The Twins have arrived!!

Last week I had the twins everything went smoothly.  I got to the hospital at 7.45am as planned and was in the operating theatre at 8.45.  It is quite wierd walking into the operating theatre knowing what is about to happen. I had a drink which made me feel woozy and then they started doing my spinal block.  There were 15 people in the room but to be honest I couldn't really see many of them as I was laid down behind a big screen.  I didn't realise they had started and it was a good half and hour before the first baby was born, I felt a massive physical relief when he came out and we heard a little cry and then both Roger and I started to cry.  2 minutes later the next baby was born..  I had a lot of scar tissue to remove and make into 1 scar so the whole operation took 2 hours.  I held each baby in the operating theatre and then I was taken to recovery.  The first twin weighed 5lb and 14 and the second twin weighed 6lb 1 1/2.  Both are beautiful and I'm completely in love with them I will update the next part of the story in another blog!  Their names in no particular order are Percy and Roscoe they look very different to me although most people can't tell!  Here are some photos of when they had just been born...

 

Today I am 37 weeks pregnant, so I am so pleased to have got this far.  On Friday I had a scan and everything is o.k both babies are about 6lb now so I am not too worried.  I feel massive now and it is really hard to sleep.  I have to sleep on my side but the babies are stretching round the side now so even that is hard now as it feels like I am lying on them.  I think I am going to have to re check my hospital bag as it was so long ago now that I did it I can't remember what is in it.

This weekend is our last weekend the 3 of us, as my parents are coming down next weekend to begin looking after Isabella.  We just went for a walk on the beach and saw 3 seals which was lovely.  Then it started raining, so we nipped into the local Garden centre where they have a Santa's Grotto.  It occurred to me that a simple trip like that which is so much fun for your children suddenly gets really expensive with 3.  It goes from £5 to £15.  Then I started thinking about any day out and it gets quite scary!  Last night we went for an early dinner just the 3 of us which was lovely as I think it will be a long time before we get to do things like that again!

This Tuesday I go to Truro, to meet my anaethesist and do paperwork before my c section, then I have to go Penzance to see the consultant in the afternoon which seems a lot of running around to me for one day, luckily Roger has taken a day off to come with me and I have put Isabella into nursery for the day so it shouldn't be too bad. Then after those appointments that's it till I have them!

 

Last week, I thought Isabella might have appendicitis.  She ended up in hospital for 2 days and a night poor little thing.  I think children are so amazing even though they are ill and she had a drip attached to her, she was such a good girl.  The hospital were amazing all the staff were so good with her.  It isn't easy treating a 3 year old and they pitched how they treated her and spoke to her perfectly.  As a parent you get a little fold down bed next to your child's which is good so you can be with them all the time.  Isabella kept wanting me to get in to her bed and give her a cuddle which was quite difficult 8 months pregnant with twins...I had my bottom poking out of the bed so my bump was supported!!!  The good news in the end was that she got better and it wasn't appendicitis afterall, so all good.

This week I saw my midwife for the last time.  I am 35 weeks now, but next week  I have a scan, then the week after I have my booking in appointment the week before my c section and a consultants appointment (all on the same day in different hospitals!), and then I am having them the week after.

I went through the birth plan with my midwife.  To be honest there are not too many choices to make when it is a planned c section.  I can only have 1 person there but I would only want my husband to be with me anyway.  We have chosen that yes the boys will have the vitamin K injection, and that if I can hold them for a little bit straight after that would be great.  I would like skin to skin contact as soon as possible with them to encourage breast feeding.  In the event that one or both of the boys needs to go to special care then Roger is to stay with the babies.  He doesn't want to cut the umbilical cord, and I don't blame him I'm not sure I would want to.  That is it really, the only plan is to see how it goes and to be led by the babies to see what they are like as little people!

I've been ready for so long now that I think I am in denial that in 2 1/2 weeks I'll be having them!  The only other topial thing which has happened this week is that after much thought I had my swine flu jab.  I wasn't sure whether to as I don't like taking things when I am pregnant, but after talking to my friend who is a senior midwife I decided the last thing I needed so close to having the boys is swine flu so I risked it and had it!

