i carry...

i didn't know what to expect when i found out i was pregnant.  i mean, i hadn't been researching any of it, so much of it so far has surprised me.  a definite new learning experience that i have to chalk up.

so far, what has REALLY surprised me though is that i carry in front.  i know that i'm only 21.5 weeks pregnant, but i feel like i've been carrying in front up until this point.  don't get me wrong- i know that if i turn to the side, you can definitely see that i am PG.... but, i've been told that if i turn around, you then can't tell.

to me, that's so strange.  strange for two reasons:
1. i've always been fascinated when/how girls can carry in front, and where you can't tell from the back. it's so weird that we have such different bodies and how pregnancy displays itself.
2.  i've always carried "my" weight in my mid-section.  i take after my dad in that part, and i've not been too happy about that since that would be my weakness come bathing suit season....

i guess pregnancy will continue to surprise me... i mean, i haven't had the most orthodox of symptoms, so far (no morning sickness- just nausea from my prenatals and how they taste, i take shots 2x/day, DVT/leg cramps- which ones?, super exhaustion, etc...).

yet, somehow, i feel that as my body does take its shape, toll to accommodate these two little beings, i still am fascinated by what it's becoming....

6,000,000 what?

just read on the bump's weekly newsletter, that marks my pregnancy, that our baby girls have ALL of their 6,000,000 (six million) eggs in their womb!!!  by birth, that number will drop to 1,000,000 (one million) by birth!!!

also, in my other book, i read that they are the size of barbie and ken dolls.  LOL!!!  my favorite doll growing up (the former, not latter, lol)!

to point out, this is NOT the ken that MY barbie dated when i was younger!  LOL!  he had sandy brown hair.  :)  also, my mom got rid of all my barbies one day, and pure devastation set in.  :(

also, baby center said that our babies are measuring as long as carrots- 10 1/2" long and 3/4lbs.!!!  wowsers!!!

monthly nurse's advice

every month, the same nurse from cigna, carol, calls me for the healthy babies' program that i enrolled in my first trimester.  whenever she calls, she gives the BEST advice/tips.  this time was none other.

so, on wed., 8/18, she called, and advised me:

- kiwis have fabulous potassium in them (an alternative to bananas).
- put 1t of powdered milk in my smoothie for protein.
- tell the tech upfront that we'd like to be updated as the u/s proceeds since we aren't experienced in that area.
- if i continue to have "silver confetti" visions (more on that later), then let the dr. know... although, i was hydrated, fed, and feeling quite strong.  don't know how it happened twice, but it did.

she really goes to battle for me and finds out about my insurance plan in case i have questions or the dr. do... it's helpful to have someone on my side who understands the scientific part of it and the patient part. :)

a soapbox at 18 weeks

tomorrow, we go for our 21-week ultrasound ("u/s" for danielle :)). our previous appointment was very different than any other.

they did the full-anatomy screening on both babies.  imagine having an ultrasound for an hour and a half.  yup, roughly 45 minutes each baby.  the worst part is that the tech was one whom we hadn't had before, and she was quite UNpleasant.  now, i go to u/s every two weeks, and yes, i have questions, AND i have the right to ask any question i want.  for heaven's sake, i have TWO BABIES in my womb!!!  apparently, she did NOT like that and could not multi-task... do her job and answer my questions whenever i asked them.  she got beyond annoyed, and i could tell by her facial expressions, voice, mood, tone, and body language.  for instance, i asked, are we going to be able to compare the fluid around both babies once both babies' screenings were complete?  (for twin-to-twin transfusion which they told us about at our last appointment)  she became frustrated and upset when i asked that and told me that we weren't at THAT point yet in the u/s.  i knew that we weren't at that point, but i was setting the foundation for which i wanted her to point out to me later.  that was only the beginning...

