8 Weeks

 

How Far Along:  8 weeks.

Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from our baby's hands and feet, their eyelids practically cover their eyes, breathing tubes extend from their throat to the branches of their developing lungs, and their "tail" is just about gone. In their brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways.

 

Total Weight Gain: 134 today.

 

Maternity Clothes:  Not yet, but I did get a BellaBand and gift card to Motherhood Maternity for Christmas! 

 

Sleep:  Definitely still tired all the time.  No more cramps though!  I find myself waking up frequently in the middle of the night. 

 

Best Moment This Week:  Christmas was definitely the best moment.  Christmas Eve was spent by ourselves as this would be our last Christmas with just us two.  We spent Christmas Day with Jared's family.  I was super excited to get maternity and nursery items from both parents.  It's all becoming so real to us!  Today was also very heartwarming - a coworker wrote me the most touching note and included an ornament that read:  "Believe in Miracles".  It definitely made me tear up thinking about the journey that got us here and the road we have ahead of us. 

 Movement:  None

 

Food Cravings:  Same cravings as last week - Sweets!  And they are so bad for me!  My trainer would kick my butt if he knew what I was eating!
 

Things Making Me Queasy or Sick:  Nothing

 

Looking Forward To:  Monday is when we go back to Columbia to see our baby's arms and legs.  I'm really sad and scared to be released from Dr. Wilshire.  I hope my new OB will be as wonderful as he as has been!

7 Weeks

How Far Along:  7 weeks. 

Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs. Technically, our babies are still considered embryos and have a small tail, which is an extension of their tailbone. Our babies have doubled in size and are now about the size of a blueberry.

 

Total Weight Gain: Back to 134 today.

 

Maternity Clothes:  Not yet, although some work slacks are getting tight.

 

Sleep:  Definitely tired all the time.  Not waking up nearly as much as I was before, but the cramps still come and go.  

 

Best Moment This Week:  The best moment was definitely today!  I had a scare this week though -- had spotting about every day for the past 5 days.  I was freaking out!!  When I called the nurse, she said there was nothing to worry about as this is very common with twins.  That made me feel somewhat better, but I wasn't completely comfortable until I saw two little heartbeats from our babies!  The doctor also told me that I'm done with my Progesterone tablets!!  Thank God!! 

 

 

Movement:  None

 

Food Cravings:  I guess I had my first cravings this week.  It was bakery treats -- cupcakes, cake, brownies, cookies.  So random!!

 

Things Making Me Queasy or Sick:  Nothing

 

Looking Forward To:  In two weeks, we go back to Columbia to see the arms and legs.  This will be the last appointment with Dr. Wilshire and going forward, we will be seeing our new doctor (once we get one) here in St. Louis.  It will be a bittersweet day for sure!

 

 

6 Weeks

 

How Far Along:  6 weeks. Per the bump.com and babycenter.com, this week's major development:  The nose, mouth, and ears are beginning to take shape.  Our babies' eyes and nostrils are starting to form.  Their emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and their arms and legs by protruding buds. Their heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute and blood is beginning to course through their body. Their intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to their lungs has appeared. Their pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of their brain, muscles, and bones. Our babies are the size of a sweet pea at about .25 inches.

Total Weight Gain: 132 today (-2 lbs). Probably because I haven't had dinner yet.

 

Maternity Clothes:  Not yet

 

Sleep:  I'm still waking up during nightly with cramps. Guess they are trying to make room for each other.  

 

Best Moment This Week:  I called Missouri Baptist (www.MOBapbaby.com) to sign up for a tour of the labor and delivery rooms, the nursery, NICU and mother-baby rooms.  This will be done in early January. I also signed us up for a 5-week class on multiples, which will be from March-April.  Finally, I have a consultation in a few weeks with an OBGYN from MOBap that has gone through IVF herself. 

 

Movement:  None

 

Food Cravings:  None specifically.  Eating a little more this week though.  My cousin told me that I needed about 300-600 extra calories a day to get these twins up to their proper weight! 

 

Things Making Me Queasy or Sick:  Nothing

 

Looking Forward To:  I can't stop thinking about appointment next Wednesday when we'll see both of their heartbeats!    

 

 



5 Weeks - Ultrasound Results

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We certainly did as we have so much to be thankful for.  All weekend long I was anticipating today's doctor's appointment.  Well, as we thought from the hCG numbers, we are expecting TWINS!

 

 

 

From the ultrasound photo, you can see two sacs, along with a yolk in each.  We couldn't be happier!  Granted, just as the doctor reminded us, things can change drastically over the course of the pregnancy, but we only want to think positive thoughts.  The doctor said my uterus and ovaries looked great and that I can cut down my Progesterone suppositories from 3x/day to 2x/day.  Thank God!!  I hate having to do that at work!!  Our next appointment is on the 18th, when we will hopefully see two heartbeats. 

 

I'm going to start blogging weekly now with a baby bump photo, along with answers to the below questions.  Since there is no bump now, I have no picture.

 

How Far Along:  5 weeks.  Our babies are the size of an appleseed.  The embryos don't look like much more than a tadpole right now, but they are already starting to form major organs (heart, stomach, liver, kidney) and systems (digestive, circulatory, nervous).

Total Weight Gain: At the appointment today, I was 134 -- which was the same weight I was when we started the IVF cycle.

 

Maternity Clothes:  Not yet

 

Sleep:  I wake up during the night for about 15 minutes due to cramps.

 

Best Moment This Week:  Seeing my two babies in my uterus for the first time.

 

Movement:  None

 

Food Cravings:  None.  In fact, I haven't had much of an appetite lately.

 

Things Making Me Queasy or Sick:  Nothing