We had a bit of a scare this last week and landed ourselves in the hospital, and now that things have calmed down a bit I wanted to share it with you on here. It might be a lot of detail, but one of my favorite things right now is to hear stories of people who have been in my situation and have gone on to have healthy babies. So I thought I’d share my current situation here in case there’s anyone who can relate…
28 Week Check-up
Wednesday morning we headed in to the doctor for our regular checkup. We go every two weeks with the twin pregnancy, and this particular morning I felt fine – just normal “I’m 28-weeks pregnant with twins” symptoms. However, when they checked my cervix on the ultrasound I could see right away that something was wrong. As in, it wasn’t there anymore ;). The ultrasound tech confirmed by measuring my cervix at a .7cm (you usually want it be between 3-4cm.) She sent me straight over to my doctor, who told me I would be admitted to the hospital. At first I thought she meant that I was just going over for a few hours to be monitored, but as we kept talking and she mentioned sending Blake home to pack a bag, I realized I most likely wouldn’t be going home.
Guys – I was NOT even close to ready to be in the hospital. My doctor had told me we could travel up until 28 weeks with a twin pregnancy, so we literally came home on the day I turned 28 weeks and then that was the time I had designated myself to nest and prepare. I had so many things I wanted to explore and share on the blog about maternity clothes, pregnancy, preparing for babies, etc. So many things to do at the house to get ready, we were about to start taking all of the baby classes we had signed up for …I hadn’t even unpacked or done the laundry from our trip, let alone cleaned the house! And to think that the next time I came home could be with two babies?! I had maternity jobs that have been booked for months, and my baby shower that I had been so excited for was supposed to happen in a few days. It was all of these silly things that started going through my mind, as I tried to ignore the biggest question lurking in the back of my mind – “Will the babies be ok?”
The Hospital
After being admitted to the hospital, they hurried and hooked me up to an IV, put me on monitors for both the babies’ heartbeats and my contractions, and started watching my own heart rate. Then they explained I’d get a round of steroid shots to help the babies’ lungs should they come now, as well as a heavy dose of continuous magnesium for at least 48 hours to slow the contractions. That first heavy dose of magnesium was terrible – anyone who has been on it will know what I’m talking about! It feels like you are burning from the inside out, I was so hot! And then for the next couple of days it feels like an awful flu, I felt so groggy. It relaxes all of your muscles and affects your vision – I got to a point where I couldn’t walk on my own or see much at all. I was hooked up to so many things on each side of the bed that I needed Blake to help me unhook and almost carry me to the bathroom. He was so great with me, I don’t know what I would have done without him.
Those first couple days were a rough blur – I felt horrible and hazy. I should probably apologize to anyone I did text or talk to, because it probably didn’t make much sense ;). I moved past the initial feelings I was having about all the things I had left to do and the things I was missing out on and started to worry more about the babies. I think it was the magnesium, but I didn’t feel connected to the babies at all. It was almost like I didn’t feel pregnant anymore – the magnesium made the babies groggy too so they weren’t moving as much and my stomach felt different. It was comforting to constantly hear their little heartbeats on the monitors, but I still had a hard time connecting with them which made it hard to have a good attitude about the situation. All I wanted was to chug tons of ice cold water, but they were monitoring my fluid intake with an IV so I was only allowed a small ration of ice chips. I didn’t sleep at all at night, as I had to continuously wear monitors for the babies heartbeats and my contractions, have blood drawn every few hours to check the magnesium levels and blood sugars, and blood pressure monitors on my arm and feet.
They promised to try and take me off the magnesium 48 hours after that first dose. We would then monitor my contractions, and if they stayed mellow enough I could stay off of the magnesium. I counted down the minutes until they stopped that magnesium drip, and since then things have slowly improved!
