First Trimester in Review

I have decided it is much more important to give a summary of my first trimester than do laundry at this time. So here goes.

• Official positive pregnancy test on Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, followed by 2 blood tests.
• The first blood test came back with high numbers, about 3x's normal levels for that day.
• The second blood test's numbers doubled the first test, but were still about 3x's the normal levels for that day, too.
• I asked the nurse if that could be an indicator of a multiple pregnancy, and she tried to kindly minimize my speculation and just said it is a good indicator of a very healthy pregnancy.
• First ultrasound Feb. 10, at 5 weeks pregnant. Todd was hilarious! We went into the room and the nurse told me to "undress from the waist down." After the nurse left the room for me to get ready, Todd started to panic saying, "Please, Natalie, I don't need to be in here for this. Just let me go to the waiting room." I prodded him back into a far corner where he would be behind me, but would still be able to see the screen. As the exam went on, he asked tons of questions and moved more forward as he became more comfortable.
  
• During the first exam, my doctor very calmly, like it was nothing, said, "And here's the second one..." Todd: "Ummm... did you just say there are two?!" I reached up and patted his arm to calm HIM down.
• Starting about week 6, I began to feel very sick. Yes, I had some stomach upset and queasiness, but I think it was more an effect of severe allergies. I also had some pretty severe upper back and neck pain and horrible headaches. This lasted a total of about 2 weeks, but I had about 4 or 5 days in there that I just barley moved. It was awful.
  
• Also, in week 6, I had a second ultrasound. Everything looked good. There are still 2 babies. I felt so bad, though. My symptoms kind of stumped my doctor, so she sent me to my general practitioner who ended up sending me to a chiropractor. I got a little relief, but still think I had a bad bug and severe allergies, so it just had to run its course.
• Are you still reading? :-)
• In early March, about week 8, I started to feel better and could make it through the day at work without being in tons of discomfort with the pain I had. I was very tired at this time and would nap when I got home, then sleep all night. I would sleep most of the weekend days away, and still can sleep a lot, even now.
• On March 23, at 11 weeks, I had my first regular pregnancy appointment and got to see actual baby forms on the screen. Baby B was laying right in position for a great picture and measurements. Baby A had to be worked on to be measured. The ultrasound tech tapped my belly and baby A jumped and kicked. So cute to see on the screen. That won me over.
• Did a test (can't remember the name) to rule out several genetic disorders including Downs at that appointment. They measured fluid on the babies' necks and combined that information with a blood sample from me.
  
• Since I'm prego with twins, I have appointments every 2 weeks and ultrasounds every time I go. So, I went back again on April 8th. The test for those genetic disorders came back clear. The ultrasound was good. The are growing just fine. Baby B was in great position again and baby A was a little harder to get a picture of. They were moving a lot, she said.
  

As I said before, Todd and I had to wait a while to finally have our chance to be parents. We were so thrilled to finally have a positive test! (But I have to tell that when we had the first home test show up with two lines, Todd's response was, "I never got to go to Europe!") But, since there were high numbers in the beginning, I automatically thought that I was carrying multiples. I was having dreams about having a litter and was so scared. There were a few times that I would wake up from dreaming about this and having such anxiety that I would get up, go to the hall bathroom, cry for an hour, then go back to sleep. When we found out that there were really two, I was okay for a few days, but then, in addition to feeling physically ill, did not want to know about it. I had to hide the ultrasound pictures from myself because I was kind of in a panic and wasn't ready for that reality. Now that I feel much better and I've let it sink it, I'm good with it. I'm even excited now!! Oh, and Rollei's good with it now, too. :-)

Up next (tomorrow, in fact): Barely There Belly Pictures! Look for a new picture each Monday. I'm sure that very soon the belly will no longer just be barely there.