33 weeks 5 days

It’s now 3.35am, Thursday 8^th December 2011 and for the third night in a row I am up because I do not want to disturb hubby’s sleep with my constant scratching, itching, tossing & turning.

I love being pregnant and had a relatively good first and early second trimester. I LOVE being future mommy to my twins but the reality of being pregnant with multiples hit me around week 24.

SOME OF THE 3^RD TRIMESTER PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS I HAVE:

OEDEMA

My feet and ankles started swelling around week 24. At first propping my feet up overnight kinda helped with bringing the water retention down but from week 30 onwards it has stayed swollen and nothing I do could bring it down. My calves, ankles and feet are the same size now and it hurts sometimes to even walk! Hubby and I think my legs look like they belong to Shrek.

PUPPP

I have developed PUPPP (it stands for Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy) – big name but in short it just means I have broken out in VERY VERY itchy rashes. Started a few weeks ago on my feet and in the last week it has spread to my belly, butt and thighs. It gets very bad in the evenings as they start to break out like hives (no kidding!) and the skin is very hot when you touch it. I have tried prescribed anti histamines, cortisone creams, calamine lotion, aloe vera gel… other than a very temporary relief, nothing has worked. Unfortunately my gynea said it’s something I have to put up with until the twins arrive.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

My blood pressure has been up and down in the 3^rd trimester and in the last week it has been consistently high. Luckily they haven’t found traces of protein in my urine yet (which is usually an indication of something more serious like preeclampsia). The high BP however has left me with headaches most of the time.

SUGAR IN URINE

Self-explanatory. This means I have to give up some of the treats I used to enjoy like cakes, ice cream and Chatime!

DIARRHEA

Contrary to what most pregnant woman experience (constipation), my body system seems to work the opposite way. I have been having constant diarrhea in my last trimester. As a result I have cut back massively on oily and spicy food but it doesn’t seem to be the problem. I guess this is one thing I shouldn’t complain about as I would rather be having diarrhea than constipation any time!

LOWER BACK PAIN

Needless to say, with the weight of 2 babies, 2 water bags, 2 placentas it’s gonna hurt my back a little. It has been so difficult sitting, sleeping, getting out of cars, walking etc etc for a few weeks now and each morning I wake up feeling like I feel heavier. The worst time is actually sleep time for me as no position seems to be comfortable. I am finding it difficult to even move in bed now.

Anyway! When I started this blog I have wanted to keep things positive….. tonight’s post seems to be the most depressing one but I guess being awake at 3 something in the morning has something to do with it.

Hubby called the hospital today to push forward my 34 week scan from Friday to well, yesterday (Wednesday) as my rash is getting really bad and he is concerned about my lack of sleep, constant headache etc.

Happy to report that at 33 weeks 4 days the twins both weigh 1.7kgs. The boy seems to have caught up but the girl hasn’t grown much since the last scan (which of course bothers me a lot!). My gynea picked up my anxiety and worry and he has scheduled another scan for me next week to check on both their weights again. We did however see both the heartbeats today and the gynea seems happy.

Our scheduled C-Section is on the 28^th December 2011 at 36 weeks 4 days which is 3 weeks away! Our gynea predicts that the twins will be around 2kgs or slightly over the 2kgs mark and I am praying they stay put until then. I am hoping so much they don’t need the NICU and that when they arrive their lungs are ok, they can regulate their own body temperature and they can latch on.

Though I am so anxious to meet them and have them outside so all my symptoms can go away, I also know it will totally break our hearts if they needed special care in NICU. So, better I suffer another 3 weeks so they can keep cooking a little longer and hopefully come out healthier and stronger!

31 weeks 5 days

Yippeee we’ve crossed the 30 week mark! I’ve always envied mommies who are in their week 30 something as it just means they are soooo much closer to seeing their baby!

The first 12 weeks of the pregnancy seemed to drag on forever, the second trimester went by pretty quickly (maybe because we had the UK trip and heaps of other life changing events going on at the same time)….now that we’re in our 30 week something time seems to have slowed down again. Maybe it’s because I walk a lot slower??

UPDATE ON THE TWINS

·      They are moving a lot these days and perhaps with the lack of space to swim around they are kicking and elbowing me a lot more. We often see random body parts sticking out of my tummy! I’ve gotten used to it and quite like stroking them like that but hubby still finds it gross

·      We’ve kinda decided on their names but the chinese part is undergoing “approval” by my family members as my immediate family can’t read or write in Chinese

·      They seem to have a pattern of being asleep and awake now and when they are active I have grown to love “playing” with them. I think they know as when I prod my belly they kick back! Very cute!!

