12-15-06 at 7:02 PM (LONG)

Both of my girls were delivered at 7:02 pm on Friday, December 15th. 34 weeks 2 days. Both 3 pounds 3 ounces and 18 inches long.
How everything started...
Thursday night I went to bed feeling a little cramping and thought that everything would be fine in the morning and I would just wait it out. Friday morning rolled around and I didn't feel any better. I started to have diahhrea (TMI I know). So I figured maybe that's why I was hurting, my stomach just had to be upset. So I took my brother to the eye doctor to get his eye's dilated. While we were there I started to feel contractions. After the eye doctor we went to my house and I started throwing up and I was in even more pain. So I called my doctor's office and they told me to go to the office around 1 o'clock. Well my DH got home from work right after noon, not knowing anything was wrong. I explained to him how I was feeling and told him he needed to take me to the doctor. So, we went to the doctor and my brother watched our son.
When we got to the doctor they checked my cervix I was 1 centimeter and 50% effaced. So they decided to do a scan just to check the positioning of the girls and then do a NST and check everything after a while. Well when they did the scan. Twin B was breech so we knew we would need to have a C-Section if I really was in labor. Also, Twin A looked a lot smaller than Twin B to the naked eye. So they decided to do a full scan with more details. During they next scan they saw that Twin A had lost a lot of fluid and B had gained a lot of fluid. So they called Iowa City (the University hospital that is an hour or so away) to see what they wanted us to do. They said do the NST and then send us up there and we would discuss it further. So they set me up at the hospital here for the NST and Twin A didn't do very well. So they decided to do the C-Section here and not worry about Iowa City.
I went into surgery. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. Geneva (Twin A) came out and we heard her cry and that was wonderful. Then Gretchyn (Twin B) came out less than a minute later and we heard nothing. When they took her out of the operating room to the nursery she was lifeless (which I didn't find out till later on). They brought me back to my room and then came in and let me know a little bit later how the girls were doing. Geneva had to be put on oxygen but wasn't doing to bad just really little. Gretchyn had to have a ventilator tube put down her throat and needed to be air lifted to Iowa City for more care. Both girls are in NICU, one here (Geneva) at the hospital I'm in and the other (Gretchyn) in Iowa City because they specialize more with very extreme cases. So it's been a little rough but my mom has been able to stay with Gretchyn and keep me updated.
I have been pumping breast milk and we sent some to Iowa City yesterday and will take more up whenever we get a chance to get someone else going up there. Hopefully DH will be going up there tonight to stay with her.
Both girls are doing pretty good now. But we will most likely have long hospital stays with them. Geneva is off of oxygen and Gretchyn is off of her ventilator and has oxygen now.
Sorry if this doesn't make a whole lot of sense, I've been running a fever and have a bad headache that won't go away.
Good luck to everyone else out there.

 

Both of my girls were delivered at 7:02 pm on Friday, December 15th. 34 weeks 2 days. Both 3 pounds 3 ounces and 18 inches long.
How everything started...
Thursday night I went to bed feeling a little cramping and thought that everything would be fine in the morning and I would just wait it out. Friday morning rolled around and I didn't feel any better. I started to have diahhrea (TMI I know). So I figured maybe that's why I was hurting, my stomach just had to be upset. So I took my brother to the eye doctor to get his eye's dilated. While we were there I started to feel contractions. After the eye doctor we went to my house and I started throwing up and I was in even more pain. So I called my doctor's office and they told me to go to the office around 1 o'clock. Well my DH got home from work right after noon, not knowing anything was wrong. I explained to him how I was feeling and told him he needed to take me to the doctor. So, we went to the doctor and my brother watched our son.
When we got to the doctor they checked my cervix I was 1 centimeter and 50% effaced. So they decided to do a scan just to check the positioning of the girls and then do a NST and check everything after a while. Well when they did the scan. Twin B was breech so we knew we would need to have a C-Section if I really was in labor. Also, Twin A looked a lot smaller than Twin B to the naked eye. So they decided to do a full scan with more details. During they next scan they saw that Twin A had lost a lot of fluid and B had gained a lot of fluid. So they called Iowa City (the University hospital that is an hour or so away) to see what they wanted us to do. They said do the NST and then send us up there and we would discuss it further. So they set me up at the hospital here for the NST and Twin A didn't do very well. So they decided to do the C-Section here and not worry about Iowa City.
I went into surgery. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. Geneva (Twin A) came out and we heard her cry and that was wonderful. Then Gretchyn (Twin B) came out less than a minute later and we heard nothing. When they took her out of the operating room to the nursery she was lifeless (which I didn't find out till later on). They brought me back to my room and then came in and let me know a little bit later how the girls were doing. Geneva had to be put on oxygen but wasn't doing to bad just really little. Gretchyn had to have a ventilator tube put down her throat and needed to be air lifted to Iowa City for more care. Both girls are in NICU, one here (Geneva) at the hospital I'm in and the other (Gretchyn) in Iowa City because they specialize more with very extreme cases. So it's been a little rough but my mom has been able to stay with Gretchyn and keep me updated.
I have been pumping breast milk and we sent some to Iowa City yesterday and will take more up whenever we get a chance to get someone else going up there. Hopefully DH will be going up there tonight to stay with her.
Both girls are doing pretty good now. But we will most likely have long hospital stays with them. Geneva is off of oxygen and Gretchyn is off of her ventilator and has oxygen now.
Sorry if this doesn't make a whole lot of sense, I've been running a fever and have a bad headache that won't go away.
Good luck to everyone else out there.