Once the magnesium drip came off, I started feeling SO much better. I could walk and see, I got to get rid of the IV, I can drink water on my own, and slowly everything else I was hooked up to has come off. We only monitor the babies a few times a day instead of constantly, and each time their heartbeats have been beautiful and my contractions have stayed down. I even got to move from labor and delivery down to the 4th floor, where I have a more comfortable room/bed, and bigger window, and a doctor’s order that Lo can come visit ;). Now I can shower, I feel up for visitors (and LOVE having them!) and even got the ok today to eat outside food – as long as I keep my blood sugars down!
Currently…
So for now, I’m chilling in a hospital bed. I’m only supposed to get up to go to the bathroom, but luckily I am pregnant so I do that a lot ;). I’m on a steady dose of medications to keep my contractions and cervix in check, and the side effects are nothing compared to that magnesium. Although this is not where I want to be, I know that things could be so much worse. I do have moments where I feel a little sorry for myself, or spontaneously burst into tears because I want to go outside ;). I am still mourning the loss of what I thought the rest of my pregnancy would be, prenatal yoga, and hikes. But overall, I have mostly felt a strong sense of how lucky I am in my everyday life – that this is just temporary for me and that we are getting such amazing care. The doctors seem confident that if the babies came now they would have a great chance of survival, but it could be a long road. So I’m telling myself that every day I can stay in here and keep the babies in will be less time for them in the NICU.
Right now I’m a little over 28 weeks. The goal is to keep the babies in until 32, and if we make it until then we’ll shoot for 34! They doctors say I’ll be here until the babies come so I try not to think to much about the possibility of going home, and get excited for potential small victories in the future – next on my list is wheelchair privileges ;). In the meantime, the blog might change a bit while I’m in here, but I’m so glad to have it as an outlet and a way to keep preparing for these babies. I would really, really love to hear from any of you who have similar stories to share!
xx
Jen (and Blake, Lo, and the girls!)
OOTD
18 comments
I’m so sorry to hear your story. I recently had a somewhat similar situation. I was admitted into the hospital at 31 weeks with preterm labor, having strong contractions every 2-3 mins. I was also given the steroids and magnesium. The magnesium was just awful. I felt so helpless, they wouldn’t let me go to the bathroom so I had to ring the nurse and use a bed pan all night. Being on fluids that’s a lot of peeing going on in a bed- ugh. This is my second pregnancy and since my first son was born early I was on makena shots this pregnancy which is what I think saved my pregnancy. Makena keeps your cervix intact, so unlike your situation my cervix was still strong and far up. With bedrest they were able to control my contractions and now I am 36 weeks and baby is still cooking. Sending all my positive thoughts to you and your family! Nothing scarier than being in the hospital early, you just want to be strong for your babies but your body is doing something different.
Keep up the good work mama!! You are in good hands and you are so close! Sending happy thoughts and well wishes to all 5 of you!! Xoxo 😘
I had a very similar situation to this. I was only pregnant with one and found out we had problems at 20 weeks. By almost 26 weeks after 3 weeks of home bedrest I ended up in the Hospital. I ended up on magnesium twice(one of the worst things ever!), but things did finally calm down and I was there until 32 weeks. I very distinctly remember the celebration of making it to 28 weeks because of the significant developmental growth that week is. I stayed home after discharge until 35 weeks 5 days when my crazy (now almost 2 year old) son decided he was done waiting. He had no NICU time and is one of the happiest and smartest kids I’ve known. Hang in there! This will be a long road, but one so well worth it! The focus so drastically changes in the Hospital to the babies, but please remember to take care of yourself! Good luck and congratulations!
