22/23 weeks

22/23 Weeks

These past two weeks have been pretty adventurous. Let me break it down:

• Last week I would wake up every morning around 3:30 to contractions that we painful, like I was going to start my period. I would track them on my nifty app and they would go away after an hour or so. They would happen periodically throughout the day as well. I started to get worried about it Saturday. I did a little research and came across a thing called Prodormal labor. It describes exactly what I had with my Plus 1. Women will contract and dilate to 3 or 4 cm and will stay there. One article described it as being like a feeling when you get a cold sore, that tingling before the sore comes. I haven't had one of those, but maybe it could be like that feeling before you get sick or the way your skin feels before you get a zit. It is the body just getting ready. Some women have it, some don't. Anyways, could be what I am experiencing. Actually, I know it is!
• I started to "google" how to stop preterm labor. I was in the downward dog and bear yoga positions all Sunday. I did come across magnesium supplements to stop preterm. I should have known! A few hours after I took the supplements the contractions stopped and I felt amazing. I woke up at 3am this time with no contractions. It was nice. I knew from the beginning that I was deficient in something. I just didnt know what. I suspected it was magnesium. I asked my doctor, not knowing that all of the bloodwork they tested for doesn't test for magnesium because it is absorbed by your bones. I told them I am deficient in something mainly because of my nails. Horribly brittle, uncharacteristic. Anyways, took it and haven't had many issues since!!! Do some research on magnesium in pregnancy, twin pregnancies, and in general health. It does amazing things. It is a natural muscle relaxer, protects your heart, lungs, digestion... This mineral is amazing. I'm starting to wonder if I was deficient for the first pregnancy and that would cause prodormal labor and why her teeth are horrible and her nails are brittle despite the amounts of calcium she intakes. 
• In just one week of taking magnesium I have noticed some substantial things. 
• First is the obvious, contractions. I NEED to take 500mg in the morning and 500 at night to keep contractions at bay. As soon as I try to experiment with taking less or staggering them throughout the day, I have contractions. Interesting that I told a nurse this and she called them Braxtons... I'm sorry, but I am very familiar with Braxtons. Not Braxtons at all, especially when you lose your mucus plug. She didn't know anything about me, so I just laughed. 
• Back to the mags. Another difference that I see in just one week are my nails! They are starting to grow back. And they are strong! 
• My dizzy spells are gone. I was getting dizzy constantly sitting or laying down. It was annoying. I haven't been dizzy in a few days. 
• I can sleep! It is so nice to be able to sleep through the night without waking up in pain or being uncomfortable. 
• Back to the mucus plug thing... I am pretty sure it came out a week ago, the day I started the magnesium. When this happens, it usually doesn't mean much and it grows back. It is normal for it to come out during prodormal labor.

Now, I am pretty confident that these babies will make it to at least 36 weeks. I would like to go longer of course, but we will see what happens!

How are the twosies?

Size: 1lb 3 oz each

Heart beats:153 and 155

Positioning: Baby A is head down with her feet by my left rib cage. Baby B is breech with her head on my right ribs, he feet are by her head and her butt is in her sister's face. 

Movement: Lots of movement. I love it. A and B are on different schedules already. Ill feel A for part of the day, then B will wake up. Occasionally, I feel both.

Cravings: PSL from Starbucks... It is officially FALL!

Nothing else interesting is going on because I am on bed rest. It is actually very uncomfortable sitting up, so I can't spend much time on the computer. I do lay in bed on the iPad often. 

I will post a picture tomorrow!