Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Little This & a Little of That (a recap & more)
I find it amazing that I have embarked on the third trimester. It's been a crazy journey this year. From traveling to 18 cities in 2 months for work holding back our IVF process to injections, severe all day morning sickness, at home health coming to give me an IV, a lot of time in bed and several appointments-- I now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I am 27 1/2 weeks along with di/di boy girl twins and proud as any mama can be. We are both so proud. Nathan and I wanted children since getting together over ten years ago. Last October 2011 we started the fertility journey after nightmares in the adoption process were reoccurring. The last being a local girl pretending to be pregnant with another girls child that she would adopt to us. We had it. No more. Last October we were told that Nathan had no sperm. We were told that we could not have children together. THEN we went to Dr. Maud Doherty and our lives changed.
Nathan did a testes biopsy and we found out within 15 minutes that there was hope and swimmers! Yay! Best news ever! Insurance doesn't cover donor sperm. Boo! But we no longer had to take that route. So... our journey began and here we are now. Just a few short months away from delivering our beautiful twins: Sebastian Marcus and Mila Lorren (me-la lor-ren). We couldn't be happier.
I am 27 1/2 weeks along with di/di boy girl twins and proud as any mama can be. We are both so proud. Nathan and I wanted children since getting together over ten years ago. Last October 2011 we started the fertility journey after nightmares in the adoption process were reoccurring. The last being a local girl pretending to be pregnant with another girls child that she would adopt to us. We had it. No more. Last October we were told that Nathan had no sperm. We were told that we could not have children together. THEN we went to Dr. Maud Doherty and our lives changed.
Nathan did a testes biopsy and we found out within 15 minutes that there was hope and swimmers! Yay! Best news ever! Insurance doesn't cover donor sperm. Boo! But we no longer had to take that route. So... our journey began and here we are now. Just a few short months away from delivering our beautiful twins: Sebastian Marcus and Mila Lorren (me-la lor-ren). We couldn't be happier.
4D Ultrasounds!
I was so disappointed when I found out my chosen OB had a crappy ultrasound machine. She even mentioned it wasn't very good. Sure she ended up sharing me with a perinatal doctor but I wanted amazing pictures of my twins. We aren't planning on having more children after this so I needed to soak it up and enjoy and document as much as possible.
At 23 weeks, I contacted Stork Vision in Omaha Nebraska for a second time. This time for the 4D ultrasound appointment. Last time we were there was July 10th, 2012 for gender determination and it was such an amazing experience where Nate's dad, grandparents, my brother and my great friend Alisa joined us on finding out the sexes of our twins. Boy and Girl! (tears of joy)
We went into Stork Vision and was surprised by Alisa. I was so happy that she had come to surprise me. I needed it since I didn't have my mom or sister at my appointments. :) So on the table I laid and we started the ultrasounds. At this time both babies were head down and as beautiful as ever. I managed to get a ton of pics and also on a dvd/cd.
I highly recommend the Stork Vision experience. A private and beautiful room with couches and a large screen display of the ultrasound. You invite your friends and family if you want and it's truly a memorable experience.
to see more of my Twins pics find me on facebook under Rita Lucero in Omaha, NE
At 23 weeks, I contacted Stork Vision in Omaha Nebraska for a second time. This time for the 4D ultrasound appointment. Last time we were there was July 10th, 2012 for gender determination and it was such an amazing experience where Nate's dad, grandparents, my brother and my great friend Alisa joined us on finding out the sexes of our twins. Boy and Girl! (tears of joy)
We went into Stork Vision and was surprised by Alisa. I was so happy that she had come to surprise me. I needed it since I didn't have my mom or sister at my appointments. :) So on the table I laid and we started the ultrasounds. At this time both babies were head down and as beautiful as ever. I managed to get a ton of pics and also on a dvd/cd.
I highly recommend the Stork Vision experience. A private and beautiful room with couches and a large screen display of the ultrasound. You invite your friends and family if you want and it's truly a memorable experience.
Meeting Braxton Hicks
I find contractions to be super confusing. So many things are different than explained by doctors, other pregnant women or mothers. I was under the assumption that contractions in general always hurt. Not true.
A few weeks ago I found myself realizing that the odd and uncomfortable feeling I had occasionally had over the last month of so sporadically were contractions and not my babies stretching out. Well, suddenly I was getting them every single time I bent over, stood up, got out of bed, out of a vehicle, walking- all those things would trigger them. They didn't hurt but was more of an uncomfortable and very tight feeling. That's when I realized I had officially met Braxton Hicks.
