Bed-rest Is Not Happening

Ok... I am not new to the bedrest thing... I've been on bedrest since 27 weeks so it will be 5 weeks tomorrow. "Bedrest" almost sounded great at first but with a (almost) 2 year old and a 3 year old bedrest is NOT happening how it should be. When my peri let me come home from the hospital I had lots of help with the boys for the first couple weeks but now that I have made it this far it seems everyone has forgotten about me.. I guess I just feel this way because my fiance is working 2 jobs now and we just moved so I literally have zero help with the boys during the daytime. We really don't know anyone around here except my mom who actually lives like an hour away and works 50-60 hours a week with a 2 hour drive each way to work. I am going out of my mind trying to keep up with my boys. Everything's becoming so difficult to do and sometimes I just lay down and find myself watching them do whatever they want because I am too tired to play with them or clean up from breakfast, lunch, etc.. Not to mention all the Procardia I am taking makes me super tired. My house is a disaster and I am totally at my wits end with all this. By the time I get the boys in bed I am left with a huge mess from the day and it bugs the hell out of me if I don't clean before I go to bed but I can't do all this anymore. I almost wish I was back in the hospital so I could just rest although I know I'd go out of my mind with boredom as soon as I was there. I will be 33 weeks on Wednesday and I just can't see how I am going to make it any further with this pregnancy. I can't wait to meet our little girls and have Daddy be home so that I get some help!!!! I know this is a long rant but I'm going out of my mind and I'm not sure how much longer this pregnancy can be.

 

I understand where you are coming from with no help and lots going on that is preventing you from resting. However, think hard about doing the best you can because if your babies are born before 35/36 weeks, they will likely spend some time in the hospital (not always, but likely) and that is even harder than what you are going through now. My boys were only in 15 days, but coordinating seeing them, pumping for them, caring for my 2 yr old, the house, etc... it sucked. I sat down nearly every moment of my last few weeks if I wasn't laying down. Yes, my son played "alone" often and the house was a super huge mess unless I specifically asked my DH to help clean and it was stressful to a degree. I just stayed in the room with my son and did the best I could. I also hired a helper so I could rest more often. College girls or even high school girls can help you while your fiance is at work for a pretty good price if you can afford it. Even 2 hours a day can make a big difference so you can nap. Mother's Helpers tend to charge much less than babysitters, so I would look into it.

Good luck and take it as easy as you can!

Kelly

 

Is there a local moms of multiples group near you? If so, contact them and see if they con recommend someone to help during the day.

 

Another suggestion. Is there a church near you or do you belong to a church? Try that. They might have the homebound ministry and/or the mother's club where they have volunteers at the church that do home help (house visits). I know my church have people that go to the homebound people either bring meals or just do some light clear up. And it might be a few hours per week but is probably better then nothing. Good luck to you.

 

I guess my call to be done being pregnant has been answered. I went in for a NST today. Both babies were "nonreactive". So my peri followed up with a BPP which both babies passed. But Baby A is still not growing (stuck at 3 lbs 7 oz) and they did a doppler of her umbilical cord. Doppler of her umbilical cord showed reverse flow and when followed up again the blood was basically "sloshing around in there" My peri said enough is enough.. Baby A isn't progressing like she should be. She feels that we just need to get her out so we can get her growing that way. So...I'm scheduled for induction at 5:30 AM. God I feel so bad about all the complaining now.. I just wish I didn't have to make them come sooner than they are ready for.

 

Oh, honey. Good luck tomorrow! I was on bed rest for 12 weeks. I complained a lot and it was miserable. I felt guilty about all of the problems and not being able to give them a better environment. Twin pregnancies can be difficult. Your complaining didn't do any harm. It sounds like your peri is totally on top of things. I'm sure you are in good hands.

You gave them 5 extra weeks inside on bed rest (I know it was hard with your little ones). That is an amazing gift and will make a huge difference for them. Good job, Momma!! Please let us know how you are doing. Many hugs and good wishes, Beth

 

The girls were born on March 10th. Alyssa Hope Martin was delivered vaginally in the OR at 7:09 PM. She weighed 3 lbs 2 oz and was breathing all by herself!! She got a 7 on her first Apgar but they took her directly to the NICU anyways. She is still breathing all by herself-doing a great job and having minimal apnea spells. Allison was born at 7:17 PM (also vaginally however breech!!) Ouch! Talk about unexpected- for some reason my epidural only numbed my left leg. She weighed 4 lbs 6 oz. She only got a 3 on her first Apgar and they took her to the NICU right away.. all I got to see was the back of her shoulder on her way out the door.. She is now doing alright on the C-Pap now. She is having lots of apnea spells but they have started to decrease today. Both of them started getting tiny bits of milk through NG tubes today. Alyssa is tolerating feedings well and Allison hasn't quite started digesting any of her milk yet. (They keep sucking the old milk out and replacing it with new but she just hasn't started digesting it yet.) They are both pretty jaundice and are under lights for that. They are going to be taking their IV's out of their bellybuttons tonight and putting in more permanent picc lines instead. Since they wont have to umbilical IV's tomorrow this means we will finally get to hold them!!! I'm SO excited. I am doing pretty good physically but I am still pretty upset that I had to be discharged today. I thought this pregnancy was hard but it was waaay harder leaving them there by themselves. We live a long way from the hospital so we just checked into the Ronald McDonald house so we can be closer. I hope the boys behave here so we can both stay close for a while.

 

Congratulations and happy birth day to your girls!!! I'm sure it's very hard to leave them, I'm glad you have the option of staying nearby. Hopefully they won't be in the NICU too long. Hang in there, mama, you'll have all your kiddos at home soon.