·      We’ve got most of their stuff ready. Almost everything they have is in white with the exception of a really cute T-shirt & dungaree set for the boy and a very cute cotton pink dress hubby picked up last weekend at the flea market. Looks like we already know what they will be dressed up in during Chinese New Year! Haha

HOW I’M FEELING

·      HUGE! I’m not kidding when I say this. People are starting to stare. Strangers are starting to come up to me to rub my belly. I can barely turn myself in bed as I am so heavy in the middle. It takes a lot of effort to hoist myself up from the toilet seat. I can’t fit into most of hubby’s huge T-Shirts anymore. Even Pivo the dog stares at my belly when I’m lying on the sofa

·      I’m now consistently going for a pee around 8 – 12 times a night. NOT KIDDING! Sometimes when I feel someone kicking my bladder I get an immediate urge to pee. This obviously disturbs my sleep at night. Funnily at around 7.30am I can suddenly sleep 3-4 hours straight so I have now adjusted my sleeping time. Luckily hubby is super  understanding and he lets me sleep in J

·      About a week ago I started developing very bad rashes on my feet (which are already super swollen!) It got so bad it woke me up at night crying. Hubby has applied calamine lotion, aloe vera gel, ice packs….it just would not stop itching. I have never seen my feet look so horrible. It itched so badly I bled when I scratched. Had to go see the doctor who gave me some mild anti histamines and cream. It’s much better now thankfully but my feet are still ugly from the rash scars

·      My feet AND calves are super swelled up now. It doesn’t even just happen at night. It is perpetually swollen. Doesn’t help that I’m so short and I have a massive belly. I look like a teletubby now. Hubby tells me he still thinks I’m the most beautiful woman to him but I know he can’t keep lying to me!

·      The Braxton Hicks contractions are getting more frequent (yikes!) and it gets so tight around my tummy that it wakes me up at night

·      I have also been having diarrhea on and off the last week and I have been given a few explanations – it could be the changing hormones or it could be my body “cleansing” before the actual labour starts

So at nearly 32 weeks with my size I am quite keen to have them out but I know it is much better for them to stay in for another 4-5 weeks. I talk to the twins everyday, telling them mummy, daddy and Jack are very excited about their arrival but that they should try stay inside for a bit longer.

So….4 to 5 more weeks until I see my precious daughter and son!

27 weeks 5 days

I haven’t been able to update for weeks as a lot is going on! Anyway that’s for another day.

HOW I’M FEELING

I am 27 weeks and 5 days pregnant today and I can’t begin to explain how HUGE I have become. According to some baby websites I am officially in my 7^th month and in my third and final trimester. Things started to change when I hit 24 weeks...

·    My belly looks like it’s growing by the hour (I am so not joking about this, as I already look    like I’m overdue now!)

·    My feet and ankles started swelling at 24 weeks. It gets worse in the evening and initially it used to subside in the mornings but these days it just stays swollen. I officially have Princess Fiona’s feet. Luckily they are not green.

·    It’s getting more and more difficult getting out of the car, getting up from a chair, getting up from the toilet seat etc etc. I just feel so heavy!

·     At times when I get up too fast I feel a sudden pressure “down there” like the babies will just come right through. After a few times I’ve learnt to really take my time getting up

·     I forget how much my belly protrudes these days so I often accidentally bump my belly on doors/walls and when I brush my teeth I forget to stand further so my T shirt gets wet

·     My lower back is perpetually aching. These days it seems like it still aches no matter how I sit or lie down

·    My hair is super oily! I have tried using different shampoo but it still ends up getting oily really fast. Why ah??

·    I sweat a lot. I overheat very quickly

·    I am waddling. And it ain’t sexy!!

On a brighter note, I am feeling the twinnies move around ALL THE TIME. They are getting stronger nowadays so some of their kicks and punches really hurt but it’s so nice to sit or lie down with my hands on my belly and feeling them squirm and swim around. As if my huge belly is not enough to remind me, feeling my babies move always remind me that I’m going to be mommy soon *sniff* *sniff*.

NURSERY PREPARATIONS

Hubby says I have nesting tendencies these days and I have to agree! On days that I feel a little better, I have been busy washing and drying all the baby clothings – their little onesies, mittens, booties, socks, blankets! We have been really lucky as friends and family have been buying stuff for the twinnies so we now have a really good supply of tiny baby clothes till about 6 months! We are so blessed we have family and friends to help out.

Hubby has fixed up the 2 cotbeds and I have arranged and re-arranged their little clothings. I have even packed all their mittens and booties into individual zip lock bags so it’s easy for storage. If that is not some kind of crazy nesting instinct they write about in baby books, I don’t know what that is.

