this is getting hard...

I have to say I am so grateful to be at this point and I really never thought I'd be here after so many years of trying to get pregnant. It is truly a miracle and when I think about the babies and their health I'm able to chill a bit. At the same time, this pregnancy business is not easy. Thank GOODNESS my OB wrote me out on maternity leave starting last Monday because all of a sudden I feel like a different person and there's no way I could be working. It seems like things are breaking down! But I still have so far to go! I feel like such a wimp. I have sciatica pain all the time, ankle throbbing that comes and goes, I'm wiped out after one errand or one household chore, my restless leg issues are making me feel like a crazy person, and by the end of the day my belly just feels like it's being pulled down by 20 pounds (rather than the 6 pounds of baby in there). I just started wearing the prenatal cradle which I think is helping. I really want to stay pregnant another 6 weeks but honestly it's hard for me to wrap my head around. And I'm not even THAT big (yet). Do you guys have any suggestions for making the days easier? Is it normal to feel so icky at this stage?

 

I'm not as far along as you, but I have sciatica also and I deal with fibromyalgia, which was better, but I think might make a come back sometimes. I tire very easily and just don't feel like doing anything a lot of times. The belly issue is not quite that bad yet, but some days it feels like I should be done. I am as big as I ever got with my other two children. It sounds like your hormones are contributing to a lot of how you are feeling. Try to relax and do something you enjoy. Take the time off of work as a blessing and if you really aren't feeling better, maybe your dr. can help you. Give yourself a break, you are doing a very important job growing babies. :hug99:

 

Hi,

I had a good twin pg, but the third trimester was a bear! I became more and more tired all of the time. I would suggest walking everyday if you can. Maybe pg yoga moves (a couple) can help for pain or a pg pillow. Sometimes just being mentally prepared (knowing this third trimester will be tiring) helps. Just listen to your body and easy does it on visiting with people, house chores, etc. Baths help too. I hope something I said helps, but if anything, I know how you feel, it's normal and it really will be over some day. My babies are one month old and I hardly remember being pg, and it seemed like the longest pg on record. Hang in there.

 

By the time I was 29 weeks, I just wanted to be done. I was so big, sore, crabby, unable to eat, unable to sleep, practically unable to walk... it was so miserable. Like you, it took IVF for me to even get g, so I hated that I hated being pg. I wanted to enjoy every second, but I ended up on antidepressants at 30 weeks and the boys came suddenly at 31 weeks. While I was scared for their health (they were and are fine, thank goodness!) I was SO GLAD to not be pregnant any more.

I guess I don;t have any advice, but wanted you to know I can commiserate. :hug99:

 

Thanks Ladies- I do feel better at feeling so miserable! I am only 24 weeks - but have been on bed rest since week 18, so
not being able to move makes it really difficult for my blood circulation and tightens up my muscles causing a lot of spasms- what I would do for a walk!
Already getting hard to breathe when it feels like the babies are right under my ribs and eating is not fun either!
At least I know I am not alone!
Carrie

 

I felt horrible my whole pregnancy. It's definitely HARD carrying twins. I just tried to distract myself as much as possible. I organized photos, got lots of great magazines to read, and watched as much trash TV as I could handle. The best thing was (and this is a hard one) to try to think in one week increments. "Next Tuesday I will be 30 weeks...four days until next Tuesday...three days until next Tuesday...". Having a "mini" countdown seemed to help too. Also, I would focus on the next u/s since I loved to see the babies. Once again, focusing on that mini countdown helped.

 

I felt terrible between 28-30 weeks, and somewhere around 32-33 weeks, I started feeling better, so there is hope!!! I don't know if I just got used to the pain or what, but this past week has been better. I hope you catch your second wind soon!!! (or third, fourth, fifth, whatever it takes, right?!?!?)