[note: it's UNUSUAL to carry multiples... especially WHEN they're unexpected joys like ours!   it's hard to explain, except i'm sure any woman who has experienced pregnancy has felt this newfound desire to protect everything about the pregnancy/baby.  to know everything, pay attention to everything because it is a RIGHT.   it's a necessity.

well, just imagine your first, you're carrying double, and instead of showing concern for one, you're now responsible for two.  that's where i am.  it's this overwhelmingly feeling of protection, responsibility to my babies, my husband, my family, and especially God.  throw some (sarcasm to it's highest degree) high-risk, 70 mg lovenox injections, twin-to-twin transfusion possibilities in there, and voila!  it WOULD be UNREALISTIC to not be REALISTIC about the situation and concerns that any new mother may have.  we have to prepare for anything and everything.  any answers are appreciated and encouraged.]

normally, we have the most awesome tech... this younger woman (probably late 30's)... she's great about answering questions, providing feedback, multi-tasking, and the face of professionalism!!!  for some reason, we didn't get her this time, which obviously wasn't the best scenario.

for the rest of the visit, she at least reassured us that, once again (for the third time "finding out") that we're having girls.  inside i was LOL!!!  also, she said that the babies are measuring right on schedule for how far along i am.... it's so weird that i have two little babies in there, and every time we go to an ultrasound, i'm genuinely shocked that they're still there.  it's still strange to admit, experience, and feel that i am even pregnant.  i mean, a year ago, i would have laughed if this is where you told me i'd be.... just because i was so sick and almost passing through to the other side... i honestly didn't think there was MUCH possibility in ever getting pregnant after what i went through.  i went through so much medically.

when we finally saw the dr. (who is my fav. by the way, and i hope he delivers my babies since he is well-renowned across the U.S. for multiples), he answered my few questions.  i asked if it's okay to be around my pups (yes), how to solve my problem with prenatals (take two flinstones), if my tailbone's stretching is common (yes, i'm further along than singleton pregnancies since i'm carrying twins), how i deal with heartburn (tum'... 1 every 4-6 hours), and is it normal that i'm having a difficult time coughing/breathing deeply (yes)?

for our 21-week appointment, we are going to the downtown office since it's closer to my work.  since we see a different dr. each visit, it doesn't really matter which location we visit.  we're just praying for healthy baby girls!!! :)

supplements to alleviate leg cramping

i'm 20 weeks.  my chief complaint is leg cramping.   yes, i eat a banana a day in my smoothie.  i drink a lot of water, but it seems to not be helping.  still, i'm awoken several times in the night with HORRIBLE pains similar to my DVT, and i went to sprout's to see if there was any potassium supplement that i could take to help my situation.

the lady told me that actually it was a lack of magnesium which was probably the root of my leg cramping. who would have thought?!  i didn't even know where you find magnesium... meaning, in what food?  well, in LOTS of food!!!  it's in nuts, seeds, whole grains, veggies, beans, etc... AND, she also told me that the root of a lot of diseases, scientists have found, were traced back to a lack of magnesium.... apparently, magnesium is needed by some 300 parts in your body... wowsers!!!  amongst many things, it helps out asthma, blood clotting, leg cramping, allergies, muscle weakness, ADHD (i have most of that right now, especially ADHD my whole life)!!!  here's more information.  AMAZING!!!  i even read that a magnesium deficiency can lead to death due to heart failure!!!

anyway, through more reading, i found that a lack of calcium and potassium also can inflict leg cramping.  not to mention dehydration.  i did pick up a potassium/magnesium supplement.  over the counter, the max amount that they can sell of potassium is 99mg, so my supplement has that in it and 300mg of magnesium.

at my next ultrasound, i will double check with my dr. if it's allright that i'm now taking this supplement. :)

here's Baby Center's information/tips about leg cramping.

caramel macchiato ice cream

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!  this is an ice cream version of my FAVORITE drink at starbuck's!  i rarely get starbuck's anymore, and when i do, i get it decaf, iced with light ice and whipped cream!

anyway, we were at sprout's the other day, and i was in the ice cream section.  i was hungry.  i saw the new ice creams by starbuck's, and i was surprised that CM was one of the flavors.  picked it up...

i didn't even think about the caffeine part... i read the ingredients when we got home.  MAN!  didn't specify whether it was decaf or caf...

so, just had it.

SPLENDOR at its finest.  yum, yum, yum!!!  savored my four bites (regular spoon)!!!  i think it may be even better than the drink!

YAY!!!

alternative drinks

1.  for a couple of weeks, i've been drinking seltzer/sparkling water for an alternative taste.  i was at the point where all i drank was W-A-T-E-R.  so plain.  so, i tried carbonated water.  i have to say that, not only does it taste refreshing, it's also different with enough of a kick (the carbonation) to make my mind/body feel as if i'm drinking something else.  now, i've heard that some people think sparkling water is bad for your kidneys, but that's IF you replace your water intake with it.  you still HAVE to drink water, obviously.

