September 14, 2009
Today the twins turn 1 and I can't believe how time flies. They are amazing little people with their individual personalities developing every day.
Since I wasn't keeping the blog regularly a year ago, I wanted to share what it was like the night the twins were born.
A full term pregnancy is roughly 40 weeks. For us that would have meant delivery around the end of October. Since we knew we were having twins our doctor scheduled a C-section for September 30th.
I'd been getting pretty big near the end of the pregnancy. Although I'd been carrying the weight OK, in early September I started really swelling. My ankles and legs were huge and I looked like I was wearing a fat suit.
On Sunday, September 13th, Carl and I went to dinner at one of our favorite local Italian restaurants, Taverna. Since I had gestational diabetes I had to be really careful what I ate. I was still able to manage eating out, it just wasn't as fun since I couldn't order whatever I wanted and have a glass of wine. I knew it was only for a little while, so I could hold out until the babies came. That night Carl gave me a beautiful bracelet in honor of the twins and our upcoming 5th anniversary. I remember thinking, this is a little early, and we’re not scheduled for the babies for another couple of weeks. Little did I know Carl's timing would turn out to be perfect.
That evening I woke up around 12:45 am with what I thought were cramps. At this point in the pregnancy, I was always a little uncomfortable sleeping, but this was more than that. I didn't want to disturb Carl so I got up and went into the babies’ room, resting in the glider. I didn't really think anything was too serious and figured I'd check it out at the doctor's appointment I had scheduled at 11 am on Monday. Max, however, thought something was wrong and kept following me around wherever I went, staying right next to me.
About 1:45 am I thought the cramps were really too much and I woke Carl up asking him to check the Mayo book on cramps and/or false labor. Since I had scheduled and planned on a C-section, I really hadn't done my homework on going into labor. The plan was to induce, not have it sneak up on me!
After shaking off the sleep Carl started to get really worried. The Mayo book wasn't as helpful as he hoped and he decided we needed to call the doctor. I wouldn't get up from where I was, so he had to bring me my cell phone while we called the doctor's office at 2 am. The doctor asked me if I was in labor. I kept thinking, that's what I'm asking you, I feel like I'm having cramps and something is going to fall out of me, “You’re the, doctor, am I in labor?!? You're the expert here not me.” So she told us to come on in.
At this point I'm really frustrated. I feel super crappy, but I'm a planner. I'm in my PJ's and I don't have a bag packed ready to go to the hospital. I start telling Carl to pack a bag, because there's no way I can get up. He starts to follow my bag packing instructions, and then thinks better of it. Carl wants to leave, now. So I get out with my purse and enough clothes to cover me and we head to the hospital.
In the car I use my iPhone to time how far apart the "cramps" are which I now realize must be contractions. They're only one minute apart.
We arrive at the Presbyterian Hospital around 2:30 am. I know they deliver babies all day, and women are constantly coming in ready to deliver, but this is a first for Carl and I and it's strange how calm they are about it. Although I've filled out pre admission forms months in advance they have us fill out additional paperwork and pay for our requested private room before we're checked in. I think we make it into a room where they monitor me and see how far along I am around 3 am and Carl gets a chance to call my parents.
At this point they check the babies, everything is fine and in fact both are head down so they tell me I could try to deliver if I wanted. Since I didn't mentally prepare for labor, I really wasn't prepared to push; I asked to stick with the C-section plan, since it was more controlled. They gave me an epidural and started prepping me for delivery.
Connor and Chloe were born around 4:25 am both at 4lbs 5oz. I can't believe that was a year ago.
Connor Gustaf Swan
Chloe Belle Swan
They were premature and had to spend a few days in the NICU before being moved to a special care nursery. They were healthy, but needed to work on eating and be able to do that well before we could take them home. They ended up spending three and a half weeks in the hospital before we could bring them home, but that time helped us learn from expert nurses how to care for them.
The past year has been a real roller coaster, as I’m sure it is for any new parents. Going from zero to two little people who are wholly dependent on you for their every need is quite a life change. It’s been tough at times adjusting to the new way of life, but there’s a lot of love in our home and we have fun every day. We know how fortunate we truly are to have two happy, healthy babies and we wouldn’t trade it for anything.
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