Detailed U/S 9+5

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on my spotting post.  It's pretty much stopped now, except for occasional brown stringy cm.

I had a detailed U/S at a fetal medicine dr here in the states today.  It was awesome!  An abdominal u/s but so detailed, a great machine.  She saw no bleeding.  Baby A is measuring 9+4 with a heartrate of 165, Baby B is measuring 9+6 with a heartrate of 169.  Or I could have those reversed, I know they are 2 days apart in size, which is consistent, they are always 1-2 days off.  The tech showed me Baby A's placenta is posterior, Baby B's placenta is anterior, she said it was great that they are forming in different locations.  They are definitely fraternal.  We were able to see both of them DANCE.  Like go from completely still to full body wiggling.  It's the most amazing sight, totally unreal!

Due to a big mixup with my dr in Dubai, I wasn't able to see the dr today, so I made an appt for next Thursday.  I am concerned about these blood pressures!  I am off the estrogen and still they are running high 120s/high 80s.  It's just too early for this shit.  I'm fine with this level as long as it doesn't creep up trimester 2 or 3!

We are in the states now,  enjoying time with family and the cold weather! It's in the 40s on the East Coast right now!  And raining!  I love it!  Desert you can suck it!

Spotting, spotting, spotting

I am over it.

Started spotting yesterday, just tan colored CM.  This morning had a gush of red with CM.  I went into the OB, she did an abdominal u/s.  Both babies look great, measured 9+2 and 9+4 (I am 9+3 today), both had a heart rate of 179.  She did a vaginal exam, cervix is closed.  She sees no reason for the bleeding.

Just now pinkish spotting started back up.

I am so very sick with morning sickness that I am less worried about the babies.  I'm thinking maybe since this is happening every couple of weeks that maybe it is just growing/stretching pains?  With twins the uterus has to grow much faster, from what I've read many twin moms spot on and off throughout their pregnancy.

I fly home tonight, I just knew I couldn't sit through a 15 hour flight without knowing the babies were alive.  Can't wait to see Pipsqueak.  What I texted my husband just now is, "This 60% of our family can't wait to be reunited with the other 40%!"

9 Week Update

Fruit Size? This is always my absolute favorite thing in pregnancy, comparing the baby (babies?) to food.  This week they are 1-1.25 inches, or the size of a grape, or a green olive.

Due Date: According to the IVF calculators November 7.  According to my OB basing it on my LMP it's November 9.  And of course with twins, and with my history of pre-eclampsia probably more like September or hopefully October.

How far along: 9 weeks today.

Genders: We are not going to find out.  With P I begged my husband to let us find out, he was really against it.  So I have promised him that if we got another chance it would be a surprise...

Total Weight Gain: 2-3 lbs.  With P I was down 2 lbs at 16 weeks, doesn't seem I am on that track this time....

Stretch Marks: My white faded ones from my first pregnancy immediately got darker as soon as I got a bfp.  Hormonal maybe?

Swelling: Not yet!

Movement: Too early!  Although these last couple days I could've sworn I felt tiny, tiny flutters. But both times I felt them I had flatulence right afterwards.  LOL

Maternity Clothes: Haven't worn any yet but I did buy some bottoms!  I can still wear some regular jeans/shorts but waistbands make me feel sick.  I am showing MUCH more quickly this time, which I know happens with a second pregnancy and with twins.  

Sleep: Ugh, I have been having insomnia.  And of course the sinus infection isn't helping.  I am sleeping 5-7 hours straight at night, then trying to take a nap everyday.

Cravings: All the food.  Seriously I am hungry all the time.  I wake up with my stomach growling.  I go to bed and my stomach is growling.  Specifically been craving milk, pasta, oranges, and fried chicken.

Symptoms: Nausea, but not every day, and so far not as bad as my last pregnancy.  I think it may be because I am not constipated this time.  Which I think is because this time I am on rectal suppositories instead of vaginal ones.  You're welcome for this information.  Also a little boob tenderness, urinary frequency and weird dreams.

What I miss: Just sushi.  I have been craving raw salmon intensely.  But of course I am happy to forgo it. 

What I'm loving: Surprising people with our news! Don't worry, we haven't told everyone.  Just family and very close friends.  I know it is still early.  

I've talked to my husband several times since he left.  He and Pipsqueak are having a great time in Florida.  I can't believe I am missing Easter with my family :(   But I am getting better, and I know she is having a blast. 

