Five years ago today I had an amniocentesis. My OB/GYN wanted to check on the lungs of my babies to see if he could safely remove them from my body. He sent me home to rest and wait for a phone call, however I didn't make it home before being rushed to labor and delivery due to the severe cramping of my uterus. With this memory, I figured I would tell you about the shock of finding out I was pregnant with twins.
I had a very uneventful pregnancy. I wasn't very sick, I hadn't gained any weight, and I was a very happy and healthy mommy to be. My husband actually likes me better when I'm pregnant, apparently I'm nicer. I went to a check-up at 18 weeks, and my OB/GYN mentioned in passing "You're measuring 19 weeks, but that's not so uncommon. We'll continue to closely monitor your growth. Make an appointment for an Ultra Sound for next week, and I'll see you next month."
I mentioned this to my oldest sister who is psychic but she won't admit it, and she suggested "maybe you're pregnant with twins?" I said "That's not possible, twins don't run in either of our families and I didn't have any fertility troubles". "That doesn't matter," she said, "twin pregnancies can be spontaneous". I brushed it off, and bought a crib the next day.
The day of my ultrasound, I drank too much water. The technician was running very late, and I was in tears in the waiting room. I couldn't sit, I couldn't stand, I couldn't walk, I just really really really wanted to pee but I wasn't allowed. The receptionist told me I could go let a little bit out, and I was highly offended. As if I could just pee a little!
It's finally my turn, and I'm accompanied by my husband, my mom, and my oldest sister. I get the jelly rubbed all over my belly, and the technician started her work. "Have you been in here before?" she asked me. I hadn't. She was pressing too hard and I was miserable. Then my mom said "Why does it look like there's two heads on that screen?" The technician said "That's because there are!". WHAT?!?!?
I pretty much freaked out right there on the table. "That's not possible! Twins don't run in our families! I didn't do anything for fertility! We didn't plan for two, we planned for one! I just bought a crib! I can't be pregnant with twins! That's NOT POSSIBLE!" My husband was standing to the side of me and he had a look of pure shock on his face. His jaw was to the floor. He didn't look happy, he didn't look sad. He was just.shocked. My mom and sister were both crying and getting excited and already making plans... "We're going to go buy you a matching crib today! And clothes! Have we determined the sexes yet?"
At this point, the technician could tell that baby A was a girl, but she couldn't figure out baby B. After she took all the necessary measurements and confirmed that both babies were growing very well and all was fine in womb land, she asked me if I wanted her to try to get baby B to the surface so she could determine the sex. At this point I really didn't care, I was too shocked and I really had to pee.
After leaving the Dr's office my mom told anyone who was in earshot that I was pregnant with twins. She immediately got on her phone and called every single person on her speed dial to spread the news. My husband and I went home in pure shock. "What the hell are we gonna do now? This wasn't part of the plans!"
The next 24 hours were pure emotion. I felt every single emotion that has ever been defined, and then some. Truth be told, I was mostly depressed. I never hoped for twins, and this was going to completely change our lives forever. But at the same time, this was like winning the lottery.
I'm still tripping out over the fact that I have twins... but I love it. I get to witness a special bond that most people never really get to see. I mourned the fact that I never got that one on one bonding with my babies, but I got to see the bond that my daughters share with each other. I remember when they were 4 months and I started them on rice cereal, they would always reach for each others hand before eating.
Luckily the amnio didn't put me in labor, and my OB/GYN wanted the lungs to develop for a few more days before he put my body out of its misery (I had pregnancy induced hypertension). I was sent home to do nothing more than lay in bed or get up to pee. And he wouldn't let me go see Harry Potter the next day, which really sucked because I changed my Dr's appointments around just for that reason. I blame it on Harry Potter.
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15 comments:
How sweet!!
I wish I could've done it that way: 2 kids with 1 pregnancy!
You're daughters are lovely little girls. You're lucky in a million ways...
That's a really sweet story. Thanks for sharing.
Wow. What a great story.
I've never been pregnant or had an ultrasound. Maybe this is a silly question, but why wouldn't they let you pee? Does one have to have a full bladder for an ultrasound or something?
Thank you ladies!
Meg, the equipment that my technician used required a full bladder. I totally overdid it on the water, because I wanted to be positively sure that they could see everything. I've heard of other techs and equipment that don't require a full bladder.
Have I mentioned my paralyzing medical phobia? Why is the room spinning?
Pete, just don't read about my c-section post that I'm sure to have.
Christy, I know of a lady that started a magazine called "Twins" Because of her own experience when she had twins and there wasn't much literature around that helped her know what to do, she started a very successful magazine.
I think this post should be in that magazine .
I wrote "magazine" three times.
wierd
Phoebe, really? That is the highest compliment, especially coming from you! I subscribed to the Twins magazine for about 2 years... it was great when I was first couple of years of adjusting. I finally got used to dealing with the new normal.
I so remember having to drink a lot of water before my ultrasounds. Like you I was in tears. My husband went up to the nurse and begged her to let me pee. Like you I was tolk, only a little and also like you I was like "How in the hell do you pee only a little?"
That's a great story! And you got some really beautiful girls out of it!
My Brandon ruined HP1 and HP2 for me. I had what later turned out to be Braxton Hicks contractions all through HP1 and he cried through HP2, so I never got to see them on the big screen opening night despite paying for the tickets.
Your girls are turning five also, right? My son is just so excited! for! his! birthday!!!!! next Tuesday. They are so cute at this age.
My father is a twin and twins run on my moms side too! Everytime I got pregnant I wanted to know how many, not what sex it was! I had insulin dep. diabetes with all 3 pregnancies. My smallest child was 8 11 ounces and was 3 weeks early. We did the amnio 5 hours before delivery! Cramps like a sonuvabitch! Wouldn't do it again. My third baby was 9 10 and 4 weeks early! I am 5' 2"! I looked like a pregnant walrus!!
Great post, as you can tell it brought back a lot of memories!
Great post. I love how you call them your little freaks of nature.
Dramedy started early, huh? They're such beautiful little girls - you done good. :-)
I've always had to have a full bladder for ultrasounds as well. SUCKS.
Regina Filangi- Thank you sweetheart!
Miranda- No way! I didn't know your Brandon was so close in age to my girls, how wild is that! I love that you have HP ruin stories too!
JOOM- WOW! Those are big babies! Mine were pretty big for being twins born a month early. One was 5lb 10oz, the other was 6lb 15oz. I had nearly 13 pounds of baby in me!
Ros- thank you! I call them my little freaks of nature because after I found out I was pregnant with them, I did some research on twin pregnancies (naturally). I found out that identical twins are not genetic. It's genetic when multiple eggs are released resulting in fraternal twins, but identical twins are more of a freak of nature. I sat there thinking "So I'm going to have freaks of nature?"
Wry- no kidding, eh? And thank you! :)
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