Twin Birth Story: Amanda Joiner

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Name: Amanda Joiner

Where do you currently live? Richmond, Texas 

 

How far along were you when you found out you were expecting twins? 6 weeks
 
Any issues during your pregnancy? Thankfully it was a fairly uneventful pregnancy! No bed rest, minimal swelling, and miraculously, no stretch marks. There was, however, a concern about the size of baby B (Clara). At our 20-week ultrasound, her measurements indicated an 18% size discrepancy compared to baby A (Colby). At 28 weeks, they had me start coming in twice a week for additional monitoring and I had to have a biophysical profile done on Clara and a non-stress test performed at every appointment. Needless to say, I became very familiar with the staff members at my perinatologist's office! Oh, and in the end, she weighed 10 ounces less, which was really no big deal, so as usual, all the worry was for nothing. :)

Memorable/funny moment when you were pregnant:  It was definitely not funny at the time, but I distinctly remember having major meltdowns during the first trimester about two very "significant" issues: 
(1) My husband put the only pair of non-maternity jeans that still fit me at the time in the dryer (cue door slamming and irrational yelling)
(2) I found out that the chicken salad sandwich I was going to have for lunch (the only thing that sounded even remotely appealing at the time) had pineapple in it, and I am not a fan of pineapple. I know, the nerve, right?!

Looking back, what is one thing you would tell your pregnant self?  Enjoy being pregnant because it will be gone in the blink of an eye and believe it or not, you'll miss it (sometimes). I wouldn't bother telling myself to worry less because let's be honest, I wouldn't have listened!

How many weeks/days were you when your twins were born? 37 weeks 5 days

Baby A's Information: Colby Wayne
April 5, 2013
11:25 am
5 lbs 11 oz
19 in

Baby B's Information: Clara Lane 
April 5, 2013 
11:25 am 
5 lbs 1 oz 
19 in

Did you have a c-section or natural delivery?  C-section. My OBGYN was willing to attempt delivery "the old fashioned way" only if both babies were head down. For most of the pregnancy, baby B (Clara) was breech, so I figured pretty early on that I'd be having a c-section, and I was really fine with that given that my mom and sisters had both had only c-sections.

Surprisingly, however, Clara flipped just 3 days before delivery day! My OB said he'd be fine with whatever I decided, but given the concern about her size, felt it would probably be best (less stress on her) to go ahead with a c-section.

The c-section was planned for 11 am on Friday, April 5th, and by 11:25 am, my little ones had made their debut!

Any NICU time? If yes, for what reason and how long? Yes. Clara had to stay in the NICU for about 48 hours as she was having trouble breathing and they labeled her a "pokey" eater. It was a long and frustrating 48 hours, but looking back, I was thankful to have the time alone with just one baby so I could get the hang of breastfeeding and get a little rest.

The worst part was that the c-section recovery made it hard for me to get up and go down the hall to visit her as much as I would have liked. Thankfully her daddy was able to go see her often. I will never forget the moment when my husband surprised me by wheeling her into our room (I didn't know she was being released)- such a relief to have both of our babies together again!

Did you have any complications after delivery? No, thank goodness! Other than the complication of having two tiny humans to care for, that is. ;)

How long did you (the parents) stay in the hospital?  4 days / 3 nights

Did your twins stay with you or in the hospital nursery at night? In the hospital nursery (Clara stayed in the NICU the first 2 nights)

What are three things you are so glad you had (or wish you would have had) at the hospital? 
1. The boppy pillow. Even if Clara hadn't been in the NICU, I was still planning on getting used to breastfeeding one baby at a time before attempting tandem feeding, so I was glad to have this!
2. A maternity/nursing-friendly nightgown. It made me feel a little more human (and a little less hideous) to get out of the gross hospital gown, but was still comfortable. Also didn't bother my incision like I worried pants would!
3. I wish I had brought socks with a grip on them or something to walk the halls in other than flip flops.
 
Describe one of your favorite moments while you were at the hospital: Definitely when Clara "graduated" from the NICU. Getting to hold both of my babies at the same time is a moment I will never forget!

If you had one piece of advice you could give an expecting mom of twins, what would it be? Get your babies on the same schedule from the beginning! I firmly believe this is the only thing that kept us all sane in the early days. Oh, and if you are going to breastfeed, go ahead and stockpile enough food to feed a small country because your stomach will become a bottomless pit. :)

Amanda's Blog: Meet the Joiners

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We are happy to announce the winner of TWO TWISTED TANKS!  Out of nearly 1,300 entries, we would like to send congratulations to Amber Parker (she won by following Twin Talk on Instagram)!

We can't wait to see what you pick out, Amber:)  

Happy Weekend!!