." My husband and I were on cloud nine! As soon as I got home from work I posted my good news on the Trouble Trying to Conceive board AND the Success After Infertility board, I was finally pregnant!

In On Memorial Day 2008 my husband and I went for our first ultrasound. They tried the external ultrasound on my stomach first, there were very clearly TWO sacs. My husband says, "it's twins" and immediately pulls out his cell phone to start texting everyone we know. I told him to wait until we see the heartbeats (I'm a skeptic). As soon as the ultrasound tech inserted the trans-vaginal ultrasound wand we immediately saw two very small hearts beating away. We were indeed having twins! As soon as I got home that afternoon I posted on the Multiples board that I was pregnant with twins!

I am now 20 weeks pregnant with a boy and a girl. It still feels like a dream come true. I do have good days and bad, but one thing that has remained a constant source of support through my entire pregnancy is the Multiples board on The Nest Baby. We support each other through the hard days, the weeks of bedrest, the loss, through the milestones and all of the good and exciting things about having twins. We may not always agree on issues but we are always respectful in our disagreements. Although I have never met any of these girls, I feel like they are indeed friends!

Here We Go.....

2008-08-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

Where do I begin? All the background seems so long ago to me, so boring in comparison to what we have now. I met my husband in 1998, and we were married in 2005. We both wanted children, and like most couples, thought that as soon as we started trying, we would get pregnant. We were so wrong. After one year with no luck, I met a wonderful doctor who said, "Give me two months and I will make you a mom." After mopre needle sticks than I care to remember and a lucky IUI on 07.07.07, I was pregnant. The doctor ordered a blood test to confirm my pregnancy. My beta number was good (398). I had a repeat test 24 hours later to see if the number had doubled. It was over 1400. The nurse told us "It could be nothing, it could be multiples." For two long weeks my husband Scott and I both wondered what exactly was growing.

On August 1, 2007 I had my first ultrasound. I remember the doctor saying, "Here is Baby A".... and I knew if there was an A, there had to be a Baby B! We were both in shock then, and honestly, we are still in shock some days.

My pregnancy was pretty smooth. It was such a great time--strangers are randomly nice to you, you can eat tons of food, and you can get back rubs all the time! As a nurse, I work long shifts that are physically demanding, so I was not too surprised when, at 28 weeks, I went into preterm labor and was told to spend the rest of my pregnancy on the couch. As my stomach grew bigger, and bigger I still could not believe that there were two babies inside. It blew my mind that twenty little toes were wiggling in there. I still can't understand how they both fit in there!

On March 5, 2008 Mackenzie Grace and Alexander James were born. It was the most intense, amazing moment of my life. I can not imagine anything else ever comparing to it. When I was wheeled into the OR and saw two isolettes there, I realized, for the first time how real this was. I was going to be a mom to TWO children!!! Both babies were healthy and we were able to take them home less than 48 hours later.

As a twin parents, Scott and I think of everything in twos: Make two bottles! Grab two bibs! Find two pacifiers! Like any other parents, we get exhausted, but we also have two extra arms to cuddle us, and two cute little mouths to smile at us.

I can honestly say, I love my life. Sure, I would love to fit back into my old jeans and I would love to be financially comfortable. But I would so much rather start each day listening to Alex and Kenzie babbling away in their nursery, watch them look amazed as they play with their hands, sniff that sweet baby smell, feel their silky soft hair. I never knew life could be this good.

Of loss and love... my journey to twin motherhood.

2008-08-23T17:32:00.000-07:00

My story is one that reflects the "darker underside" of twin mania... the very real risks that exist that are easy to overlook when we see celebrities posing with their adorable newborns. I became pregnant with twins after my first IVF, in the fall of '05. My husband and I were ecstatic- and only grew more so when we learned we would have a boy and a girl.