My situation was a little different but very scary as well! When I was 33wks on the dot, I was diagnosed with preeclampsia. I was admitted to the hospital and discharged 2 days later on bed rest. I saw my OB AT 33+5wks for a follow up appt. He ordered blood work and the next morning I was told I was going to be admitted until delivery. When I got to the hospital it went from admitting until delivery to emergency c-section in a span of 3 hours! I had a life threatening pregnancy complication called HELLP syndrome. My baby girl was born at 33+6wks and as healthy as she could be at that gestation. She spent 17 long days in the NICU and is thriving 15 weeks later! Pregnancy is a different journey for everyone, but the end goal is always the same – a healthy babe. Or babes in your case! Hang in there mama, you got this! Those sweet snuggles you’ll get will make all of this seem like a distant memory! 💕
Hi! I’m not usually one to write a comment but I know how comforting it can be to hear positive pregnancy stories. I went on full bedrest with my second child at 28 weeks with a cervix measuring 1.1cm. (Had been off work and on home rest since 21 weeks for short but not dangerous measurements) I spent a few nights at the hospital getting steroids for the baby’s lungs and was sent home on bed rest. It was especially hard since I had a 2 yr old and couldn’t do much for him at all. Thankfully my cervix held it all together and I had him at 38+6! Fast forward a few years to present and I just delivered my third baby 4 days ago at exactly 37 weeks. I’ve been off work and on limited activity since 24 weeks but my cervix held up and never got short enough to warrant bedrest.
Both pregnancies have been scary and stressful (especially since I’ve been an NICU nurse for 15 years…I knew exactly what I would life would be like if I delivered early) and no quite understands what it’s like to walk around on eggshells with so much uncertainty unless they’ve been through it.
Stay positive and take it day by day. You’ve already made it to 28 weeks, that’s definitely something to be proud of, every single day counts! Hang in there mama!
Hi Jen!
I was in and out of the hospital up until 35 weeks when I had to emergency deliver my identical girls due to baby A (Chloe) not getting any more nutrients or cord blood, baby B (Blakely) was being a little selfish! I was being monitored 2x a week to make sure both girls were doing ok but, Chloe specifically. It’s definitely scary when anything happens especially towards the end and growing two humans is really hard! I promise you when they come out your whole world will change and you will have a whole new appreciation for life because of these two tiny little loves!
Also, my girls were in the NICU for 1 week Chloe was 3lbs 10oz so she was in there strictly for her weight Blakely was 5lbs 11oz and had pneumonia. she had IV’s all over and I cried every time they had to poke her because they would always fall out of her thin skin and tiny veins. I had to have them do it when I wasn’t around after a few days I couldn’t handle seeing them in any sort of pain or discomfort. However, I will forever be grateful for the NICU nurses they loved my babies like they were their own and I learned SO much from spending all my days in there. It’s terrible and gut wrenching to go home without your babies but, knowing they are being loved and watched 24/7 by nurses who care so much added some sort of comfort to the pain in my heart. My girls are now 5 mos (4mos adjusted age) doing so great and are just the happiest! They bring so much joy to our life but especially mine. I forget what life was even like before they came and filled my heart with a new kind of love I’ve never knew existed.
I wish you the best of luck and that your little babes stay in your belly and cook a little bit longer! Hope you start to feel better soon as well. I have never written a blogger before but, have always loved yours and your post tugged at my heartstrings so I had to say hello and let you know everything will happen exactly how it’s supposed to and it will all be ok!
Best,
Jen
Hi! Twin mama over here. Let me first start by telling you my girls are 18 months old and are 100% healthy and happy (and crazy 😂)
My water broke at 29wks and 3 days. So a bit of a different situation but I had the steroid shots and the magnesium and was also told I wasn’t going home 🙄 I feel your pain. I ended up delivering the babies at 29wks 6 days. We were in the nicu for awhile but nothing was seriously wrong. They babies just needed to grow.
I wish you the best of luck but just know you can do anything. Mamas are strong. I just told myself it’s my new job to pump, bring them milk, and cuddle them everyday until they come home. And they will eventually come home!
Feel free to reach out if you want to chat!
Best of luck and keep us posted.
Bedrest is sooo long and mentally hard. I was on bedrest from 19 weeks to 31 weeks when I delivered my twins. I was 3 cm dilated and had to get my cervix stitched. Sleep, read, Netflix and order amazing food…. Also girlfriends. My best friend would sleepover in the hospital, she would sneak in a bottle of wine, for her of course, and we would watch chick flicks. That kept me sane.
If you want pictures of 31 week twins or to know details don’t be shy to email me. Good luck xoxo.