 

It never rains when it pours!  Honestly...I realise now that I have actually been ill for about 3 weeks.  This weekend I kept getting palpitations and breathlessness which I know is normal but they were getting really frequent and didn't matter what I was doing they were there.  So eventually Roger made me call the midwife, and the next day I had to go for an e.c.g.  The babies are fine and so am I, I couldn't believe it as I lay there having all the tests I felt better and better and better by the time I got home I realised how ill I have been feeling for the last few weeks.  I was completely excited and better that now I have a cold!

Isabella also has a cold but all of last night she has been doubled up with stomach cramps on one side.  I took her to see the doctor this morning but like mother like daughter she made a miraculous recovery for the 15 minutes she was there.  As soon as we got her in the car she was in pain again.  So now I am waiting for them to call back as she just isn't any better.  All she's had in the last 20 hours is one bag of mini cookies which I thought was the start of her recovery but 10 minutes later she was doubled up again.  I feel really bad thinking I've been up all night, I am tierd pregnant with twins and I have a cold aswell, because obviously she comes first but it is really hard.  It also makes me scared of the logistics of having 3 young children!  Imagine they are ill at the same time and so am I, and Roger has to work?

Anyway I shouldn't be moaning I am sure Isabella will be fine eventually, it's a shame they can't just rule out appendicitis then we can just ride it out. 

I also tried to book in for my swine flu jab, but they haven't got it yet.  I wasn't going to have it but after I spoke to my friend who is a senior midwife I decided it would be a  good idea as it would be a nightmare to have a c section, swine flu and newborn twins!  Hopefully they'll have it by the end of the week.  I don't have any appoinments this week, but am seeing my midwife next week to dicuss my birth plan.

 

Go Real Nappy Blog, Lucy Clough, Week 7

I'm 33 weeks now so 5 weeks to go hooray! I'm still convinced I have a broken left rib as it is so painful. So I can't sleep on my back because the babies are too heavy and I can't sleep on my left side either so I am suffering from sleep deprivation already!!

I saw my consultant yesterday everything is fine and I finally managed to get a date for the birth. It is going to be on Tuesday 8th December first thing in the morning. That is of course if they don't come before then.

I just dropped Isabella off at nursery guess when they said the Christmas play is going to be, yes Tues 8th Dec, then luckily it appeared that she had got it wrong and it is going to be Weds 9th. I am really sad that I will miss it, Isabella is going to be an angel even though she informs me she wanted to be a King! However, she is really shy and I am sure a King is a speaking part so probably not a good idea for her. Roger can go and watch it with my parents who will be down to look after Isabella while I am in hospital. This weekend my parents are coming down to practice looking after Isabella. Hopefully we can get somethings organised like actually cleaning my house which is now officially a health hazzard! Roger has been brilliant cooking, cleaning and he is brilliant with Isabella...he plays with her so much better than I do. She keeps saying "Daddy I want to play with you because mummy doesn't play properly anymore because she doesn't bend down!" The little monkey, talk about making me feel useless! I know I am really lucky as he is so supportive and he is a brilliant dad. There you go in writing! When I started my blog Roger predicted that it would be like going to a playgroup where all the mum's slag off their husbands for being lazy and not helping with the kids!! So obviously I now have to prove him wrong!

Anyway I don't have any appointments next week even though I am supposed to be monitored everyweek now and my appoinment after that is to discuss my birth plan so I'll probably talk about that next week alongside another week of sleep deprivation!

Go Real Nappy Blog, Lucy Clough, Week 6

I am so so relieved! I haven't felt wriggles move for ages. I have been a lot more laid back about this pregnancy than I was with Isabella's. I am sure in that pregnancy I would have been straight to hospital to be monitored.

