Cryptosporidium parasitic diarrhea? Yes please! Also this post brought to you by TMI

So my "la la la, I can't believe how easy and fast this pregnancy has been going, who knew twins would be easier to carry than 1, I am perfect and clearly these fetuses are too" motto has changed to "I am so over this is it 38 weeks yet?"

Early last week I began having back pain.  Very similar to when I had two bulging disks back in 2010.  The pain is in my lower spine, radiating down my legs at times.  Clearly this is from the added weight to my front.  It is extremely annoying, only certain positions help, and at times walking is difficult.  I am using Biofreeze, tylenol, and have emergency anti-steroidals prescribed by my fetal-med specialist but I have only taken one dose as they are category D.  

So Monday and Tuesday were spent dealing with this new development, but NBD.  It is so hot I am not up for much anyway.  P goes to summer school 3 mornings a week, there has been a bit more iPad youtube video watching than good for her, but oh well.  She also spends hours playing dolls, using her imagination and coloring so I am not going to stress about added screen time.  

Tuesday I started having diarrhea.  Approximately 4 times that day. Immediately I knew something was up.  I began super hydrating myself, and got some Zofran from the pharmacy to deal with the accompanying nausea (love that it's over the counter here).  I had my gestational diabetes test that day, and it made me feel AWFUL.  I almost passed out in the waiting room.  The good news is I passed.

Wednesday I had only a few episodes.  I had an appt with my dr that day, he believed it was viral, or perhaps I was having some gallbladder issues.  My appt went well, cervix long and closed, bp low, babies weighing over 2 lbs.  He told me to keep doing what I was doing and see a GI specialist if my symptoms got worse.

Wednesday night I had pain like you wouldn't believe.  I was half afraid they were contractions, but since my cervix looked so good that day on u/s I decided they weren't.  I had diarrhea 3 times overnight from 9pm - 3am which is insane, who poops overnight besides babies?  At 4 am I decided to go to the ER.  Once there I began going like every 15 mins, and not a normal color or odor either (I will not go into more detail, you're welcome).  They took blood, urine and stool samples, started an IV of saline, gave me zofran IV, and had midwives come down from OB to monitor babies and contractions.  Luckily no contractions were picked up, heart rates were good.  Then the OB resident on call came down and did an u/s (my second in 16 hours lol) and all looked good.  She pointed out that they had their heads together like they were telling secrets.  

After 3 hours the ER doc came in and said I tested positive for cryptosporidium.  Basically it is a water-borne parasite.  Symptoms usually last 1-2 weeks but can last 4-6 weeks, oh fun!  Side effects are dehydration and weight loss.  Super fun for someone pregnant with twins!  No cure, no treatment besides nausea meds and hydration.  

Thursday and Friday were two of the sickest days of my life.  I was going like 20-24 times a day, just liquid, and my 3 hemorrhoids reached gigantic states.  Every bm was, in my own words, "like getting ass raped with a dagger".  

Saturday and Sunday I felt bad about half the time, only went maybe 5 times each day.  Sunday I actually seemed to have some constipation which I do not for the life of me understand.  Now it's Monday morning, and so far I feel pretty good.  Woke up with heartburn and back pain, but no colon pain.  26+2.

23+4 update

3 days until viability babies!!!  But let's wait 12 more weeks until your birthday mmkay?

I had an appointment yesterday, and got a surprise ultrasound.  Maybe with twins they measure growth every appointment?  Maybe it's because it can be hard to differentiate between the heartbeats on the doppler?  Whatever the reason I am not complaining!

Baby A remains slightly smaller, approx 1 lb 11oz.  Baby B is measuring 1 lb 13.5 oz.  According to the chart the US perinatologist gave me to keep track of all the details twins in the 50th percentile this week should weigh 1 lb 4oz, so we are overachievers! So crazy that they are going to be 2 lbs soon!  4 lbs of baby inside is INSANE! P was only 5 lbs 12 oz when she was born, so within the month I will probably have as much baby inside of me as I ever have, plus twice the placentas, fluid, etc.  No wonder I am a tank!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cervix is still long and closed, 3.77cm.  Whew.

Blood pressure was.........  119/81!  ROCK ON!

I am up 28.4 lbs total, which the dr was very happy with.  I gained 6 lbs in the last 3 weeks since my last appt, I still need to google whether 2 lbs/week weight gan in the second trimester is ok.  Ahh well whatever.

My next appt is in 2 weeks, at 25.5 weeks.  I will have my glucose test that week, fingers crossed.

