Update

Well, it seems like things can change so quickly at the end of a pregnancy! Here is the update of what is going on with the twins and their arrival (given that winter break is already more than half way over.) Well, I went to the doctor on Monday morning and I am 3 cm dilated, 100% effaced, and Noah is at the +1 station. My blood pressure is still high (145/93) but other than that, everything is looking stellar. My blood work is fantastic, no protein in my urine, no pre-eclampsia, babies have plenty of fluid around them both, no distress on the babies, they are growing great, etc. Other than being pretty uncomfortable, I am so happy to say the doctor things I am still "too healthy" to force induction. I was pretty grouchy Monday morning when I found out that we would not be going to the hospital to deliver as we anticipated. Our hospital bags have been sitting in the trunk of the car, and we were planning on going straight to the hospital today. (It is another great lesson in learning about how life doesn't always go how you plan; time to roll with the punches!)

So here was the updated plan as of Monday. I will go to the hospital Tuesday (yesterday) and Friday for non-stress tests of the babies (to monitor their activity and keep a close watch on things in the next 7 days.) I will go back to see my doctor on Monday and if for some reason I still have not naturally gone into labor then I will be induced on Wednesday, January 5th in the morning. My doctor says that going into labor on my own is very possible at any time (but knowing my babies, I wouldn't count on it.)

-----------------------------------
UPDATE AS OF WEDNESDAY MORNING:
So I went for the first non-stress test yesterday and it went beautifully! They hooked me up to 3 monitors (one for Noah, one for Lily and one for me!) The babies have to show 2 accelerations each in 20 minutes, and leave it to the Lehman overachievers, they were done in 5 minutes! Basically, they just have to show that they are healthy when they are active and healthy when they rest. My babies like to play a lot, so the test was a piece of cake. My nurse was great and it was actually really soothing to hear their heartbeats on the monitor and just relax and enjoy them! I will take a picture when I go this Friday to post. My contractions are 4 minutes apart now, so the nurse also said labor could start any moment; she was very encouraging though and really lifted my spirit about keeping them inside as long as possible and all the benefits of them staying in just a few days longer!

At 5 pm yesterday I started having chest pains; I shook it off thinking it was heartburn, took some tums and tried to ignore it. Around 6:30 pm it was getting worse, but I thought I would eat a little dinner and see if it passed (I figured it was just 4 little baby legs sticking in my ribs.) After dinner I was getting a little panicked; took a bath, tried all the different pillow positions, but I was so short of breath, and it was pretty painful to breathe in and out. Finally we called the OB Triage line and spoke with the doctor on call and they told us to come in to the hospital. I knew everything was fine with the babies, it was just worrisome to be 45 minutes away from the hospital and having respiratory pains. 2 hours later (11:30 pm) the pain just started to subside and we ended up just going home. I felt horrible making us go to the hospital, and after all that it was nothing. Josh says, better safe than sorry!

I am really hoping for a smooth rest of the week and into early next week; no more false alarms or hospital trips (unless it's baby time!)


All in all, I am overwhelmed with excitement and am anxious to meet my sweet, dark-haired babies! Although I really want them to come out, I am filled with gratitude that my children are so incredibly healthy and that I have been fortunate enough to carry them throughout these past 9-10 months. Please pray for a patient and content heart for me in the upcoming days; each day is a struggle to try not to rush these babies out. God's timing is perfect and He will send them when they are ready! I am trying to keep my faith in His sovereign plan for our family. Please also keep the babies in your prayers as things are getting really tight in there for everyone. Josh could use some prayers too; he has been such a willing, kind and unwavering husband these past two weeks (lifting me in and out of bed, household chores, driving me places if needed, helping with aches and pains, satisfying food cravings and the list goes on.)