25 Week Comparison / Hello Braxton Hicks! / Fighting Kids / Big & Green

25 Week Comparison

Here is a pic of me at 25 weeks with my 1st pregnancy.... (Disregard the lovely skirt. Fashion risk.)

25 weeks with lil man

Here's a pic of me at 25 weeks with the twins...

25 weeks with the twins

I think it's kinda hard to tell a difference by looking at the pictures, but my belly is still consistently bigger this go-round.  You can definitely tell with bare belly pics, but no worries- I'll spare you.  :D  

Hello Braxton Hicks!  

I had some Braxton Hicks contractions off and on w/ my 1st pregnancy.  Mostly towards the end, but not a big deal.  (Not familiar with that term?  Basically it's contractions, but not true labor.  "Practice contractions" as Wikipedia puts it.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braxton_Hicks_contractions )

This time, they have come on strong and often.  The last week, every time I stand up or sit in a chair, my belly tightens up like a basketball and doesn't loosen until I lay down flat.  Good thing:  It does go away once I lay down. Bad thing: Try laying down a lot when you have a 2-year-old climbing up on the kitchen counters every few minutes!  Ya know, just mixing your flour with your sugar. Helping.  :) 

Although I was 99% sure it was just Braxton Hicks, I went to my doctor's office just in case.  They confirmed my suspicions. 'Intense braxton hicks.' Whew!  I was not wanting pre-term labor this early!  I'm ok with putting up with the annoying contractions as long as I know it's nothing serious.  

Fighting Kids

The doctor did a quick 30 second ultrasound to get Thing 1 & Thing 2's heart rates.  (It's much faster and easier than using the doppler) As soon as she put it to my belly she said "Whoa!!  They're fighting!"  Yep.  The last 3 ultrasounds have shown the kids kicking and throwing punches.  It's the weirdest thing feeling them do it too.  

The doctor said that she has delivered twins several times that were bruised from hitting each other in the womb.  Wow.  I'll be shocked if mine don't come out w/ some shiners.  ;)  

Big & Green

My 2-year-old was watching me rub cocoa butter on my belly yesterday, when he decided to inform me that it was "BIG and NEEN" (green).  I said, "Green??? Where??"  The precious little one then points to the newly acquired roadmap on the side of my belly and says, "There. Neen!"  Well, thank you child.  It's called transparent skin.  Oh the honesty of a toddler. 

Fighting in the Womb / Possible Placenta Previa

Fighting in the Womb

I went to the doctor to check on Baby A and B today.  (I'm 16.5wks along, but measuring 24wks.)  Boy, are they active!  The nurse can distinguish the babies heartbeats much faster if she does an ultrasound.  It's not the greatest quality machine that they use, which is why for most of my ultrasounds they send me to the hospital.  

Anyway, as soon as the babies show up on the screen, we see Baby B pull its legs up to its chest... then shoot its legs straight out, kicking Baby A in the booty.  It was hilarious!  Although at the same time I wanted to say, "STOP THAT!!"  hahaha  He/she did it two times in a row.  I wish I had my phone within reach.  

I know for sure I have felt them move twice in the past week. It's very faint, but this time I know what to 'look for'.  I didn't feel my son move until 19 weeks.  

Possible Placenta Previa

The midwife also told me that they are going to keep a watch on Baby B for placenta previa.  She explained to me that it is when the placenta has grown low in the womb. His/her placenta looks like it is on or very close to the cervix.  Right now, all is good they will just watch it.  But if I have any bleeding, they want me to go straight to the hospital.  Believe it or not, I'm not worried about it.  My God has these little babies in His hands. I'll just say an extra prayer for them at night, and trust that He will take care of the rest.  I'd definitely appreciate any prayers from family/friends as well!  In reference to my previous post, this does confirm that I will NOT be running during this pregnancy.  :)