Are You Having Twins?

The second trimester was uneventful.  Actually, I felt better than I ever had!  I had the glow everyone talks about, I was showing, and I was a happy camper.  Asher had started moving around.  This was very cool.  There is nothing like getting kicked in the ribs and loving it.

Then, I started growing at a fast rate.  Since this was my first pregnancy, I thought it was normal.  My 3D ultrasound was scheduled for my 29th week, and my sister, my nephew, and dad had come up to see the baby on the screen.  Asher’s godmother, Beverly, was also there to witness the wonder of Asher in my tummy.  We sat there waiting to be called back, and my hubby decided it would be a good time to go and visit a doctor client of his who was in the same practice.  Of course, about the time he disappeared into the back of the office, we were called back to the ultrasound room.  I kept telling all of the nurses, “Go and get my husband!”.  I wobbled over to the table and struggled my way up .  I was greased up and ready for the ultrasound to begin.  I kept saying, “We have to wait on Steve!”.  Obviously, she had another patient waiting, because she put the little wand on my tummy.  There he was.  I was speechless.  All I could think was, “Steve is missing it! He is missing it!”.  About that time, Steve entered the room out of breath.  Already on the screen was our first real look at our baby.  The baby was grinning and resting his head on his hand.  He still does this.  It was a heart stopping wonder.

The ultrasound nurse made a statement about how large I was when I entered the room.  “Are we having twins?”  was her question.  “No”  

During the ultrasound, my doctor had come in to take a look at the baby.  He said, “Thank God he looks like his mama”.  Too funny!  Once I made it into the room for my checkup, the doctor said nothing.  He just put the tape around my belly and said, “Humm”.  Not good.  Steve said, “What’s wrong?”.  “Autumn is measuring 45 weeks”  WHAT?  I was only 29 weeks pregnant?  A pregnancy only lasts 40 weeks!  I was measuring 45 weeks pregnant?  I mean, I knew I was big, but good grief!!!  “We need you to go back into the ultrasound room.”  

I wobbled back into the room, and struggled back up onto the table.  I was excited to see my little fella again, but this was all business.  The doctor actually took over control of the machine.  After he was done, he told me to go back to my room. He would be right in.  He came in and told us I was carrying excess amniotic fluid.  This was dangerous because it put me at a higher risk of preterm labor.  It was also a sign there was something wrong with the baby.  What???  Not again!  He told me to stop teaching guitar and voice and to be on limited activity.  Basically, this meant I could go to the bathroom, go to the kitchen, and go to the chair.  I could barely get around with all of the pain I was in from carrying around tons of weight, so I was not terribly disappointed.  I was worried, though.

The next 9 weeks of my life were spent in a chair.  I did manage to go out to eat a couple of times, but I was limited as to where I could sit due to my extra-large belly.  If I had a dime for each time I was asked whether or not I was having twins, Asher could go to college ten times over.  By the time I went into labor at 38 weeks, I was measuring 42 weeks.

In the next segment, I will be talking about the actual delivery.  Those with a weak stomach may want to skip that one.

 

READ the next blog in the series HERE