I still feel GREAT. Seriously I have been cleaning the house like mad, haven't napped since the first trimester, no nausea, very little heartburn, just some pelvic achiness in the evenings.

We bought a car recently, so for the first time in 20 months we no longer have to rely on public transportation.  When it's not boiling hot outside we will continue to walk most places, but a car is a lifesaver in this heat!  We bought a 2010 Honda Pilot which is an 8 seater....it's taking some getting used to driving such a big vehicle but it's great having so much room.  We have been taking many weekend road trips to check out the area, and it's great loading up the car with whatever we want!  And obviously this thing will fit 3 car seats plus friends with their kids!

We have bought my mom's plane tickets, she will be coming out when I am (hopefully) 36 + 2.  I am PRAYING that I don't deliver until she gets here, because having her here to take care of P would be a huge weight off my shoulders.  I have a good friend here who assured me she will watch her, but I know P would be more comfortable in her own house with Grandma.  And she is staying 7 weeks!  I am so pumped.  I am gonna need to help so much!

Anatomy Scan

And all is well!  Baby A is 349gm or 12.3 oz.  Baby B is 387gm or 13.6 oz.  For the next month they should gain 3-4 oz a week so a week from now I should have two 1 pounders!  Seems cray cray.

Everything looked normal according to the Dr (here doctors do the ultrasounds, not u/s techs, so I feel as if you don't get as much information.  Also no pictures!!!!  I should have asked).  Brain, heart, kidneys, stomach, bladder, bowel, all measurements, placentas, 3 vessel cords, all accounted for and "normal", according to the print out report I received.

Baby A is hanging out wayyy low.  The ultrasound probe was over the right side of my c-section scar.   She (just a guess) was a bit mellow, had both hands up her face seemingly attempting to suck her thumb.  Awwww.  At one point when he was measuring her femurs she had her legs wide open.  I didn't see a penis, and it appeared to me that she was a girl.  My husband thought the same thing, but we are not experts, and could be totally wrong!  What is so funny is I really would like at least one boy, just to experience something different, but when I didn't see a penis my heart leapt!  So evidently having 3 girls is fine with me!

Baby B is hanging out at the top of my uterus, the probe was mostly over my left upper quadrant.  He or She was MAD about the ultrasound probe.  I have never felt such intense kicks or movement from either of them yet as I did during the ultrasound.  No crotch shot, so I can't make any sex guesses.  Except at the end of the scans I asked the doctor if he could tell the sexes and he said, "I definitely know what they are".  That makes me think they are two boys or at least one, because presence of a penis seems to be what would make a person so definitively sure.

The doctor did tell us he couldn't get all of the angles to measure everything on Baby B's heart.  He said he could see everything he needed to, just couldn't get the right angle for all of the measurements.  He assured me he didn't see a single thing that was abnormal, the baby was just all squished up.  He will rescan me at 28ish weeks to look at the heart again.

I am up 23.5 lbs which I am very happy with, the dr didn't mention it.  The USA perinatologist I saw wanted me to gain 20-25 lbs by 20 weeks so I did it!

My cervix measurement went up! Yay! 3 weeks ago it was 3.76, yesterday it was 4.15 or something around there, I didn't write it down. Also my blood pressure was 122/81!!!!!!  And this was right after I sat down at the desk, huffing and puffing a bit, and very nervous about the upcoming scan. And it was with an automatic cuff which always seem to measure higher.  So YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My next appt is at 23.5 weeks.  From then on they will dip urine for protein every appt, I start checking my blood pressure at home daily, if it starts going up we will start 24 hour urine collections.

Meanwhile nesting continues.  I have our crib set up for babies (in P's room), probably won't use it right away but maybe for naps sometimes.

Yesterday we had delivered our 2 infant car seats (Chicco Keyfit 30), 2 bassinet/sleepers (Graco Little Loungers - similar to Fisher Price RNP but more highly reviewed, also has a vibrating feature) and 2 boppy pillows.  This week I also bought a used swing, a second bouncer, 2 bottles, 4 pacis, 6 sleepers, 1 nursing bra, and 1 baby bath sling.  I borrowed from a friend a large playmat that is gorgeous, a toddler bath seat and a newborn Swedish bath thing for the sink.  I previously bought a 4 pack of Aden and Anais swaddlers, two miracle blanket swaddlers,  nursing cover/scarf, and received a package of swaddle me swaddlers from a friend.  

Basically it is starting to look like an orphanage around here and I still have a bunch to buy.  Major purchases are a breast pump, video monitor, and clothing.  

