March 8th 2011. 27w2d – Went into Labor and Delivery to be monitored due to having 4 contractions in an hour. Right as I got to L&D my Dr office called; the FFN test they took on Monday came back positive. Sure this means there is a possibility of delivering within the next two weeks but it also isn’t always accurate in Twins. They checked my cervix and I was still at a 1. Upon talking to the Dr they decided to give me the steroids to help mature the babies lungs. The MFM Dr on call suggested I stay 48 hours for monitoring so that’s what happened.
March 10th 2011 – 27w4D – 2 days of monitoring later…. Cervix is still dilated to a 1. He, Dr on call, said that at 1cm it would have just been like a dimple of the bag showing. They are going to let me go home on strict bedrest.
March 11th 2011 – 27w5d – almost to 28 weeks… today is the first day of bedrest at home. It’s been hard but I have done it. I’ve only gotten up to use the restroom.
March 12th 2011 – 27w6d – Went to get out of bed at 955am to use the restroom… felt a small gush (actually thought it was urine). Looked at the bed and there were 4 or 5 small red spots. I started to freak automatically. I looked down because I felt wetness on my legs, I had blood dripping down my legs. Let the freakout totally begin. I called L&D, they said to come in (I was going to no matter what!!).
Upon arriving at L&D they verified that yup, that was blood (I wanted to say, well “DUH!”). They then started searching for the babies so they could monitor them. We were able to find both kiddos. I was having a few contractions but they weren’t too close together.
When the Dr came in she decided to check my cervix. I could tell right away something wasn’t quite right just by the look on her face (not even my normal Dr). She proceeded to tell me that Jackson’s waters were bulging down past my cervix. And not just a dimple like they thought before. This time they were way down! She was not able to determine how far I was dilated. She said it could just be due the water bag and not being able to reach around it (yea that’s a big portion of the bag)… or it could be that I was pretty much fully dilated. She went off to call the MFM Dr on call at the other hospital (where the Level III NICU is at) to see if they would accept me as a transfer. They, thankfully, agreed. They went ahead and started me on Mag so that we could get the contractions I was having under control.
Before loading up into the ambulance, she checked me one more time. No baby in the canal, that’s a good thing!
Off to the other hospital Lights and Sirens blaring.
While riding in the ambulance, I started contracting. Most likely because it was an extremely bumpy ride. They were coming about every 2 – 2 ½ minutes. Some of them were pretty intense as well. I was still on Mag but it really didn’t seem to be helping.
Upon arrival they got me checked in, started monitoring the babies and had the on call OB/gyn who I had never met come check me out. After feeling the bag of waters, she wanted to get an u/s done to determine if there was any cervix left. The ultrasound showed that there was definitely a large bag of waters hanging down. There was also Baby A’s umbilical cord in the bag of waters. Not a good thing (prolapsed cord). They also could not see the cervix. It was determined I needed an emergency c-section before the bag of waters broke. If that happened then the cord could be pinched thereby cutting off oxygen to Baby A (Jackson). I really started getting scared at this point but I knew it was the best bet for my babies.
Next thing I remember is being wheeled in to the OR, looking up at the gigantic lights above my head. They did a spinal block on me. I can remember saying how I felt like my chest was really heavy and that I was having a hard time breathing. I guess that was the doctor’s pushing and tugging on everything inside me. (They had given me benedryl just in case I would have to have general anesthesia… something that is needed with my mastocytosis, so I was a little out of it.) I remember David giving me a kiss on the forehead. He was actually standing up the whole time watching absolutely everything! He said I was already cut open by the time he was able to change, scrub and get in there.
I remember hearing Jackson cry… what a teeny tiny little cry! Definitely not like any baby cry I had ever hear. Addison did not cry as loudly as Jackson, but I remember seeing them wheeling her out and saw that she had hair.
Welcome to the world and our family my precious little ones…
Jackson Pierce – 2 pounds 14 oz, 15 ½ Inches long
Addison Claire – 2 pounds 11 oz, 15 inches long
After that they just did what they had to do in order to put my uterus back together, stitch me up and staple me up. David said I have more staples in me than OfficeMax. LOL. It sort of felt like the spinal was wearing off but they kept assuring me that it was not.
I had to go to recovery for 2 hours, I was able to call my mom at that point. David was also allowed to go see the babies and take a few pictures so I could see them. After recovery, they wheeled me, bed and all down to the NICU so I could meet my babies for the first time. It’s definitely nothing like a full term delivery where you get to hold your baby for the first time.
I was not allowed to get out of bed until the next day. I wasn’t even that sore but I have come to realize that the reason for that is because the spinal had not completely worn off! Sunday, now that was a painful day!! Especially since I had to get up to use the restroom on my own since they took the catheter out.
Monday, they took the drain out that they had placed. This is a big relief for me because I always feel like I’m going to rip it out. Biggest issue of mine today has been the emotional aspect. I cried for hours this morning. Most of it was because I felt like my body had given up and failed me. Why couldn’t I carry my babies to term? How would I ever forgive myself (my body) if my poor babies end up sick all the time? Of course I cried because I can’t hold them right now. Shoot I even cried when I came back up from delivering my milk and found out that my lunch had been taken away before I could even finish it!!
I know I have to take it day by day….and some days are going to be better than others.
Babies:
3/12/11 PM – they are going to put Addison on ventilator to help keep her from tiring out.
3/13/11 – got to see babies 2x. Addison was put back on the CPAP. Jackson is only on 24% oxygen (21% is room air). Brianna came up to see babies for the first time as well. Addison got her Picc line today. Started pumping.
3/14/11 – Both babies are on Breast milk as of today. We are supplementing with screened donor milk until mine comes in all the way. Jackson received his Picc line today. Both babies have pretty much been on 21% oxygen today (room air) with their cpaps. They started the Phototherapy to help with Jaundice.
Addison
Jackson
