39 Weeks with Twins: Go Time

I love being pregnant.  It's incredible, magical, spiritual, ethereal and I embrace it as a gift; something to cherish and be thankful for.  That said, being just about thirty-nine weeks pregnant with twins can really weigh a woman down, pun intended.  It. Is. Exhausting.  But so worth it.  Our sweet Pisces girls will be born big and strong, and my body will have been the vessel that made them so.  Pretty awesome.  I'm proud of myself.  I'm proud of my body.  Truth be told, I'm going to really miss this belly.

We went to the doctors on Monday and, of course, they were shocked to see me.  "You're still pregnant?!?!" was the general greeting when I waddled in.  We all chuckled and laughed.  What can I say?  Babies like my womb.  Thirty-seven weeks is considered "full term" for twins and the average twins are delivered at thirty-five weeks, so I'm like a marathon twin mama over here.  Carrying twins to thirty-nine plus weeks is not unheard of, but it's certainly not the norm.  As good as the girls are doing and as good as I feel (relatively speaking of course, I have accepted a constant state of discomfort as my default these days), my doctors have decided it is time.  The eviction notice has been posted:  their deadline is 8am tomorrow morning.  If they have not made their entrance into the world on their own volition by then, I will be induced which is something I was hoping to avoid for a myriad of reasons, but it is what it is.  As long as the end result is two healthy girls, I'm cool with it.

That said, I've been doing what I can to coax them along.  I took an essential oil infused bath thinking water might entice our little fish out, but no dice.  I've eaten big meals, taken stairs two at a time, guzzled raspberry tea, chomped on pineapple, gotten pressure point massages, squatted to my hearts content, bounced on a birthing ball and tried just about everything else under the sun that is out there (except castor oil - not going there).  These girls ain't budging.  They're cozy in there.  It's cold out here.  The world is a pretty overwhelming place for newborns.  I get it.  

Yesterday I got acupuncture to help move things along.  It worked for Isla (who was ten days past forty weeks) and perhaps it will get her sisters moving.  One way or another, we're going to meet our angels - and it will be very soon.  It's so strange to go about my day today with the distinct knowledge that everything I am doing is for the last time as a mom of only one.  It's weird (and seems a little unnatural) to know precisely when your life is going to change drastically. We're excited.  Nervous.  Anxious.  And ready.  I think we are actually ready now.  Well...as ready as you can ever be for twins, which kind of sounds like an oxymoron. 

We want to meet them and hold them and introduce them to their big sister.  We want to begin our life as a family of five.  Yikes.

Thank you all so much for the outpouring of love and support, it's been almost overwhelming and very touching.  I never anticipated that my womb would be so watched, but according to our growing Facebook Page  - my womb is all the rage!  Definitely didn't see that one coming. 

Anyway, it's go time.  We'll catch you on the flip side friends.