You will get through this! Sending positive vibes your way!
I know what your feeling all too well! I pre PROM at 27 weeks, and what a shock it was when I realized I was not leaving the hospital until I delivered baby boy! I was able to keep him in until I reached 34 weeks! The goal was 35 weeks but was spotting here and there and my doctor didn’t feel comfortable letting me go another week. I was induced and and having a really hard time getting dialated but when I finally did it was starting to go quick and then all a sudden I was at a 6 and his heart rate started to drop and I was wheeled in for an emergency c section and he was out in minutes! My son Lucas was 5lbs 2oz and spent 2 weeks in the NICU but he is perfectly healthy and just the light of his daddy and my life! He was 6 weeks early and so little but now he is 5 months old, 15lbs and you would never know he was a preemie! I swear these little ones are the strongest of them all and they come out fightin!
I know sitting there everyday is rough, when all you are doing is thinking about all that can happen. But just know that you are strong and You are doing exactly what you need to do to keep those precious babies in, which is laying around. Having family and friends come to visit really helped me get through this! I wasn’t able to have my shower either but I had one a month after we got home and it was wonderful because baby boy got to be there! And thank you to daddy and a friend of mine, the nursery got done!
All will be ok! Xo
I was randomly searching Instagram and saw your post. I was in a similar situation as yours last year. I have a boy/girl twins and they were actually born at 28 weeks and 6 days. They are very healthy and doing great! I was admitted to the hospital at 27 weeks and was dilated to a 3, and I kept the babies in for almost two more weeks, which is incredible! My cervix was an issue staring at 19 weeks( well at least that’s when they noticed it) and they weren’t even sure I’d make it to where the babies were viable. They were so excited with every weekly visit that I was still pregnant! I was on bed rest most of the pregnancy due to a subchorionic hemorrhage in the first trimester. I don’t know what hospital you’re at but I loved the long term stay I had. The nurses were so attentive and amazing and the volunteers that come every week were so sweet! You’re at a great stage and are far better off than I was and my babies were born very healthy, considering. You and the babies will be great! I tried to take up knitting but was horribly unsuccessful. lol luckily I was able to work remotely from the hospital to help pass some time. Lots of luck to you!! In happy to share anything with you if you want to talk.
I’m so sorry you have to go through this! I had two scary pregnancies with cervical issues. With my first baby, I had a dynamic cervix that measured just 1.5 cm at the 20 week ultrasound, so I was on modified bed rest and went to the doc every week until 30 weeks. Measurements during that time ranged between 1.2 and 2.5. Short! I went on to carry my son until 39 weeks and he was perfect in every way. (He’s now 3). Then with my daughter, we were expecting cervical issues again but at the 20 week I was DILATED to 2 cm – terrifying – I had to get an emergency cerclage (as in they sewed me up with thread as thick as a shoelace!) and was on modified bed rest again until 34 weeks, and they ended up breaking my water on her due date! I was 5.5 cm at that point and she was still hanging out and measuring big so we elected to get labor started. She was perfect too and is now 3 months old. I know exactly what you’re going through, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but the medical care available these days is so awesome that you and the babies will be just fine. My husband is a twin and he and his sister stayed put until 32 weeks and spent some time in the NICU, but they were perfect too with zero lasting health issues. He’s a structural engineer and she’s an OB/GYN, not too shabby! You will all make it through this. I found it helpful to just see every day as a victory and talk about it A LOT. Sending lots of love and prayers!
You got this!! You and your babies are going to be just fine!
I’m currently 34 weeks pregnant with fraternal twin girls. I had a similar hospital scare at 31 weeks and you described the magnesium drip perfectly- it was the worst. I had the steroid injections as well. I’m 4’11”, 104 pounds (before getting pregnant) and the doctors said from the beginning I would be lucky if I made it to 32 weeks. One doctor actually told me someone my size carrying twins is a “disaster”.
Just keep in mind you’re in the best place you can be and you’re in good hands!
