36 Weeks Pregnant with Twins

per whattoexpect.com

Forget your aching back (and everything else!) by trying to focus on your baby, who is now about six pounds and 20 inches long. Growth will experience a slowdown now, both so your baby will be able to fit the narrow passageway to the outside and also so he or she can store up all the energy needed for delivery.

Fetal Skull and Bones
At 36 weeks pregnant, the skull bones are also not fused together yet so that the head can easily (well, relatively easily) maneuver through the birth canal. And your baby’s skull isn’t the only soft structure in his or her little body. Most of your baby’s bones and cartilage are quite soft as well (they’ll harden over the first few years of life) — allowing for an easier journey as your baby squeezes through the birth canal at delivery.

Baby’s Digestion Still Needs to Catch Up
By now, many of your baby’s systems are pretty mature, at least in baby terms — and just about ready for life on the outside. Blood circulation, for instance, has been perfected and your baby’s immune system has matured enough to protect him or her from infections outside the womb. Other systems, however, still need a few finishing touches. Once such notable example: digestion — which actually won’t be fully mature until sometime after birth. Why’s that? Inside his or her little gestational cocoon, your baby has relied on the umbilical cord for nutrition, meaning that the digestive system — though developed — hasn’t been operational. So your baby will take the first year or two to bring that system up to speed.

Bump 36w2d

Holy geez…look at this thing.

Some rare bare belly shots…belly button is hanging on by a thread.

NST – 36w0d

These appointments really are uneventful.  Which is great!  The exciting news is my blood pressure was 120/72.  Apparently my body likes working from home.  The babies looked great.  Strong heartbeats and moving around like little ninjas.

Doctor’s appointment 36w2d

Total Weight Gain – +38 lbs (yep, lost a few lbs).  1st BP 128\90  2nd BP  134\94  Trace positive for protein

Babies sound great on the Doppler.  And I had my first cervical check.  Nothing going on in there.  Nada.  These Beans are staying put forever.

What happens when you brag about your awesome blood pressure from your NST appointment?  You earn another trip to Labor & Delivery!

Funny…this was the best I felt all week.  But the doctor didn’t like way my BP looked, combined with the trace positive reading on my urine protein.  And the puffy, Mama June face I was apparently sporting, sealed the deal for me.

Same thing as last time.  They hooked me up to monitors, took some blood and got a BP reading every 15 minutes.  Of course my BP calmed down (even dipping to 96/68 right after my blood draw) but the blood work & urine culture came back weakly positive for protein.  It’s not at any alarming levels but was high enough to win me this coveted prize:

That ain’t OJ, boys and girls.  That would be a jug to collect my urine for 24 hours.  They want to get a better reading on the protein and this is the best way to do it.  YAY!

How I’m feeling

I’m at a whole new level of miserable.  This week I hit a brick wall.  Remember that girl who looooooved being pregnant?  Well she’s been squished by 93 lbs of babies that are super comfy in her uterus and have no intention on coming out.  Ever.  I try to keep reminding myself that I’ve had an amazingly, wonderfully easy pregnancy.  But those glory days are a distant memory at this point.

I’m achy, sore, beaten, bruised and exhausted.  Whaaaaaa!  Let’s complain with some bullet points for clarity.

*  I complained about my knees before. Oh to go back to that level of pain would be a dream.  I know how Nancy Kerrigan felt.

*  If I stand for more than 2 minutes, my feet and ankles look like a busted can of biscuits. Swelling is out of control.  Pregnancy is sexy, eh?

*  My back is all jacked up.  Mostly between my shoulder blades but a bit of mid/lower back pain shows up now and then.

* Cramps continue pretty much all day.  It’s like a combo of menstrual cramps and gas pains. All along my lower belly, pelvis and down my legs.

* Braxton Hicks all day.  Pretty much any time I stand and move around a lot.  I took Jacob on a 15 minute walk and the whole thing was one big contraction.

*  My bones ache.  In particular my femurs.  And my hips.  And my phalanges (that would be the bones of the hands and feet)

*  These Beans have dropped a ton.  They are super low and I’m having a ton of pelvic pressure.  When I sit down to pee, it feels like they’re gonna fall out.  Yes, I know that can’t really happen (well, actually, it can…but it won’t with me.)

*  Carpal tunnel sucks.  My right hand is really bad with 3 fingers that never have any feeling.  I can’t really make a fist, between the pain and the swelling.  And my left thumb has zero strength…I can’t even pull off my socks!

But the babies are doing great…and that’s the most important hing. Making it past 36 weeks with twins is pretty kick ass.  I kinda feel like a rockstar.  An old, crusty, beat up Mick Jagger.  That’s me.

Mood

I’m GROUCHY of epic proportions.  I apologized to Jerry for being such a pill and he said I’ve been “just fine”…which I appreciate because I feel really bad that I’m a crankypants.  He’s a peach.  I’m just pretty moody overall…kind of like a Dr. Jekyll and Jenny Hyde.

Sleep

Sleep is so stupid right now. I’ve taken Unisom a couple of times and it helps me make it through the night.  But it’s crappy sleep where I wake up every hour and don’t feel like I ever really hit a deep slumber.  And I’m exhausted all day long.

Random Thoughts/Observations/Stuff

*  I have all of my remaining doctors appointments scheduled.  I have ONE NST, ONE ob checkup and ONE more ultrasound. Hopefully.  Please cooperate, Beans.  I’d really like to bust you out before May.

*  Look what Jerry bought me for my birthday / push present!

a) how did even know what a “push present” was? b) I kinda thought the “push present” would be our babies.  Doesn’t matter…I love it!  And I can’t wait to start practicing with two teeny little models.

*  Trying to keep my eye on the prize.