The "Fun" Begins

I had an appointment yesterday at 18 weeks 1 day with my high risk doctor. This was the ultrasound where they look at all the major organ structures to check for any potential concerns. By the time the ultrasound tech had checked all four babies, she had 152 images! Everyone looked good though. All babies had heart rates around 150bpm and all had 4 chambered hearts. All brain structures looked good, blood flow through umbilical cords looked good and all continued to measure at appropriate sizes. Baby girl "C" is a little smaller than the others, but still right on target for appropriate development. The doctor measured my cervix length himself this time and got 5.4 cm (very excellent) and my blood pressure was the lowest it has been so far (121/79). Basically everything is great. Oh yeah, and he said he might put me in the hospital next week! (So, maybe EVERYTHING isn't great).

Before you get too concerned, this is based on the fact that I have been extremely fatigued. He asked how I have been sleeping and I told him that I haven't slept very well lately. I am having difficulty getting comfortable and I wake up every time I need to change positions. Also I have been having some headaches off and on since Monday and that has contributed to some sleep disturbance. He told me that I looked more tired to him today (he was catching me at nap time and right after I had spent an hour in a dark ultrasound room). He prescribed something to help me sleep and told me that I had to come back in a week instead of two weeks. So, next week he will evaluate whether or not I look better and if not we may discuss the hospital so they can monitor small changes better. So pray for a well rested week. I promise to take it very easy if everyone will pray. I'm willing to go to the hospital for an extended stay, just not quite yet if I can help it!

I also told him that I am having some contractions, but usually 1-2 at a time and then they don't come back for a while. He felt fine about this. He said we didn't have to worry unless I had more than 5-6 in an hour. He felt that what I was describing was reasonable given the circumstances. He also made today my last day of work (I was only supposed to work through next week, so just one week early). It was really weird and kind of difficult to leave work today. It didn't feel real to walk out not knowing when I would be back to treat another kiddo! I got a little emotional, I think largely because this was the first major life change in a long line of changes that are coming in the next few months. Somehow it made everything more real: the bedrest, the impending hospital stay, the preemies, their hospital stay and the stressful, yet joyful chaos that is to follow. I will miss everyone at work. They have been so supportive and so wonderful through this journey so far.

Now for the main attraction. NEW ULTRASOUND PICTURES . . .

Baby Girl "A" (scratching her brother's head "D")

Baby Boy "B" (hands by his face and mouth open)

Baby Girl "C" ( think that is someone else's hand by her ear)

Baby Boy "D" ( his back with his head in profile)

I am feeling "A" and "B" move a lot (probably "B" the most), but they are all very wiggly. I told the ultrasound tech that I need at lease one calm one, but she doesn't think I have a calm one (oh well, maybe I'll lose the 80 lbs trying to keep up with them). She has trouble getting pictures of the things she needs sometimes, because they are constantly moving. Right now their estimated weights are 10 oz each for "A" & "B" and 9 oz each for "C" and "D". That's over 2 lbs of baby already. I am also doing better with weight gain. I have reached 25lbs, so that is good. I recently contacted a mother of quadruplets who carried her babies to 33 weeks and had excellent birth weights (17.5 lbs of baby total!!) to ask her what she did. Her advice was rest, rest, rest and eat, eat, eat. She said she gained 80 lbs (which she lost) and her babies were only in the NICU for 16 days! That's what I'm praying for.

Well, I think that's all for now. I wish I could say that I was off to take a nap, but we have roofers here, so there will be no napping. I guess a movie is in order for some R & R before Jackson gets home. (This unproductiveness is difficult for me!)