2.  before i got pregnant, i wasn't a big caffeinated drinker; more like an occasional drinker!  but, with water, it just gets to the point of being... repetitive.  yes, you can do the Crystal Light Peach Iced Tea single packs (which i did), but prepared that you might tire from the same watery taste.  don't get me wrong- i love the peach flavor, but after awhile, there's only SO MUCH you can drink of it when we're required to drink THOUSANDS of gallons of water a day, especially for multiples!

3.  when i was nauseated during the fifth-11th week, i needed something to calm my stomach.  i was used to my mom giving us a clear carbonated drink and crackers when our tummy ached.  so, one fateful night when my stomach had other ideas, i had my husband rescue crackers... ahem, graham crackers (all we had-LOL) and sent him to the store to buy sprite (no caffeine).  somehow, in the midst of that, i heard root beer didn't have caffeine either, so i found the BEST tasting, healthiest version of root beer, which is Trader Joe's Vintage Root Beer (not the Virgil's one; very different taste!).

4.  Trader Joe's Blood Orange Italian Soda is phenomenal.  apparently, blood oranges are healthy for you.  this drink is so refreshing, and yes, it has carbonation, but it's great tasting enough to satisfy your urges for something sweet to drink with a meal.

enjoy!

they are now as long as a...

banana!!!  isn't that so funny that my chief problem i'm having is with leg cramping which has to do with not eating enough bananas for potassium (i do have one in my smoothie every morning)!  LOL!  and, here, the babies are this long at 20 weeks!

i don't know where they're fitting in me because i don't feel like they can be that big, but i guess our body has different plans for how to accommodate. :)

on a side note, i've been awoken the last few nights with leg cramping, especially three times last night (2, 5, and 7a.m.)- all of which weren't AS bad as they HAD been before, but it felt like the pain just kept circling around my upper calf like a merry-go-round!  the pain didn't last as long as it had before.  still, i'm wondering if i should take potassium supplements... i'll ask at my next appt. which is in a week. :)

update: another site/weekly email said that the babies are the size of a cantaloupe, so who knows!  LOL

twins' blog

Emotionally Healthy Twins' Blog was just introduced to me by a mother of nine year old identical twins!  just sharing for whoever needs it... :)

update: honest kids' organic juices/prenatal vitamins

i think that i've mentioned these juices more than once.  if i haven't, then i've meant to do that. :)

i ran out of my insurance-prescribed prenatals, so i thought, okay, let's try the natural prenatals that i stopped trying EVEN with these juices!

so, i try them, and my stomach... well, it didn't react well.  i'll put it that way. :)  the only time my stomach is queasy is when i try to take my stupid horse pills!

we're at the next night.  i think- let's play mind games.  they really are good and not nasty.   LOL!!!  i put some juice in my mouth, didn't swallow, popped in the glorious prenatal, some more juice, and voila!!!  

SO, if you're struggling taking your mr. ed pills, then put some juice in your mouth, settle the pill there, suck some more juice, and then swallow.  sounds simple, but through trial and error, i finally got it!!!

the pills are now fine for me to take.  THANK GOD!  i feel so much better about taking these natural nasty ones than not knowing the full ingredients of what's in my insurance's brand.  :)

DOUBLE WHAMMY!!! :)

so, i FULLY support these juices... such a nice snack before bedtime.  sweet enough for your sweet tooth, but not feeling like you got whacked with a bag of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup!  :)

are they leg cramps or DVT?

since i have the history of DVT (blood clotting in my left leg) and PE (pulmonary embolism- side of my lung), i started to get super nervous when i started to develop leg cramps in my SAME problematic leg!  it started around when i was 8 weeks, and i went to ER since i had the SAME exact symptoms as my DVT- i mean, the pain hadn't gone away for several days, and for that, i grew even more nervous.

well, i went in, and hours later only to find out that they were severe leg cramps.  oh great, i felt silly and frustrated.  how do you know when they are for real or just the pregnancy taking its toll on you?

all i know is that i mentioned to my dr. and chiro my situation.  the recommendation was to eat a banana for potassium each day.  okay, got it.

then, i started drinking smoothies quite frequently, such as every morning, and regularly, i would throw in a  banana....

