Newest appointment...

Another pretty uneventful appointment at the ATU-- in the end. :)

NST showed great babies and a few contractions.

Then we had the weights. Last time- 3 weeks ago- A measured 4lbs 3oz and B measured 3lbs 10oz.

Today both babies were moving and kicking like crazy. A is still breech (though he/she had been head down for a bunch of weeks before last) B is still head down and wedged really low keeping them both in and making it really difficult to walk!

Measurement of A's head/belly/femur showed a weight of 4lbs 8oz.

Measurement of B's head/belly/femur showed a weight of 4lbs 14oz.

So of course that started a little bit of worry. Those weights showed that A grew only about 5oz in 3 weeks yet B grew over a pound in those 3 weeks. So there was a lot of trying to figure out placentas and if the babies were being switched (because A was originally presenting and B was now presenting, perhaps the ultrasound techs had flipped the babies and thus the measurements were for the wrong babies?). Turns out that the babies hadn't been switched, so the 5oz growth was really a concern...

In the end, the doctor decided to remeasure Baby A because the tech had a bad angle for A. The new measurements made Baby A show an estimated weight of 4lbs 15oz. So... in the end, they decided there was no reason to worry. :) But it was a tense few minutes (or about an hour) as they sorted everything out.

So, as of today they are officially estimating...

A: 4lbs 15oz (growth of 12oz in 3 weeks)

B: 4lbs 14oz (growth of 1lb 4oz in 3 weeks)

In the meantime.....

• 34 weeks 1 day
• my hands and feet are getting hugely puffy and swollen
• weight up about 35lbs
• Dr. K tomorrow
• long periods of frequent (5-7 minute) Braxton Hicks contractions
• more infrequent painful contractions in my back and/or front
• insanely huge and numerous stretch marks
• unable to get out of bed/off the couch without intense pain in my back and front
• new mini-van on the way
• cribs on order
• completely in love with these two crazy babies!

My question... I have a pretty high pain tolerance. How can I really tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and real contractions? Braxton Hicks tend to be uncomfortable more so because they feel like they're squishing my stomach and bladder, so there is always a bit of pressure. The "real" ones I think hurt more in my back and are more crampy. But my back always hurts... so sometimes I'm not sure if it's the contraction making it hurt or if it's just "my back being my back".

So I try to pay attention to whether or not my whole belly is hardening or just the sides. The only problem with that is that sometimes my underside of my bellybutton doesn't seem completely hard (though it seems harder) even when it "hurts". But that also might be because I have gross/loose skin lower on my belly because of the difference in how I'm carrying these babes this time vs. last time, so maybe it doesn't feel as hard simply because there is squishy/loose skin? (Ewwww)

Basically, I'm still nervous I'm going to miss something! :)