"Do twins run in your family?"
These were the first words out of the ultrasound tech's mouth at the first ultrasound of my second pregnancy. We had been scheduled for this ultrasound to confirm pregnancy and get a more accurate due date since it had been less than 2 months since I had gone off birth control. I was pretty certain that I was 8 weeks pregnant with ONE BABY but boy, was I wrong. The ultrasound screen showed us 2 tiny beating hearts, both within the same amniotic sac, same placenta.
"You are gonna become best friends with your perinatalogist!"
I was in shock. I had absolutely no idea what do to. Here's what I remember happening inside my head:
Nope, no twins in my family. TWINS?! I know my husband mentioned that there were twins in his family but I can't remember where in his family tree. TWO BABIES! I can barely handle one kid some days. That means 3 kids under the age of 2 1/2! WE NEED A BIGGER CAR! O.M.G. TWINS!
With tears streaming down my cheeks, I looked over to my mother who sat beside me. She was crying, too. We were in shock. Please pinch me, surely she is joking and we'll all wake up and get a good laugh. But that isn't what happened. We watched in amazement as the tech took measurements and printed out pictures for us to take home. WOW, is my husband gonna be surprised or WHAT?! After the appointment, my mother and I stuck to the original plan for the day which was to try to knock out some Christmas shopping at the mall. The whole rest of the day was a blur.
I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to tell my husband but I knew for sure that I wanted to record that moment. In the end, I waiting for him to get home from work and change into his comfy clothes. I asked him to sit down on the couch and I handed him the ultrasound pictures, my cellphone recording it all. He was confused at first, mainly because he had opened the pictures upside down. When he realized that the pictures were labeled "baby 1" and "baby 2" I saw a reflection of what must have passed across my face when I found out. It was awesome and we are both completely elated!
Later that evening, when we started to do our own research into "momo twins", we started to feel the gravity of our possible situation. Here's what we learned from the inter-webs:
- Referred to as Monoamniotic - Monochorionic Twins "MoMo Twins"
- Fifty percent survival rate for the twins prior to week twenty due to cord compression and entanglement
- Double the doctor visits, double the ultrasounds
- Most mamas go into inpatient at 26-28 weeks and stay there until delivery
- While in inpatient, the twins are monitored either 2-3 times a day for a couple hours at a time or up to 22 hours a day to ensure that there aren't any problems. If one of the heartbeats drops and stays down for 2 minutes without recovering, then nurses run in, flip you on your side and give you oxygen. If that doesn't work, it's straight to the operating room for emergency c-section
- ALL MoMo twins are delivered via c-section.
Oy... the internet is a wonderful and terrible thing. We read blog after blog of Moms who'd had momo twins, some successfully, some not. The farther down the rabbit hole we looked the scarier it got. In the end, one piece of advice kept showing up in everything we read.
Momo twins are a blessing and although it may seem a daunting task, preparation, positive thinking and prayer are the absolute best things you can do.
We didn't sleep much that night, or the night after that but things are getting better. Although we don't have a confirmed diagnosis that they are momo twins, we've decided to move forward assuming that they are so that we are prepared for the longest journey no matter what happens.
PREPARATION
It's open enrollment for our insurance so I spent most of the morning talking to insurance companies gathering information about which plans are going to make the most financial sense for us since we will probably be maxing out the plan by April or June or whenever the twins are born. We've nailed down a plan for saving extra money between now and then so we can get a larger vehicle. We're on the right track.
My next doctor's appointment is 2 days before Thanksgiving, 5 days from now. It is an appointment that was set up long before we knew about the twins so I have no idea what to expect. Greg talked to his boss and he will be able to get the time off of work so he can come too. We have our list of questions started and we think of more things every day. Keeping lists has always helped me sleep better.
POSITIVE THINKING
This is a work in progress. It is very easy when you are stressed out to feel overwhelmed by the wealth of negative information out there. Especially since we find ourselves in a very tense time in US history. The Cubs won the World Series, Trump is President Elect AND we are pregnant with twins all in the same week. It has been quite the roller coaster.
Our positive thoughts are our blessings. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful place, blessed to live on a wonderful street with gracious loving neighbors. We are blessed to have my parents & grandmother 4.5 miles away. I spent all of my post-high school years in different states than my family and now my life is fuller and happier knowing they are a short ten minute drive away. We are blessed to have my in-laws nearby too. My daughter and twins will grow up having both sides of the family close. That is a dream come true and something that I always wished for our children. Our best friends live a couple blocks away and are pregnant with their first child. Watch out world, we are building an ARMY! Most of my husband's extended family lives here in Oregon as well and every couple months there is a cider party or birthday party that brings everyone together. We are blessed with an heirloom house back East where my family gathers every summer. That was always home for me growing up and I know it will hold a special place in my kids' hearts as well. We are rich with family and love.
PRAYER
I was brought up in a Christian home and found God in 7th grade at a youth retreat in Colorado. Life had many ups and downs along the way that tested my faith. One thing that I have always struggled with is finding a church home. There was no place like the church in Colorado where I found God and I moved so many times after college that it seemed a waste to even try to find the right church. My husband is a seeker and I am looking for a home for my faith. The search continues but I have always believed that a church is not needed to be faithful. Churches are wonderful places filled with support and love, weekly challenges to your faith and prayer requests. We will find a church home but until then...
I will continue to pray.
Dear God,
You, who have created the Heavens and the Earth, who knows past and future, I humble myself before you. Watch over the two blessings within my belly. Calm our anxious hearts and minds. Ease the fear of the unknown path that lies before us. Remind us of your love and forgiveness. Wherever this journey leads, let your will be done. Fill us with your peace.
With my whole heart,
Amen
I don't know what is going to happen next, but with my husband at my side and my daughter holding my hand, we are ready for this journey.
With love,
Whitney