So Javier has reminded me that I need to update about what I'm going through with this pregnancy. I did this during my first trimester and I should preface by saying that the third trimester is WAAAAYY different. So where shall I start?
We have posted some pics of my belly growth. Yeah yeah, people keep telling me how small my belly looks for having twins. Let me just say that it does not in any way feel small. Regardless of how I look like I'm carrying the babies, I am carrying twice the amount and weight than a woman carrying one baby. So I've got two babies at a little over 3 pounds each instead of one. And there are two placentas taking up space in there too. There is twice the amniotic fluid. There is twice the kicks and movement. I feel like my entire center mass is dedicated to housing these babies. During a growth spurt, it seems like I can actually feel my uterus stretching. If you can remember a time that you ate too too much and your belly was so tight that you thought it might pop if you even take a deep breath..... well, I'm feeling like that most of the time now. I feel stretched to the limit on the outside and the inside. So I start to think.... how am I going to keep getting bigger? I feel like there isn't going to be enough room. It's a good thing the woman's body is capable of miraculous things. I take little comfort in knowing that my body is going to somehow accomodate these babies because I'm not looking forward to the way it feels. Don't get me wrong, it is a wonderous thing to know you are carrying a living being within you and feeling all those movements can sometimes be very emotional. But right now, I'm feeling like a cargo ship commissioned to bear an unbearable load.
So what is the effect of these expanding babies? Oh my..... plenty. I'm finding it hard to breathe even when I'm just resting. Depending on my position, I can have really bad heartburn or have a really bad case of the burps. My bladder has a mind of its own. Sometimes I'm going to the bathroom every hour and other times I can actually rest with 3 or 4 hour breaks. If I sit or stand or walk too long, my lower legs and feet start to swell and look like sausages. Sleeping is not comfortable at all anymore. It's a vicious cycle because I'm getting very little good sleep which makes me more tired and want to sleep. The hardest part about sleeping is my back and breathing. My back is in a perpetual arch, like hyperflexing your spine. And my back muscles get tired and sore and all I want to do is bend forward like slouching. I'd love to bend to touch my toes and stretch my back..... but I can't. My belly won't allow it. The constant desire to bend forward almost makes me anxious. So far, the most comfortable position for my back while I'm in bed is to be flat on my back. But now the babies are so heavy that when I am flat on my back, their weight compresses a major vein to my heart called the inferior vena cava. In just a few minutes of being flat, I become short of breath, dizzy, nauseated, and anxious. I can actually feel my heart rate jump up and it alerts me to change position or risk passing out.
I don't know what else might be interesting. Some people may wonder if I have any stretch marks. Yup. I started popping stretch marks a couple of weeks ago. Yes, I'm using belly oil, but acquiring stretch marks tends to be more genetic than anything else. And I asked my mother about it..... she said she got horrible stretch marks. Well, I don't quite look like a zebra yet, but I'm trying to just let go worrying about it.
One thing from my first trimester that has returned is the fatigue. It could be related to the horrible quality sleep I'm getting or the hard work of building two babies. Whatever the reason, I find myself more tired than I've ever been. There is a lot for me to do, but when I get very tired, I just have to stop and rest.
Oh, people have asked me about any food issues. No, I don't have particular cravings. No, I'm not eating like a horse. As a matter of fact, I find it harder and harder to eat these days. My stomach doesn't have as much room to expand and nothing really sounds appetizing to me lately. Most of the time, I'm forcing myself to eat because I know I need the calories for the babies health. Eating and drinking tons of water has become an unfavorable pasttime for me.
Well, that's about all I can think of at this time. If anyone wants to know something different, leave me a question in the comments and I will try to answer. I realize that this post may come across with a negative connotation or mood. I do not want to convey that message at all. I am very content and happy. I feel very lucky that Javier's school schedule has been one that allows us a lot of time together. We are enjoying this pregnancy and lovingly awaiting the arrival of our boys. I am nervous and excited about being the mother of two little baby boys. My intent for this post is to share my physical experience of carrying around two babies. I can't compare it to carrying one since this is my first pregnancy, so I'm just trying to be as plain about it as I can.
So I'm 30 weeks and 1 day now. Technically, we have 10 more weeks to go. All I can think about is when are my little ones going to make their debut. I want them to grow and stay safe inside me as long as they can. No extra early arrivals. But we are very anxious to meet them.
~Latrice
So we went to Target and purchased the Eddie Bauer Soothe and Sway Play Yard (pack n play) as seen in the pictures. I think that about covers us as far as the "big ticket" items. We set the pack n play up and now the trick is going to be to keep our cat out of it and making sure it does not become her new sleeping spot.