Lots of people compare twin pregnancy to marathons, and while this is my first pregnancy, I've run a few marathons. I can honestly say there is a point in almost every marathon between 20-24 miles where your muscles start to protest and shut down. Sound familiar? There are so many little aches and pains and you think--this sucks, I never felt this in training! And you kind of despair a little bit because you just can't imagine running another 100 yards, let alone 6 more miles!!! But you put one foot in front of the other, and you look ahead, not to the next mile marker, but to the next friendly spectator, who is clapping their hands on the sidelines. Thus, relying on the smiles of strangers, you pull through the discomfort, and before you know it, you're at mile 25, and you have just over a mile left, and a mile isn't that far, considering how far you've come already, and somewhere in your own soul (if you're into that sort of thing) you find a final push to get you to the finish line. For me, there are three major "soul defining" moments in a marathon--the start line, mile 25, and the finish line.

What I'm trying to say with my marathon analogy is, mile 25 is right around the corner. You're hurting now, you're frustrated now, and 36-40 weeks looks to be a lifetime away--its as unfathomable as "just another 6 miles" to someone suffering at mile 20 of a marathon. You've come SO far already, and done such a good job growing those babies, and you're looking to the finish line in frustration because its so far away, but one step at a time, every hour is bringing you closer to your mile 25. And then you realize that the finish line is right there, not so far away.

 

I remember it getting hard at 29 weeks too.. and I was feeling horrible cause I knew they needed more baking time, but I felt miserable.. luckily I got through to 37 weeks..

Just keep up the good work! :clapping:

 

QUOTE(jenanne @ Dec 12 2007, 07:44 PM) [snapback]531708[/snapback]
I have to say I am so grateful to be at this point and I really never thought I'd be here after so many years of trying to get pregnant. It is truly a miracle and when I think about the babies and their health I'm able to chill a bit. At the same time, this pregnancy business is not easy. Thank GOODNESS my OB wrote me out on maternity leave starting last Monday because all of a sudden I feel like a different person and there's no way I could be working. It seems like things are breaking down! But I still have so far to go! I feel like such a wimp. I have sciatica pain all the time, ankle throbbing that comes and goes, I'm wiped out after one errand or one household chore, my restless leg issues are making me feel like a crazy person, and by the end of the day my belly just feels like it's being pulled down by 20 pounds (rather than the 6 pounds of baby in there). I just started wearing the prenatal cradle which I think is helping. I really want to stay pregnant another 6 weeks but honestly it's hard for me to wrap my head around. And I'm not even THAT big (yet). Do you guys have any suggestions for making the days easier? Is it normal to feel so icky at this stage?


Jenanne: Definitely take it slower. Don't clean your tub, climb stairs, mop the floor, or anything else that you feel is wearing on your stomach and back. but do go for walks if you can and do the bedrest activities that include stretching your legs and lower back. I've found these help the sciatic pain a lot. Walking especially, but honestly - I was only able to do it in the beginning as now I can't walk more than 10 minutes without getting braxton hicks. When you go shopping, use those electric carts to the fullest! And lay down on your sides as often as possible. I noticed that I started to get swelling in my calves, ankles and feet after hitting 30 weeks. And after hitting 33, no matter how much I lay down or ANYTHING, the swelling barely goes down. A good foot rub helps a lot (minus rubbing behind the ankles as this supposedly stimulates the uterus), pushing the fluids up and out of the foot while you lay down... never in towards your toes. You can actually feel the fluid leaving. It's so weird but soooo relaxing! I've noticed the more I sit, the more the swelling occurs, I can even feel it pooling.

Don't forget, it's not just 6lbs of babies, it's also growing uterus, amniotic fluid, growing amounts of blood plasma, placenta, etc. And the babies should be chunking up a bit faster right now than they were before... so you may feel suddenly heavier one day than you did just a couple days before. You gotta listen to your body and respond to it's pleas for rest. If you push it, you could go into PTL.... and all that NICU time just isn't worth keeping your house clean or running your errands without the handy dandy electric cart. Or even having someone else do them for you if they are on their way to doing some themselves. Use your family to the fullest to help you and support you during this time.