 

I hope both girls get strong and out of NICU soon . I wish you all the best and will keep you all in my prayers.

 

YAY!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I am so glad that they are doing better now
I hope you can all be at home really soon!!

 

Many P&PT for your girls! And lots of hugs to you!

 

Oh honey - my thoughts are with you! I am getting all my care at the UIHC in Iowa City - I will say a special prayer for Gretchyn when I visit the hoispital twice weekly! The UIHC has a phenominal NICU - the best around here, so she is in GREAT hands! The nurses were just telling me last Thursday about the huge success they have at that hospital with NICU babies (as I know there is a chance mine will be in the NICU, too) If there is anything you need up this way, let me know!

Take care,
Nikki

 

Congratulations on the birth of your little girls! I'm sorry it was a little early but it sounds like they are doing fantastic. It's great that Gretchyn is already off her ventilator. I also had one small baby and one large baby (due to TTTS) with the larger baby going on the ventilator in the NICU. She was on the ventilator for 4 days, then went to oxygen, and was out of the hospital by 9 days old. The smaller baby was just a feeder/grower and was discharged at 7 days old. We'll keep your family in our thoughts and prayers and I hope the girls come home soon.

 

Congratulations on the birth of your little girls! My Baby B was also 3lbs3oz. I'm sorry you have them in seperate hospitals; mine are in the same one and that's been hard enough! I hope they get well soon and are reunited.
Happy birthday to Gretchen and Geneva! I love those names, BTW!

 

Congratulations on the birth of your girls. I am glad to hear that they are doing better. Hope that their NICU stay is short and you are all home together soon.

 

Keeping you and your little ones in my thoughts!! I hope your family is reunited soon!

 

CONGRATS onn your girls!!! Hope that their stay in the NICU is a short one!! How awful for them to be in 2 different places. HUGS

 

Hey girlie! I finally found your most recent posting. Wow!!! So good to talk to you this morning and to read this. Our prayers are with the girls. We hope your stay in the NICU will be a short one! Hang in there--Your Auntie Cam

 

All my best to you and your new baby girls. One of my brothers twin girls had to be air lifted from Oskaloosa to Childrend hospital in Des Moines. She was there for 3 weeks, she had caught pneumonia in the womb. It toopk them a while to figure out what was wrong with her. They are 1 now and everything is great. The other twin went home 3 days after her birth. Best for you all TTFN Tracey

 

December 15th is when my water broke last year....and wow, what a difference a year makes. This is such amazing news, but hard because they are in the NICU and also at two different hospitals- you keep your chin up because those babes will be home in no time. Amazing that they are doing so well- no more venting, etc etc. Amazing.

We are praying for your girls and hope that they come home soon.

 

Congratulations! Many hugs to you.I hope they get to come home soon. My twins were in the NICU at the same hospital. I couldn't imagine having them seperated like that. Remember to take care of yourself and your little boy.

 

Congrats on the birth of the girls. Hope the NICU stay is short and everyone is home soon.

 

Congratulations! I hope the babies NICU stay is very short and that they can be in your arms at home very soon!

 

quote:
I've been running a fever and have a bad headache that won't go away.
Good luck to everyone else out there.

First of all congrats on your babies! Secondly...I am really worried about YOU, have you contacted your doc about the fever and headache?? If the babies are only a week old, and you have a fever and headache...please call your doc!

 

Sorry you are seperated from your little girl. I hope both are home soon! Girls!

 

Congratulations on your babies. I hope their NICU stay isnt too long and you have them home soon x