How’s Mom?

I’m doing well. My pulse and blood pressure have been holding steady, my cervix seems to know that it still has several months of work left to go (it’s not trying to start thinning), and according to the Ob/Gyn my weight gain is on target. My belly continues to grow (or perhaps my maternity clothing is mysteriously shrinking?), and I go in for my next gestational diabetes test in about 4 weeks.

It’s been awhile since I’ve written, so here is an update about the ongoing changes in my life and body:

Time: It’s getting more difficult to find time to get everything done. I still seem to need a daily nap, and we seem to have a never-ending series of appointments with ob/gyns, diagnosticians, and perinatologists. Plus, this month we are hunting for our new home, we have an appointment to meet a possible pediatrician for the boys, and I’ll be visiting the dentist (good dental hygiene is even more important during pregnancy!).

The Shark Fin: When my stomach muscles tighten now they form a rather amusing shark fin. Supposedly, it’s fairly common for a pregnant woman’s abdominal muscles to separate, even more so in multiple pregnancies, and this ridge is a sign of that condition. After the boys arrive, I may have to do some special exercises to try and encourage my abdominal muscles to reattach.

Tingly Hands: I am also one of the lucky women who develops carpal tunnel during pregnancy. I first noticed that pregnancy was turning me into a bit of a clutz. I have been much more likely to drop things, and my hands just aren’t as strong as usual. (I often have to call on Puck to open jars for me now.) Then, I started waking up at night (often multiple times) because of the numb, tingly-burning sensation in my hands which was sometimes accompanied by brief but sudden leg cramps which hit shortly after I woke up. Imagine a frustrated pregnant woman great with children waving her hands in the air in the middle of the night and then rubbing them to try to return blood flow with little success.

At first, I thought my hands were just falling asleep because I was sleeping on my side more, but often it was the hand that was free on top that hurt. With a little research, I discovered that pregnancy swelling can cause carpal tunnel symptoms. I’ve started rubbing down my hands and wrists under very warm water right before bed (which feels wonderful), and I’ve changed the positions of my wrists and hands too – making sure not to bend them. This has significantly reduced my night-time numb-hands drama. (There are wrist braces you can also get to hold your wrists in a good position at night.) I occasionally have problems with numb and tingly hands during the day, but that is fairly manageable. Plus, this should start to clear up after delivery.

Swelling: Yep, I’ve started to notice swelling, most visible in my fingers and ankles. It is nothing too dramatic at the moment.

Stretch Marks: Surprisingly, I haven’t started getting stretch marks yet. I’m still expecting them to make a showing before the end of the pregnancy, but I appear to have pretty good genes for stretchy skin (Thanks, Mom!). Considering that I’ve gone from barely showing at 10-12 weeks to looking approximately 8 months pregnant at 22 weeks and gained 30 pounds (I should hit around 50 pounds by the end of the pregnancy), I’m pretty amazed stretch marks aren’t already decorating my belly. Most women’s bellies go through this change over the course of 5-6 months, while mine has morphed to a full moon belly in less than three months.

When Are You Due? Along with my rapidly expanding belly, the number of times I’m asked, “When are you due?” has greatly increased. I take a certain joy in saying, “early September” and watching the surprise on their faces. Then, I explain, “but they’ll probably arrive in late July or early August.” Over the last few weeks, I’ve also noticed an increase in the knowing smiles and nods at my belly as well as the number of people who hold doors open for me and offer to carry my roller bag up stairs.

Foot Rubs – One of the Joys of Pregnancy: Women’s feet take a great deal of abuse during pregnancy. For one, we are making them carry a lot more weight around. Plus, hormones are causing our muscles to loosen which often results in feet expanding and stretching a bit (which is why many women end up needing shoes a size larger during and after pregnancy). So, it is little wonder that even a brief foot rub can be a moment of ecstasy. I’m fortunate to have a husband who will often surprise me with a foot rub – working the pads of my feet, the arches and the heel. The last couple of times we’ve gone to the Ob/Gyn and been waiting for the doctor, he has given my feet a rub down, and I started giggling because someone standing outside the door might think we were engaged in a more risque activity. Foot rubs = moments of bliss.

Belly Rubs: Puck also regularly rubs my belly down with lotion and sometimes gives me and the boys a gentle belly massage. It feels so good it makes me want to purrrrr.

Tears – Not Always a Bad Thing: I have not been immune to the influence of all those hormones in my body. I am much more likely to cry for a whole range of reasons. Stress can definitely start the tears flowing, but more common for me is that I cry because of warm, fuzzy feelings. For example, one of my nieces will be receiving a bone marrow transplant from a 19-year-old fellow. Every time I think of that young man taking the time to be put on the bone marrow transplant list and being willing to go through the process to help another person he will probably never meet, I cry at the generosity of that act. When we discovered we would have to move and so many friends and family offered their help, their love brought tears to my eyes again.

Most recently, we were in our breastfeeding class, and as the presenter discussed the importance and benefits of skin-to-skin contact between both parents and babies (she called it the triad, though in our case it would be a quad), I started to imagine Puck and I with our new little boys on our chests, and yep, there came the tears. The presenter stopped to ask if I was okay, and I had to say, “No, I’m just happy thinking about all of us together.” Everyone in our little class was pretty amused, and they passed a box of tissues down to the happy, pregnant lady.

Overall State of the Mom: It still amazes me to think that I have two little fellas growing inside me. It’s truly a miracle to watch the transformation in my own body as it makes room for them and supplies them with the nutrients they need. I’m thrilled to be heading toward the third trimester, and I’m looking forward to meeting our boys. I also treasure those moments when Puck rests his hands on my belly, and we share the joy of feeling our little ones kick and push.