A Change

Today there was a change, not earth-shattering, but not particularly positive either. My fluid levels have continued to go up surrounding baby A, this time more rapidly. Baby A is only just within normal fluid range - by about a quarter of a centimeter. This excess of fluid, if the Maximum (also referred to as Deepest) Vertical Pocket (MVP) measurement is greater than 8,  is referred to as polyhydramnios. This is a condition affecting about 1-2 percent of pregnancies and can be caused by several different issues. Of course we have been monitoring this because one cause is TTTS, though Baby B's fluid levels have also continued to increase, where as in TTTS the donor baby's fluid levels get dangerously low.

**Allow me to interject here and say that I am so thankful that Baby B continues to have adequate fluid surrounding him! I was feeling him less over the past few days and sometimes that is indicative of a problem, as it turns out, it is simply because he flipped to a breech position so I am just feeling his movements differently - no biggie!**

While there are plenty of cases of babies with polyhydramnios that are perfectly healthy, many have this condition as a result of some defect that may restrict their ability to swallow the amniotic fluid surrounding them, keeping the AFI at normal levels. Another explanation would be that I have developed gestational diabetes, that'd be a fairly simple fix so I'm almost hoping for it at this point??? As this is, and has always been, a waiting game, we will simply see how things are next Thursday at my next appointment. The next appointment will be more in depth and the boys will have full anatomy scans again to check for abnormalities and see how they are growing. I don't have any indication right now of what caused this fluid jump (it was rather rapid since it has been less than a week since my last check), but seeing as we are still flirting with the normal range we should be okay to wait.

The "good" news about finding this information today is that explains my feeling significantly worse rather suddenly. Somewhere around Saturday evening my ability to breathe became much more restricted and my heartburn came back (after a blissful 3 week lull) with a vengeance despite taking medication for it. Beyond gestating multiples, higher fluid levels cause quick compression of the lungs and stomach in the mother which can cause these issues. In addition to these symptoms, the stomach/abdominal area is, once again, stretched too quickly and becomes increasingly painful. While I was definitely larger in my pregnancy with Audra at full-term, I never experience this level of abdominal pain. In short, it sucks, and there's nothing I can do about it.

If polyhydramnios does progress, it puts me at a much higher risk for pre-term labor, placental abruption, and uterine rupture. This is without factoring in that there are two lovely young men that are growing inside me right now.  Bedrest is pretty common in these cases, in order to keep pressure off the cervix and keep things still since it all gets too tight and heavy in there. Bedrest scares me to death. Audra is sooooo 3 and she is soooo not okay with Mommy's slowing down right now.

Seeing as we may all be on borrowed time, I am trying my hardest to get things a bit more organized day by day. While physically taxing, it does help me to feel more prepared in the event that we experience a drastic change. Okay, now I am laughing..of course we are going to experience a drastic change. Life with twins. Yikes. We have been rather focused on things on an appointment to appointment basis, along with some other things that have come up in our family, that time to actually think about what life will be like with the little ones is pretty much nil. Then again, perhaps it is better that way. This entire experience is one great exercise in surrendering control and trusting that God will provide, but it isn't easy, it is definitely exercise. I hate exercise. Also a bummer today, NO PICTURES! The perinatal center has been remodeled and they are moving out of their temporary location this week back into the new digs for next week so they are on a time crunch, and obviously it was more important to spend time determining how serious this new development was than to get cute pictures. *Sigh*

Alright, well I have a toddler in bed, laundry being laundered, and a kitchen to clean, so I am signing off. Thank you for your prayers - and please keep them coming!