I’m 19 weeks pregnant with twins, which means I’m halfway through.
How do I know, you ask?
Since I’ve had previous C-sections, the latest my doctors will let me cook is 38 weeks. The average twin gestation is 36 weeks. So there you have it — halftime, baby!
Ever since about 15 weeks, the nausea has vanished, I make to-do lists again, and I only have to nap about every other day.
The nesting instinct has hit hard (it seems early, doesn’t it?), and after three trips to Ikea with my superstar mom, I’ve assembled the following:
1 Mandal dresser (with the help of my brother)
2 Hemnes 2-drawer chests to go with the new bed my husband got me for Christmas (he scored a floor model just before collapsing from the flu).
I’m an Ikea assembly machine.
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Earlier this week, we got to see every square inch of Bambino and Bambina during our anatomy scan (or “magic baby spy machine” as we told our boys). It took a full hour and a half for the ultrasound tech measure all their parts, and then have the perinatologist come in to give closer inspection to each baby’s heart and brain.
Moments before the ultrasound, my friend Nina texted me to remind me that they always find something wrong at these things, and usually nothing is.
It made me think of the scary news we got four years ago with Isaiah’s anatomy scan, something about one of his kidneys not working and needing surgery immediately after birth. Nina said her daughter Rose was supposed to have some heart issue also requiring immediate surgery. Both babies were born just fine.
It was a welcome surprise to not head home with a head full of worry and a self-imposed Google ban.
Both babies currently weigh 9 ounces, which is exactly what “singleton” babies are supposed to weigh at this point. (“Singleton” is one of those words you will never utter unless you’re a mom of twins.)
The main job of both babies now is to gain weight. This is the part that terrifies me. I mean, just run “twin pregnancy 30 weeks” through an image search and you’ll see what I mean.
Not to sound ungrateful or vain. I know that in the case of twins, gaining weight in the second trimester is hugely important since I won’t be able to carry the twins to a full 40 weeks. The bigger the babies are, the healthier they will be. But man oh man are twin bellies huge.
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Meanwhile, our first ever au pair arrives from Brazil this Thursday.
It seems a bit indulgent to have her come so soon, but I was terrified of going on bedrest and decided to have her start now and get settled with the boys just in case.
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So here we are, in this sweet pocket of second trimester goodness. May it last as long as it can last.
(My four-year-old took this photo of me in Ikea. Yup. That pretty much captures the nesting madness.)
Three words: You Look Gorgeous
Four words: I love your tunic
Five words: you make this look easy!
Keep up the good work, my friend!!
You are amazing! If I could be as chipper, lovely and pulled-together at 0 weeks pregnant, I would call my year a success. Looking forward to hearing more and more about your expanding family!!!
Thanks guys, but don’t forget that part about how I spent 6 weeks of hell in bed. And if you ask my family, I doubt “chipper” and “lovely” would be the first words to come to mind (cranky, hormonal, hungry, exhausted much of the time…now we’re talking). Just trying to make the most of it, but don’t mean to misrepresent!
For the most part, those 30 week bellies don’t look all that shockingly big, to me. Yes, there are a few that are shocking, but those bellies are probably rather spectacular regardless. I think you will look wonderful.
It’s nice to read this and be reminded of how much I love a second trimester Britta. Not that I don’t love first and third trimester Britta too. But you really do blossom in the second. Am I rambling? Blame the migraine drugs.
So glad to be able to keep up with your progress via Facebook. Hesitate to call you because I know you need rest when you can get it. You remind me of your mom when she was pregnant for you.