You're not just making 1 baby, you're making 2 and it's the most important job in the world, that not even a man can handle. lol

 

QUOTE(Bernice @ Dec 13 2007, 03:22 PM) [snapback]532215[/snapback]
...it's the most important job in the world, that not even a man can handle.
VERY true! LOL

 

Aaaaaa.... I'll be to 29 weeks in 2 more weeks. I sure hope I don't take a nose dive. I still feel really good. More tired in the evenings - but other than that, I've been lucky.

 

I definitely feel like 29/30w is more like 36/37 weeks with a singleton. Everything is hard and stretched and exhaustion is hitting hard. I'm on bedrest, but even if I was not I think I would take to my bed. I'd say go easy on yourself and follow what your body is trying to tell you. Pregnant with twins is not an easy ride and I totally agree with the mini milestone concept. I practice it myself to the point of ocd almost hourly (just x amount of hours till the end of the day then I'll be...) .

Fiona
29w6d 12hours 15 min (just kidding i don't keep it to the minute...usually)

 

Alas, yes, it is normal. That's right about when it started for me. (Actually a little earlier -- 26 weeks or so.) The only thing you can do is REST. Since these are your first children, at least you can do that!

It did help for me to think of it as work. DH was very good about reminding me of this, too. When I complained that I did nothing all day, he would say "You grew our babies some more today!"

I still haven't quite let go of the resentment that I didn't enjoy my pregnancy one bit. (I also did IVF.) I just try to remind myself that some singleton moms don't enjoy being pregnant (even though they don't know how easy they have it), and there's no guarantee that I would have liked it with one child either.

 

I am not looking forward to that part of pregnancy. I had a hard enough time with just one baby in there at the end of pregnancy. I hope the next few weeks fly by for you.

 

hello, my neighbor to the south! i am sorry you're having such a hard time. i think everything you feel is VERY normal. have you tried to have a prenatal pg massage? or prenatal yoga? both of those things have been a tremendous help to me. i was alreaedy stretching for like 10 mins a day when i hit the 2t and started having joint pains and issues--esp at night. i started having the massages and taking yoga (and prenatal pilates) and all of those instructors gave me suggestions for helping me feel more comfortable. they totally work! (there wasa post here a while back by someone having hip issues that had some great suggestions, too. can you search for it?). if you cant find any ohter resources let me know and i will try to explain smoe of the stretches i do, or some of the ways i use a million pillows to stay comfortable (i would say right now but i have carpal tunnel so i am typing as little as possible!).

best of luck and keep us posted!

take care, jl

 

totally normal - I think a lot of us hit a wall right around then. I slowed myself down A LOT at that point -- accepted the fact that I couldn't do a whole lot and would have to rely on DH and others for help. i rested - which, if you knew me, you'd know is absolutely unheard of behavior!!! I also set small goals for myself. Every extra week was a victory for me. That way, I wasn't focused on "Oh gosh, I have 8 more weeks to go," but rather, "Just make it to Monday, make it to Monday." Like a pp, I can't say i enjoyed being pregnant, but the rewards of two healthy babies were well worth the very tough last 10 weeks I went through. Keep your eye on the prize(s) and hang in there!!!

 

I am 29 weeks tomorrow. Last week I could BARELY finish my work day...I knew that was it for me. I have hit the wall. I can't sleep at night, but want to nap a 4-430....which is like, now. I am a multitasking, type a freak, so this is really getting me. I didn't do IVF, this is a fluke, and I am not "enjoying" my pregnancy much either. But I am happy that my girls are healthy and big !

 

QUOTE(snow73flakes @ Dec 13 2007, 09:36 PM) [snapback]532941[/snapback]
I am a multitasking, type a freak, so this is really getting me.


That was me totally! As a matter of fact, many moms of multiples fall into this category - many times multiples grace the Type A's. If you fall under this category, keep reminding yourself, baking babies is multitasking, BIG work. It worked for me many times, and I usually had to tell myself this several times a day .

