18 Weeks!

Week 18:

Weight Gained: 18 lbs.  I'm pretty sure a good bit of the weight is fluid, because I've got pitting edema around my ankles already!  It's going to be a long summer. 

Cravings:  Skittles. After begging a friend for a dollar, I almost cried when my bag of candy got stuck in the vending machine at work.  Thankfully, a slight beating took care of the issue and the Skittles were delivered safely to the twins.  Lesson learned-  always carry emergency change, and don't be afraid to man-handle machinery.

Food Aversions:  None- even meat is my friend right now!  Paul is pretty happy about this turn of events because it broadens our dinner choices significantly.  I think I could eat at Japanese hibachi restaurants every night.  Steak, sushi and fried rice?  Sign me up. 

Symptoms:  Super swollen ankles.  My blood pressure is great, but not even 8 hours of sleep will relieve the swelling in my lower legs. 

How I'm Feeling:  Pregnant!  I've had more energy lately, and I'm pretty sure that the "nesting" phase has come early to visit.  I'm still not resting well, but my body has started to adapt to the short bursts of sleep.  A body pillow is on my to-buy list in hopes that more back and belly support will help me get comfortable and stay asleep longer.  

Exciting Stuff:  My cervical length was 5.6 cm at my last appointment, which is amazing.  We had our anatomy scan, and both babies hearts and brains look perfect.  Twin A is measuring exactly one week ahead of Twin B, who is measuring right on track. 

Weekly Worries: At our anatomy scan, we found out that Twin A was diagnosed with bilateral renal pyelectasis and hydroureters.  My MFM doctor is fairly certain that he actually has hydronephrosis, but we will know more at my next appointment after his kidneys grow a bit more.  Basically, his ureters are blocked, kinked or swollen, so urine is backing up into his kidneys.  Based on the amount of fluid, his condition is classified as moderate.  Sometimes, this can correct itself after birth.  However, if this persists, it can cause permanent kidney damage.  There is absolutely nothing I can do to fix this and while it terrifies me, I'm trying to stay calm and remember that I am not in control of this situation!

Twin B has Choroid Plexus cysts in her brain, but my perinatologist says that this is completely normal and should resolve on it's own.  I trust him completely, but hearing that your baby has brain cysts is scary!  Maybe it's the amoebas....   :)

Otherwise,  our babies are pretty perfect and I am so grateful that our issues are relatively small. There are people facing much worse anomalies so I feel very blessed today, despite our little man's kidney problems.  


If you made it all the way through, congratulations- this was a long update!  Thanks for reading- I think it helps to share my worries with you all.