The first five months of my pregnancy were remarkably easy- marked by our growing excitement and my expanding waistline. Shortly after Christmas, our world came crashing down. With no warning, my cervix dilated and one of the sacs bulged through. We had no choice but to deliver two perfect, tiny, and tragically lifeless babies- Carynne and Lucas. I held them in my arms and marveled at their perfection, tears streaming down my cheeks. I asked myself what I had done wrong, how I would survive, and if I would ever be able to move forward. And in that darkest hour, I found my strength. I knew love and I knew God in a way that I never had before... and told myself that Carynne and Lucas' legacies would be love, hope, and strength- not sadness, tears, and regret.

And with this love as our guiding force, my husband and I did move forward. We faced countless other challenges in our struggles with infertility. We wondered whether we should give up, whether our chance to conceive and bear our biological children had been lost. But that love drove us forward.

A year later, we conceived again. Twins. Once again, a boy and a girl. I underwent invasive surgery to allow my body to successfully carry this risky pregnancy to term. Four months were spent on modified bed rest, each day bringing us a step closer for the children we so longed for.

At 34.3 weeks, our children were born. First Julien, a feisty baby boy who we affectionately call "Bubba". Then Isabelle, a more observant and gentle soul who seems to possess the wisdom of the ages, even at her young age. They were healthy, and my husband and I truly felt as though we had been blessed with two miracles.

People often ask me now if it is hard, if raising twins is exhausting. Of course it is, but not a day goes by that I do not feel blessed by the challenges these babies bring to my life. My joy in having this opportunity to parent them is indescribable - and I often think to myself, "my life belongs to these children, and I am the luckiest woman in the world to have the opportunity to mother them".

My twins- both sets- have inspired me to embrace love in my life in all its scary, wonderful, overwhelming forms. Without Carynne and Lucas, I might never have known the strength that lies within my spirit, within the love of my family, and within the love of God. Julien and Isabelle's lessons to me continue each and every day... but above all, they have taught me to approach life with a profound sense of gratitude for the joy and challenge that are inherent in loving as fiercely as I do my miracle children.

Tadertots…a story of infertility, a high risk pregnancy, and life with our beautiful twin boys born at 32w 4d.

2008-08-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

At 28, I never imagined I would be sitting in a reproductive endocrinologists’ office listening to a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. They just didn’t know what was wrong. But we’d need to try artificial insemination to get pregnant. We had one shot, and then we’d try IVF. Because we were paying out of pocket, we gave it everything we had.

At the first ultrasound at 7 weeks, I told the RE, “You promised us it wouldn’t be a litter.” She said “You’re going to jinx us…it’s not one baby, it’s twins.” I cried. I was scared, happy, amazed, nervous; a thousand feelings in one.

The pregnancy was uneventful until 28 weeks. Everything was great. I was tired, but I continued teaching. Then, in the middle of the night I woke up in a pool of blood. I couldn’t speak on our way to the hospital. I thought we had lost them.

I was put on bedrest. No explanation for what had happened. Everything looked OK. At 32w I started bleeding again…just a little this time. They admitted me to the hospital. That night, I bled everywhere, and began a fight for us all.

For four days they tried to keep me from delivering. At 32w 4d, I began bleeding profusely. When they put me on monitors, they found out baby B was almost gone. They rushed me to the OR and cut me open before I was even asleep. My placenta had abrupted. My boys came into the world fighting, and were rushed to the NICU.

For 2 days I couldn’t even see them. They spent 4 weeks in the NICU. Even to this day we deal with motor delays, with weight gain. I never knew being a mother of multiples could be so hard. I never knew it could be so beautiful either. I’ve amazed myself. Breastfeeding my boys (still going) and becoming a milk donor. Meeting women on a message board from around the US and supporting them in their journeys. Starting a blog that has taken off and connects me to the world as a whole.

