24 week check in

Today I had my 24 week appointment.  Both babies look great and are weighing in at about 1 1/2 pounds each. Elaina remains head down and very low, just like she was 3 weeks ago so hopefully she'll stay that way so I can have a vaginal delivery! Joel was moving all over the place. It was crazy to see him flip around 3 times in the time it took to do a 20 minute ultrasound.

I met my goal of gaining 24 pounds by 24 weeks, and actually exceeded it by 2 pounds. It's not fun to look at the scale and see 176, but I know it's what is best for these babies and overall I have been feeling great. I am so thankful for a textbook pregnancy thus far.

This past week I read a book called Natural Hospital Birth. It is written by a doula who has helped many women who don't feel comfortable with home births, have a natural, intervention free hospital birth. She also spent time in Russia studying birth there, and realized through hands on experience that the United States does things very differently than other parts of the world when it comes to childbirth.

I loved this book and I plan on reading it again with Shaun so we can both be on the same page about our birth choices and so he can be prepared to be my advocate when I am handling the intense pain of labor. However, I also realize that since I am having twins, I do need to hold some things with more of an open hand than if I was carrying one baby. I have read many twin birth stories online and have discovered that many times, mothers delivering twins don't have as many options for natural birth.

The great news is that I brought my concerns and desires to my doctor this morning and she put my mind completely at ease. I am so pleased with her responses to all my questions. She is all for allowing me to have a natural vaginal birth as long as baby A is head down and it wouldn't put me or the babies at risk for whatever reason. She won't force me to have an epidural just in case I need an emergency c-section for baby B (this is standard practice for many OB's who allow vaginal twin deliveries). I can have the freedom to move around during labor and even use the labor tub if I choose to. And, she and her partner are both comfortable delivering baby B breech if that is the position he presents himself in once his sister is born.

I feel so great about my choice of doctor. She assured me they do natural deliveries all the time and that twins are more than able to be born naturally too. She understands that Shaun and I make the ultimate calls on what we are wanting during the labor experience, and I trust her to not pressure me to do something I really don't want, unless it really is a matter of life and death. Now, let's continue to pray that these babies will be head down at delivery and that they will continue to thrive for at least 12 more weeks in utero!