MoM's of Multiples Weekly Check In 6/13

tmk0325

A check in for the expecting Mom's of Multiples's and those of us who have Multiples, so we can answer any questions about a multiples pregnancy, etc!

How far along are you (how many babies)? 

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?

Rants/Raves this week? 

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family? 

What questions/advice do you have?  

tmk0325

A check in for the expecting Mom's of Multiples's and those of us who have Multiples, so we can answer any questions about a multiples pregnancy, etc!

How far along are you (how many babies)? 13w4d Singleton this time

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? None until the 29th

Rants/Raves this week? I'm in this weird half bloated, half popped out belly stage. I don't like it... 

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family? We haven't even talked about names yet this time.  We have SO's grandpa's funeral tomorrow and his name was Harvey.  SO said what if it's a boy we name him Harvey?  I was like uhm, while I love your grandpa and I kind of think the name is cute, I am not a fan of Junior's or people having the same name in a family.  I said we could totally use it for a middle name, but I don't want to use it for a first name... That's as far as we got. We will probably tell people some names we are thinking of, but we wont have an actual name picked out til we see the baby.  We are also Team Green and it's been challenging for us to agree on names in the past! 

What questions/advice do you have?  Has anyone bought a fetal doppler?I didn't have one with the twins, because I was at the doctor every two weeks, but this whole only having one appointment a month is starting to get to me.  I'm really contemplating getting one.

KLake42

How far along are you (how many babies)? 

11 weeks today with  mo/di twins

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?
Thursday I finally meet with ob/gyn (RE just released me)

Rants/Raves this week? 
Still with the nausea. And a now a head cold.

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family? 
Yes we do, but we're not telling anyone yet.  We might not tell under birth.  We haven't actually told most people that it's twins-- we're going to do a cute little video soon. (Our hiking boots.  Then we set a little pair of baby hiking boots between them.  Then we scoot them over, and set another pair down.  Then the camera pans up, and I'm studying a trail map and my wife looks nervous, and I deadpan-- we're gonna need a bigger tent.)

What questions/advice do you have?  
Being high risk, after years of infertility, I have so much trouble just relaxing and feeling excited.  How do you find your zen?  I can't seem to stop worrying.

stella_700

How far along are you (how many babies)? 13-2 with di-di twins

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? ultrasound and blood draw last Thursday, just waiting for the genetic testing results. Praying for health babies. Next appointment isn't till June 30 so Ob must think I'm trucking right along.

Rants/Raves this week? Rant: I'm hungry all the time, even worse I want cheese all the time. Queso, babybel's, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese and crackers. This isn't doing my digestive system any favors. Raves, we looked at colors for nursery walls this weekend. That was fun.

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family? We are telling family members the names that are on our list. We will have several picked out by the time that the babies are born and then probably chose the one that fits. Chase Edward, Jules Alexander, Marie Lynne, Jean Florence are on the list right now as favs. Most are combinations of names we like and family names.

What questions/advice do you have?  I feel like I need a timeline for when I should be doing stuff. The things like scheduling labor/deliver classes, hospital visits, infant care classes. When should we get on a list with a daycare? With twins when should we schedule these things? FTparents here and feeling a bit lost, I work best with a plan. It doesn't have to be THE PLAN, just a plan.

stella_700

@KLake42 That is super cute with the camping! I love it. We haven't announced on social media yet, not sure I feel comfortable just yet, maybe we'll announce with the gender after we are further along.