This experience, this journey, has been worth every minute.

taterbaby.blogspot.com

Discovering A Twin Pregnancy... And Myself

2008-08-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

At 28 years old, with a successful career in sales, I found myself feeling unfulfilled. In a fantastic marriage with a great life, I really thought the answer lied in finding "more" in my career. Without a plan, I quit my job and decided to find myself and my path.

I interviewed with companies in a variety of industries, I took courses, read books, compiled research- all in my quest for fulfillment. And then one day, it happened. I almost threw up at the smell of a dirty rag... Mmmm... I couldn't be pregnant, after all, I was planning a new and exciting career and was very close to being offered a job. This was not in MY PLAN. I ran out for a pregnancy test and it was true, I was going to be a mom...gulp!

I started to adjust to the idea that I was pregnant when, a week later, I was offered the job that I was hoping for. I decided to take it... I was so early in my pregnancy, anything could happen. Four weeks into my new job, I went for my first ultrasound and was shocked to see what was next....

Two perfect little babies- two- twooooooooooooooooooo?????- yes, two. That also was NOT in MY PLAN!!! Looking back, I think it was at this point that my plan went out the window!!! A week after learning we were having twins, celebrating and telling anyone who would listen, we were back at the clinic to look for a membrane separating the twins. We had no idea what this membrane was for, or why it was important, we were too busy realizing that we had NO plan.

The second ultrasound was also unable to locate a membrane. The technician simply told us that there was no membrane which meant that our twins were monoamniotic and we should not go on the internet to look this up.

We immediately went home to get on the internet to look up what we believed to be no big deal- so there was no membrane... Imagine our shock and terror to find out that this was a very serious diagnosis and to find that statistically, 50% of monoamniotic pregnancies end in one, or both babies not surviving.

I cried for two weeks... I did not know HOW I would take care of two babies, WHO they would grow up to be, HOW we could even afford them yet, I could NOT live without them- I already loved them so much!!

My family phoned but did not know what to say- we were on eggshells for two weeks when finally, an appointment at the high-risk specialist made our dreams come true: they found a membrane. Our twins were not monoamniotic! There were new risk factors but none as great an the original diagnosis.

I felt like God was reminding us that this pregnancy is a gift to be appreciated in so many ways. The gift of these two precious babies, the gift of appreciation for the miracles in life and for me, the gift of purpose and presence.

I am no longer looking for the fulfillment that is so obviously present in my life. I am now present in my life.

The journey has been crazy. I am at home on sick leave. I spend long hours lying down, reading, watching Oprah :) and waiting for my babies to be born but... with every kick I feel, I am reminded that God's plan for me is so much bigger than the plan I was making for myself. I smile because I know that my search for fulfillment has brought me to a place that I would not have found alone. I am letting my life happen to me and I've never, ever, been happier.

My two boys began to impact my life in profound ways the minute I found out I was pregnant. I can't wait to see where this journey takes our family next.

Starting 2008 off with a bang

2008-08-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

I met my husband in June, 2000. After our 1st date (and getting violently ill from lingering food poisioning) I turned to my roomate at the time and told her I'd just met the man I was going to marry. After many ups and downs, break-ups and make-ups, we got married on August 7, 2005. I was 28, Matt was 33. We decided to wait a year to start trying for kids - we wanted to travel, spend time together, and just enjoy being married to each other. About 8 months later I was ready - I didn't want to wait the year and Matt agreed. I went off birth control and we started trying. Every month I would get my hopes up, and then nothing. A few months later I heard about charting. I started trying that - nothing. I started using Ovulation Predictor Kits - nothing. We tried that way for a year. Every month getting excited, every month having my hopes dashed. After a year I went back to my OB/GYN. He was suprised that it hadn't "happened" for me yet and referred me to a Reproductive Endocrinologist.

We met with our RE in November 2006. The first few months were filled with tests - bloodwork, sperm analysis, ultrasounds. The whole time the RE kept telling us we see some issues, but nothing to make us think this will be impossible. We tried 3 cycles of Interuterine Insemination (IUI). Each time we got our hopes up again, each time they were systematically dashed. By the end, I was starting to feel as if someone, somewhere was telling me I was not meant to be a mom.