didn't develop anymore "cramps" until about 17 weeks... we were staying in CA, and suddenly it's 5a.m., and what do you know!  i feel like i'd rather chop off my leg than scream in pain!!!  the pain was so similar, if not identical, to my DVT, and the thing is- i developed my DVT a year ago at 5a.m.!!!  so, you see why i was extremely nervous....

well, i put my husband right to work to massage my left leg while i was screaming for bloody murder!  who knows how long it took for me to be able to get comfortable again, but the weird thing is- the pain shot to my right leg, and i thought, oh great, how's he going to massage both?  that leg!  no, that leg!  back to that leg!  it was so frustrating for both of us!

then, this past week, again, 5a.m., and bloody murder!  this.pain.was.the.worst.  blood curdling screams.  my right toes felt like they were on fire and going numb, and this pain was just bad.  the following night (or should i say 5a.m. morning?  lol), similar episode, and just felt like my toes were bending weird... know what i mean?  that awkward feeling... well, throw in there some fire-burning feet and annoyingly painful cramps!

FINALLY, i thought- i ran out of bananas!!!  nooooooooo!  need them now!  haven't had them in a few days, which is why i got the stupid, but avoidable cramps!  when we woke up that morning, i immediately sent my husband to go buy some bananas, and threw a few of them into that morning's smoothie!!!  lol

coincidentally, just read that leg cramping is super bad right around now... halfway through the pregnancy!  FYI!

had a minor cramp since then, but seriously... EAT A BANANA each day!!!  if you don't like them, then throw them in a smoothie- tastes yummy!  prevent this awfully painful episode!!!  your sleep, your legs, and your loved one will thank you.  :)

(oh, disclaimer: for a DVT, your leg swells up, hardens like a rock (especially when you touch it- rock hard), red like a tomato, feels boiling hot, and the pain is beyond unbearable.  go to the ER if you have leg cramping that is like that and it doesn't go away!!!)

LOVE this fruit!

the babies are now the size of mangos at 19 weeks!  how cool is that!!!

i know that i haven't posted in awhile, but i have several coming this way, so be prepared to read. :)

also, nice trick my friend showed me with mangos- instead of PEELING (like smarty pants here used to do), CUT off the peel.  duh, right?  and, a family friend showed me one time that she had sliced up mango slices, put them in the freezer in a tupperware container, AND then pulled them out for snacks!  frozen mango slices!  brilliant.

this will become your new best friend...

the library!!!

i actually haven't had to purchase any books for my pregnancy.  friends have lent me books or i have researched the good books based on others' feedback, and then i check my glendale and peoria libraries to see if they have any of these books on hand.  most often, THEY DO, which is AWEsome!!!

my friend lent me my most favorite of all pregnancy books... I'm Pregnant by Lesley Regan, M.D.   it's really up to date with information, clear colorful photos, and it's a very easy read!  the book that i found for my husband is... Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads by Gary Greenberg and Jeannie Hayden  this book is BEYOND LOL!!!  it's SO written for a guy.  if your guy doesn't like to read (yup, that's mine), then this is totally for him!!!  yes, i found this lovely book at the library!  i've also seen this book at Burlington Coat Factory's Baby Depot section for inexpensive. :)

the best part about the library is that you can renew for many times, which is what i've done for the latter book.

have fun book reading at your local branch!  :)
(later on, i'll add other books that i recommend, too)

yummy smoothies

ever since i "officially" found out that i was PG many moons ago, i've woken up... STARVING.  literally, waking up between 5-7a.m. (depending on work), and my stomach is  GROWLING.

for twins, the dr. wants me to eat 3,500 calories A DAY!!!  i was eating all of the time... every couple of hours.  STILL, it wasn't enough.

so, i started to make smoothies every morning, and it turns out it's been a great creative way for me to get even more nutrients than i was before..... what i love best about making my own smoothies is controlling what i put in my smoothies... the ingredients that i cannot control at a smoothie shop/jamba.

i especially love strawberries in them!  the trick is to put in half & half, frozen fruit, regular fruit, a bit of sugar, a bit of vanilla, and a bit of ice.  :)  usually, it's enough for my husband and me.

one night, i made my favorite smoothie, razzmatazz from jamba.  not to be biased, but i think that mine was greater. :)  here's the razzmatazz recipe:

1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 sliced banana
2 cups raspberry sherbet or sorbet (about 3 large scoops)
1 1/2 cup ice

blend ingredients until smooth.

every morning, i enjoy myself a sweet drink of a yummy smoothie with a straw... yum!