Ruby and Samantha have arrived

Saturday night I was enjoying the fact that i hit 34 weeks and if I went into labor, they wouldn't stop it. I did a lot that day. When I got home I emailed a friend and started to have back pain (like usual) and braxton hicks (at least one that i know of), I decided to call it quits and hit the hay. That was around midnight.

At 1:30am Decemeber 16 (34 weeks & 1 day), I felt a huge dull cramp like I was holding in mondo pee for hours, and with that thought - Ruby's water broke. It was so much, in my partial awake state I almost felt like I was drowning! And we JUST got that pillow top for our bed. It was only my second night on it. I told DH that my water broke and he said "You want your water?" and I had to repeat myself before he'd jump out of bed to call my mom. She and Dad came over (dad took DD home with him) and sure enough. It just kept coming and coming.

Within 20 minutes I had my first contraction. Within 2 hours I had gone to 6cm and was 100% effaced. Ruby was frank breech and Samantha was breech. I knew this was coming but ever since the water broke, I couldn't stop shaking. I think I was in shock.

Had they not put me on terb to stop the contractions, they would have fit through the birth canal at 6cm if they were head down. Butt down, if I had reached 10, they would have come through. Scarey. The contractions just came so fast, got longer and stronger within 30 minutes of my water breaking, it was unreal.

In less than 4 hours from start to finish, my baby girls were born via c-section. Ruby at 4lbs 4oz, 16 inches long @ 5:18a. Samantha 4lbs 0.8oz, 15 inches @ 5:20am. Everything is going well. They were put in the NICU since then. When they broke Samantha's waters, it was so much that my uterus contracted around her and they had to work to get her out. When they did she took a bit longer to cry than her sister and that night for an hour or so she had to use a cpap machine. Since then she's only had 1 desat. They are both in 1 bassinet together, and Ruby only last night had a bradycardia and desat, but corrected it within seconds on her own.

They began to get a bit jaundice and those billirubin lights fixed them right up. Their IV's were taken out and they are gaining weight every day. I'm pumping for them and they are almost off the formula/nutrient treated stuff pushed through a gavage tube in their noses. Tomorrow at 35 weeks gestational age, they will begin nippling to see how well they do with the suck-swallow-breath reflex.

I was scared silly when they told me to change Samantha's diaper. They are so tiny and with all those tubes and such, I didn't know what I was doing. But the NICU nurses are awesome. They have done so much to help us feel confident and capable of taking care of such little ones. We are feeling like we're taking classes in how to take care of preemies at home. Interesting thing, before they will release them - we have to take infant CPR classes. I've always wanted to, so I'm very relieved it's mandatory.

Ruby started rooting the next day and latched on beautifully. Samantha started up after her. We are told 2 weeks and they will hopefully be home. That was about 5 days ago. So maybe before the end of the year, but possibly the 1st week of January, that's about when my OB was talking about induction. (I can't believe we get a tax return for them this year. Not like that was a goal or anything, but it certainly helps!)Today they were taken off the bed heater and are keeping up their own temperatures. They just need to continue to eat and grow and then they will come home, they are doing so good for preemies!!

I'm so suprised by how tiny and they are. It's so unreal! I am so loving this, being a parent of newborn identical twin girls. BTW, they do have a bit of differences. We still get them mixed up though, as long as they stay on their side of the bassinet we're cool.

I had to leave them yesterday as I was discharged and the hospital has no provisions for breastfeeding mommas with babes in the NICU. I think it's complete bull and I haven't stopped crying, but I know they are where they need to be the most. I just wish it was still down the hall way because this c-section stuff hurts. My feet are so swollen and it won't go down So i gotta end this here.

I'll post later with some pictures. Night!

 

Congrats!!!! Happy birthday to your little ones. I was wondering about you the other day. I hope your c-section recovery is quick and that they are home from their NICU stay soon!

 

Congratulations, sounds like everything went well. Hope they get to come home soon.

 

Congratulations! I hope your beautiful babies are home with you soon.

 

Congratulations! Here's to a speedy recovery for you and your little ones. Let us know how it's going :hug99:
:birthday: to the twins!

 

Congratulations, and I hope you have a speedy recovery!!!
I also hope you get you babies home FAST!

 

Congratulations!

 

Congratulations! I hope you have a quick recovery!

 

Congratulations on your twins! Please visit the NICU forum for any support you need during and after your NICU stay, I hope it's short and uneventful!

 

Congratulations!! It sounds like things really took off and happened quick with you! I'm glad you and the babies are doing well. I'm sure it's very difficult to be discharged, but hopefully they will get to be home with you very soon!

 

Congratulations!!!!! I hope you are recovering well. Sounds like the girls are making wonderful progress. I hope they are both home with you very soon. Please keep us updated.

Dianna

 

Congrats! If you need any breastfeeding advice/support, don't hesitate to stop by the breastfeeding forum (link in my sig)!

 

Congratulations! It sounds like it won't be long before your beautiful babies will be joining you at home!!! Enjoy!!

 

Congratulations!! I hope they are home with you soon x

 

Congratulations on the births of your little beauties! :Clap: I'm glad they're doing well and will be home soon. Get some rest!

 

Congrats Bernice!!! Sounds like your babies are doing great for 34 weekers!!! Hopefully they will have a short NICU stay and get to come home soon.
Don't worry about the pain and the swelling it will go away soon. I was so much more swollen after my c-section and when I came home than I was when I was pregnant. Soon you will notice you are peeing all the time, even though you haven't drank much, and the swelling will go. The pain goes too, I promise

 

Congrats!! Hope everyone is recovering nicely & happy holidays!!!

 

congrats on your girls! i cant wait to see pics!

 

congratulations!!! they were born on my birthday! can't wait to see pictures!

 

Congrats!!! Love the names!!

 

Congratulations! I wish you and the little ones a very speedy recovery!

 

Congratulations, I hope your babies will be home soon. Glad they are improving so quickly. Hope you feel better soon.

 

:birthday: Ruby :birthday: Samantha

Yay, they are here! Sounds like they are doing well and should be home soon. Good for you. Enjoy this sweet little baby time!

 

Congrats!!!
I am 33 weeks today and on bedrest, we were told we would have these babies by Christmas, but I am holding out hope, making small goals and so now I am hoping for at least 34 weeks-it is reassuring that your babies are doing so well!
Good luck to you and your family-hope you are feeling good soon and it sounds like your babies will be home with you before you know it!

 

congrats on your daughters!! Hope you get better soon, and it won't be long til they are at home with you, well done mama!!!

 

we are still waiting... lol but they are doing good. Lesley: i know it all depends on the babies, but I hope yours, if they come that early too, will do just as well or even better!