Week 30

Here I am at week 30 - woo hoo!!  In the wee hours of the morning of July 4th, I was feeling pretty horrible. I had a very persistent, crampy back ache, accompanied by sudden loose bowels - which is NOT normal for me pregnancy or otherwise... I later got the chills, again - not normal for me during pregnancy; I'm always HOT. Cold sweats, pelvic and rectal pressure, and just a sense things weren't right, made me decide to head into the ER/ L & D unit just to make sure.


After all with twins, premature labor is not unheard of and I wanted them to be able to stop it or give the girls steroids - in a worst case scenario. They put the heart monitors/non stress test bands on my belly. The girls did NOT want to be monitored, so that was fun. Turns out I was having regular "irritability" contractions about 10 seconds in length and was dilated to 1 cm. They called my OB who said to go ahead and release me, but come in the following Tuesday (which was yesterday).


So... yesterday I had two appointments. I did dilate a little further to 1.5-2 cm externally and 1 cm internally. Apparently your cervix is shaped like a cylinder or funnel and the outside opens first. I think they did a swab on me, because before my physical exam I felt a speculum, and I think I saw slides sitting out on the counter. Then she said, "now I'll check your cervix". Here's what the test looks for:

What is fetal fibronectin? fFN is a protein produced during pregnancy. It acts as a biological glue, attaching the fetal sac to the uterine lining. fFN normally is present in cervico-vaginal secretions up to 22 weeks of pregnancy and again at the end of the last trimester (1 to 3 weeks before labor). fFN usually cannot be detected between 24 and 34 weeks of pregnancy (5½ to 8½ months).

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What is the fFN test? Health care providers give the fFN test to women between 24 and 34 weeks of pregnancy. The presence of fFN during these weeks, along with symptoms of labor, suggests that the “glue” may be disintegrating ahead of schedule and alerts health care providers to a possibility of premature labor and delivery.

Providers use a cotton swab to collect samples of cervico-vaginal secretions during a speculum examination (similar to a Pap smear). Results usually are available within 24 hours. The result is either positive (fFN is present) or negative (fFN is not present).

 Anyway, don't have the results yet, but I was also told there were key-tones in my urine (only a few), and I looked dehydrated. Nurse practitioner told me to drink more since dehydration can cause premature labor, and she said I could be diabetic. We'll confirm that on Tuesday with my 3 hr glucose test. 

Then it was off to my high risk OB. Again, on the ultrasound my cervix was visibly dilating. The girls surprised us ALL at their weight gain. The radiologist measured them at 4.4 and 4.1 and the Dr. measured them at 3.10 and 3.11. I figure the girls are somewhere in the middle of those weights, but 4 lbs!!! They were only supposed to be around 2.75-3.25 lbs. Doc did say it could be gestational diabetes that plumped them up, but again, we'll have to wait and see. Although I was 29 w and 6 days, the ultrasound measured me at 31 wk and 6 days - two weeks ahead. I love seeing the weight gain. They told me use the advair and albuteral inhaler and not worry about the babies. The advair is a corticosteroid which will actually help the babies lungs, so not to be "shy" in using it. My uterus is carrying the weight of a full term 40 week singleton pregnancy which is why I'm so miserable.

Bianca is transverse or laying "side-to-side" on top of my diaphragm. Addison is sitting straight up (breech), along my left side, with her bottom deep in my pelvis - thus all the pressure. They have until 34 weeks to move, and c-section will be dependent on Addy's position. If she's breech, it's off to the OR for me. Bianca has been transverse since conception, but 4 lbs of baby laying on my diapghrapm is really making it hard for mommy to breathe! I hope she adjusts soon.

Well, that's the update. I feel completely miserable - I won't even sugar-coat that. The breathlessness is the worst symptom, followed by not being able to sleep and pain in the hips after a night of laying on them. I've gained right at 35 lbs - I picked up a lot of weight this dr visit - due to the the girls gaining, and I'm right where I'm supposed to be weight-wise. I go back to HR doc in a month, on Aug 2nd and will be at the 34 week mark. I see my OB on Tuesday of this week for the glucose and probably 2 weeks after that. 

Now I'm off for a whirlpool soak with some salts to unclog my nose, and soothe my aching muscles. I can't wait to meet my girls!! :-)