I can’t believe another week has gone by and we are getting so close to meeting the Benson babies! This week was eventful in terms of doctors appointments, which is always fun. We got good news at our Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor that I’ll explain below, but also some not-so-good news regarding their positions! Overall, I am feeling good, but so tired! It’s really unpredictable and some days I feel energized and normal, and the next day I will feel tired all day and all I want is to nap. The heartburn is pretty bad in the evenings, but since I’ve been getting it off and on the entire time I’ve been pregnant, I am kind of used to it. The worst part is that it ruins my appetite for dinner most nights, but I’ve been trying to eat anyways. I also found out this week that I cannot eat large meals anymore. Looks like my stomach is running out of room and can’t fit much. If I overeat (or drink) I definitely feel it.
31 Weeks
The Twins: At our growth scan this week we found out both twins are 3.5 lbs and each in the 15th percentile (for a single baby). This was really good news since we were worried baby B might dip below that 10% mark and we would have to be monitored a lot more closely. It’s also really great that they’re both the same size now. Since our last scan 4 weeks ago Baby A gained 1.2 lbs and Baby B gained 1.4lbs. Yay! They are still on the small side, but we’re hoping they gain another 1.5-2lbs in the next 5 or 6 weeks before they’re born (fingers crossed they cook that long). The average weight of twins is 5.5lbs so it looks like we’re right on track to meet that number.
Baby positions: They are transverse, so the pic on the left. I knew they were in a weird position judging by where they are kicking and where their movements are, so this didn’t surprise me all that much. According to our doula it’s actually easier to flip a transverse baby opposed to a breech baby, so it’s not the worst case scenario and she thinks baby A could still move head-down on his own. In the meantime, I am going to try to get them both to move head down by doing some spinning babies exercises – a website completely devoted to turning babies head down for delivery ha! I will start with cat cows, a couch inversion trick, and then maybe the dreaded inversion board Mitch bought a couple weeks ago. They say you can also do head stands in a pool, so luckily it’s still pool weather in these parts! I go see my chiropractor next week and she should be able to help too. 
What I’m eating: Pretty much the same things, but I’ve had to make my portions smaller. I still love my green smoothies but have to split them in half now or else I am way too full. This week I’m loving chili (we made so much on Sunday and I love it) and I am still loving honeycrisp apples and almond butter. I also still want cheeseburgers pretty much all the time – this has been pretty consistent throughout my entire pregnancy:) My appetite comes and goes these days, but for the most part it’s pretty good. Hoping to continue to eat protein at every meal so I am getting around 100 grams/day.
Swelling: My calves seem a little swollen to me but other than that I am not really experiencing any. I’m watching it closely since swelling is an indication of pre-eclampsia. My wedding rings are still on so that’s a good sign! My blood pressure has also been great lately, it was 108/60 on Tuesday so I’m hoping it stays that way.
Wearing: Pretty much the same things! Leggings, maternity jean shorts, tanks, dresses etc. Although dresses are getting a little bit short since I am wearing regular dresses, not maternity. The weather is starting to cool down finalllly, so maybe I will finally get to wear my maternity jeans at least a couple times this pregnancy. I am also loving these tanks from Target – I have one in black and white.
Sleep: Pretty good lately! The babies move a lot and I think it wakes me up, along with having to go to the bathroom in the night, but other than that, no complaints. I’m also trying to take a nap in the afternoons which helps a lot if I’m super tired that day. I figure cat naps and sleeping in are going to be a thing of the past pretty soon, so I am taking full advantage 😉
Names: I think we changed baby A’s middle name. This is the beauty of not telling people the names because we can change them as many times as we want. We will see if these names stick!
Bump: Big! I am still measuring around 36-37 weeks according to the OB. Sitting for long periods of time is getting pretty uncomfortable, but I’ve found that sitting indian style is the most helpful and most comfortable.
Exercise: Still no gym this week – eek! But I’ve been walking every day with June for 30ish minutes. In order to turn these babies I need to start forcing the gym 3-5 days a week so I can stretch, do squats, cat cows etc. Next week’s goal!
Baby purchases: None this week – but that may change today 😉 Our registry discount started today and there are definitely some items we still need. We have some gift cards so that’ll be helpful. I don’t think I bought anything else – all of our drawers are packed to the brim with small baby clothes, so I think we’re good to go for a while! I did order our diaper bundle finally. We decided on Honest Company diapers. And not just for the patterns! I love that they’re chlorine and fragrance free, have natural odor blockers (citrus and chlorophyl) and no harsh chemicals, which is why we chose them. The bundle comes with honest wipes and comes as often or as infrequently as you need – we will probably need a bundle every 3 weeks or so while the babies are super small – lots of diapers with twins.
Nursery: We’ve made some progress – we put together our two Rock n Plays which is what we plan on having the twins sleep in once they’re home. I am thinking 4ish weeks in the Rock n Plays right next to our bed, then moving them to a sleeping flat position in a bassinet where they’ll sleep together, then moving them to their crib. We will see if my flawless plan actually goes as planned – I’m assuming there will be some bumps in the road!
Hospital bags: Not packed yet, but getting there! We live 5 minutes from the hospital so I figure if we forget anything crucial, Mitch can just run home after the babies are born and grab it.
What’s next: We don’t need to go back to the Maternal Fetal Specialist for another 4 weeks since both babies are above the 10th percentile and are the same size. I’ll be going to my OB every week from here on out though – mainly to monitor protein in the urine, blood pressure, heart beats etc. I also see the chiropractor next week to see if we can make some more room for these babies to move head down!
Weight gain: According to the scale this week I have gained only 1 lb in the last two weeks, which is different than the 2 lbs I have been consistently gaining without really trying each week. But, not too worried about it. I will just keep eating lots of protein, fat, and eating when I’m hungry which is often. I’ve gained 30 lbs total.
Stretch marks: None yay! I don’t use any creams or lotions on my belly – I am mainly making sure I drink 4 scoops of Vital Proteins collagen each day and it seems to be doing the trick so far. As I get bigger this may change.
Worries? Not really, even though Mitch thinks I should be more worried about the transverse position of the twins. For me, I still have faith that the babies could move head down on their own, especially with some of the exercises I can try. This isn’t really a worry, but I am hoping the babies keep cooking until 36 weeks. This should greatly reduce the risk of an extended stay in the NICU and help them adjust to the outside world that much better.
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