Wednesday 10 September 2014

30 Weeks Pregnant with Twins - Glucose Tolerance Test, Tetanus Vaccine & Dexamethasone Injections

I just love this! I'm 30 weeks 2 days today! ;D

This is such a big milestone for me. I woke up this morning with a big smile on my face! Couldn't help it! Hehe! I know I still have at least another 7 weeks to go...but I am only thinking about positive thoughts right now.

With each and every kicks/nudges I felt, I know my babies are doing just fine. Many times I could see continuous shifting movements (like a snake sliding underneath?!) from the outside of my tummy! It's like my little bubs are doing some kind of stretching or changing of positions in what little space they have left inside. They must be all squished-up by now! Haha! My tummy feels sore and tight most of the time and getting a comfortable position to sleep on is almost impossible. I didn't use any maternity pillows by the way. Just the normal pillow and bolster that I've been using since pre-pregnancy. My bump is getting heavier too...to the point that I have to sometimes support it with my hands when I am walking. My waistline measurement has gone up to 42+ inches now! Everyone I meet nowadays thought that I would be giving birth anytime now. I must have looked more like 9 months now instead of just 7.5 months. ;)

I have put on about 15.5kg thus far. My friends say that only my tummy looks huge but my arms and legs are not that swollen. My bra cup size remains the same but it's so much fuller. I hope I will have enough milk to breastfeed both my little darlings soon. ;)

The stretch marks on my tummy are very visible now. My belly button will 'pop out' when I am in standing or sitting positions, showing off all my scars from my three previous laparoscopic surgeries. However, it will 'tuck in' when I am lying on my back. To make things worse, there are also a lot of green-coloured veins all over my tummy, neck and chest areas. I also see dark pigmentation on the folds of my neck and armpits! Yikes! My face is getting round too and I have a double chin! I really hope all these will disappear once babies are here.

I'm also exhausted all the time! I couldn't walk for even 5 minutes without looking for a place to sit! I salute all those ladies carrying twins who still work until they deliver. I just feel very blessed to have the luxury to rest at home all these while. I have my hubby to thank for all the love and comfort he has showered me...without him, my pregnancy journey will not be as blissful.

As for food cravings, it has to be curry noodles, curry chicken, roti canai with curry, durians and many more! Basically, I want everything hot & spicy. Haha! So far, I've only ate durians once. I find that it's very heaty. So I'd better eat more fruits instead.

Oh, I've started to drink protein drinks again. Our babies' weights/sizes were not on target again during the last scan on 2/9/2014. Baby A was 2 weeks and Baby B was 1 week smaller than their gestational age. Dr Jason was probably a little concern that Baby A is not growing at the rate he should be and he did a doppler scan on Baby A to measure the blood flow in Baby A's body such as the umbilical cord, brain, kidneys and heart. I was so relieved when Dr Jason confirmed that Baby A's doppler scan analysis was normal. A doppler scan was not performed on Baby B because Dr Jason said Baby B's weight and size is just fine for a twin baby. So, I hope the protein drinks will help to add on our babies' weights.


Glucose Tolerance Test

This test is recommended by doctors between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy to check for gestational diabetes. I did the glucose tolerance test when I was 25 weeks pregnant on 4/8/2014.

On the night before the test, I started fasting (no food except plain water) before midnight to ensure that I had fasted for at least 8 hours before the first blood test on 4/8/2014 morning. We arrived early at Sunway Medical Centre and had my blood drawn at about 8.30am. This first blood sample is taken to measure my fasting blood glucose level.

I was then given a very concentrated glucose solution which was very sweet indeed. It tasted like sugar (lots of it!) diluted in a cup of warm water and I was instructed to finish the drink within 10 minutes. Somehow I managed to swallowed everything in just 3 minutes!

Thereafter, I was told to continue fasting (plain water allowed) and return to the laboratory for a second blood draw in two hours' time. I was starving by the time the second blood sample was taken.

However, it's all worth it as my glucose tolerance test results came back normal. :)


Tetanus Vaccine

Dr Jason had also recommended that I be given two doses of the tetanus vaccine. So I had the first tetanus injection on 4/8/2014 and the second on 2/9/2014. It was administered on my shoulder both times and it had that stinging effect that lasted for quite a few minutes. But well, I feel like I am so used to injections already that whatever pain which comes with any injections seem to be bearable. Hmm...IVF is all about needles! Don't you agree?


Dexamethasone Injections

Now, more injections for me. During my last appointment with Dr Jason on 2/9/2014, I was also told to get the dexamethasone injections (a type of antenatal steroid). This prescription was made as twins pregnancy puts me at a higher risk of preterm labour. This steroid injections were meant to speed up the development of the babies' lungs to make them more likely to be able to breathe on their own after birth. Premature babies are at risk of breathing problems if their lungs are not matured.

In view that the dexamethasone injections will be administered in two doses twelve hours apart, I've decided to get it done at the hospital near my house. I had the first dose at 9.30am on 3/9/2014 [3 vials/ampoules of 4mg/1ml each mixed in 1 dose] and the second dose at 9.40pm the same day [also 3 vials/ampoules of 4mg/1ml each mixed in 1 dose].

Again, these are quite painful injections but somehow, I just got 'too used' with the numbness of the injection area (my butt!)...like always. I will do anything so long as our babies are safe and healthy.


I will update more soon. ;)

"The secret of endurance is to remember that your pain is Temporary but your reward will be Eternal."