Doctor Update

Quick update:

Today was a hard day.  I noticed starting yesterday that I was hurting a lot, but the pain didn't correlate with contractions. Today's ultrasound made it all make sense...Baby girl has moved.  Her head is still pressing on my cervix but she is now twisted into a half breech/ half vertex position.  Baby boy has his head on her chest and is pressing down. Our ultrasound technician said she had never seen twins get into such a weird angle and didn't even know for sure how to fill out the report so she had to discuss with the doctor.  So awkward to say the least.  The positive is that this probably why I haven't gone into labor.  Negative is that it is also why I am so uncomfortable.  She joked that if Baby Girl didn't move they could stay in there for weeks.  And I totally cried ya'll.  Here's to honesty.

Other than that, all is well.  Tumor measured larger today at 7.6 x 6.8, but no problems that we can see. Both babies are active, fluid looks great. etc.  We have spent several weeks debating the merits of c-section vs. vaginal birth and when the right time to deliver will be if I don't go into labor on my own.  All those decisions have been made with a lot of consideration and have been guided by both our maternal fetal specialists as well as our regular OB.  We will more than likely c-section, especially now that Baby Girl is so awkwardly positioned.  Looking at all the risks, in combination with an already tough pregnancy, nobody thought that me going through labor and attempting a vaginal delivery was going to offer any benefit to the babies.  There are many other reasons why we decided on c-section but the ultimate deciding factor was what we felt like would be easiest and lowest risk for the babies.

We have set a birth date as well.  I am not going to share that one over the world wide web.  The date was also set in collaboration with all of our doctors, and our twins will definitely come prior to the original due date (March 4th.) Twins usually don't go to 40 weeks anyway, but the main decision point for that was because of the chorioangioma.  Chorioangiomas larger than 4 cm. often result in very poor birth outcomes (fetal hydrops, heart failure, and stillbirth).  We have been balancing that risk versus the risk of prematurity for nearly 11 weeks.  Blessedly our sweet girl has stayed healthy, but we are nearing a point where they are both better out than in.

So that is the story for tonight. I can't believe that our pregnancy is almost over and that I am about to be a mommy.

Thank you for you love and prayers!
Juli