Mum & dad have also gone grandchildren shopping crazy and have contributed quite a lot – they bought 2 bouncers (in pink and blue), nappies, mobile cot toys, towels, bath tubs, clothes and lots of bits and pieces here and there. I’ve never seen my dad so excited about shopping!

Seriously anyone suffering from depression or anxiety should just spend some time looking at baby stuff as no matter how tiring or difficult my day is, I ALWAYS feel better after spending some time hanging out in the nursery arranging and rearranging all the little stuff.

I have about 9 weeks plus to go and I cannot wait to cuddle my babies!

photos of twinnies at 19 weeks 6 days

our baby girl

our baby boy



* mummy loves * :-)

our twinnies at 22 weeks 6 days

So we did our week 23 scan today. Doctor reconfirmed that we are expecting a baby girl and baby boy! I know I said I would up date after the week 20 scan but I wanted to be super sure! :-)

Baby girl is weighing 583gms and baby boy is weighing 527gms. Doctor is happy with their growth rate. I was initially kinda worried that I haven’t put on much (at 22 weeks 6 days I have put on a total of less than 5 kgs). He said he’s not so concerned how much weight I put on and that he’s more concerned about the growth of the twins. Anyway I’m determined to keep this blog only for positive updates so here goes…

How we’re doing so far:

1)   Tummy is getting bigger and I am starting to waddle

2)   On certain days I get a lot of pressure “down there” that when I stand up I feel like the babies would  drop out! Luckily doctor said this sensation is normal. *phew*

3)   My feet swell when I sit or stand for too long. Drinking lots of water and protein and putting my feet up seems to help

4)   Went up 2 cup sizes *woot!!*

5)   They are both really KICKING! We often see my tummy moving nowadays even without rubbing or tapping it. They seem to be most active in the evenings when I’m sitting down chilling out or right before I go to bed. I love the sensation!

6)   Appetite still the same

7)   No particular cravings except occasionally for oranges, pomelos and soya bean milk

8)   Went through a few days of really bad acne breakout but it seems to have cleared up and I’m now back to having the pregnancy glow

I am falling in love over and over again with my son and daughter. Can’t wait to start preparing the nursery!

Next scan is in 3 weeks and doctor is recommending a steroid jab to mature their lungs just in case they decide to come by early. I haven’t done much reading about this so I hope it is safe for the twins….

our twinnies at 19 weeks 4 days

We’ve just returned from our trip to the UK and happy to report that we had a problem free 3 weeks! I love my twinnies!! No nausea, no tiredness, no cramps – only a tiny inconvenience of having dull lower backaches from the long flight, many different beds and probably from walking a bit too much.

Half of the clothes I packed did not fit me by the end of the trip!! Hubby was commenting everyday how my tummy seems to have grown each morning! Haha! Kinda weird seeing my tummy swell up like that but I love my baby bump J

Anyway at 19 weeks 4 days I have started to feel more consistent kicks and punches on both my left and right side. Everyone keeps telling me when it gets harder I will start wishing they would stop kicking and punching but for now this is all very new to me and I find it very reassuring to feel them every now and then. Can’t describe the feeling but suffice to say it’s the most amazing sensation I’ve ever felt – to know that in my tummy I’m carry two little babies who are wriggling around and that in a few more months we can actually hold, cuddle and kiss them!

According to babycentre.com, they are now able to hear and tiny teeth are starting to form in their gums. Hence I’ve spent the last few days talking and singing to them! I don’t know if it’s all in my head but we got into this routine of me placing both my hands on the belly, rubbing my belly, me talking to the twinnies and then when I tap and say “Baby Kick!”, 3 out of 5 times I get a response! I could spend hours doing that but I don’t want them to get bored of my little game too quickly hehe! I made hubby try that this morning and he too felt the kick. Sooooo amazing!! We have a scan in 2 days and I hope to be able to tell both their sexes. More importantly I can’t wait to see them again!

The changes in me so far:

1)      Bigger, fuller boobs (this I’m not complaining about!!)

2)      Bigger, rounder, tighter tummy, very visible baby bump

3)      I’ve put on around 4 – 4.5kgs in total so far

4)      I need maternity jeans now

5)      More energy now compared to first trimester

6)      Not able to stand for too long as I will get slight water retention on my feet

7)      Appetite remains the same as pre-pregnancy but I occasionally have to get up at 4am for a very small snack

I actually feel great now and I LOVE being pregnant. I guess I’m going through what they call the “honeymoon” stage now and I really hope things stay the same until I’m ready to pop!!