I did end up in Labor and Delivery and while walking in I told my mom that they probably won't happen while laying in the hospital bed.... and they didn't. They never happen when laying on my back. They had happened while on my side but not at the hospital. They sent me home a hour later with physical restrictions. I increased my water intake yet again. (it's so hard to get so much water in me since my DS weight loss surgery) So, here I am nearly two weeks after that little visit to L&D and they still occur but not as much. I have to do much less walking and physical activity to control them. Confusing. Glad I understand what they are now!
A few weeks ago I found myself realizing that the odd and uncomfortable feeling I had occasionally had over the last month of so sporadically were contractions and not my babies stretching out. Well, suddenly I was getting them every single time I bent over, stood up, got out of bed, out of a vehicle, walking- all those things would trigger them. They didn't hurt but was more of an uncomfortable and very tight feeling. That's when I realized I had officially met Braxton Hicks.
I did end up in Labor and Delivery and while walking in I told my mom that they probably won't happen while laying in the hospital bed.... and they didn't. They never happen when laying on my back. They had happened while on my side but not at the hospital. They sent me home a hour later with physical restrictions. I increased my water intake yet again. (it's so hard to get so much water in me since my DS weight loss surgery) So, here I am nearly two weeks after that little visit to L&D and they still occur but not as much. I have to do much less walking and physical activity to control them. Confusing. Glad I understand what they are now!
RLS is Ridiculous!
I've had bouts of RLS (restless leg syndrome) off and on for the last ten years but nothing like I experience while pregnant. OMG! Shoot me! I went to my OB. I went to my Perinatal doctor. I went to an Urgent Care clinic and quickly each time the door to the conversation of my needing help for RLS was slammed shut. I started posting on facebook and researching like mad on google and various medical pages. The best response I found was that I could be lacking iron and/or I'm anemic. I had already tried heatpad, socks, pants, calf lifts, stretches, massages from my husband, warm baths for my legs only, a herbal supplement, magnesium (500mg/day), expensive compression hose. Nothing was giving me relief and I was feeling like the RLS was so severe that I was going to lose my mind.
So, I had my Perinatal doctor check my iron level but in the meantime I started iron supplements. It drastically reduced by about 90-95%. That is huge! I started with 2 iron pills (65mg each) plus then at night taking my RX prenatal vitamin that gave me about another 30 mg of iron. My levels came back low but increasing, slight case of anemia. Sure, I had been anemic before but why am I having to find the cause and treat myself when I have all these doctors. Especially since I had the Duodenal Switch (DS) weight loss surgery three years ago? That surgery was all about creating a absorption. Ahhh! I wanted to just scream at my OB the most.
Now, I am not anemic and I take 3 iron pills per day with calcium and at night my RX prenatal vitamin that I have been taking since my DS weight loss surgery. I still have bouts of the RLS but in no way is it nearly as severe as it was a few months ago. So, those of you seeking help for your insane RLS- check your iron and possibly increase it! I would shout it from the rooftops if I could. All I wanted was some help and it seemed impossible for it. I would take Tylenol PM sometimes to get super tired but I still would have trouble sleeping because my legs would kick and jolt in my sleep. Sometimes my leg muscles were so sore and exhausted the next day. That's how bad it was. Restless Leg Syndrome can get worse with pregnancy and I had no idea. None. Ahh. So glad to have my sanity back! Lack of sleep and uncontrollable leg movements are a terrible combo!
So, I had my Perinatal doctor check my iron level but in the meantime I started iron supplements. It drastically reduced by about 90-95%. That is huge! I started with 2 iron pills (65mg each) plus then at night taking my RX prenatal vitamin that gave me about another 30 mg of iron. My levels came back low but increasing, slight case of anemia. Sure, I had been anemic before but why am I having to find the cause and treat myself when I have all these doctors. Especially since I had the Duodenal Switch (DS) weight loss surgery three years ago? That surgery was all about creating a absorption. Ahhh! I wanted to just scream at my OB the most.
Now, I am not anemic and I take 3 iron pills per day with calcium and at night my RX prenatal vitamin that I have been taking since my DS weight loss surgery. I still have bouts of the RLS but in no way is it nearly as severe as it was a few months ago. So, those of you seeking help for your insane RLS- check your iron and possibly increase it! I would shout it from the rooftops if I could. All I wanted was some help and it seemed impossible for it. I would take Tylenol PM sometimes to get super tired but I still would have trouble sleeping because my legs would kick and jolt in my sleep. Sometimes my leg muscles were so sore and exhausted the next day. That's how bad it was. Restless Leg Syndrome can get worse with pregnancy and I had no idea. None. Ahh. So glad to have my sanity back! Lack of sleep and uncontrollable leg movements are a terrible combo!
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