Birth Story Part 2

Greetings!
Sorry I've kept all two of you waiting for part two. :)

As I sit by the fireplace watching the snow fall down, I thought now would be a good time to blog about part two.

So....I last left off with finding out we were having TWINS. Today as I was going into the Y to exercise, a cute mom was going in too, and she was with her cute little twin daughters, about 2 years old, both wearing little pink coats. I held the door for her and she said, "Thank you so much no one does that anymore." I told her I had twins too, so I remember how I needed an extra hand from time to time. We had a quick chat about the blessings of twins, and she was encouraged that I made it through the hard years of having little tots. :)

Okay..so back to the story. So..I left off being in SHOCK that I was FINALLY pregnant, after all that waiting, praying, and pleading for a baby. We had an ultrasound appointment within a week after I found out I was pregnant. At this time, I just assumed there was just one baby.

Chuck (my husband) and I went to the appointment, and the whole way I prayed that the baby would be okay. I was only about 5 weeks pregnant. We got there, got all set up for the ultrasound and the Dr. came in. He started the ultrasound and right away said, "Oh there are two!" I didn't get it...I said, "Two what?" He replied with a laugh, "Two babies silly."

WHAT? I was in total shock......you would think after having multiple fertility treatments, I'd possibly get pregnant with more than one baby, but the thought JUST NEVER held in my mind..I just begged and prayed for one baby, never expecting God to bless us with TWO. I looked at Chuck and he had a huge smile on his face, but seemed a bit shocked too. I just couldn't believe it.

There they were...two perfect little sacs of peanut looking babies.....God's gift to us!

I was so happy to call my sister and tell her "I'M HAVING TWINS!" What fun that was, to tell people.

The Dr. wanted us back in one week to re-check the babies. He told us that usually one of the twins won't make it past this next week. I was DEVASTATED to hear that. Once I KNEW there were two babies, I WANTED THEM BOTH so badly. I prayed every single day for God to protect them and save them.

The next week we went back. I was so scared to hear bad news. I was already in love with both of my babies and didn't want to lose either one or both.

The Dr. started the ultrasound again, and this time said, "Oh there are now three" WHAT???? Every time I go, he keeps adding a baby.

So..now I'm pregnant with THREE? I'm scared to go back the next time, and have four, five, when will it end?

I was so grateful my twins were okay, and now I had three....but, the next time we checked the ultrasound, the third baby had not made it. I was so sad, but so thankful the twins were still there. I trusted God with his sovereign control over our lives, and just felt thankful to be given the blessing of twins.

To this day, I still think about that third baby. Wondering what it would have been- a boy or girl. Wondering about what that baby might have looked like and how our lives would be, with triplets. However, I refuse to let sadness overtake me, when I've been so blessed with the twins we got. I am excited to maybe one day, see that baby in heaven.

Well, now our adventure started with being pregnant with twins. I felt great until 7 weeks, and then the throwing up started...but through it all, I would thank God every single day, for the gift of being pregnant. I would throw up constantly and then in the next breath thank God for the gifts.

One time I had to pull the car over on my way to work at the hospital to throw up. I was late to work because I was throwing up. I walked into work looking quite green. I had to run from patient's rooms to go throw up quite often. :) It was a rough time, but I felt so thankful. I really think the years of infertility gave me this outlook, and I'm thankful in hindsight for it.

I started reading the popular book, What to Expect When You are Expecting. Each week it would show the growth and development of the babies. I would pray for each of those developing organs each week. I just felt a huge calling to pray each day and each week for our growing babies.

At 20 weeks, I had to have stitches placed in my cervix. This was preventative so I wouldn't miscarry. My cervix was weak due to the fertility medications and after my Dr. consulted with his fellow Dr.'s they decided this was the best plan for the health of our babies. I was so thankful, once again, to God. When the Dr. went in to do the stitches (an outpatient surgical procedure) I was already dilated to 2 or 3 cm...and any more and I would have miscarried the babies. There would have been nothing they could have done. Any more dilated and they wouldn't have been able to put the stitch in. They caught things in JUST THE RIGHT TIME. I was so thankful! Yet again, God had proven faithful to us.

From here, I had an awesome pregnancy. I felt great. I worked until I was 30 weeks. I was measuring big (normal for twins) ..so at 30 weeks I measured more like 35...I just could not work the long 12 hour nights anymore. Being on my feet all that time was just not good for me or the babies. I started getting getting early contractions and had to go to the ER a few times. Finally, I just had to stop work. I was never on bed rest. I was pretty active at home (moving into our new house just 6 weeks before the babies were born.) I'm kind of like that in life.....I don't sit down for long. Even being huge pregnant with twins, didn't keep me down, sometimes to the dismay of my Dr.'s

At 34 weeks the Dr.'s took the stitches out of my cervix and figured they would see me by the end of the day for delivery. I didn't go into labor until 37 weeks (term for twins.) That is me, always a rebel.

On July 3, 1998 I went into labor and on July 4th delivered twins. The delivery story is QUITE A STORY - I'll tell that next time......my baby boy almost died, and yet again God was faithful to us and our babies. Stay tuned for the final installment of A BIRTH STORY PART 3.

Glory to God. He is faithful. Keep praying for what you desire in your life.....God hears you and will answer in His perfect time.