LauraJ: very brief "my story" a day late and a dollar short

My story (the very short form): We we got married in Aug of 97 we set 5 year goals together- one of which was to have 2 more children (we are raising my DH's son who is now 8). After 2 yrs of "trying" via BBTing, testing with an OB/GYN and 2 clomid cycles we decided to see an RE ( I am unexplained with a borderline luteal phase defect). RE said our chances were excellent with clomid alone. We decided to do a clomid/iui cycle however. Even with clomid I have delayed ovulation and the u/s showed a VERY poor lining- the RE said our chances were slim for this cycle but we would get pg after we figured out the correct hormone balance. However I took a pg test when I began to spot because I needed closure.... lo and behold it was postive! My betas were perfectly respectable but nothing exciting.... so imagine our shock and surprise when the first u/s revealed 2 precious heartbeats!!! While I had one of the most UNcomfortable pgncies I was very healthy- my dr described it a a "textbook twin pregnancy"....so we skipped a lot of the prenatal testing but I insisted on a level II u/s because I wanted to see my babies. Our level II was fascinating- you could see so MUCH... then it was devasting when the dr annouced that Baby B had a cleft lip and probably palate and that maybe this was a marker for trisomy 13 (which is fatal). He reccomended an immediate amnio- we said our gut reaction was too refuse and just then in a special gift from God Baby B waved at us! To us it was precious- to the dr it was a sign that Baby B did not have trisomy 13 since those babies cannot open their fists. What a miracle to be able to go home knowing that our babies were ok.

(so maybe this isn't very brief after all... sorry)

anyway I continued to be hugely uncomfortable and hugely healthy and they day after being told by 2 drs that the babies were good to go I went into labor at 36weeks. After only 5 hrs of labor I delievered 2 healthy baby girls. Trinity (baby b) did have a very severe and complete unilateral cleft of the lip, gumline and palate. Her lip repair was done when she was 10 weeks old. Her palate repair should be this fall (about 9 months). She is a trooper- she has overcome numerous feeding difficulties. She still isn't too keen on anything in her mouth (toys, spoons, solid food) but takes her bottles like a champ. I am breastfeeding Tessa and pumping for Trinity. I have been home with them on an extended personal leave from work. I go back next week (boo hoo). My mother had kindly offered to keep them at my house until December. My goal is to find a way to be a SAHM.

I am not around here much- 6 mo old twins and an 8 yr old boykeep me pretty busy mothering. I do check in on ya'll when I can and I do answer emails. I would be happy to be a resource to others in my limited areas of expertise (pumping, clefts, molecular biology)!

I have really enjoyed sharing these months with you and your babies.

laura

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