After 3 failed IUIs we met again with the RE. He suggested we go straight to IVF...it was the best option with the highest success rate he reasoned. We were lucky. My insurance covered it. We went to IVF.

I was so scared. I hated needles. I couldn't imagine having to inject myself up to three times a day. And, not to mention the Progesterone shots that would have to continue for at least 8 weeks if this worked. I didn't know if I could handle it. However, I got through it with the help of Matt (who was excellent at giving shots!). On the day of my Egg Removal we got 34 eggs!!! My RE couldn't believe it. And, they were good eggs - 29 of them fertilized. We ended up with a 5 day transfer of two blastocysts, and we still had 7 embryos thriving that were able to be frozen.

On the day of my transfer Matt looked at me. "It's going to work" he said. "It's going to work. We're going to have twins and we're going to have a boy and a girl." I laughed at him. "Yeah right," I responded. "We couldn't be that lucky." Well, for once we were that lucky. We found out a couple of weeks later it was twins and at our level II ultrasound we found out that Matt was right - we were having a boy and a girl.

My pregnancy was really easy until week 14 - Matt was away in Minnesota on work and it was the day before I had to go back to teaching. I went to get ready for bed and noticed I was bleeding. I called my OB and he said come to the hospital. Hysterically crying, I drove myself. This scene repeated itself weekly for the next 4 weeks. I was taken out of work, put on bedrest, and finally found out it was a subchorionic bleed. Finally my doctor cleared me to go back to work around week 18. I was hoping to stay working until the middle of January. My babies had another idea all together.

On Dec. 12 I went for a routine visit to my OB. There I was told my cervix had shortened, I was dialating and becoming effaced. I was done working. I was allowed to go in the next day to get things together in my classroom, but other than that I was on bedrest. They still thought I could carry these babies for a while, but we needed to take precautions. I started bedrest on the 13th. It seemed to be working, the babies were still "cooking".

Then in the early hours of New Years Eve '08 ( I was 31weeks, 1 day) I kept waking up. I kept feeling like I had to go to the bathroom. At 3:15 AM I once again made the trek from my bed to the neighboring bathroom. Just as I was finishing up I felt a large warm gush down my leg. At first I thought I had just peed in my pants but then I realized my water had broken. I hollered for Matt, called the OB and rushed around to get ready to go to the hospital. We left the house so quickly we forgot our camera - I didn't even have a bag packed! We got to the hospital. They checked me and confirmed that my water had broken. My contractions were coming hard and they told me that they had no other option but to deliver these babies now. I HATED my delivery. I cried through the whole thing. Still to this day I can't watch a "normal" delivery without tearing up. I didn't want these babies now, they had to stay in longer.

At 6:53 AM Abigail Rose was born weighing 3lb 1oz, one minute later Benjamin Harris was born weighing 3lb 13oz. They were both rushed to NICU. Ben was having difficulties breathing and Abby was so small.

Abby at 12 hours old Ben at 12 hours old

Ben had to stay in NICU for 6 weeks and Abby for 7 1/2 weeks. Finally, on February 22, 2008 they were both home and my life was finally able to begin.

They are now almost 8 months old. The past 8 months have not been the glamour and glitz that you see on TV. I had a very hard time bonding with them, dealt with bad post-partum depression, and contantly felt overwhelmed. It was having a group such as the Multiples Group on the Nest that got me through it. The ladies here know what I have been through, and have gone through it themselves. My friends have all had singletons, and while they're great resources for some things, raising twins is a completely different world. I love my babies...I wouldn't trade them for the world, but it's been a tough year!!! But, this is my life now...they are my life now and these two little faces smiling up at me when I get them out of bed in the morning makes it all worthwhile.