The Winds of Change

Sometime between Saturday and Sunday, something changed in my body. Someone moved... and not the normal jabbing or kicking. This was a definite movement downwards, with a new heavier feeling in my lower pelvis to accompany it.

I'm hoping and crossing all my fingers and toes that these kids (or rather, just one, because the other's still high as the sky in my ribs) haven't dropped yet. With my previous kids, they all dropped about 3 to 4 weeks early. But with me at only 30 weeks, 33 or 34 weeks is still a little earlier than I'd like to see these kids out and about.

I spent most of Sunday in a daze, alternating between crying and panicking and wondering if there was anything I could do. I kept hoping it was all a figment of my imagination but then I'd get a headbutt to the cervix and think, "Fine, you're down there. I get it." And in the next breath, his sister would kick my ribs. Such a nice combo. :)

I called my sister on Sunday night--I have four, but this is the one who had twins in February. I was vainly hoping that this sudden change was just a "twin thing" and completely normal. No-go on that, but she did talk it over with me and suggest stuff and even look up an experience on the web where some lady's twins dropped at 31 weeks and they went on to hang around for quite a while longer.

I finally called the on-call doctor on Monday morning. Not surprisingly, he didn't have too much advice to offer. I knew he wouldn't because I'm not contracting and there's nothing to say that I'm in immediate labor. I just know the way things have begun before and so I freaked because it's still much too early. He said I could definitely go for several more weeks like this--which in the pain department doesn't thrill me, but I'll do it if it means I can keep them safe for a while longer. He didn't put me on bedrest, but said some restricted activity might be in order.

Restricted activity--really no specific definition for that, but here's my take on it. No more exercising (not like I was loving it anyway), no more picking up T to change his diaper, no more cleaning tubs and toilets, and in general, a lot more lying down with my feet up. I'm all in favor of the relaxing but it's hard to envision it for the next six (or maybe even seven!) weeks.

I decided yesterday that this is just one more way that Heavenly Father is helping me and my little family to change and grow. I still believe that having twins is His way of saying, "Stop working full-time. Make it work another way. Work together better as a family." I'm still scared to death that we're having twins to begin with, but now, I'm more worried that they'll come before they're good and cooked. So, we adjust, we make changes, we do everything we can to help them stay in there for as long as possible, and we wait. :)