carrying the twin legacies

by Stephanie Jo
(Saint Paul, MN)

My fiance and I were not planning a family, but we weren't trying not to either. Having a feeling my body was primed for babies already, I almost expected it. On Valentines day I took a test and we discovered I was about 4 weeks along according to the first of my last if you know what I mean.

I didn't experience many signs of pregnancy at all, I had some food aversions, smoke aversions, coffee grossed me out and I got dizzy sometimes. No vomitting, no heartburn(until 5+ months), good blood pressure and heart rate.

When my fiance asked, the day before our 20 week first ultrasound, "what do you think it is, I want a boy" he said "but I think it's a girl"....I had nothing to say but "I have no idea, but I think it's two....:)" and we went to sleep.

at 20 weeks in early June 2009, first ultrasound the tech stated within 2 sec of applying the wand, "I can tell you something right now! there are two babies in there, two boys congratulations"
my mom cried, and my fiance was shocked and couldn't stop shaking his head. I was just proud and I couldn't stop smiling! What a shock, but yet it seemed that it was meant to be.

My grandmother was a twin and had passed away October 1st(day after my birthday)2008. No other twins are in my family as of yet, and my mothers and fathers first grandchild turned into grandchildren!

At 25 weeks during a level 2 ultrasound I was diagnosed with a funneling cervix and sent to labor and delivery where all three of us were monitored and I was given betamethazone to develop the lungs faster. The staff was concerned I was going into labor due to a lack of anything to compare that exam to.

I've been on bed rest since then and yet here I sit/lie on the couch at 32 weeks 0 days, Twin A is around 3lbs10oz. and is head down, and Twin B should be around 4lbs 4oz but is breech as of month 6. Both have the hiccups constantly and we go in once a week for non-stress tests.

I have contractions everyday, sometimes it feels like only on one side or the other or top or bottom. I have already gained around 55lbs and steadily gaining 1lb a week.

Each twin is equipped with an amniotic sac and a placenta, I feel very blessed to have made it this far. We are very excited to meet our boys!