I feel like there is always some to start worrying over. We get passed the first ultrasound with heartbeats, then see an OB, then there is the genetic testing, I guess its nature's way of preparing us for a life time of worrying about our kids. I've found some joy though, going to a big baby store for the first time, picking up little infant onsies, buying baby hiking shoes! (I bet that will be fun), looking at paint samples, and once we told extended family, their joy for us was contagious.

tmk0325

@KLake42 the video sounds adorable.
@stella_700 With twins it's never to early to start doing research in my mind.. Ok, maybe that's not completely true, but I would say once you reach the second trimester and things are well then go for it. I started my registry around then and just kept it private and adding and deleting stuff that I had researched... For daycares, I think it depends on the area you live in. I would start calling around now and find out what the policies, waitlists are like.  If you have friends with kids asking them for referrals to places is the best in my opinion and then visiting them.  I don't quite remember the timeline with doing classes, but I think doing them towards the end of the second trimester was when we did them.  We never ended up touring the hospital we delivered at, because we were so early we drove to a different hospital with a nicu.  The hospital where my OB was not equipped to handle preemies, so I think that is also something you should find out ahead of time too! 

wabash15

How far along are you (how many babies)? 12+1 singleton

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? had a good appointment with the midwife last week and even got to see pistachio move (for the first time!) I have my NT scan next week.

Rants/Raves this week? the nausea and fatigue are still rough, the B6 has helped some but I'm ready for this stuff to stop. Huge RAVE, I was able to stop the progesterone suppositories yesterday!!!! those things are such a hot mess, I am so glad to be done with them

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family? we have our list from the twins. We were team green last time so we had to have 4 names ready. boys names were easy, girls names were another story... I don't think we came to a consensus till 36 weeks and even then we sat at a coffee shop and ranked our lists, then re-ranked and so on till we got to the top 2 names.... I think boys names will be easy again, but girls names will be harder. I have a girls name I really like but I'm not sure DH will be on board.

What questions/advice do you have?  no questions right now..
@KLake42  the announcement idea is adorable. I am also PGAL, so I don't think I really started feeling OK about things until we reached viability. We had some growth concerns with DD but thankfully she caught back up and by the end was measuring larger. Hang in there it will get better, and just try to focus on the little things to enjoy. It seems slow in the beginning but the pregnancy will fly by. Try to take the time to savor. ( I was not always very good at that)
@stella_700 as for daycare I think it depends on your area. when we were in California the wait list for the best daycares was more than 2 years (crazy pants!!) where I live now it was not a big deal. We started checking in the beginning of the second trimester. We toured several places (best to go unannounced) we asked a bunch of questions and then went with the one we liked best, though it is not as convenient for location. We also opted for a facility vs home because with my job I needed reliability and extended hours. andplusalso it may be harder to find in-home with twins. If you chat with your OB or MFM they should have paperwork on classes run by yoru hospital. I think we did our tour in the early 3rd trimester. if your going to do birthing classes I would investigate during the second trimester as they may be once a week for 2 months or all in one day. We did a lot of research so I don' think we had a registry together until the 3rd trimester, though we had picked our car seat type out before that. hope that helps

KathrynJ088

How far along are you (how many babies)? 
15+3 di/di twins

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?
Nope, a full 2 weeks with no appointmnents!

Rants/Raves this week? 
Rant: I'm already starting to be uncomfortable, it's too soon!! Oh, and my Fioricet costs right around $110 a month. I'm very sympathetic for those who pay ridiculous amount for medicines to keep them alive, mine is just so I can painlessly function. 
Raves: babies moving, although Baby B (who I can feel more often) sometimes gets squished as best I can tell and kicks really hard. I make an awkward noise and get startled every time! 

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family?
Nope, not until we find out genders. Picking out 4 names seems like a nightmare! @wabash15 I don't know how you did it!

What questions/advice do you have? 
Anything I should prepare or know about for my 16 week appt next week? I'm pretty sure they told me they'd be doing head to toe measurements at my MFM & that we should be able to determine genders, and then I know I'm doing the glucose screen at my OB the following day.  2 appts next week, then it's off to Washington state for 2 weeks of vacay!!

stella_700

@KathrynJ088 I can't wait to start feeling the babies, might be longer for me as I'm plus size. I'm not uncomfortable mostly, just some hip pain here and there.

@wabash15 I've done minor research at this point and the numbers have made me wince. It's not going to be pretty financially. We will make it though, both our parents did fine on less than we make.