Praying for you on this journey! That the Lord gives you strength in all of this and that your babies are healthy and in that sweet belly till they are meant to come out! 🙂 God bless you and your growing family!! 🙂
Hearing your story brings me back to my own. I have boy/girl twins that are now 4. I went into preterm labor with them at 22 weeks while I was out-of-town with my husband in Aspen, Co. I was in the hospital there for a couple days, and on the same drugs too, it makes you feel awful. I was devasted because we thought we were going to lose them. Being 22 weeks, with viability at 24 weeks, they basically released me from the Aspen hospital once they got my contractions under control and told me to take the next flight home to Dallas to see my Dr. From 22 weeks on, I was on VERY strict complete horizontal bedrest at home (also had gestational diabetes). Only got up to go to the bathroom, I even ate while horizontal (with my head propped up). The Dr. wanted to hospitalize me, but I begged him to let me do bedrest at home. With 2 children that were 5 & 2 at the time I couldn’t bear the thought of being away from them. My cervix was shot, so my Dr. wanted any pressure off of it. My contractions always worsened when sitting. I was so strict & diligent with my bedrest (thank goodness for my MIL that moved in with us to help), I was determined to get my twins here healthy. We had goals set to get to 32 weeks, then it was 35 weeks. I ended up delivereing them at 37 1/2 weeks! Truly nothing short of a miracle given my circumstances. A lot of prayers answered. They were completely big, healthy (no Nicu time) newborn twins! I held onto stories of other twin mamas delivering healthy babies and or twin mamas that had babies in NICU but now have healthy children. It really gave me strength knowing that other moms out there have gone through what I was going through. It inspired me and gave me a power to thrive everyday. There was something so powerful in that. I hope you know you are not alone. You’ll have rough days or moments, and that is ok. But joy in knowing you are freaking growing 2 human beings! The relief you’ll feel when you hold TWO babies in your arms is indescribable. You’ll have worked hard to get them here, it is soooooo worth it. Having twins is hard work (as you know already from growing them), but the love and joy truly is double. It’s been my life’s greatest experience, having & raising twins. Hang in there Mama, you’re not alone. Xoxo.
Jen- been thinking about you and the babies since your week 28 post. I had a high risk pregnancy, similar but also very different from yours and wanted to share some of what I termed my “pregnancy montras” that helped give me strength through the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced.
1. There is great strength in motherhood (I’m sure you’re already witnessing and experiencing that)
2. Babies are fighters. Even when they are small/weak/not moving in utero/whatever mfm scares you of- they are strong and they are fighters.
3. They can grow babies in the NICU. NICU nurses are angels on earth.
4. The sacrifice of mothers is great.
5. This pain (or whatever other emotion you are feeling in that moment) is only temporary.
6. Your body was designed for this.
7. Every week is a milestone.
I’m sure these are things you’ve already come to know in these last couple weeks. I would repeat these little phrases to myself over and over every single day. They helped get me through some really hard days/weeks/months. There is such great strength in motherhood. I hope this helps. Praying for you and those sweet littles. Keep us updated.
Hi lovely, thank you so much for sharing your story. I can absolutely relate to every word! I the exact same thing happened to me, even down to remaining mm’s, however I was only 24 weeks! I went straight from my scan to the hospital & i am still here today – over a month later! We are now 28 + 4 & couldn’t be happier & more grateful to be here! The great news is I’ve had two scans since arriving in hospital & my cervix length is holding. Every day is a blessing & we pray it will continue to hold & we can make it to 32 weeks too 🤞🏼🤞🏼 I look forward to following your journey. Love & light x
This is sad to hear, but good that everything is remaining stable! I hope they make it for as long as possible in the womb.
Has the doctor mentioned why this happened? Had you not had any check up, would have been any signs for you? You were lucky to catch it early on for them to start monitoring asap!
First, congratulations on the birth of your babies!
I’m currently having to be monitored for a short cervix and was wondering how short your cervix was at your appointment 2 weeks prior.. just trying to get an idea of how fast it shortened.
Thanks!!
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