26 weeks - 4/18/2021

 

Week 26: The babies are the size of an acorn squash.

 

 

Hello 26 weeks and the last week of the second trimester!

What's going on in there? This week the boys are getting ready to woo their parents with their eyelashes and will soon be batting them at us. Their teeny tiny fingernails have arrived! And the boys continue to work hard swallowing amniotic fluid this week, an act that is instrumental to healthy lung development.

 

Next appointment: 4/20/2021  ultrasound and diabetes screening

Feeling: Feeling good! The belly gets heavy by mid afternoon but the boys are active which is reassuring they are growing as they should be. 

 

Weight:   179 lbs

14 weeks to go! (12 weeks until the 38 week mark!)

25 weeks - 4/11/21

 

Week 25: The babies are the size of eggplants.

 

 

Hello 25 weeks! That means we are 6 months down and only 3 to go!! It is hard to think that we are well over half way to seeing these boys on the outside and getting to snuggle them. I cant wait to see what the little ninjas look like, and what features they took from each parent.

The babies are growing and so is the bump. Looking back on the last time I was 25 weeks with twins, I definitely feel bigger and maybe lower but I have heard that boys seem to be carried lower. And last time I only gained about 25 pounds (they said to expect to gain 35-50 with twins), while this pregnancy I have gained about 20 pounds so far which is right on track to where we should be. I am focusing on listening to my body, and the boys, and resting when needed to make sure we can keep these boys cooking as long as possible!

What's going on in there? This week their reflexes are developing. Baby fat is coming! Even though the boys are still lean,  they are slowly putting on pounds and losing that wrinkly appearance and should now  be  reaching 13 inches (over a foot long!) in length and more than 1 1/2 pounds in weight.

 

Next appointment: 4/20/2021  ultrasound and diabetes screening

Feeling: Feeling good! Getting a little less sleep since I wake up every couple of hours to switch sides from sore hips but I can still get comfy most of the time. I run out of breath a little easier but I’m assuming that is from Banana expanding his apartment in there, and pushing my lungs out of the way. All as expected around 25 weeks!

 

Weight:  178 lbs

15 weeks to go! (13 weeks until the 38 week mark!)

 

 

 

 

24 weeks - 4/4/2021

Week 24: The babies are the size of pomegranates.

 

 

 

Hello week 24 and viability! These boys are showing their strength with all the moving around they are doing. They both seem to be morning people and start to party around 5am but calm down during the day when I am active. However, even with their activity level increasing they are still camera shy and have a 6th sense for when I turn the video on to capture their ninja moves. 

What's going on in there? This week the boys are putting on more and more weight, much of it coming from accumulating baby fat along with growing muscles, organs and bones.  They are still sporting white eyelashes, eyebrows and hair, all of which have yet to acquire pigment. Their auditory system is rapidly advancing, which means if they frequently hear a certain song now they are likely to recognize it and feel calmed by it when they are born. 

Next appointment: 4/20/2021  ultrasound and diabetes screening

Feeling: Feeling good! It is getting a little more challenging to take a deep breath as the boys get bigger and having to sleep on my sides make my hips ache a little in the morning but once I get up and moving we are all good.

 

Weight:  176 lbs

16 weeks to go! (14 weeks until the 38 week mark!)

 

 

 

 

23 weeks - 3/28/2021

Week 23: The babies are the size of grapefruits.

 

 

 

These babies are getting to be pretty active, and while a quick jab to an organ can be quite the surprise, it is also very reassuring that that are growing strong and healthy. The kids were finally able to feel a kick on the outside, and after some wide eyes and giggles, I think they finally get there are real live babies in there. My son often says "be careful, be careful, don't break mom" as he tries to jump over me while laying on the couch watching TV. And my daughter likes to put her hand on the belly when we read at night, the boys seem to be a fellow fan of the Emily Windsnap Mermaid books at bedtime. I make sure to play their families voices each night to balance out the crime podcasts I listen to during the day...not trying to get them use to solving a murder in their down time!

What's going on in there? This week the babies' skin is a bit saggy (but won't be for long as fat begins forming) and has a pinkish-blue hue, thanks to developing veins and arteries right underneath. Their little arms and legs are packing more of a pinch these days, which you can see from the outside. The placenta- babies' recently completed life-support system- transfers oxygen and nutrients to baby and removes waster products. 

Next appointment: 4/20/2021  ultrasound and diabetes screening

Feeling: Feeling good! 

 

Weight: 175 lbs

17 weeks to go! (15 weeks until the 38 week mark!)

 

 

 

 

22 weeks - 3/21/2021

Week 22: The babies are the size of bell peppers.

My daughter has come to call the babies Apple and Banana since they were called baby A and B. Apple is head down and seems to punch down and may possibly be kicking his brother, Banana, who is hanging out on top in his little hammock pose and who likes to kick straight out the side of my stomach. Though I think he knows exactly when I get the camera out since he stops kicking as soon as I try to record it, little stinker.

What's going on in there? Though their eyelids are still sealed shut, the babies can perceive light and dark now. The babies’ ears are beginning to hear and process sounds from inside the belly —breathing, rumbling tummy, and heartbeat. And the babies’ nervous system is sharpening their senses, which means their fingers are learning to grab their tiny ears, nose and umbilical cord.

Next appointment: 4/20/2021  ultrasound and diabetes screening

Feeling: Feeling good, babies are getting bigger which is making the belly feel heavier throughout the day, and making my back ache a little at times. I may be slowing down a bit but overall doing great!

Weight: 174 lbs

18 weeks to go! (16 weeks until the 38 week mark!)

 

 

 

Ultrasound Day! 3/19/21

The OB appointment went great. Baby A (aka Apple) is head down and Baby B (aka Banana) is laying sideways on top of his brother laying. Both boys looked happy and healthy, with good heart rates of 139 and 145 and plenty of fluid, wriggling around for their  Momma on Facetime. 

The belly measured at 29 weeks, which the doctor said was normal since there are two in there. The doctor confirmed that we can be measure the babies Kidneys in the OB office so we do not need to return to the hospital for growth scans unless something changes. We will stay with appointments every 4 weeks until 30 weeks then go to appointments every 2 weeks.

We will do the diabetes screening at the next appointment, which is done between weeks 24-28, where I drink the Glucola drink an hour before the check up and they will draw my blood at that appointment. I think we want a glucose level of 135 or lower and we will remain in the clear. If the level is elevated then we do the three hour test at the hospital, though the doctor doubts that will be the case since I have no concerns the last time I carried twins.

21 weeks - 3/14/21

Week 21: The babies are the size of bananas.

 

 

 

The boys are staying active, especially when I have a cold drink! Their little kicks get stronger every day. We are at the point where bending over squeezes the air out of my lungs so things on the ground stay there a bit longer these days. 

What's going on in there?

Your baby's arms and legs are in proportion this week and his movements are now much more coordinated. Your baby-to-be's liver and spleen have been working hard producing blood cells, but now bone marrow spaces are mature enough to help as well. While the placenta is still #1 when it comes to nourishment, now your baby takes in small amounts of amniotic fluid, too.

Next appointment: 3/19/2021  ultrasound

Feeling: Good overall, a little more tired these days and the belly gets that heavy feeling when I’m on my feet. 

Weight: 172 lbs

19 weeks to go! (17 weeks until the 38 week mark!)