are you serious

After my two appointments this week...I'm extremely happy with one and frustrated with the other. At the peri we were told that everything looks great, and no more signs of TTTS :banana: The babies are up to 5lbs 3oz. and 5lbs 5oz. They've gained a pound a piece in a week, which GREAT! That also tells me that in two more weeks we'll have 7lb babies...and that's where I want to stop. I asked the specialist about setting a date for a c-sec., but he said to talk to my o/b(who intern tells me to talk to my peri) so frustrating :angry:
I finally see my o/b yesterday and he makes me so nervous because he continues to forget that I have to have a c-sec. So after getting that out the way again I asked if we could set a date for the c-sec. around the 14th or 15th. He said that the peri would like for me to deliver between 37 and 38 weeks(okay why didn't he tell me that when I asked him) :angry: He said I'll do it on the 28th (2 days shy of 38wks) Cause I'll be there doing inductions all day anyway(are you serious) He goes on to say (half talking to himself) that it'll only take about 45min. Great thanx for squeezing me in. At this point I'm trying to control myself...I tell him it was ok with him because he isn't carying all this d*** weight. I know it's good for them to stay in as long as possible but I don't have small babies. My one year old weighed 9lbs. 15.2oz...6oz. shy of a ten pound baby imagine two. I'm 5ft 1in.tall and 130lbs normally. I've already gotten to 193 but have since started losing weight. Am I being selfish? Another concern is that the TTTS could return, then what?
I feel better getting that out. Thanx for listening.

 

I don't think you are being selfish. As long as you know the babies are ready, good weights and mature then I see nothing wrong with getting them out. I have big babies too. Both my girls were 9 lbs, so I know where you are coming from.

Oh that is wonderful that there are no more signs of TTS!!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!

Dianna

 

How incredibly frustrating. Honestly, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I were in your situation. Luckily I have a great relationship with my OB and I anticipate that to continue. I would be LOST if I had to deal with that. And you are NOT being selfish! You are being 100% practical! (((HUGS)))

 

I'm your same height, and my first was 9.5 lbs. Mine came out at 37.1 wks because my ob said I had no more room for them in there because of my height. I was running out of room for their amnions, which would give them a degraded, unhealthy environment. Definitely something to be watching out for.

 

you are not over reacting...i would be p!!!!d too.

glad that there are no more signs of ttts, but i think you are right in being concerned that it could return. it is especially serious late preg isnt it?

I am only 23 weeks but my dr and i have already had the discussion about when to deliver. i am having id twins girls and he sayys he he will not let me go past 36 weeks. the risk here in australia of death of the 2nd baby if attempting a vag birth after 36 weeks is 1 in 270 births, and he doesnt want to take that risk...so it will be a c sect for me also.

esp since your abies weight s are great i would def push for an earlier c sect. goodluck, and great job on your babies!!!

 

Keep in mind that those weights are generally pretty inaccurate and even at 35/36 weeks you could potentially be looking at NICU time.

That's great about the TTTS, I didn't realize that it went away! That's amazing! Congratulations!!!!!!!

Best wishes for the remainder of your pregnancy!! :hug99:

 

Glad to hear the babies are doing so well, and no more signs of TTTS!! That is awesome. I am sorry that you have to wait so long (and go back and forth between doctors...) to deliver them. Maybe you will go into labor sooner, and then the Dr will have to come in when he is not there.

 

Their size has nothing to do with their lung development. I'm sorry you're uncomfortable but it's a lot more uncomfortable seeing your children hooked up to machines in the NICU struggling to breathe and going home empty handed while they stay behind in the hospital.

I understand how it is to be miserable. I was measuring somewhere between 75 and 79 weeks when I went into labor. That doesn't even compare to the misery and heartbreak I felt because my babiest boy was in the NICU for 6 days. He was intubated, had a surgery to put an IV directly into his heart and was not expected to make it for several days. He was born at 36 weeks.

I don't mean to sound harsh but for every 1 day you keep them in, statistically speaking you are saving yourself 3 days in the NICU. Trust me, this is not a place you want to visit.

 

I'm just going to echo what Diane and Jenny said. I understand you've hit the wall and want the babies out, but your doctor is working for the best health of both you and the babies. Often the u/s weights are way off, they are just estimates. And the size of the babies is not the only factor. The longer that the babies are in there, the better their lung development will be.

My doctor did not want me to go into labor and even given that fact, my c/s with the twins was not scheduled until after I hit the 38 week mark. I ended up having the twins exactly a week earlier than I was scheduled. And at 37 weeks, my babies were both under 6 lbs (but I think my prior u/s estimated higher) and spent no time in the NICU. We were lucky.

 

I can totally see why you are frustrated but the longer those babies are in there, the better off they are. I am so glad you have no more evidence of TTTS, that's wonderful. Hang in there, you are doing wonderful!

