Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy Birthday Little H & Little W!!!  I can’t believe my babies are 1.

I am feeling extremely nostalgic and decided to tell their birth story.  If you are squeamish or a man, you might not want to continue or skip some detailed parts of the story.

Tuesday November 20, 2007- I was 34 weeks along and went to the doctor for my weekly appointment, check weight (a whopping 198, 60+ gain), blood pressure, measure the babies, etc.  My blood pressure was extremely high and I was so very swollen, I was admitted to the hospital immediately, they wheeled me in a wheel chair.  I was feeling very bad and worn out, I was partly happy for the fact that I would be able to rest some. (little did I know)  Immediately they hooked me up to a monitor that checked for contractions, and both babies heartbeats, so three monitors on my huge belly. I didn’t realize I was having contractions and couldn’t feel them. Once I was on bed rest for a few hours my BP (blood Pressure) lowered alot, so I was moved to a regular room in the maternity ward for strict observation I had to keep the monitors on my belly, the IV and the BP cuff, and do a 24 hour urine test (to check for protein), and was strictly informed that I would not be leaving, so I was preparing for a long time at the hospital up to 3 weeks, at least. DT was not very eager to help me go to the bathroom every single hour that night, but I just couldn’t do it by myself with all the monitors and cords, it was very tricky.

Wednesday November 21, 2007- I was feeling much better, but still uncomfortable from babies, I was able to be unhooked from all the mointors, and the IV and was a happier patient.  I got to rest alot and I was settling in for the long haul.

BEWARE GRAPHIC DETAILS

Thursday November 22, 2007- Thanksgiving Day, the morning went by uneventful but at  lunch during my hourly pee stop I noticed I had passed my mucus plug. But I wasn’t very concerned because I have heard of women passing them weeks before delivery.  I mentioned it to DT before he left for Thanksgiving at my parents house, he was bringing me a plate back. About 1 hour later I started to notice a heaviness feeling, more than normal, and almost like bad menstrual cramps.  This went on for a few more hours.  DT came back with the Thanksgiving lunch and I ate and it was so good.  Around 5 pm the contractions were getting worse and DT insisted that I tell the nurses, but I didn’t because I knew if I told them they would hook me too all the monitors and force me to lay on my back and they only position that felt good was me to sit and lean forward and move around. Besides I was already at the hospital they were checking my blood pressure every 4 hours and I didn’t want to be stuck in a bed until I got my Epidural.  I had some family and friend come visit but I wasn’t much up for visiting because I was in full labor.

When this picture was taken I was really feeling the contractions, I think DT was feeling sorry for me, ha.

Around 8 pm I finally told the nurse I was in labor, and she checked me and I was dilated to 7 cm.  They immediately hooked me up to all the monitors and got me an epidural and moved me to Labor and Delivery.  After the epidural I was very relaxed and I slept on and off until around 11:30pm, I felt pressure and I was fully dilated and Little H was engaged in the birth canal. They moved me to the Operating room, as a precaution they do with all twin births. I started pushing around 11:45 and pushed, when I first started pushing I couldn’t tell what I was doing, so I asked them to back off the epidural a bit so I could have some kind of sensation, and I finally got into a good rhythm of pushing and almost a full hour later Little H was born.

He was so tiny and crying and I remember thinking  he is so little.  Then we waited for about 10 minutes for my next contraction (that at this point I could feel) and with 1 big push out came Little W, and he was loud and so red.  The redness came from the extra blood he received when Little H was born and he was still attached to the umbilical cord.  They shared a placenta.

The doctors and nurses checked them out and they were so healthy, I thanked the lord. As they brought them to us and took our picture I remember thinking am I smiling?  I was almost in a state of shock.  Look how swollen I was and look how tiny they were.

Little H 4lbs. 13 oz 17 inches

Little W 4lbs. 15oz 18 inches

They wrapped the babies up and let DT take them to the window to show the grandparents.  Look at that proud daddy.

The best, hardest day of my life.  Happy birthday sweethearts.  Mommy and Daddy love you so very much!