Hi there! Gosh it's been a month since I've updated!!! Things are going well. I've had lots of ultrasounds (one about every week) mostly to check for heartblock at a more high risk/fancier clinic(due to my sjogrens antibodies which can pass to the baby and possibly cause heartblock). No heartblock has been seen for either baby, but if it does start to show they can give me steroids to treat it. I think the risk is <5% of even having the heartblock, but they are checking just in case. At 22 weeks I had an echo of the babies hearts- all looked good there too!
Today I had my 24 week OB appt, all looked good with the babies, but the top of my cervix is funneling!! So my OB did the fetal fibronectin swab. But my cervix is long and closed at 3.5cm. So she's not too concerned just something to watch. I just got a call that the fFN swab came back negative so that's also reassuring. She says we'd be more concerned about the funneling if my cervix was shortening... I am going to the high risk clinic on Thursday so they will check out the cervix too. I will also be having a growth scan there and the weekly heartblock check. Glad I can get things checked out again and another opinion.
My OB did say to take it easier with the funneling... I have to admit I have been doing a lot this weekend!! We are in the process of moving so I've been packing boxes and cleaning the house so it can be viewed. We are excited about our move though! We're currently renting our home. (we used to be homeowners but sold our home about 2 yrs ago for various reasons). Our lease is about up, so we looked and found something with much more space. Our house we are in right now is pretty small although an old adorable craftman's style home that's been renovated and fully upgraded.... but we really think we'll appreciate double the space at the new home! I just need to keep mind of taking it easy. We have a moving company doing the big move on April 4th, also have friends and family coming to help finish packing and unpacking....so I am able to not over do it!!!!
I've been reading the Dr Luke book that my OB recommended for twins. I'm on track with her weight gain recommendations. She advises that you gain 25 lbs by 20 wks for a twin pregnancy (12lbs for a singleton). I've gained about 30lbs at 24wks so I am on track. Target for 28 weeks is 38 lbs (20lbs for singleton) and total weight gain of 40-56 lbs (25-35lbs for singleton). Research has been shown with this pattern of weight gain that the results are not only bigger birthweights and longer gestations, but also less extra weight postpartum!! By gaining most of your pregnancy weight by 28 weeks, then slowing down from 28 weeks to delivery, much of the weight gain is mobilized, so that there is less to lose in the months after delivery. Pretty interesting, huh?
Dr Luke recommends a variety of supplements in her book. I am following her advice and have been taking all of them for the last few weeks (mag, ca, zinc, vit d, c, e, fish oil). There are various benefits to the supplements but one thing I was most interested in was the prevention of pre-eclampsia. I started to have pre-e at the end of my last pregnancy, so with twins I know I am more at risk.... if these supplements can help...I'm all for it!
Hope to update soon with another belly pic!!