I will leave you with a picture of P and me on vacation.

20 weeks tomorrow

And I'm just unbelievably massive!!!!!  Anatomy scan in 4 days, fingers crossed for two healthy babies!

19 weeks!

Size of babies: Approximately 6 inches long, about half a pound each.  The size of an heirloom tomato or a mango.

Weight gain: Up 16-18 lbs.

Size of uterus: 6 finger breadths above my belly button, so I think that is measuring 26 weeks?  I am going to ask my Dr to measure me exactly at my appointment in a week and a half.

Sex of the babies: Surprises!!!  Although the closer it gets to my anatomy scan the more curious I am.  I am kind of tempted to get down on my hands and knees and beg my husband at the u/s.  But I will try to be strong.  It's not even that I have a preference, just curious!!!!!

Baby prep: I have bought a double stroller, one used bouncer, a twin breastfeeding pillow,  swaddlers, muslin blankets, and a breastfeeding cover.  I also put together the crib and set it up in my daughter's room.  Still to buy: bassinets or something for them to sleep in the first 6 months (ish), 2 infant car seats, bottles, breast pump (may have a lead on borrowing one), 2 baby carriers (may have a lead on borrowing one), pacifiers, newborn and 0-3 month clothing (have exactly none!), 1 baby swing, one more bouncer, 2 changing pads, 2 nursing bras, baby monitor....and I'm sure a million other things I haven't thought of yet.

Movement: Yes, yes, yes!!! More pronounced every day.  Can't tell it from the outside yet, according to DH.

What I miss: Well of course the selfless line to that one is nothing, and of course everything is worth it.  But I would love a few beers along with some sushi.  I have been craving both intensely!  Also I started getting heartburn this week every evening, luckily Tums seems to help.

Best Moment of the week: Sitting at Disney on Ice with my husband and daughter, and feeling these miracle babies dance to the music!

Worst Moment of the week: The nurse calling me saying the culture from my urine sample from last week showed a UTI, so I am on a 10 day antibiotic course.  Luckily I have very few symptoms, just hate having any sort of issue!

Fetal Medicine Specialist Check up, 17.5 weeks

So I met the Dr who will deliver my babies!  He is awesome.  He specialized in twin/triplet pregnancies, with an emphasis in pre-eclampsia so basically perfect for me!  Plus his office is in my IVF clinic so it's nice to say hello to the drs and nurses who knocked me up!

He was very thorough in my first appt with him.  Did a lengthy u/s, everything looked "perfect"!  He measured their femurs, head circumferences, and abdominal circumferences.  All were above average.  Both babies are measuring over 8 oz each and over a week ahead!  If I hadn't done IVF he said my due date would be moved a week up.

I will for sure have a repeat C, at 20 weeks I will start checking my bp at home once daily, at 24 weeks I will start 24 hour protein checks (I forget how often, maybe every 2 weeks?), at some week I get the gestational diabetes test - I forget when, and I will get cervical length checks weekly starting at 20 weeks.  He checked it for a baseline and it is 3.76cm which he said is great.  Any sign of shortening or raising blood pressure and I could potentially be put on bedrest or hospitalized.  Since that would make my husband's career and childcare a shitshow I am going to pretend there is absolutely no chance that will happen, mmkay?

He did suggest a high protein/low carb diet to ward of pre eclampsia.  Ummmmmmmmmmmmm.
I am going to make a more concerted effort to eat protein but no way can I severely limit carbs.  No way, I am too freaking hungry all of the damn time.

My weight is up 16 lbs which he was happy with, my bp was 124/79 which we ALL were very excited about :).  My uterus is measuring 24 weeks, so 6-7 weeks ahead which is normal.

Today I had my first BH contraction, while walking around outside in 100 degree weather.  Googling tells me that 18 weeks is a very common time for them to start with twin pregnancies.

Everything else is OK.  P won't sleep in her own bed ever since we returned home from the USA.  She got so spoiled sleeping in bed with us or her Grandma for 2 months that she is just having none of it.  For now her and I are sleeping on a comfy raised air mattress in her room, I sometimes sneak out at 1am or so, then she is mad at me in the morning for having left :)  Once our jet lag is completely behind us, in a week or two, we are going to have a battle on our hands.  She knows how to unlock her door so I already can't do that evil plan LOL.  I was thinking maybe try her pack n play as she can't climb out of that....Ugh I don't know.  Any advice anyone? I've tried bribery and taking away toys.

Hope all is well with everyone else..........xx

Shit just got real

This is in my apartment: