34.....35.....35 1/2 weeks!

Since I updated last, we reached 34 weeks on November 25th and I was able to be released from the hospital to spend Thanksgiving at home like we had hoped! It was such a great few days at home and Ryan and I were so thankful to spend the holiday together with family and a little more comfort! My bed had never felt so good :)

So, the plan was to stick to my medication schedule to maintain my labor and make it to our appointments with my doctor on Monday afternoon. We almost made it! On Monday morning we went back to labor and delivery at St. Vincent hospital because my contractions were getting stronger and closer together and the babies had completely dropped and their movement had slowed way down - all things we were supposed to go back in if I experienced. We spent a few hours in triage before they couldn't get my labor to stop once again and we were re-admitted. At least we got a different room this time! They hooked me back up to IV meds and we waited for our doctor, being told at this time that we were most likely having our c-section in a few hours because the nurse that we were with at the time thought I had dialated further. While we waited, Northwest Perinatal came and did a growth ultrasound on the babies and we were so happy to find out that they were HUGE! This was Monday, November 30th and baby girl weighed 5lbs 10oz. and our baby boy was 6lb 4oz. We were so surprised and so were all of the nurses and our doctor! Even though the babies were so big and it looked like things were progressing, our doctor decided she still wanted us to wait and hopefully make it to 35 weeks and maybe even 36 weeks after that. As tired as I was at that time and as much pain as I was in, even one more day seemed so long. So, they got me comfortable and we settled in to our room for an undetermined amount of time once again. Talk about a roller coaster ride of emotions.

The next morning, my doctor came back and had decided to change the plan. They took me off the medication to stop my labor because it clearly wasn't doing anything other than adding more side effects. She had changed her mind from not wanting me to progress further to wanting me to dialate when my body is ready. So they set a plan for pain medication and hopefully a way to keep me comfortable and possibly sleep. We would just need to wait it out. We spent a few more days getting used to the medication change and then my doctor decided once again that I could do my bedrest from home and hopefully make it to 36 weeks. So, Thursday we packed back up and headed home with a plan to hopefully make it through the weekend and see my doctor this Monday morning. She did mention when she released us that if we could make it to our appointment on Monday with hopes of a few more days, she will most likely consider scheduling us at 36 weeks (Wednesday or after)! At 36 weeks we will be able to deliver at the hospital we had originally planned to be at (one of the reasons she wanted to get me home before next week)and it would not be necessary for the babies to require time in the NICU if all goes well. This all sounds so fantastic - especially after what will be 4 weeks of pre-term labor!

I can't wait to make it through the rest of the weekend and see what our doctor decides on Monday! Even though we have been going through this for so long now, the idea of having the babies in our arms next week seems so soon even now. I can't believe it. 36 weeks seemed so far away and almost impossible at one point so I am so happy and proud that we have made it this far and hopefully have a few more days to go! I can't wait to meet our 6lb babies! They sure have been testing my patience already :)

"There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared: twins." ~Josh Billings