 

I have to echo Maureen, Diane, and Jenny. I understand your frustration, I was measuring as Jenny described. The weights have nothing to do with their lung development and you are looking at NICU time. My twins were born at 35 weeks and were in the NICU 14, DD and 15, DS. Ian was pretty sick and required the ventilator and almost had to have a mainline inserted into his little heart. I did not get to hold my baby until he was 4 1/2 days old. I did not get to hold my DD until she was a day and a half old. The visits to the NICU were brief because they need to sleep to grow. Leaving that hospital without my babies was horrible. We lived 45 minutes away and the guilt you feel because you can't be there 24/7 is awful.

Please -- it hurts but it's temporary. The issues they may face could be long term. Keep Um Cooking, Sweetie.

 

Glad the babies are doing good, and no you are not selfish you are just trying to be a good momma and trying to meet your babies hang in there it is not long now!!!!

 

My doctors kept telling me if I could just get them to 34wks. everything would be okay and they would take them. I didn't want that. Then when the TTTS started to go away I was told they would let me keep going, but not past 36 wks...so that's been my goal. I want what's best for my babies of course, but I get frustrated being told somthing different everytime. I also know that the could be off with u/s but it's not the same one every visit and they've been pretty consistent. They thought my son was going to be about 8lbs...not so it could be off by measuring too small. The thing is I'm listening to my doctors and they're driving me crazy. Waiting til the 28th is works well with the docs schedule. If i was told that I had to carry them until next summer cause that's what the babies need I would.

 

I HATE the aspect of obstetrics that's all about the comfort and convenience of the doctors...C-sections make them feel better so they'd rather operate than be patient, this date works better for them because they'll already be there and don't have an X-mas part to get to - I'm totally with you there.

That said, my boys were measuring 7 and a half lbs each -within an ounce of each other - the Friday before I went into labor. When the boys arrived the next Tuesday they weighed 6#11oz and 5#7oz - small enough to get people worried but thank god, not enough for NICU time. Ask a NICU nurse what they think about early C-sections!

Hang in there. THis may not help now, but you will totally forget how you feel right now once they show up!

 

QUOTE(mamax2 @ Dec 1 2007, 10:19 AM) [snapback]516645[/snapback]
My doctors kept telling me if I could just get them to 34wks. everything would be okay and they would take them. I didn't want that. Then when the TTTS started to go away I was told they would let me keep going, but not past 36 wks...so that's been my goal. I want what's best for my babies of course, but I get frustrated being told somthing different everytime. I also know that the could be off with u/s but it's not the same one every visit and they've been pretty consistent. They thought my son was going to be about 8lbs...not so it could be off by measuring too small. The thing is I'm listening to my doctors and they're driving me crazy. Waiting til the 28th is works well with the docs schedule. If i was told that I had to carry them until next summer cause that's what the babies need I would.


Mamax, I don't think that what you want is unreasonable. It seems like since the signs of TTTS aren't a factor, everyone is slacking. For twins, in an otherwise normal pregnancy, the recommended week of delivery is after 34-36. There are a lot of documents out there:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlere...i?artid=1160580
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlere...i?artid=1160585
http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFi...vol5n2/twin.xml

TTTSFoundation.org recommends 36 weeks at the latest. and honestly, I feel like I'm "settling" by going with "a perinatologists" (who I'm not even seeing) advice to my OB when she called to ask (when I demanded to SEE a perinatologist) to go no futher than 37 weeks - but at least she's not trying to force me to get to 40 any more. The shared placenta can start to degrade after 37 weeks but they still aren't any closer to finding out why the fetal demise... it happens in singleton pregnancies too though. Thankfully not often, so you have to weigh the risks with the benefits.

Just because you may go as close to 40 as possible, doesn't mean there still can't or won't be problems. A dear friend of mine has a baby girl that she carried a week past term and the hole in his heart still hadn't closed up. It's taken 3 years outside of the womb... They were so close with doing surgery when it went and fixed itself.

But 36-38 is considered term for twins. At 35-38 weeks, average hospital stay is 4 days, compared with 39-42 weeks and 3 days. This is from that book "When you are expecting twins, triplets, and quads." by Dr. Barbara Luke.

Did the boys have TTTS, which they are saying has now corrected itself? They don't sound off in weight by very much at all. That's what my girls are averaging between each other. But until you deliver, they should be just as cautious as they always have been.

I'm hoping for good 6lb babies as well. With my DD, I maybe was a week early with her and she weigh 7lbs 4oz. Nothings changed for this pregnancy except that there are two - so I'm hoping that by 37 weeks they'll be 6lbs apiece or slightly bigger. You never know....

