There Would I Find a Settled Rest: June Update 1

On June 3rd at 34w1d, we had another doctor's appointment. This time I went by myself while Noah and Isaac visited a farm. I had a new ultrasound technician and she had a lot of fun watching the babies. She printed many pictures, which we haven't done for almost two months now. Both babies were moving really well and both babies had a great amount of fluid. Baby A had a heart rate of 132 and Baby B had a heart rate of 133. Both babies are still head down. She said she could see them making really good breathing motions and their cheeks looked really healthy. Blood pressure was still great, and the nurse told me I am doing surprisingly well for 34 weeks with twins. The doctor measured my stomach but no other checks. We go back next week at 35w1d.

As we are getting closer to the final date, there are still some things we need to finish. There is still some cleaning around the house that should happen, we need to finish packing all the hospital bags, we need to get the car cleaned and the air conditioner repaired, we need to get the car seats installed, and I'm sure some other miscellaneous things. We've started stocking up on baby toiletries again. Noah figured out how to get the car seats to fit into the stroller which is now massive. I think driving this duoglider stroller will be harder than driving the harp on the cart.... We have made some great progress in the nursery, it is not as full or complete as Isaac's nursery was, but it looks nice, and we can continue to work on it as they grow. We need to get to Hobby Lobby to get the wooden sheep to put on their wreath to have at the hospital. Noah has ordered new tubes for the breast pump off of Amazon and started sterilizing all the bottles and storage containers. I feel that I've been so much more cavalier this time around than I was with Isaac, but worst case scenario, even after they're here we can get what we need. We live 30 seconds from the hospital, so if we need anything, it wouldn't be hard to get.

Questions:

Will we have a c-section?
Not necessarily. My doctor is just fine with a vaginal delivery providing both babies are head down. Even though both babies are currently head down, that's no predictor for how they will be come delivery day. Breech babies can flip at the last minute and head down babies can also flip at the last minute, so we will just wait and see. The doctor says to be prepared that it might be a c-section, which doesn't stress me. I am fine to do whatever is best and safest. Of course with a vaginal delivery there will be a chance that the first one is a vaginal delivery and the second one would be a c-section but my doctor says that's only happened to him about twice in 25 years so it's not that common. I think it is worth the risk though, so, given the option, I will opt for vaginal.

When will they be born?
When they want to be, pretty much. My doctor says that the average twins are delivered around 36 weeks. 38 weeks will be about our maximum, so we will be induced or have a c-section around that time if they have not come before then. I am not to the point in the pregnancy where I am even having cervical checks yet, which also isn't the best predictor, so right now, everything looks good, I guess they could come tomorrow or in two weeks, or in four, etc..Emily is voting for June 15 when the twins will be 35w6d because that is Noah's birthday and Isaac was born on my birthday...so....who knows?

Are they identical or fraternal?
Don't know. I have always suspected they are fraternal because I was on clomid which raises your risk of having twins because it increases your ovulation, but for us, there is no way to tell without a genetic test. Our twins are in two different gestational sacs with two placentas which could mean they are fraternal or it's possible for them to be identical since they are both boys.

Will they go to the NICU?
There is no way to know. By making it to 34 weeks, we have done really well. There is a low chance of any long term damage from here on out. Of course even post term babies can go to the NICU. From what I have read, the main reasons they might go to the NICU will be problems regulating their body temperature, the ability to eat on their own, and lung development. We're preparing ourselves for a possible NICU stay but understand that it will not be the scariest experience possible.

Do twins run in your family?
Well yes, Noah is a twin, but that's not why we're having twins. From what I've read, they really don't know what causes identical twins but it's not really hereditary and a father cannot have influence on fraternal twins, that's all mom.

Will we dress them alike?
Sometimes. We already have some matching outfits that have been bought specifically for them, but they will be wearing a lot of Isaac hand-me-downs. I don't have any strong opinions about this, we'll probably only shell out money for matching outfits for big occasions like Easter and dedication. (Those outifts have already been bought, and they are really, really sweet, couldn't pass up a 50% off deal).

Where will they sleep?
Well this is my biggest stress point right now. I have no idea what is best. Through much deliberation and weighing of pros and cons which include flat heads, torticullis, SIDS, Isaac's roughhousing etc... We are going to begin by putting them in the crib together but swaddled in swaddle pods in their own room. Isaac is still coming into our bedroom around 3 or 4 in the morning and to put a rockNplay or pacNplay next to our bed might be dangerous with him right there. The crib might be the safest option. If the crib does not work for them, we will look into something else. The rockNplays have been heavily suggested to me by other twin moms and I looked at them at Babies R Us and they really are not very different than a bassinet, so that might be a good option. We have the packNplay and bassinet ready to go, if they need to be separated. They shouldn't be rolling over when they first come home, and the crib is large.

Which Baby is Carleton and which is Corder?
We haven't decided yet. We know that one of the babies will be named Benjamin Corder Hoppe-McQueen and the other baby will be named Jesse Carleton Hoppe-McQueen but we are not deciding who is who in the womb which is why I still refer to them as Baby A and Baby B. Really, it doesn't matter. They'll be named at birth. Maybe we'll do it alphabetically, we should have a plan pretty soon so they can get their hospital identification bracelets.

Where are they going next year?
Home. We are staying home together. Isaac will still go to his half day preschool because that is something we value. It has been a good experience for him and we are excited for the social and emotional learning he is getting there. I will not be teaching anymore. Lots of new changes will be coming up for us all soon.

So really there are a lot of unknowns for this month of June. We don't know when we will go to the hospital or how long we will stay there. For now, I am mostly just resting and not stressing, perhaps I am too calm because it hasn't yet hit me how real this will all get pretty soon. I am monitoring their movement, and doing what I can to help their safety and health. I don't know what the future holds for this month, or next month and beyond so we will see.

Seats Ready to Go in the Living Room