34 Week Update

Strange in a way… here we are 34 weeks into a pregnancy that's had its share of stressful moments and yet we just today had our first official stress test. Okay, so this "stress test" has a lot more to do with trying to estimate when Heather's labor will begin (more on that below) than it does to gauge our sanity… but still!   ;)   On a serious note, this 34 Week plateau is a big one for us. If Braelyn and Gwendolyn were to come soon, they'd obviously be preemies. However, studies show that they should catch up to their peers developmentally by the time they enter the first grade.   Our next (and maybe final) big hurdle comes at 36 weeks. That's when their lungs should be fully developed. That would eliminate the need for them to be placed on respirators (and an ICU stay by Braelyn along with her sister) immediately after birth.   Anyway, today's doctor's visit was a lengthy one but informative. In terms of the stress test, all went great. The official purpose of the test is to make sure that when they move, their heart rates go up. If they didn't then it could have signaled a issue in the blood flow between the placentas and the girls. This "riveting" test requires Heather to lie down fairly motionless for at least 20 minutes (today's lasted 30) while a nurse monitors the rates. While all was great today, Heather will be back every 3-4 days from here on out to continue the monitoring. If the rates were ever to fall during a visit, they'd look into why and could possible decide that it's time to deliver… although that would obviously be worst-case.   As for the typical monthly growth measurement scan, the girls seem to be doing great. Braelyn came in at 4 lb. 12 oz. and Gwendolyn tipped the scales at 5 lb. 6 oz. Braelyn is now up to the 35th percentile in growth and Gwen is right at the 50th.   In terms of Gwen's hydrocephalus, the doctor said that it remains "moderate" in size. Both the girls were pretty active, which is especially nice but not uncommon to see from Gwen. They could only see one of her little feet in today's scan but thus far there's no clubbing. That is also a good sign as it means the muscles in her legs are still functioning.   We were told that the goal is still to deliver the girls in the 38th week unless nature decides otherwise. The doctor seemed to feel that if for some reason Heather goes into labor before that mark, then they wouldn't do anything to delay it. Our next growth scan will be in the 37th week… if Braelyn is continuing to grow, they'll plan on retrieving the girls the following week. If Braelyn's growth seems to be stunted, then they'll just plan the cesarean a week early instead.   So, I guess the "CliffNotes" version is that the girls and their mother are doing tremendous under the circumstances… and that the last week this month is still the target delivery time, although if nature calls between then and now we aren't stopping it.   On a disturbing note for Heather, it seems as though Gwen is truly taking after Chuck's side of the family… even before birth. In addition to the revelation we had from a scan earlier this summer that she's got the infamous "Castellano nose," it seems from today's scan as though she's also got considerably more hair as compared to her sister. Add that to the nurse's observation during today's stress test that Gwen seems to be "a pretty feisty one," and it all spells what could be a devastating trip through the "terrible twos" on our horizon. I guess you reap what you sow sometimes!   Well folks, that's all that's fit to print for now.  We're not sure when the next "newsworthy" moment will come but hopefully it won't be for a few more weeks. Still, we'll be sure to post any news on the blog and share it with you all when it does happen.