Pregnancy Update: Week 24

How far along: 24 weeks!!  Wow, we're at viability.  I learned today that chances of survival are approximately 50% at this point.

How big are babies: According to the Pregnancy app I have, the babies are just over a pound and almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn).  However, at my ultrasound last Friday the calculated that they are both about 1 pound 4 oz.  I know it's all approximations, but since Zachary was 1 pound and 12 inches at 22 weeks, I'm thinking that the app is a bit conservative. Either way, they are doing really well!!

Cravings: None still, just wanting to graze a lot more, doesn't really matter what it is.

Aversions: Nothing here either, thank goodness (see above).

Belly button: It's very flat, will probably be an outie very soon.

Movement: Feeling them more and more when I do feel them.  They are more active at certain times of the day than others.  But the movement is now unmistakable.

Leg cramps: Amazingly still haven't had any in awhile.  I was expecting this problem to increase with the addition of bedrest, but so far nothing.  Let's hope it continues!!

Sleeping: Still getting plenty of sleep.  Even if I do get up a few times a night to use the restroom, I am able to fall back to sleep pretty quickly.  About the time I go to bed is also when the babies start moving around a lot, but it doesn't last long.  I'm still impressed that I can even sleep as well as I do despite lying around doing nothing all day.

Ultrasound: Had another ultrasound on Friday.  Like I said above the babies weighed in at approximately 1 pound and 4 ounces each.  Taking that into account along with the measurements of the sacs and fluid levels, they estimate a discrepancy of about 3%.  That discrepancy number has to do with the possibility of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion, a potentially dangerous and fatal issue with twins who share a placenta.  3% is a great number!!  No concerns unless they reach a 20% discrepancy.  So we're doing well here!!  Everything else looked good as well, most especially the cervix is stable.  Yay!  Next ultrasound is scheduled for March 15.

Shots: Between appointments and ultrasounds I also had to go in this week for two shots.  I had to go over to the hospital for this, one on Monday and one on Tuesday and they had to be 24 hours apart.  This was a steroid shot to help the babies' lungs should they be born prematurely.  Depending on how far along we get I may have a second round of these.  But for now we're playing it by ear.

Appointment: Had an appointment today.  Doctor did a quick ultrasound and we saw the heartbeats, both around 145-150.  Both are still head down as well (which is where they were at Friday's ultrasound).  It's cute seeing their two heads together.  We also talked about my future care (since doc is going on maternity leave herself soon), pediatricians, a few scenarios on potential NICU stays depending on when they are actually born (all conjecture, of course, but I like to know what the possibilities are), and what childbirth classes are worth our time taking or not considering we don't know when the babies will come, how long they may be in the hospital, and my current state of being on bedrest.  The childbirth class itself is also offered in an online format, so we'll probably do that.  The other offerings we can do at any time.  I think we'll skip the Infant Nursing one for now and probably just contact a lactation consultant for one-on-one time.  Will probably be a better option anyway.  Next appointment is March 16 and I'll do the glucose test then too.  Brought the lovely bottle of orange fluid home with me today.  Fun.

Notable this week: So much of this past week is already spelled out above, I'm not sure there is much else to comment on.  I will say that at this point in the pregnancy I have gained just over 20 pounds!!  Thank goodness I lost so much weight before getting pregnant this time, I now weigh just over what my highest weight was non-pregnant.  Everyone is also very impressed that I haven't gained more since being on bedrest.  I don't know what I'm doing right, but I'm going to keep doing it.

Next week I have no appointments!!  That's a first in quite a while!!  Only downside, I guess, would be no distractions.  Maybe I'll be able to finally catch up on the 17 various podcast episodes that have built up in my iTunes account!!