I saw the mid wife yesterday and she did find 2 heart beats-however I was a bit dubious as to whether she actually had or not because she said I could go and be monitored if I like which made me think she was unsure herself if you see what I mean?! Anyway I've just had a scan and they are both fine. They have swapped places wriggles is now breach and lazy is now presenting. However I still have an incredible pain in my left rib. What was a massive relief for both my husband and myself is that one weighs 4lb 6 and the other weighs 4lb 4 so at 32 weeks I thought that was really good. Also the sonographer said I have to be more assertive in my scans because everytime I have a scan they change which one is twin 1 and which one is twin 2 so it means all the measurements in my notes are confused as no one has any idea which one is which.

They have made an appointment for another scan in 4 weeks time when I will be 36 weeks but to be honest I am not sure I will make that as I am really struggling now. I am having massive hot flushes where I think I am going to faint or be sick and I just feel really exhausted all the time. I feel guilty because I feel like I am not being a very fun mum to poor Isabella as I can't bend down now and I'm so tired that I know I am not being Mrs enthusistic all the time.

Next week I have a consultants appointment I really want to try and get a date from them for my c section instead of just week beginning 6th Dec! We'll see!

Go Real Nappy Blog, Lucy Clough, Week 5

I am 31 1/2 weeks now. Every week further on I get, the more relieved I feel. I can't believe it's only 6 1/2 weeks to go. Even though I am all prepared it has sort of hit me in the last few days that it really isn't long to go until I will have twins and a toddler!

I am really worried about Isabella my daughter, she will be nearly 4 when I have the boys. I am worried that I will be so busy with the boys that I wont have enough time for her. I am also worried that while I am in hospital we will really miss each other. I am sure that Christmas and birthdays will over take in excitement and she will forget all about it hopefully!

I am struggling now not loads, but I'm tierd and uncomfortable and not sleeping very well. I was hoping to get lots of sleep in before they are born but I am only getting about 4 hours a night when you add it all up, as I am waking up every hour! If it is not being uncomfortable, needing the loo it is my daughter having a bad dream or my husband snoring I feel like it is a conspiracy against me having any sleep!! You see I am already becoming obsessed with sleep and they are not even born yet!
Next week I have a scan and a midwife appointment, which will be reassuring as 'wriggles' is not really moving very much at all these days, probably as there isn't any room!

I also had my 34th birthday this week, my husband and I went for a really nice relaxed meal by ourselves as we thought we'd take the opportunity while we can! Again like the last meal I went to there was not a lot on the menu I was allowed to eat but it was still really nice anyway!

Go Real Nappy Blog, Lucy Clough, Week 4

I've gone and done it again and missed a week from my blog I might try and do 2 this week to catch up!! Since my last blog I have seen the consultant and midwife. This time for the first time I was actually able to discuss the birth! My last scan showed that they were both head down and the placentas were in the correct places so I was considering maybe a natural birth afterall. With Isabella she was breach and I had placenta previa so there was no option I had to have a c section. However, after a big discussion weighing up the pros and cons I have definately decided to have a c section. I just want to do whatever is safest for both myself and the babies. One thing I really didn't want to happen is that you give birth to the first twin naturally and then the second my c section. Lazy twin is back to being breach again anyway so atleast that's that decided. There is still the chance (as with any pregnancy but especially a twin one) that they will decide to appear earlier than this!!

So we are aiming for the birth to be the first week of December, which is 8 weeks to go. Hopefully this way I will definately be home for Christmas and for Isabella's 4th birthday. I had to be kept in over Christmas with Isabella which wasn't much fun! Actually as she was my first baby it didn't really matter as we were just in this haze of having had a baby, but this time I would be devestated if I missed Isabella opening all her presents both for her birthday and Christmas.

Christmas in hospital was ok really it was so quiet I was the only person in the whole ward as anyone who was allowed to go home did go home! The mayor and about 10 hospital "big wig" people all came into my room doing their rounds to see me which was a bit strange!! And Christmas dinner well they did make a real effort and had we had crackers etc but in true newborn baby style just as it arrived Isabella started crying and wanted a 2 hour feed!!!!

