Another update on our twins

So it's been a bit since I've updated you all on our little boys :-)
I've still been having weekly ultrasounds, and now am seeing my OB every 2 weeks :-)
 So far things have been going well. Both boys are still growing, the blood flows in their hearts, brains, and umbilical cords are good :-) There is still a size difference though. At my ultrasound today Pete measured exactly according to my dates (29wks) 2lb 14oz, and Repete measured at (almost 25wks) 1lb 9oz. So far Repete isn't growing as quickly as Pete, but he's still growing. The dr. says there is still a little concern that Repete won't make it -  about 5-10% 'chance', but other than size they can't find any reason for concern.

Often people ask 'when is your due date?' That is a really hard question to answer, officially my due date is Oct 4th, BUT with twins I believe 38 weeks is considered 'full term'.(instead of 40wks with a singleton) Another thing to factor in is that I've had the TTTS laser sugery, typically delivery after that surgery is around 10 weeks post surgery. (that's this Friday for me) A few ultrasounds ago the dr. at the hospital was fairly confident we would make it to 32 weeks. :-)  So you see, it's hard to say when the 'due date' is cuz if I continue to say Oct. 4 ppl will be fairly shocked the twins came 'so early'... but really, we were 'expecting' them to come 'that early' :-P
We have also been talking to a few dr's, and reading as much as we can about the differences of having a C-section or doing a vaginal birth - taking into account, they share a placenta, they have a size difference, they will be fairly young, and have had the surgery for TTTS.  There are risks and benefits with both, but the biggest risk comes with the vaginal delivery because the twins will likely be still very small and the stress from contractions could be too much for them, so it is possible that one or both die. I would be hooked up to monitors the whole time, I would have an epidural just in case of an emergency c-section, and the birth would also be done in an OR or very close to an OR. Because of the possibility of loosing one or both, Matthew and I are both thinking a scheduled C-Section is really our best option. The risks with a C-Section are mainly infection etc. for me, and not so much for the babies, although if both babies make it, there are some benefits of a vaginal birth for the twins, one of which is better immunity in the first bit after birth... but then again, I am strep B positive, and that risk of infection is pretty much gone if I just have a scheduled C-Section. GRRR...So MANY decisions to make this pregnancy! :-S
Some other things that come into account will be if Repete (closest to my cervix, so first one out) is head down or not - if he's bum down my dr. wouldn't try for a vaginal birth. Also, how big both babies are, and a few other things... so really, everything has to line up perfectly just for the dr. to consider a vaginal birth, which means it may just be a C-Section even if we decided to go the vaginal birth route :-P
 Also, the question is WHEN is the best time to deliver... After reading and reading and reading, and talking to a few different dr's (which often have a different opinion depending on how much they deal with mo/di, ttts twin pregnancies) We would love to make it to 34 weeks, but because of the small size of Repete, it's possible his portion of the placenta doesn't keep him nourishing him much longer. They are monitoring this with weekly ultrasounds, but we don't really know how much longer the placenta will hold up, It could be a week, a month... We don't know.

Something the dr's are watching right now is whether there is still an intact dividing membrane, last week's ultrasound they couldn't see well enough if the membrane was broken or not, and this week they still couldn't tell... the babies are also getting bigger so their limbs and bodies sometimes just get in the way. Not a big deal of it is broken, because the risks of cord entanglement is much lower now because the babies are bigger. It just may mean I don't have the option to a vaginal birth.

Other things that have been happening - I've had lots of braxton hicks contractions, some painful ones, I seem to be getting tired faster :-S and my hips and back are starting to hurt now (before it was mainly just aches, now it's more painful). mostly if I'm in the same position for a while, (sitting, standing, laying...) I'm also really running out of lung space lol. Thankfully, I have my sister here to help me run around after the kids, and go up and down the stairs :-)
 I'm measuring around 37 weeks :-) Almost as big as I was at term with my other babies :-) Considering everything though, I feel pretty good :-) I can still do pretty much everything, although, it's not recommended that I lift too much, or do too much in a day as my cervix has started to get shorter, and almost every time I try do something for a  little too long, I start getting pretty strong braxton hicks contractions that don't go away till I sit or lay down. I really don't want to go on bedrest... and I really really don't want to go on hospital bed rest :-S So I guess I have to do a little less, and let my sister, hubby and others do stuff for me :-)

I think that's about it, I can't think of anything else right now anyway. I'll try update you all on the rest of the family, my sister coming down to help, and the bathroom reno progress soon :-)

 We still ask for prayers for our little twins.
So far these little boys have been doing so well! Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers :-) God has been so good to us!