THE HALF-WAY MARK

20 WEEKS

I am officially half way to due-date.  In reality, that is way beyond half-way for me.  I will not go over 38 weeks, which falls November 21st.  So, I am pretty much banking on having Thanksgiving babies - if I make it that far!  The doctors feel extremely positive about at least getting me to 32 weeks (October 10).  At 32 weeks, its is much easier to overcome the "premie" state, a few shots for the lungs and learning how to suck a nipple are about the only major obstacles.  However, even tho after 32 weeks is considered getting into a safe-zone, goal is 36 weeks (Nov 7).  Halloween babies????  I think we have already been spooked enough by these two little ladies!

So what did the new/multiples doctor (Dr. Tucker) say? Simple things I already knew really...  Basically in a nut shell:

1. 20 weeks starts the risky period for pre-term labor.
2. No heavy lifting, no strenuous exercise, don't over-do it, that kinda stuff.... (he basically said no 2 hour long shopping sprees, no lifting bottled water, cases of coke, bags of dogfood, and lots of other things that I naturally lift without thinking about it.... including Rose...)
3. Eat throughout the day and listen to my body.
4. When I can sit, then sit. When I can lay down, lay down.
5. Because they are the same sex and the placentas are so closely related, DNA testing will be done regardless upon delivery - I will need to know for medical purposes later on (but the odds of identical naturally are <1% but they still do it)
6. They each weigh 10 oz even. 
7. Limb length and spinal fluid are concordant with growth and nothing indicates any genetic testing should further be done for Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Cystic Fibrosis, etc.
8. If we do chose to do genetic blood test or an amniocentesis (which we did not) then the risk of a false positive more than triples in a multiple pregnancy.
9. Baby A is head down, Baby B is breech.  
10. A c-section will not be done unless absolutely necessary.  If Baby A stays where she is then a vaginal delivery will be attempted.  (My doctor took vaginal delivery off the table at the first appointment.....  I was kinda banking on a section...  Im still undecided how I feel about this?)
11. I basically look as great as I can look for 20 weeks pregnant with Twins.  So far, everything is "ideal"
12. Drink lots of water and he will see me in the delivery room....

So what about me???

• I feel great as far as the pregnancy goes - no complaints on my end.
• I am literally as scatter-brained as they come.  People say its called "pregnancy brain"...  well I believe it and I am self diagnosing.
• I am completely unorganized with this pregnancy.  Every time I think about names, beds, moving into this house, selling that house, packing, unpacking, NICU, work, maternity leave, and the list goes on and on... I get so unbelievably overwhelmed that I cant think straight - so I quit thinking about it and NOTHING gets accomplished.  
• I have not bought the first thing for the twins, our laundry is not done, there is no food in our refrigerator, we literally live day to day and pass Rose from sitter to sitter ... and pray Lizzie comes back to work soon. 
• Mark has become a grade-A bacon cooker.  Bring on the BLTs because its quick, easy, everyone likes them, he can cook it himself, and the clean-up is a breeze.  Instead of the daily phone call on his way home from work to ask "whats for dinner?" sadly.. the comments have now changed to "do we need more bacon and are we out of bread?"  Bless his heart - maybe after the move and the arrival of the girls I will become motivated to take on my role as Suzy-Homemaker and start canning my own baby food again and only eating fresh vegetables and meat that comes from Farmer's Markets instead of Walmart.  But, for now, BLT's it is.