My SIL had two baby girls (singleton pregnancies) that weighed 13lbs and she carried to term or past term and they still had to spend weeks in the NICU. I can't remember the circumstances to their stays, something about 1 not being monitored as closely and she was in distress. Swallowed meconium. The 2nd one she did have slight GD with her and after her birth - she had a hard time regulating her own blood sugars.

I've also read of a lot of mothers who have babies early and yet thankgoodness had either short NICU stay or none at all. It depends on the developement of the baby... I'm not saying that NICU time isn't a reality, nor that the increased risks of problems like those mentioned because of preterm babies, but 36-38 weeks isn't considered preterm or premature. (let's just hope we make it to these weeks and the babies decide to come on their own around this time... you never know!)

 

Just remember that weight gain slows down in multiples late in the game. It is highly unlikely that they will continue to gain 1 lb per week each.

 

We totally get that you will do what you need to in order to have healthy babies. Just want you to go as long as you can! We've been down that road, so we are more cautious - if that makes sense. :hug99: There are no guarantees with ANY of this!! Hang in there!! The dr's sound frustrating!! Sorry for that! :love0028:

 

I'm sorry your docs are giving you conflicting advice! That is so frustrating, on top of all the worry you've faced. I've been there as many of us have. Stay strong!

 

QUOTE(Bernice @ Dec 2 2007, 01:36 PM) [snapback]517643[/snapback]
Mamax, I don't think that what you want is unreasonable. It seems like since the signs of TTTS aren't a factor, everyone is slacking. For twins, in an otherwise normal pregnancy, the recommended week of delivery is after 34-36. There are a lot of documents out there:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlere...i?artid=1160580
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlere...i?artid=1160585
http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFi...vol5n2/twin.xml

TTTSFoundation.org recommends 36 weeks at the latest. and honestly, I feel like I'm "settling" by going with "a perinatologists" (who I'm not even seeing) advice to my OB when she called to ask (when I demanded to SEE a perinatologist) to go no futher than 37 weeks - but at least she's not trying to force me to get to 40 any more. The shared placenta can start to degrade after 37 weeks but they still aren't any closer to finding out why the fetal demise... it happens in singleton pregnancies too though. Thankfully not often, so you have to weigh the risks with the benefits.

Just because you may go as close to 40 as possible, doesn't mean there still can't or won't be problems. A dear friend of mine has a baby girl that she carried a week past term and the hole in his heart still hadn't closed up. It's taken 3 years outside of the womb... They were so close with doing surgery when it went and fixed itself.

But 36-38 is considered term for twins. At 35-38 weeks, average hospital stay is 4 days, compared with 39-42 weeks and 3 days. This is from that book "When you are expecting twins, triplets, and quads." by Dr. Barbara Luke.

Did the boys have TTTS, which they are saying has now corrected itself? They don't sound off in weight by very much at all. That's what my girls are averaging between each other. But until you deliver, they should be just as cautious as they always have been.

I'm hoping for good 6lb babies as well. With my DD, I maybe was a week early with her and she weigh 7lbs 4oz. Nothings changed for this pregnancy except that there are two - so I'm hoping that by 37 weeks they'll be 6lbs apiece or slightly bigger. You never know....

My SIL had two baby girls (singleton pregnancies) that weighed 13lbs and she carried to term or past term and they still had to spend weeks in the NICU. I can't remember the circumstances to their stays, something about 1 not being monitored as closely and she was in distress. Swallowed meconium. The 2nd one she did have slight GD with her and after her birth - she had a hard time regulating her own blood sugars.

I've also read of a lot of mothers who have babies early and yet thankgoodness had either short NICU stay or none at all. It depends on the developement of the baby... I'm not saying that NICU time isn't a reality, nor that the increased risks of problems like those mentioned because of preterm babies, but 36-38 weeks isn't considered preterm or premature. (let's just hope we make it to these weeks and the babies decide to come on their own around this time... you never know!)

Thanx for your support and info. I'm going to print it out and show both doctors.

 

In a normal case I'd say your doc was making a good choice in making you wait until then....However, his bedside manner could be improved...I can't believe he put it to you in a way that showed how obvious it was that he was scheduling you in for a convenient time for HIM...that was obnoxious and frustrating and could make any pregnant woman cry, twins or no twins. That shows a total disregard for your feelings AND any basis of his decision in sound medical rationale...If he had listed off his reasons medically for waiting that long and why it was important I think it would be easier to take, than to have him so absolutely imply that he's simply having you wait b/c it's a good day for him.

All that aside, I think from what I've read if TTTS has been a potential issue then waiting too long past 36 weeks might not be a good idea. I thought that most twins sharing a placenta were delivered a little earlier than the typical twins b/c of this potential..but maybe i'm wrong. In your case I agree that I'd want to really make sure that the decision is being made for sound reasons and not convenience.