My husband informed me this morning that I feel asleep before 9 pm yesterday with all the lights on in the bedroom. He tells me my cat was curled up next to me asleep also. I have no memory of actually falling asleep. Oh fatigue please lessen soon.

wabash15

@KathrynJ088 nothing specific to prepair. I loved the MFM appointments because we always got very thorough ultrasounds... just be prepared for it to take a while... the US alone can take an hour to get all the measurements on both babies.  Have fun on your vacation!
@stella_700 Your not alone, I've been falling asleep before 9 also! Yah daycare can add up. thankfully where I live now the twins cost what a singleton would have been in California...  we had a ton of debates if we could even afford a third. three in daycare vs DH becoming a SAHD.  we can swing it but it will be tight here too. 

elev2017

tmk0325 My doctor told me that in the first trimester it can be difficult to differentiate the twins' heartbeats, but I'm thinking I might get one once it's easier to tell them apart. I was surprised to see that they're not that expensive.

KLake42  I love your announcement idea! I had an idea for an announcement, but it's a little too much work and I want to announce soon, so I need to come up with a new idea.

stella_700  I'm a first time mom and am feeling pretty lost too! I've started looking into some local daycares and am going to ask some colleagues for recommendations once I go public (probably next week as long as my appointment goes well), then we will probably contact places some time in the second trimester to find out about waitlists.

wabash15 My husband absolutely HATES my favorite boy name, hope your DH surprises you and likes your girl name!

KathrynJ088  One of my monthly maintenance drugs that I need to take for the rest of my life for a chronic illness costs $1,000 a month. Thankfully, my doctor gives me free samples every month so I don't actually have to buy it, but the cost still makes me so angry!

How far along are you (how many babies)? 

12+4 di/di twins

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?

I have an appointment on Monday! This is the longest I've gone so far between appointments (4 weeks) and the wait has been awful. It will be such a relief to know our zigzags doing okay!

Rants/Raves this week? 
Rave: I'm going to a wedding this weekend, a bachelorette party the next weekend, and then a baby shower the weekend after that! I'm just so excited to be sharing in all these wonderful life events of my friends. I'm actually tearing up right now thinking about it lol.

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family? 

We just settled on one boy name and one girl name last night (we'd already had the girl's for a while, the boys was trickier). My husband has a feeling it's a boy and a girl, and now I do too, so hopefully our guts are right! I'll tell a few select family/friends, but only people who I think won't give me a hard time / be judgmental of our name choices.

What questions/advice do you have?

I think I'll probably have questions after my next appointment, but right now I don't have any.

beary67

How far along are you (how many babies)?   14w5d with di/di twins

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?  I've been doing a lot of random tests, and had an EKG yesterday, which was thankfully normal.  I go for my glucose test tomorrow and an ultrasound.  

Rants/Raves this week? I think I have Symphysis pubis dysfunction which is causing tons of pain when walking.  I have self-diagnosed based on my symptoms, but I'll talk to my OB next week at our appointment.  

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family? We have a few, but nothing solidified yet.  We are waiting until we know what we are having (we find out on the 23rd).  

What questions/advice do you have?  This is probably a super dumb question, but if you order one brand of car seat, do you also need to order the same brand stroller so the car seats will fit in the stroller?  

wabash15

@beary67 many of the stroller brands will have frames that you buy separately and should fit your car seat choice. (not a stupid question at all! I think we spent months researching and testing out strollers....)

breezybee

@tmk0325 Harvey is a totally cute middle name. I'd consider it!
@KLake42 That reveal video sounds so adorable.  How to I get my zen?  I try to stay as busy as possible so my days go by really fast and I can't really think about bad things. Plus yoga, naps, and walks.  
@stella_700 All I ever want is cheese, pregnant or not. Good thing we need a ton of calcium. Eat all the cheese!
@wabash15 Im glad you're feeling slightly better. This nausea is killing me too.  
My husband and I are having the opposite name problem. We have TONS of girl names and like 5 boy names. It's harder than it seems!
@beary67 Im so glad your EKG came back normal. GL at your glucose test. As @wabash15
said, you can buy adapters for any car seat to go with almost any stroller. Just check when you buy it that they have compatible adapters. 