Anyway I will write more after our 20 week scan in 2 days J I can’t wait!!

I love you my darling twinnies!!

our twinnies at 15 weeks

Our twinnies at 15 weeks

Happy 15 weeks my wonderful darlings!!

We had a scan a few days back and we have confirmed a boy (who was awake and moving around) but the other fella was fast asleep and wouldn’t move so the sex remains a mystery!! All we could see was the little fella lying down with the heart beating. I am still hoping this sleepy twin is a girl!!

The scans are getting so much more fun as we can see them move around. It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!! I am sooooo in love with my babies!!!!!

Below are some of my 2nd trimester developments....will do one for my 1st trimester soon which will be a VERY long list!! 

My 2^nd trimester so far:

• The evening sickness has somewhat subsided. YAY!
• I still eat 3 meals a day, and the same portions. I really wonder why I don’t have an appetite like some of my pregger friends?
• I seem to get a headache VERY easily these days. I almost overheat just by looking at sunlight!! Sometimes these headaches last for nearly 2 days. NOT nice.
• I am still constantly thirsty – downing water and juice the whole day
• I am now able to sleep through most of the night, waking up maybe only once or twice to use the loo (my record was over 10 times a night in my first trimester)
• I am feeling lots of pulls and stretches on my lower tummy/abdomen area
• I have a very visible baby bump now – I have been asked if I am 4-5 months! Omg how la when I reach my 3^rd trimester? I am also depressed that I am shopping for size L now to accommodate my tummy
• My feet swells up a little when I walk or stand for too long. Water retention maybe?
• I can’t sleep on my back for too long, most comfy position is to face the left
• My linea nigra is now visible and I was told my Kristy that it stays for nearly a year after delivery. YIKES!!!
• I felt the twinnies the first time around week 13 and nowadays if I sit or lie down still I could feel them move (but I have to be VERY patient). It feels like goldfish moving in my tummy

our twinnies at 12 weeks

I’ve not blogged much about my first trimester because I was constantly reminded that “anything” may happen in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

When we had our first scan and found out we were expecting twins my OBG warned me not to be too prematurely happy and excited as he explained the vanishing twin syndrome.  Close friends and family kept reminding us to “take extra care” the first 12 weeks as “anything” may happen.  So hubby and I were cautiously excited. And being cautiously excited I started a blog but did not tell anyone about it and did not post much.

At the 10 week scan I asked my OBG when we the chances of vanishing twin syndrome would go down and we were so happy to when he said ZERO and that we actually have a viable twin pregnancy but again, he warned us to still be cautious until we are at 12 weeks.

All I can say is the last few weeks has been the LONGEST weeks of my life!!! I was jealous of anyone who was more than 12 week pregnant and couldn’t wait to get there!

WE FINALLY DID J

Today we’re 12 weeks 1 day pregnant and at our 11 week 6 days scan BOTH babies were doing very well! The sonographer took over 45 minutes to complete the detailed scan and neither hubby nor I were complaining. We had 45 minutes of pure joy seeing our two babies swimming, kicking, waving, squirming and responding to being gently prodded! We saw little hands and feet, their perfectly formed brains, blood flows, nose bridge, eye sockets, stomach etc!! Both babies had nice and strong heartbeats of 169bpm and 171 bpm!! Their nuchal measurements were are 0.9mm and 1.1mm respectively (which is a good measurement as anything below 3.5mm is considered low risk for Down Syndrome) Our sonographer kept saying “wow, very good!” and “wow, perfect measurement!” and “oh so cute!”…. mummy and daddy couldn’t be more proud!

Hubby isn’t the most patient man in the world but even he said later that night that he could have sat there the whole day watching them. I couldn’t agree more! Suffice to say the scan was perfect! We’re now hoping the blood test comes back normal as that would rule out the possibility of Down Syndrome for the twinnies.  *fingers crossed*

We were only given a few souvenir photos that day:

Twin 1 - 11wk 6d

Twin 2 - 11w 6d

Twin 2 with his/her arm up in the air! 11w 6d

Taken at 9w 6d showing the upstairs/downstairs twins!

I am sure hubby feels the same but can I just say that I am still emotional and in awe each time I see my twins and as we see them grow I feel myself falling in love with them over and over again. I have really NEVER felt so happy and blessed and complete before.



9 weeks!






The twins are now both the size of an olive!





9 weeks!







9 weeks

Taken from babycentre.co.uk:

By the end of this week, your baby measures about 2.3cm in length and weighs less than 2g. His eyelids, now completely covering his eyes, are fused and won't open until week 26. Tiny earlobes are now visible.