 

Oh my gosh, thank you all so much. I got all teary eyed just reading your responses and feeling your support (a sign of my total exhaustion and frustration). You're so right about the milestones. Each week is a victory, I have looked at it that way lately regarding the babies' development, but I need to look at it that way regarding myself too and being one step closer. I think I will start taking a walk in the morning because by the afternoon I'm too tired. I do have a good prenatal yoga DVD and I should do it more regularly....these are all good reminders. I am definitely a type A person who wants to constantly multitask and it's hard not to feel like a loser when I can only do 1-3 things a day instead of 40 like usual!! At my OB appt today I did measure 35 weeks so I guess I am getting big. And the babies are certainly growing and taking a lot of my energy. Okay I must go nap Thank you again, you are lifesavers!!

 

Jen: I really feel for you and others who haven't experienced a singleton pregnancy before they experience this kind. It's so different. I think around 30 weeks this time is when I started to feel like my singleton pregnancy would have already ended. I measure 8 weeks more than the week I am, so passing 32 weeks and the babies weights together being over my DD's weight of 7lbs 4oz, I knew that everything from here on out isn't going to be what I would be expecting.

Like before, if my ankles swelled all I had to do was lay down for an hour and viola! but now that doesn't even work. I have cankles I can't get rid of unless I got a willing victim to sit and massage them for me. My sis whose carried 2 13lb babies (one at a time thankfully) knows the path I'm heading towards because she too measured big and with two, the conjoined weight I'm hoping for is 6 1/2lbs a piece, so 13lbs. When we found out there were two and I called her she said one thing I will never forgive her for saying "*gasp* you are going to get sooo biiiiiiiiig!" lol so although that was her experience with singleton pregnancies, there is certainly a lot of different things that she hasn't experienced.

Like when those beautiful babies move and kick me, she laughs when I point at one of them and say "WHO kicked me??! Fess up!!!"

Although this is different, personally I still enjoy MOST of the experience. We thought there was one, and we thought for sure I was going to miscarry because of the stress of my DD being deathly ill and us almost losing her twice, back in the whole month of june, only 2 weeks after we found out I was pregnant. So when we found out there were two instead of one, I could only hope they held on and survived and would be born into this world. So this whole pregnancy I've been more concerned about them moving, making it to each week, all that good stuff... and willingly taking the good with the bad. I just hope i remain sane after they come because that was the hardest part after I had DD.

 

[SIZE=14pt]Thank you for such an inspiring analogy! I'm only 24 weeks, but it is getting hard. I needed a dose of such inspiration. Thank you!!![/SIZE]


QUOTE(ladybenz @ Dec 13 2007, 04:32 AM) [snapback]531990[/snapback]
I felt terrible between 28-30 weeks, and somewhere around 32-33 weeks, I started feeling better, so there is hope!!! I don't know if I just got used to the pain or what, but this past week has been better. I hope you catch your second wind soon!!! (or third, fourth, fifth, whatever it takes, right?!?!?)

Lots of people compare twin pregnancy to marathons, and while this is my first pregnancy, I've run a few marathons. I can honestly say there is a point in almost every marathon between 20-24 miles where your muscles start to protest and shut down. Sound familiar? There are so many little aches and pains and you think--this sucks, I never felt this in training! And you kind of despair a little bit because you just can't imagine running another 100 yards, let alone 6 more miles!!! But you put one foot in front of the other, and you look ahead, not to the next mile marker, but to the next friendly spectator, who is clapping their hands on the sidelines. Thus, relying on the smiles of strangers, you pull through the discomfort, and before you know it, you're at mile 25, and you have just over a mile left, and a mile isn't that far, considering how far you've come already, and somewhere in your own soul (if you're into that sort of thing) you find a final push to get you to the finish line. For me, there are three major "soul defining" moments in a marathon--the start line, mile 25, and the finish line.

What I'm trying to say with my marathon analogy is, mile 25 is right around the corner. You're hurting now, you're frustrated now, and 36-40 weeks looks to be a lifetime away--its as unfathomable as "just another 6 miles" to someone suffering at mile 20 of a marathon. You've come SO far already, and done such a good job growing those babies, and you're looking to the finish line in frustration because its so far away, but one step at a time, every hour is bringing you closer to your mile 25. And then you realize that the finish line is right there, not so far away.