Letters to my Babies - Week 21

 

We are so thankful for this pregnancy! After sharing our journey through infertilty on the blog, I knew I wanted to log our newfound 40 week journey of pregnancy on the blog as well. Not knowing if I’ll ever be able to experience pregnancy again, I have chosen to log our pregnancy by writing occasional letters to our babies. The letters will keep my readers posted on how we are doing each week, but the letters will also be something that our little ones can go back and read, as a reminder of how much he or she was loved from the very beginning of their existence. You can read previous weeks by clicking on the following posts: Week 5, Week 7, Week 9, Week 12, Week 13, Week 15, Week 16, Week 18, Week 19.

I’m 21 weeks along and am feeling very pregnant.  We had our last appointment at 20 weeks and everything looked good with the two of you.  When asked if I had any concerns or questions, my biggest concern was my size.  I feel huge, and at the time of my 20 week appointment, I was only halfway through a regular pregnancy.  My doctor assured me that while I may feel huge, I am progressing just as I should be for twins.  As of my last appointment, I was measuring 8 weeks ahead, which is right about where I should be.  So while I may have only been 20 weeks at my last measurement, I was looking and feeling like 28 weeks.  I was told that by 28 weeks, most women carrying twins will be measuring the same as a woman carrying one baby full term.  This thought makes me cringe a little, but at the same time I keep reminding myself of how blessed I am to be carrying two precious baby boys.

 

Strangers also seem to think that I am much farther along than 21 weeks.  While running errands this week, at least three different people asked me if I was having a Christmas baby.  Christmas baby?  Really?  I’m not officially 40 weeks until April 11, so these comments did not help my self-esteem.  I had to politely reply to these comments with, “No, more like two Easter babies.”  A few other strangers noticed how low I was carrying and asked if it was a boy, to which I replied “Yes, two of them, and I’m only half way through this pregnancy.”  Somehow, I seem to justify my size by quickly letting those who feel the need to comment on my growing belly that I am having twins:)
 

Other than getting big, my only other concern was the swelling in my feet.  My doctor was not concerned about it and said it was normal.  It’s certainly ugly and a little painful, but I’ll just have to live with fat feet for the next several months. I’ve had some swelling since about 14 weeks, but the past week or so it has gotten really bad, as in I don’t have too much swelling when I wake up in the morning, and by the time I shower and fix my hair I already have elephant feet.  Daddy had to take me out to buy a few new pairs of shoes this week, as almost all of my other shoes are too tight.  We also bought a foot bath and foot soak to put my feet in each night.  Soaking my feet at night is then followed by a long foot rub from your daddy.  He has become a pro at rubbing the excess water out of my feet each night.  I refuse to spend the rest of this pregnancy sitting down and keeping my feet  elevated (unless told to do so by a doctor), so swollen and sore feet is just going to be a part of my life for the next few months.



 

 

With no major pregnancy concerns, I find that I have much to be thankful for this year.  With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas upon us, I often find myself sitting in the nursery at the end of a long day still blown away by the fact that I am having two babies.  It was just a year ago that we were going through all sorts of fertility testing and treatments.  I remember feeling very depressed and alone last year during the holidays, as the unknown was such a scary thing for us.  What a difference a year can make.  We are truly thankful for our two little miracles.

 

Love,

Mommy