33 Weeks and Counting...

31 weeks twin bump

29 weeks twin bump

Today is day 34 of hospital bed rest and we are officially 33 weeks pregnant. While I am eternally grateful to have made it this long and to have the boys doing consistently well, it has been less than an easy road to travel being trapped within these four walls. I would say that the hardest part about being hospitalized is being unable to nest and do the mommy preparation things that I've dreamed of for my entire life. Handing over control of your vision is never easy. I acknowledge that this is most important investment to ensure the boys are healthy and strong and that keeps me going! No NICU time is our total goal! Everything has gone rather smooth, though around 30 weeks the monitor picked up some contractions that thankfully turned out to just be braxton hicks.

I have been annoyed by a lot of administrative problems in the hospital, that I won't elaborate on too much. I'll just say that our companion animal Star isn't allowed back here because she barked and the woman who runs the "animal program" seems to have the opinion that animals should be obedient to their "masters" at all times and not exhibit behaviors that are completely natural. I've already set up a meeting with the hospital director to voice my concerns. At least I have a private room and the nurses are pleasant, though I can barely stand being checked on every hour and at night every 2 hours. They just peek in to make sure I'm okay, but still SOOO obnoxious. I understand it is necessary for many patients, so I just have to deal.

I feel perfectly normal, I don't have back pain or any of the common problems most pregnant women complain about at this stage. No swelling, no constipation, no lack of sleep, etc. I feel better in this 3rd trimester than I did in the first 2. I have gained at total of 24 lbs so far, my weigh in is tonight and I can't wait to find out how I've progressed this week. My cervix has shortened quite a bit since I've been here, but I'm not dilating or contracting so we are pretty much golden. I just have to stay in bed and make sure I keep as much pressure off of it so the boys stay in for at least a couple more weeks.

The doctors are still considering letting me go home at 34 weeks due to the reduced risks of any problems, but they aren't making any promises and I'm not getting my hopes up. As much as I despise being confined, I like the peace of mind I have being here. I don't have to worry about the well being of these guys because we are all closely monitored. If I was at home I would probably be nervous and panicking that every little movement I felt was labor or something.

The boys should be here in around 3 weeks, which is just so amazing to us. We are so close, yet being here makes time pass a little slower. I can not believe how far we've come. We both can't wait to walk through the door with our two bundles!

I missed both of my baby showers (one hosted by my mother (a natural born hostess) and the other by two of my closest friends), but was able to participate for a little with each via Skype. We have been humbled by the generosity of our friends and family. We have almost everything we need for these babies. We are using all organic products (clothing, cloth diapers, bedding, plush toys, toiletries, etc) for the boys and we really appreciate everyone making sure they met our needs! My friends did an extra special job hosting and made sure everything was vegan, even though we are the only vegans and weren't able to attend their shower. How cool is that?

Lucas continues to bring me food every day (since they still don't accommodate people who take a principled stand against the exploitation of animals) and I am still "working from bed", which helps me feel relevant and helps pass the time during the week. I am staying pretty sane, though at times I just want to pack my bags and go home. I know that this will just be a distant memory once our miracle babies arrive...