Long overdue, but I am finally here to tell you all
about the day we welcomed my surro twins into the world! So, first let's
recap a bit.
This was my second twin pregnancy (in a row) and
these girls were measuring big. I had been in the hospital once already
for pre-term labor that they stopped with multiple doses of two different
medications. I was still having contractions on and off. There was
no way I was making it to 38 weeks this time. Or so I thought. ; )
I had my last NST and OB appointment on December
27th and I was 37 weeks. I thought for sure the NST would show
contractions that would send me to L&D. Nope. Borderline, but
she said she was ok sending me on my way since I was going straight to my OB
appointment. Then, I thought, for sure they would check my cervix and I
would be dilated more than last week and they would send me on over.
Nope. Still 1cm and 90%-ish, no need to go anywhere. What
were all those contractions doing? How could I not be dilated more than
that? Oh, that's right... neither baby is head down so there is nothing
pressing up against my cervix, causing it to dilate with all of the
contractions. So I'm having them for no reason. Fantastic.
lol! : ) Really, I was glad to be heading towards 38 weeks.
The longer they bake, the better the chances of them being big and
healthy with no NICU time. Plus, wouldn't it be so much easier for
everything to go as planned and on schedule? ; )
New Year's day came and my IPs were in San Diego.
We thought of going to dinner, but I decided that I would eat a big lunch
and light dinner in preparation for my c-section the next morning. My IPs
told me that they would be at the hospital at 5am with me to check in, even
though they didn't need to be there until closer to 7am. If I had to be
there that early, they would too. So, the next morning, January 2nd, we
all met at the L&D check in desk so early it was still dark out. We
got the paperwork filled out and copies of insurance forms and legal paperwork
all in our files. Everyone had it straight that I was the surrogate, my
husband was my husband, and the IPs were the babies' parents. The staff
at this hospital (where I've delivered all of the babies I've carried, my own
included) is wonderful. They are sweet, caring and very surrogate
friendly, if I might add. I got my hospital wrist band and was off to a
room to get ready for surgery. My husband and the Daddies were to wait in
the lobby until they were called in by the nurses.
After changing into a stylish hospital
gown...ha!...and some poking and prodding, I had my blood drawn and an IV in
place. I had filled out the anesthesiologist's questionnaire and my
husband and IPs were called in to join us and wait for the OR to be ready.
As we waited, my IPs started asking about the possibility of them being
allowed in the OR. I have to admit, I got a bit nervous. I had
warned them that since it was a c-section, my OB only allowed one support
person in the operating room, and that would be my husband. This was the
way it had been done with my last surrogacy as well. Since my PIPs were
not in the OR, as soon as the babies were out and wrapped up warm and cozy,
they were brought into the nursery where their daddies were anxiously
awaiting them. There they were cleaned up, weighed, measured and
evaluated in front of their parents, so they wouldn't miss a thing. But,
now my IPs were asking and telling every nurse around that they wanted to be in
the OR when their babies were born. I was afraid they would be
disappointed or upset if they weren't allowed in, so I was getting more and
more nervous the more nurses they asked about it. Finally the
anesthesiologist came in to talk with me about the process and surgery, and
while he was there the nurses asked him. He said that he didn't think it
was a good idea to allow any more than 1 person in the room, but that it was
not only his decision, so he'd talk it over with my OB. Then they took me
into the OR to get ready for surgery to begin.
Now I was out of the loop. I wasn't there to
know what decision was made or to hear the discussion going on, so I had no
idea who would be joining us. Luckily, the anesthesiologist came in
shortly after and told me it was all settled. After a few mix-ups with
who wanted to come in and who would be allowed in, they finally had a plan.
I was given the spinal and laid on the table, ready to have some babies!
Anyone who has had a c-section knows that they wait
until the very last second to allow your husband (or support person) in the
room. I remembered from last time that I was laying there wondering if
they had forgotten to bring him in. They are pretty much already cutting
you open by the time he's by your side. Well, it was the same this time,
but I was prepared, so I just waited. Soon enough they were starting
surgery and there he was, by my side. Well, actually by my head. ;
) Along with him was one of my IPs, J. They had agreed to allow one
more person in the OR, so J & T were going to take turns. J would be
in for the first part of delivery and they would switch and allow T in for the
end and to see the babies. It ended up working out perfectly. Since
they were there for delivery and in the room, the babies were cleaned up and weighed,
etc. there in the OR. It was wonderful, because I was able to see them
meet their babies for the first time, hear the weights as they heard them and
witness it all. That was pretty exciting. J was able to cut baby
A's cord (well, not when she was delivered, but he "trimmed" it up
once she was with a nurse in the warmer) and T did the same with baby B.
As I was being put back together...lol...I heard the nurses announcing
the weights. "baby A, 6 pounds, 4 ounces" Ok, not bad, I
thought. Pretty good size for a twin. Then I heard "8
pounds..." and didn't hear the rest. "Did they just say 8
pounds?!" I asked my husband. He confirmed that the nurse had,
in fact, said 8 pounds 6 ounces. Baby B was one healthy girl! They
were bundled in their little hospital blankets and had hats placed on their
heads, then T and one of the nurses brought them over so I could get a better
look. Next, J, T and their new baby girls were off to their room to get
settled in, and I was all sewed up and off to recovery to wait until I could
feel my legs again. : )
Later that day I was able to visit with my own
girls and my mom (who my girls were staying with), and they were able to meet
the babies and their Daddies. I was also able to meet some of my IPs
friends, who came down to meet their new baby girls as well. One of the
visitors was the egg donor for the babies, who happens to be a good friend of
my IPs. It was great being able to spend time with them while they were
in the hospital. Their stay was a short one, and the day after delivery
the babies were released. They didn't leave until the afternoon, so we
did get some more time in with them and I was able to feed and hold the babies
while they packed up to drive home. While I am thrilled that the babies
were healthy and didn't have to stay in the hospital at all, I do wish they had
been around a bit longer for some visiting time once I was able to be up and
around a bit more. The time we did have was wonderful, though! I'm
so happy to have been a part of making J & T daddies. Just like my
first surrogacy journey, this part is the best... seeing the people you've
gotten to know over the last year (or more) become parents and have this dream
come true, and you were a part of it. It is truly amazing.
So, as for me and my hospital stay...in recovery
(right after surgery) my blood pressure had gone up very high, very quickly and
I was put on magnesium to prevent a seizure or stroke. My OB explained
that it was pre-eclampsia, which is more common before delivery, but can sometimes
happen after. Because they are not able to cure it by delivering the
baby/ies like they do when it happens during pregnancy, we just had to monitor
it and manage it with medication... then wait it out and hopefully it wouldn't
last long. I ended up being on the magnesium a little over 24 hours and
having very high blood pressure even when given medication, so my hospital stay
was extended to 6 days. I was sent home on BP medication and,
unfortunately, now at 7 weeks, I am still not off of it. I am weaned down
quite a bit, though, and hope that next week I'll be off of the medication
completely. : )
I am so thankful that you have all been here to
follow and share in the experience of my second surrogacy journey! It is
so wonderful to not only be a part of this, but to also be able to share and,
in turn, hear about other's experiences in surrogacy, IPs and surrogates alike.
Now for the fun part! PICTURES! Here
are the beautiful girls, Sophia Catherine and Emily Anne at 8 days old...
