Intro: Twin boys born at 29w4d

Missa_g

Hi everyone.  My name is Melissa, my husband and I conceived our boys, Jacen and Spencer, using femara, gonal-f injections, and timed intercourse.  I had an extremely uneventful twin pregnancy until March 25 when I was 28w1d.  

Five days earlier my cervix measured (by ultrasound) 4.3cm long and was closed tight.  I had been having frequent BHs for weeks but usually they resolved with fluids, laying on my side, etc.  Two weeks ago nothing would make them go away and they were coming every 3 to 5 minutes.  The on call OB sent me to L&D.  My husband and I laughed on the way to the hospital that they were going to hook me up to the monitors and tell me it was all in my head and send us home after a $150 copay.  I wish that had happened.

When we arrived they rushed me to an L&D room and hooked us up.  The boys looked great but I was having contractions every 2 to 3 minutes.  The on call OB came to check me and told me I was 3cm dilated and 70% effaced.  Before I knew it they had me hooked up to fluids and magnesium and I got the first steroid shot.   The OB was not optimistic that the mag would stop my contractions and had an NICU doctor come talk to us.  Thankfully we surprised everyone and were able to get the second steroid shot the next day and stop mag on the 27th.

I was on hospital bedrest until 4/3 when my BHs began to be different again.  They felt a little more intense and began lower in my belly.  I was hooked up and the boys looked great but it confirmed real contractions 6 minutes apart.  The on call OB checked me and I was further dilated and almost 100% effaced.  They told us we would be having the boys that day for sure.   Our boys had other ideas.  After an epidural at 11:30am, the OB breaking Jacen's water at 5:30am, starting pitocin at 6:30am, he was born at 10:01am weighing 2lbs13oz.  The OB then broke Spencer's water, internally flipped him (ouch!) and he was born at 10:14am weighing 3lbs3oz.  We were the talk of L&D since not only was I able to deliver our boys vaginally (apparently a rarity here), but they were born on my husband's birthday, and five years to the day since he proposed to me.  I guess 4/4 wasn't already a great enough day for us, our son's birthday had to be added to the list!

NICU has been a scary experience so far.  We are very happy with their care and everyone is incredibly nice and realistic, yet comforting.  Jacen developed a pneumothorax but the x-ray last night showed that it thankfully resolved on it's own.  He's on cpap right now fluctuating between 25% at the lowest and 40% at the highest.  He's tolerating feeds like a champ and is already up to 4mL every three hours.   Spencer required the ventilator but all day yesterday was at 21%!  They're talking about moving back to cpap but want to give him a chance to rest a little since he really struggled to breathe his first two days.  He hasn't been tolerating feeds very well but they're attempting 2mL every four hours.  An hour ago I called to check on them and was told that Spencer finally tolerated an entire feed!  I'm so proud of my boys.

 I was discharged on friday but thankfully the hospital had a nesting room available so we're able to stay close by for now.  I'm pumping every 3 hours and it looks like the milk might be starting to come in.  Right now I'm a little ahead of the boys and they are able to exclusively get my breast milk.  That is an amazing feeling!

I look forward to both giving and getting support on this board! 

gringa78

I remember you from the IF board!  Congratulations on your boys!! 

I had my twins at 33 weeks and they're still in the NICU...we've had good days and bad days...know your babies are in good hands and that little by little they will grow and improve.  Hang in there.  This board is a great place to find support.

 

DrRx

Congratulations on your twins! My little girl was born at 26w2d and we've been in the NICU for a little over 9 weeks.  We've had our share of good days and bad days.  A piece of advice I got from this board was to focus on the good days and just get through the bad days. Another thing that I've been told, which really helps me, is that the NICU is a marathon, not a sprint. 

I'm glad that you're able to pump and stay ahead of your boys! Even if you aren't able to give them exclusively breastmilk in the future, every little bit helps! 

 

daphne814

Congratulations on your twin boys!  My little guy is also still in the NICU, it's been almost 3 weeks for us so far.  The pps have given lots of great advice, I just wanted to say welcome and I hope your NICU stay is as short and easy as possible before you get to take your little guys home!

Mrs. Alice

Congrats again!  Great weights for 29 weeks too! My boys were born just a week early in gestation than yours at 2lbs and 2.7lbs.  They spent 2 and 3 weeks on vents after failing CPAP trials in the first week.  Once they got off of the vents the 2nd time, they never looked back.  Sometimes they (boys especially) just need some extra time.  Hoping Spencer can get back on CPAP and they both continue tolerating feeds.  Pumping can be a chore at first but it definitely becomes rewarding when your milk comes in.  It's always nice to build up a freezer stash at home when you have twins!  Take care.

snoangel79

Welcome! Those are great sizes for that gestation! My girl was IUGR and only an ounce more than your 3 pounder at 34 weeks.

raches

Welcome!  I had my twins at 30w5d and they were in the NICU for 10 weeks.  It was a long, long road, but we are home now and it's starting to become only a distant memory.  It was so hard being discharged and leaving them there, but it's wonderful that you can stay there as much as possible.  I pretty much lived at the hospital for 10 weeks.  Awesome that you are pumping as well.  I've been pumping for over 5 months now.  My twins never did great breastfeeding, and with two babies, pumping and bottle feeding works best for us.  Good luck!

sedge1

Welcome! NICU is a rollercoaster ride for sure. I didn't come to this board until my DD was already home, but with I had used it more during my NICU and transitional care stay for support! Please lean on us as much as you need! Congrats, Mama, and welcome to the world, boys!

Pips09

Congratulations on your babies!

adrielegorburu

congrats on your boys - I hope your NICU stay is short and uneventful

kelkel09

Welcome & Congrats on your boys! The NICU is a rollercoaster, as other girls mentioned, but this board is full of wonderful, supportive women so keep us posted! Best of luck!

haziedaze

I think we were on TTCAL together...

My little Henry was born at 29w4d as well. He was big at 3lbs 7oz and had a relatively short NICU stay of 38 days. We brought him home at 35w corrected.The NICU is such a rollercoaster and it can feel like they will never come home, but they definitely will!

Definitely check out the blog (linked at the top). There is lots of great info there. Keep up with the pumping... it was probably the hardest part for me but definitely so rewarding to watch him grow on my milk. Henry's been on breastmilk only since about 38 wk adjusted and now at 4.5months adj he weighed 17.5 lbs!