OMG this took forever, because pregnancy brain is a real thing and I can't remember anything 5 seconds after I read it. I'm like a goldfish at this point. 

How far along are you (how many babies)? 10+4, mo/di twins

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?
I have to get my blood drawn tomorrow, andnwe has a quick us last week. They're doing good!

Rants/Raves this week? 
My husband and I found our dream house. It's super cute and totally under our budget...but...we'd be moving to the suburbs. We live in San Francisco now and I love the city. All the restaurants and museums. Plus the parks, shops, music shows. Ugh. I'm really torn. We love our current house, but we'd probably have to move in the next year or so. This new house is exactly our style and all of our friends live in the same town. Oy. What to do what to do?  That's a rant and a rave

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family? 
Girls names we've got one down: Penelope. Boys names we've got one down: Matthew. Nothing else that really sticks yet. 

What questions/advice do you have?  
Nothing right now. 

KathrynJ088

Question: could my OB get me a handicap plaque for when I get bigger? Have any twin mom's done this previously? 

I'm not wanting it for normal parking lots, just the one at work. On our campus, two other bldg have designated "Expectant Mother" parking spots near the doors, but my HR office says they're not going to offer that at my building and suggested a handicap placard instead. The issue is that my walk from the car to building is about 1/4 mile each way (thank you fitbit), and during the summer months in central Texas, we have months of constant 100+ degree weather with over 50% humidity. I'm already getting short of breath just walking from car to building, and the freshly repaved black parking lot doesn't help. I don't want to feel like an invalid, and would rather my work just put in the dang parking spots like they have at other buildings, but that's no longer an option. 

breezybee

Wouldn't hurt to ask @KathrynJ088!  Let us know, because I would totally get one too!

anewadventure

@KathrynJ088  might i recommend an umbrella? and, uh, some ice packs strapped to your back?  in all seriousness, if your work HR specifically recommended you get one for your parking situation, i think that would be pertinent information for your doctor. 

wabash15

@KathrynJ088 I did not get one (or ask).  The short of breath thing is normal and even experienced for a singleton pregnancy. Sorry HR isn't more helpful, but it can't hurt to talk to your doctor. If the HC placard is a no go than maybe your doc can write a note to HR and see about getting a reserved spot. 

clovelyone

@tmk0325 I've decided not to get a doppler. They couldn't find the heartbeats with one in the office so I figured why bother. For me, it would probably cause anxiety. 

@KLake42 I hope your nausea gets better soon. I'm just trying to think only positive thoughts. I'm kind of into The Law of Attraction. Our minds are very powerful and influential. 

@stella700 Cheese is a wonderful thing! I'm all about cheese and crackers. A grilled cheese sounds good, but I'm afraid it will give me heartburn. 

@wabash15 Yay! I stopped the progesterone suppositories at 12 weeks. Good riddance, but thanks for keeping my babies safe! 

@KathrynJ088 That's great! I can't wait to feel baby movement. I'd definitely ask about the temporary handicap placard. All he can do is say no. 

@leilagphillips Aren't free samples great? It sucks that your meds cost so much. I've had lots of hookups for endometriosis related meds. 

@beary67 I'm glad that your EKG went well. 

@breezybee That's a nice rant and rave! 

How far along are you (how many babies)? 
13+6 with di/di twins 

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?

No appointments, but my doctor called and said that my MaterniT21 testing showed no abnormalities and we're having a boy (and hopefully a girl, but the test can't distinguish if there's one or two. 

Rants/Raves this week? 
Stupid heartburn! 

Do you have any names picked out? If so, are you telling friends or family? 
Not really. We have a couple ideas, but nothing concrete. I don't really care if the family likes it or not, it's not their kids. 

What questions/advice do you have?  
None for now.