Last Tuesday at 33 weeks along I had been having a lot of braxton hicks contractions and cramping, so to be cautious I went in to the doctor to be checked. The babies looked great but I was dialated to a 3, so the dr. thought I should get monitered at the hospital for a little while. While being watched I was having contractions every 3-4 minutes but not feeling them all. So she gave me some medicine to stop the contractions and a steroid shot to help the babies lungs mature. After about 4 hours it was pretty clear the contractions weren't stopping, so because in Hamilton we don't have a NICU or high risk obgyn they transported me to Missoula via ambulance. That was an experience. When I arrived at the hospital in Missoula they put monitors back on and started me on magnesium sulfate to slow contractions. Again contractions were coming every 2 minutes and getting stronger. It didn't seem to be helping at all. When it got to the point where I needed pain medicine the doctor checked me again and I was at a 5. So he did a ultrasound to check the babies positions. Baby A Kinley was breech with a foot under her sister's head, Karter. So he said we needed to do a C section and soon because if my water broke with her foot there it could cause complications. So we headed off to the OR. Tony was so good the whole time, he was there comforting me and helping me through all this shock. They got me set up and at 12:20 Jan 25th Kinley was born 5 lbs 2 ozand at 12:21 Karter was born 5 lbs 1 oz. I could hear them crying and the nurses said they were fiesty, kicking and screaming. I got to see them for a minute and then they took them to the NICU, and Tony went with them.
It has now been a week and they are doing really good. They are still in the NICU because they are not eating all feedings on their own. They have feeding tubes and just tonight had their IVs stopped. So they are making progress. I am out to the hospital but because I need to be close for feedings and because I can't go very long without seeing my babies I am still in Missoula. I was fortunate enough to find a Ronald McDonald house that I am staying at, they provide rooms for families who have loved ones in the hospital. It is an amazing place. They are so generous and the volunteers are very helpful. It's hard to be away from my kids and husband, but I know this where I need to be now. I am so glad my mom is able to stay with them, she is so much help. I don't know how long they will need to stay in the NICU, I am hoping only 7-10 days more but time will tell. I am just grateful that they are healthy and continuing to do well.