Sinus infection during pregnancy is FUN

Obvi the title lies.  I have a sinus infection, bilateral ear infections, and possible pneumonia.  It is simply miserable not being able to take Sudafed, Afrin, Ibuprofen, etc.  I was lucky enough not to get much in the way of illness during my last pregnancy (nothing contagious anyway!).  I went to my GP yesterday and he said my right sinus was so swollen and inflamed that it had completely blocked my eustachian tube in that ear.  That explains why my head has felt like a balloon that needs to pop!

I started 36 hours ago on Amoxil three times daily, which I think is just starting to work.  I have the slightest bit of relief which is enough to make me grateful.  I hate taking an antibiotic while pregnant, but my OB agreed that it is the best one, proven to be safe, and the GP said the infection was bad enough that it wouldn't clear up easily without meds.  For the past 3 nights I have also taken Doxylamine 10mg (unisom) to help me sleep.  It is actually an antihistamine, so it helped the nose a little, but more than that it knocked me out enough that I could sleep sitting up with my mouth hanging open.  My OB swears this med is safe too, and I researched it and I guess it is commonly used with Vitamin B6 for morning sickness?  Maybe that explains why my nausea has been less severe the past couple days.

DH and Pipsqueak flew home last night.  I was supposed to as well but my Dr said no way could I fly.  Not only because of the sinus and ear stuff, but he took blood to test for Mycoplasma Pneumoniae.  Some highly contagious thing that is going around.  The results won't be back until early next week so I am flying home Tuesday night now.  So that means I am missing Easter with my daughter :-(  I am sure she will have fun with her Daddy, Uncle, cousins, and grandparents.  They've been gone 24 hours and I miss them already!  Although I did take a 3 hour nap today and that was pretty darn wonderful...

8 week U/S...

And everyone is still alive!! Woohoo!

At 8w1d:

Baby A: 18mm (8w1d) HR 186

Baby B: 17mm (8w0d) HR 171

She saw no reason for my spotting, assuming it was cervical irritation or growing uterus issues.  I guess it's normal in twin pregnancies?  I dunno.  I'm winging this!!!! :)

I am weaning off my meds.  Today I am stopping the estradiol pills, and decreasing the cyclogest suppositories from 4 to 3 a day.  In 2 weeks I decrease to twice daily, then at 12 weeks down to one a day.  Supposedly I will be on one a day for the rest of the pregnancy?  Yuck.

BP was 129/94.  She said that was fine but I know that's higher than 2 weeks ago.  Ugh!  

I am to follow up with a perinatologist in 10 days. We will be in the USA then for vacation so I need to find one and make an appt stat!!!

Thanks for all of the well wishes the last couple of weeks.  It's so nice to be blogging again and have everyone's support!!

7+2, 7+3 spotting...

Ugh.

Yesterday (7+2) I noticed the smallest, most scanty bit of tan spotting when I wiped.  I immediately texted my dr, who told me to go back on the PIO every other day this week until my 8 week scan.  I had to go into the clinic to pick up some more PIO.  While there my dr saw me, ushered me into an exam room and did a quick abdominal u/s.  She said she saw both heartbeats. I could see one clearly, and hear it I think (it was awfully muffled), but the other embryo was much harder to see, "below the other one" according to the dr.  But the dr said it also had a good heartbeat.  So that all made me feel a little better. I rested all day yesterday and the spotting immediately stopped.

This morning I woke up to cramps, it's hard to tell if they are any worse than they have been, I've had them on and off since  transfer.  I didn't have any spotting the first couple hours I was awake, but then it started back up again.  At first tan, then pink, then brown, now it seems to have subsided again.  I texted my dr, she said to do the PIO daily.

Google and my twin forum girls all tell me this can be absolutely normal, can be a loss of one twin, or can be the beginnings of a total loss of pregnancy.  5 more days till the next transvag u/s.  Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

7 weeks

I think I am 7 weeks today, as egg retrieval was 5 weeks ago today.  My clinic is dating me one day behind which is weird, I think I am right.

I am feeling good!  Had one episode of vomiting this week (into the kitchen sink, yuck), and have had lethargy and nausea, but nothing extreme.  Please oh please let me not be as sick as I was with Pipsqueak!

Lots of changes possibly in the works, fingers crossed: moving back to the USA!  Oh please let this work out!  Lots of things need to be figured out, but it's looking good!

I read "Expecting Twins, Triples and Quads" in one day.  So much information, a little overwhelming, but it is a great read.  I am trying to make a concerted effort to up my protein and calcium.

Next ultrasound in 8 days.  I am extremely impatient!