After the ultrasound we then went downstairs to have the Non Stress Test. The babies did great, they had strong heartbeats and everything looked great! On to the next appointment, our 35 week Dr. appointment. As I was getting ready for the appointment I realized that my legs were SUPER swollen. It was my first time walking and not wheel-chairing it to the Doctor's office from the hospital since I was officially off bed-rest. I figured that the walk had caused the swelling but mentioned it to the Dr. just to be sure. At first she dismissed me, my legs didn't look that swollen at all - I had to explain that I have chicken legs so my really swollen is a normal just a little swollen. She then took my blood pressure just to check and she got three high readings - back to hospital for monitoring, since the pregnancy is high-risk she just wants to be sure. Back in the hospital we get admitted and settle in while they monitor the babies and run some blood work. Ryan and I watched some House of Cards to pass the time.
The results from the blood work came back and I had pre-eclampsia. So the question was if I was going to have the babies that day or if I would be on bedrest in the hospital until they came. After some discussion the Doctors and I agreed to go ahead and induce that night (eek!). My Doctor was awesome and realized I must have been hungry after a long day of appointments so she said they would start the induction after I finished dinner - Ryan quickly ran out and got a Pizza from Blaze - yumo!
Since this was our second run at the whole, getting admitted and staying in Labor & Delivery Ryan and I were old pros, that was until the labor actually started...
I was induced shortly after eating my delish pizza, I was on a steady drip of pitocin & magnesium, I was warned that the magnesium (to prevent seizures during the labor due to the pre-eclampsia/high blood pressure) would make me feel like I was severely hung over and/or I had the flu - sounded like fun. When I got the first dose I felt the hot flush the medicine gives you and asked for the heat to be turned down. Poor Ryan was freezing with the air on and I was sweating. Ryan took a little nap while I watched Law & Order - thank God that show is on all the time, I don't know how I would have made it through the pregnancy without it.
I was nervous about getting that epidural...eek! So I kept asking the nurse when I should get it. I finally started to feel the contractions so I ordered it up! I figured it would take like and hour for it to actually happen, I was nervous about my platelet levels dropping and just anxious to get it over with when the anesthesiologist arrived not more than 10 minutes later...ahh! Ryan had to leave due to hospital policy so he went to go get the postpartum bag from the car. I held on to the nurses hand super tight and she guided me in some deep breathing. They lifted the bed up high and the needle proximity to my spine got uncomfortably close. I felt the numbing shot then I felt something on my back and I freaked out - wasn't I not supposed to feel anything? I told the nurse & the anesthesiologist and she asked which side I felt it on...ummm cant you see which side you are poking me on!! So after a minor freak out everything went well. They taped it to me so it would not move even if I tried!!
Ryan returned shortly after that and we decided to take a nap. Throughout the night the Doctor came in to check on the progress and I was dilated 4 inches. I took some more cat naps when I started to feel some contractions again, I mentioned it to the nurse when she came back and she asked if I had been pushing the epidural button for medicine, um no I thought it was just automatically given to me! Apparently I was supposed to hit it every 10 minutes or so to continue to get a steady dose, oops! It would take more medicine to bring me up from a low level then just to maintain so I started to hit that button every 10 minutes on the dot!
After some more sleeping and checking of mine & the babies vitals the Doctor came in to check on my progress in the early morning and I was at 10 cm! It was an odd feeling knowing I was about to have these babies but I didn't even realize I was fully dilated! We then did some practice pushing - who knew there was such a thing - and waited for the operating room (hospital policy for twins) to open up. Ryan was told to suit up in the blue suit and he accidentally put in on backwards at first -very fashionable with the zipper up the back!
Finally it was time to head out (literally)! They rolled me and the ginormous bed to the OR, on the ride through the hallways it felt odd to just be calmly rolling down the hallway when I was minutes away from delivering two babies!
Once we got to the OR everyone was getting ready, there are about 13 people at a twin delivery so it was quite the crew. I checked with the anthologist that I no longer had to push for the epidural and she would take it from there. The Doctors (I had two of mine there and the resident Maternal Fetal Medicine Doctor) & nurses counted out the contractions for me and I pushed!
After some pushing Baby A made their entrance. The Dr. held the baby and turned to Ryan and announced it was a girl!
Annette Jordan was born at 9:10 am at 4lbs 11 oz
The Pediatric and NICU doctors and nurses took Annette to check her out. Ryan and I couldn't believe it! Girls! It was a weird realization because I wasn't surprised, like "no duh it's a girl" even though we didn't know!
Then the Doctor came around to do a quick ultrasound, Baby B was still head down, luckily she was. Everyone in the room took a quick breather and I felt another contraction, I asked if I should push on this one and the Doctor said if I wanted to let's go for it! Then out POPped Baby B!
Payton Olivia was born at 9:18 at 4lbs 4oz
We couldn't believe it, TWO, TWO baby girls!!!! Ryan and I were elated!
They brought the girls out to us, they were healthy and could come with us! No NICU (for now). Ryan held his girls for the first time and the nurses got pictures for us.
Then it was my turn to hold the babies!
my We then all rolled to the recovery room and I got to have some skin to skin time and attempt to nurse girls! All of a sudden I felt like I was going to pass out, the nurse and Ryan came to get the babies and I crashed. I think the combination of the medicine & the adrenaline caused my system to freak out (all medical terminology)!
I was so thankful that the nurse wheeled in the breast pump, that was the single best thing that made breast feeding a success for us! She helped me establish my supply while the girls were too little to nurse yet.
Ryan bonded with the girls while I started to feel better (I downed some cranberry juice and popcorn) and we got the official Baby Announcement Picture while the girls were resting on the giraffe. We then opened the take home outfits that we had made! I hadn't seen them yet since we had the ultrasound tech write the gender on a piece of paper and seal it in a envelope, then we mailed that envelope to the lady to make them, they were perfect!
Finally after a few hours the room opened up on the postpartum floor and the real family adventure began!
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