Go Real Nappy Blog - Lucy Clough, Week 3

I seem to have missed week 26 as I had that well known pregnancy symptom of writers block!! Week 27 have been recovering from a stomach bug, at first I was having stomach cramps and thought I'd gone into early labour but thank goodness it was actually a bug now I just feel really weak so a bit of resting and I should be ok. This is quite difficult whilst looking after a 3 year old so I am currently making playdoh peas whilst writing this blog! I've had to book Isabella into nursery this afternoon so I can have a bit of a rest to recover.

So today I am 28 weeks, Lazy and wriggles seem to have swapped roles. Lazy is now always moving and wriggles seems quieter. We have completely finished their bedroom now which is really cute. Isabella and I painted a train on the wall to match their quilts. The health visitor came round last week and gave me two red books one for each of them. I have just finished reading a book about how to bring up twins. The only thing I would like to do as the book suggests but can't is give them seperate rooms. At first when they are babies I am thinking it might be more convenient to have them in the same place instead of running up and down the stairs between the two. As a twin myself I agree with a lot that the book says. I feel quite prepared that hopefully I will understand what it is like to be a twin.

Although my parents never called us 'the twins', they did things that I would do differently. For example every spelling test, exam result, report etc was done publicly at the dinner table at the end of the day. I intend to do this very privately with each child as the way it was done with us caused so many problems between myself and my twin.. One thing I never thought to do is not tell them which one was born first. I think I made my brother's life a misery saying I am 2 minutes older than you I am the oldest, I go first etc! So now I am going to think about this and whether I can get away with saying they were born at the same time!!

I have a consultants appointment tomorrow and I am hoping to get more information about the birth, as so far everything has been a bit vague. I also have to have a glucose tolerance test (to test for gestational diabetes) this week which is apparantly standard proceedure at 28 weeks with twins. So hopefully I'll be able to have more information to think about concerning the birth.

Go Real Nappy Blog - Lucy Clough, Week 2

I am 25 weeks now and beginning to get quite big! I have put some photos from my recent 3d scan for you to see of both of the twins. At my last scan they were both breach and nuzzling each others noses, which was so cute. However, ‘wriggles’ decided to go head down for his photo shoot so we couldn’t get them face to face, we did get lots of feet in the face in fact ‘wriggles’ looked like he was sucking his own feet at one point!




Whilst in the metropolis of Truro we did buy the boys some outfits and essential baby equipment so now we are all organised and ready in case they come early. I have been talking to parents of twins and asking for lots of advice. I myself am a twin and was born at 39 weeks, however most people I have been talking to say their twins came early and to get organised as early as possible.

I am still really tired, we went out on Saturday night for a friends’ birthday, I left at 11 leaving my husband to party till 4am! It’s funny because I don’t feel I’m missing out not drinking and going to bed early at all, it must be your bodies way of preparing itself?! The only way I did miss out was that my husband couldn’t remember anything after I left which wasn’t that useful, in fact neither was he the next day…bless him!

Go Real Nappy Blog - Lucy Clough, Week 1

Name: Lucy Clough
Age: 33 (about to be 34!)
Married: Roger with Isabella 3 ½
Lives: St.Ives
Pregnant with twin boys due date 21st December
Job: Trying to write pregnancy blog with one hand whilst 3 year old hangs off the other arm (used to be a primary teacher and a pizza entrepreneur now full time mum)

Have decided absolutely have to start getting twins room ready this week but getting the energy to do this is proving quite difficult! I’ve been much more than tired than I was with Isabella although my bump is no bigger which is still amazing me. This weekend they were really active, I have been feeling them move for some time, but now you can see my whole belly move rather than just me feel it inside.

I’ve named twin 1 ‘lazy’ and twin 2 ‘wriggles’. Wriggles is always moving whereas Lazy only moves occasionally. The other day I ate something spicy and they took it in turns to have hiccups which was quite funny and I wondered if this is what it will be like when they are born, just as you get one sorted out the other will need feeding/changing/ winding/cuddling etc!
I’m really excited about this weekend as I’m having a 4d scan. I had one done with Isabella and it was brilliant so I think seeing twins together will be really special. I shall post some photos on next weeks’ blog for you all to see, I’m thinking of bed already as it is 6.30pm!! These days I’m sometimes asleep before my 3 ½ year old!