(19) Snickers out - M&M’s in!

 As the days turn into weeks and my belly grows bigger and bigger, I can’t help but to reflect back to when I was pregnant with my own children.  It was a very long time ago, when I was young and invincible.  I didn’t care that much about what I was eating.  As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure I got really drunk on Margaritas before I even knew I was pregnant with my son.  I feel horrible about that now, really horrible, but I was 21!  I didn’t have a care in the world until I took that pregnancy test.  So there I was, 21 years old, not married, and pregnant.  Sometimes I wish I would have made different choices with my life growing up.  But fate is interesting.  Had I made different choices, I wouldn’t be here today carrying these two precious little boys for Holly and Darren.

While pregnant with my son, I remember eating a Snickers bar for breakfast almost every day!  I worked at a manufacturing company, and I had to be there by 5am.  That Snickers bar seemed like a great early morning pick-me-up.  In my 21 year old head, it was a great breakfast – of course with a nice hot cup of coffee too.  I think I at least switched to Decaf (maybe!).  I also remember craving mac-n-cheese all the time, and giving in to this temptation almost every time.  Again, what was I thinking?!  I guess I thought that if my pregnant body craved it, my pregnant body needed it.  Despite these questionable eating habits, my pregnancy went smoothly.  But at my final doctor appointment, I learned that I had a narrow pelvic bone opening, which made the Doctor concerned about a vaginal delivery (I know: TMI.  But I’m beyond modesty now…)  As it turned out, the Doctor’s hunch was right, and I never progressed past 4cm dilation after 10 hours of labor, and I ended up getting an emergency C-section.  Fast forward almost 5 years later, and I’m now married to Tom, and we are about to have our daughter.  This pregnancy was just as easy, with the typical unimportant “ugh, I can’t see my feet” and “do I care if my legs are shaved?” topics.  My current doctor wants me to have a V-bac (vaginal birth after cesarean) which I do not want.  Anyway, he wins (I’m not happy about this) and I have my daughter after about 8 hours of labor.  His plan worked.  He induced me 2 weeks early so she wouldn’t be too big.  Zach at 39 weeks was 9lbs 1oz and Kaela at 38 weeks was 7lbs 11oz.  Two healthy babies, ~5 years apart.  I can’t help but wonder how much these guys will weigh.

Back to the present:  Over the last few weeks we’ve been wondering if the boys are identical or fraternal twins.  Since we placed two frozen embryos in, we have assumed they are fraternal, but the doctors say there is a 10 percent chance they could be identical.  It’s possible one embryo didn’t “take” and the other one split.  We’ll have to wait a while longer to find out for sure.

When you are carrying twins, there are certain questions/concerns that don’t apply to a singleton.  One question:  What type of twins are they?  It turns out I am carrying Dichorionic twins.  This means they each have their own placenta to supply nutrients to them.  Monochorionic twins share a placenta, which can lead to a dangerous possibility of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.  I’m so thankful they are Di-Di twins (Di-Di meaning separate sac and placenta).  It’s really fascinating watching the ultrasounds, because you can see the thin lining separating them -- and it looks so delicate.  As I watch these two Kung Foo fighters, it seems like the lining could rip so easily.  But it is apparently much stronger than it looks.  And yes, sometimes their movements hurt me a little, but it is also a unique and beautiful feeling all rolled into one.  If it isn’t Baby B pushing on my right rib cage, then it’s Baby A jabbing at my cervix.  The cervix jabs are by far the most painful and disconcerting.  With the rib cage pokes and pressure, I can sometimes bend to the other side to alleviate the feeling.  But with the cervix pokes, there is nothing I can do except breathe through it.  Ugh.  But I don’t hold it against the little guy.  He is just trying to move around with what little room he has.  I can only imagine if these two aren’t jabbing me, then they’re probably jabbing each other – acting like young Kung Foo fighters! 

I’m trying to eat as healthy as I can for these two.  No mac-n-cheese or snickers this time!  Although I do allow a little nightly treat of peanut M&M’s, I stick to the small Halloween-size bags.  I’m also drinking so much water that it seems almost crazy.  Trips to the bathroom hourly, yes!  But I hear horror stories of women who don’t drink enough water, and their amniotic fluid is compromised because of it.  I DO NOT WANT THAT!  So at 21 weeks, I’ve gained around 23 pounds.  I’m happy with that.  I want to give these two the best possible start.  After all, they were frozen for 9 months before we “met”.  Isn’t science great!

Not a flattering picture. Me at LA fitness pool

21 weeks, they are the size of carrots