A 32 week update on the pregnancy.

Here is an update from my daughter.

I have now reached the grand total of 32 weeks pregnant, and an update has been requested, so here it is.

I had my 32 week scan and appointment on Tuesday, both babies are doing well, growing well (both weighing almost 5lb each at the moment!) and all looks good with them. They are slightly bigger than the average singleton baby at 32 weeks, so I am assuming they’ll be monsters when they’re born! Minky (the boy) has now turned and is almost head down, whereas Dinky is an awkward little sod, and is lying transverse under my ribs. All being well, the decision was made today that they will be born by caesarean section at 37 weeks, so less than 5 weeks at the most left. I’ve to go back in just over a week and they’ll book me in and give me a firm date, but provisionally I’ve been given the 19th November, the day after Fifi’s birthday.

The original agreement I had with the obstetrician was that I was happy to have an elective c-section, but, if for any reason I went into labour beforehand, they would allow me to try for a natural birth, as long as all was well with babies and me. I was informed today, however, that me having a natural birth is not going to be possible, for various reasons, and so if I go into labour naturally beforehand, I will have to have an emergency caesarean, which I wanted to avoid, so I’m hoping that we can hold off for a while.

Dinky- the girl

However, there is a part of me that is fed up – I’m carrying 10lbish just of baby, with the prospect of them gaining approx ½ lb each a week, which is making me very uncomfortable. The weight and position of the babies has given me SPD, which has left me on crutches, and in constant pain, and I am now on a cocktail of medication for heartburn, painkillers, iron, vitamins, etc. I am no longer able to drive comfortably and safely, and so have to rely on family to drive me everywhere I need to go (which isn’t far). It’s almost impossible for me to leave the house as even a trip to the shop over the road leaves me in substantial pain, and so I am turning into a hermit! That’s possibly a good thing, though, as even my maternity clothes don’t really fit any more – it’s not really warm enough anymore for crop tops and hipsters as nothing meets in the middle, and I have resorted to wearing one of my other half’s work fleeces over everything to keep the gap warm!

Every time I inform the midwife of yet another “niggle”, I am told “Oh, yes, that’s common in twin pregnancies” – why did no-one tell me weeks ago I had all of this to come? Like the continuing morning sickness (which is badly named in my opinion), or the Braxton Hicks contractions that all the books tell you don’t hurt – take it from me – they do. Not as much as labour, admittedly, but they still hurt.

Minky - the boy

Bob and Fifi are really excited about their baby brother and sister coming soon, Bob sings invented lullabies to them when they are kicking me, which can be very funny, and are always different – he was singing that they were going to be “cute but annoying, just like Stitch (the cat)” one day, and this morning he informed them through the medium of song that “I love you, yeah, yeah, I do, but not if you keep beating up my mummy, cos she was mine before she was yoooooouuuuuuurs” – amazingly, his lullabies tend to settle them down – he’s been told he’s on lullaby duty once they’re born too! Fifi likes to stroke my belly, looking for sticky-out bits, which she pokes until they kick/punch back, and she thought it hilarious last night when Dinky had the hiccups – my whole belly was jumping, and she was giggling her head off at it. Bob, on the other hand, goes green if he touches my belly and feels movement, he won’t even sit on my knee any more in case he gets kicked!

Not long to go now, though, and that’s when the fun will really start – it’s quite scary to think that in 5 weeks time I’ll be sitting here with two newborn babies to look after – I hope I remember how to, it’s been a while! I’m telling myself it’s a skill that, once learnt, is never forgotten, a bit like riding a bike, but on second thoughts, I can’t really ride a bike anymore...


So have any of you twin pregnancy bloggers any advise or tips? Please feel free and leave me a comment - thank you.