The ultrasounds are actually becoming a little more physically difficult for me. Up until now, they've had me lay flat on my back on the exam table for them. But now, I really can't do that due to the weight of the babies and the uterus. When I lay flat, they actually compress my inferior vena cava (one of the largest veins in your body) a little. Doesn't sound too bad, but as I found out as my last ultrasound, this will make you feel faint and like you are about to vomit! So now I have to have pillows to prop one of my hips and a leg up- I'm not sure about the etiquette on this one, but I just feel like it isn't polite to throw up on your ultrasound tech...
I was incredibly nervous for this ultrasound. It's been two weeks since the last one- too long in my opinion! I have to keep reminding myself that most pregnant women only get 1-3 ultrasounds during their entire pregnancy (I had that many in less than a month once we found out about the triplets). Because of all the risks associated with carrying multiples, for both the babies and for me, I rely on the ultrasounds for reassurance that things are going okay.
He's trying to suck his thumb!!
At my last ultrasound, the doctor told me that she thought she was beginning to see a little "ballooning" in my cervix. It's expected that at some time during this pregnancy, my cervix will begin to change- but I was NOT prepared for it to start changing that early. The ballooning wasn't enough that she wanted to put me on bed rest or anything, but it was still a scary thing to hear. And the doctor did tell me that sometimes the interpretation of the ultrasound can be subject to the opinion of the person reading the picture as well as the quality of the picture obtained, but I was still worried. So I went in Friday dreading having to hear that my cervix had continued to change for the worse.
And to my absolute relief, we really heard nothing but positive things from the doctor! Turns out my cervix hasn't changed and is still holding strong and tight!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you to my cervix. I'll have to get her a lovely present when this is all over! :)
Check out Baby B's adorable profile!
The babies were kicking and moving around throughout the ultrasound. Their heartbeats sound like beautiful music, and there is plenty of amniotic fluid for each of them to stay protected and safe in. They are all growing too! Baby A is the smallest at 1 pound 6 ounces, which puts him at the 30th percentile on the growth chart. Baby B is weighing in at 1 pound 9 ounces, which puts him at the 60th percentile. And Baby C is apparently a little piglet, weighing in at 1 pound 13 ounces (above the 90th percentile!!).
It might sound scary to hear about their growth disparities, but there are a few things that you have to remember.
1) It is absolutely normal for multiples to have a disparity in weight while they are in the womb.
2) Our future pediatrician (my longtime friend Pat!) has reassured me that the smaller ones will catch up with their brother after birth.
3) It is actually just as important that they are "tracking" along the growth chart in a linear fashion, which our babes are definitely doing (For example: Baby A has been the smallest all along, but he continues to gain weight just like his brothers).
So good news all around! And the boys put on quite the show for their visitors (little performers already!). We got to see one of the babes put a thumb in/by his mouth. Jason's response to hearing about this? "Oh no- think about the dental bills they're going to rack up!" :)
All three babes lined up together in one picture
(we're looking at 3 heads- I think!)
On a tiny side note: Sorry there aren't more ultrasound pics from this week. The ultrasound tech printed out a huge number for me, but she seems to have a fetish for labeling genitalia. And I have this strange aversion to posting pictures of my boys' businesses on the internet. Therefore: labelled genitalia + my aversion = very few pics to post!
And in a gesture that just brought tears to my eyes, we saw one of the babies reach his hands up and stroke the face of his brother. Granted, they are doing this through the amniotic membranes that separate them (each of the babes is in his own "sac" and has his own placenta), but it is still so sweet to see. We had previously learned that multiples will actually have these kinds of interactions with each other while still in the tummy, so I felt pretty darn lucky to get to bear witness to it.
I'm continuing to feel pretty good, but I can tell that my days at work are numbered. I can tell that I walk slower and can physically do less to help my patients and to help out my coworkers. I called my boss Friday afternoon to ask them to take me off of the schedule starting September 1st (they took the news very well!). I'll be filling out paperwork this week to get things prepared for that from a human resources perspective, and I'm going to try to taper off my work shifts over the next three weeks before I'm officially taken off of the work schedule. These next few weeks are super important in terms of keeping the babies growing and keeping Mama resting.
I'm really struggling with this decision. Even now as I type this, I can feel the tears coming. I love my job. I absolutely love my job. I've got amazing coworkers and patients, and I just love being in the kind of professional environment that supports my continued professional AND personal growth. I was raised to understand the value of a hard day's work and I'm far more used to working than I am to not! And while I am stopping work far sooner than I would have wanted, I am so grateful that I am getting to do this on my own terms (vs. having the decision made for me by the doctor putting me on mandatory bed rest!).
Jason's been incredibly patient with me in this respect. I think he would have preferred that I quit working months ago and allowed myself to rest, but he understands how important it has been to me to still work. He continues to hold my hand when I need it, and he continues to console me when I'm crying over leaving work. I guess I need to look at this next step as being this- I'm stepping away from my job as an oncology nurse for awhile and I'm stepping towards my new career as a mommy. Sometimes it's all about helping yourself get a little perspective... :)
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