Your baby's essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Already he looks more like a tiny human being. His wrists are more developed, his ankles have formed, and his fingers and toes are clear to see. His arms are growing longer and bend at the elbows. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, he's poised for rapid weight gain.

Though it's not yet possible to tell the sex of your baby by ultrasound, his genitals have begun to form. By now the placenta has developed enough to support most of the important job of producing hormones. The placenta is also making nutrients for your baby and getting rid of his waste products.

6 weeks!

the size of a sweet pea!

in the uterus

Taken from babycentre.com:

This week's major developments: The nose, mouth, and ears that you'll spend so much time kissing in eight months are beginning to take shape. If you could see into your uterus, you'd find an oversize head and dark spots where your baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form. His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds. His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to course through his body. His intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to his lungs has appeared. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones. Right now, your baby is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil.



the bigger announcement...

I wanted to "save" this post till Friday but since Friday has been brought forward to today, I can now write this blog post.

So my ultrasound was scheduled last Friday 27th May. Needless to say I was a nervous wreck a couple of days before the scan. So the night before the scan I could barely sleep as I had a million questions running through my mind which I can't seem to switch off. Are all mothers to be like this or is it just me?

So on the morning of the 27th, we went to the clinic as scheduled and I was the first patient. The moment the scan appeared on the TV screen my gynea said "Wow you were right - we have two on board!!". TWINS. TWINS!!!

You see, I have told my gynea a couple of times that I think there's two but he dismissed that by saying my beta hcg numbers showed that it was more likely to be a singleton. I guess sometimes a mother's intuition is stronger than medical statistics.

So back to the scan. We saw 2 sacs, 2 yolks and at 5 weeks 6 days we saw one strong heartbeat and flickering on the second one. I was a mess - I was bawling my eyes out, happy, shocked, relieved all at once. And as soon as the excitement sank in the worry started - what will happen to baby #2? Is my baby going to be ok? etc etc etc.

I was scheduled for scan #2 this Friday but I earlier today I suddenly experienced sharp pains and cramps, VERY similar to the kind of pain I get when I have bad period cramps. Worry meter goes up. I go to the toilet to relieve myself and I see blood. Worry meter goes through the roof. So we called my gynea and he asked us to go see him immediately. We rushed to the clinic and soon enough we were in the gynea's room and I was propped up on the examination table.

The scan revealed TWO STRONG HEARTBEATS and both babies!! They are both measuring well at 6 weeks 4 days so my gynea is happy with the progress.

In case you have missed the point, we are expecting TWO! DUA! LIANG KER! TWINS!!!

So that was the big news from last week but I wanted to see both heartbeats before I blogged about it. DH and I are just over the moon. Don't even get me started on how excited the grandparents to be are....

Scan #3 is next Saturday and we are looking forward to seeing our 2 little bubs again.

5 weeks!

the size of an apple seed!

in the uterus 

Taken from babycentre.com:

Deep in your uterus your embryo is growing at a furious pace. At this point, he's about the size of an apple seed or a sesame seed, and he looks more like a tiny tadpole than a human. He's now made up of three layers — the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm — which will later form all of his organs and tissues.

The neural tube — from which your baby's brain, spinal cord, nerves, and backbone will sprout — is starting to develop in the top layer, called the ectoderm. This layer will also give rise to his skin, hair, nails, mammary and sweat glands, and tooth enamel.

His heart and circulatory system begin to form in the middle layer, or mesoderm. (This week, in fact, his tiny heart begins to divide into chambers and beat and pump blood.) The mesoderm will also form your baby's muscles, cartilage, bone, and subcutaneous (under skin) tissue.

The third layer, or endoderm, will house his lungs, intestines, and rudimentary urinary system, as well as his thyroid, liver, and pancreas. In the meantime, the primitive placenta and umbilical cord, which deliver nourishment and oxygen to your baby, are already on the job.

The month of May 2011

We celebrated my birthday in a very low key way this year – no flowers, no surprise parties, no night out binge drinking and dancing, no birthday cake. Hubs took me out to Flutes at the Fort, a restaurant we’ve wanted to go to for a long time.  The month of May 2011 rocks!

Work wise things have been very hectic. I haven’t been feeling very well so darling Hubs had to work extra hard the last few weeks. We’ve made progress with our upcoming event and things seem to be moving finally. The month of May 2011 rocks!

We went for a visit to the doctor on the 11^th May for a blood test and in the evening we received a message that read “Congratulations, your Hcg level is at 75!”

It’s the 22^nd May today, and I am 5 weeks 1 day pregnant!!

The month of May 2011 rocks! :-)