5/29 & 5/30 Update

Last night's session was very uplifting for us, as the progress we're seeing in both babies is undeniable.  While they still mostly sleep through the entire day, we actually saw both of them wide awake and very lucid with their eyes open and looking around after their diaper changes.  We weren't able to snap any decent images of this because of the darkness, but they were both amazingly cute.  Whether or not there's any register on their end when they open their eyes to see us, it's a very special feeling to look your kids' eyes looking back for the first time.  It shows some perceptiveness to their surroundings, and they seem to be more interested with what is going on around them than before.

Today I had a great morning session, and helped out with Malia's sponge bath.  Although she didn't care for the cold, she seemed very happy afterwards, and opened her eyes for mom.

Here is a photo of Malia after she had her sponge bath all snuggled in a warm blanket.

Austin shared some tummy time with  mom and enjoyed it as usual.

This photo of Austin was taken as they were changing his cannulaid.

Our night session began with Austin making his presence known in the NICU, which it turned out was because he was in the middle of a sponge bath that was wrapping up.  Once they got him dry and warm once again, he was pretty darn happy.

Toweling off.

Funny face.

Back in his bed, all setup with his blankie between his legs...

Happy Memorial Day!

Today Austin and Malia are 30 weeks of gestational age, and both still doing great.  Weight gain is perhaps the most important benchmark for any preemie, and they are both steadily packing on the pounds (more like ounces or grams, actually).  But their feedings are both up to their maximum allowed by their weight, and Austin is taking 27cc per feeding, while Malia is up to 19cc.  Doesn't seem like much, but a huge leap from their 1 cc feedings that they started out on a couple of weeks ago.  All this progress has brought Austin up to 3 lbs., 4 oz., while Malia is up to 2 lb., 7 oz. (almost to her brother's birth weight!).  At Austin's current weight, he is close to the weight where they may try and "challenge" him without his CPAP in the next day or so.  This doesn't mean that he'll be without it for good, but it would be the first opportunity to see how he breathes and maintains his saturation levels on his own.

Both babies also have had their PICC lines removed a couple of days ago, which is especially nice because the tree of intravenous lines supplying them is no longer needed; now what they get from breast milk (with some 24 calorie supplement added) is about it for nutrition.  Without the PICC line, it is also one less pathway for infection for them once the entry point fully heals.  We're proud of their progress, and grateful that they have consistently exceeded their progress expectations without any major setbacks.  No major developments to report on Malia's heart murmur, but the bigger she gets will mean an increased chance of the duct closing on its own.  We're holding out hope that the PDA will continue to pose no symptoms or problems for her (aside from the murmur).

We're told the babies also both got their first sponge bath yesterday, which apparently they enjoyed quite a bit.  No doubt we're looking forward to helping the nurses out with this soon.

A noisy and busy day in the NICU made for a lot of chaos around the twins, but they seemed oblivious to most of it.  There were several new admits to the NICU in the adjacent pods, and seemingly some sick babies among them.  We also saw some sadness in the parents of a baby that we recall came into the NICU shortly after Austin and Malia.  You hope that it gets better for the families going through that, and it renews your appreciation of the good fortune for your own kids' state of health.

I realize my grainy cell phone pictures don't do justice to the babies, especially with the CPAP covering most of their still tiny faces.  But here's a couple updates on the pictures today, beginning with Austin.

I had my second kangaroo cuddle with Malia today, this time with much more success than the first time.  She slept comfortably through the entire hour on my chest, with no de-sat or bradycardia episodes.  Here's a capture during today's session:

Tomorrow Cheryl goes in for her first check-up with the OB.  She's been healing up great and feeling better, although the round-the-clock pumping schedule is taking its toll!

Austin & Malia: 2 weeks old today!

Happy 2 weeks to our little angels. Getting to know our babies this early on is something I wouldn't change. I think this journey will mold them to be exactly what they're meant to be- fighters! To be able to watch them grow each day is something that we are so blessed to be a part of and so proud as parents to see them overcome these day-to-day battles of being a preemie. A part of me misses being pregnant, only because I was able to keep them close and safe within me. Being able to feel every kick and every hiccup was comforting to know that they were still with me and safe. Having delivered early I feel like that was taken away so abruptly. I think it's every parent's natural instinct to want to keep their kids safe. But they are strong and thriving each day...and we are so proud of them. The best thing we can do for them is to let them know how much we love them and are so blessed to have them in our lives. Each day they teach us how to fight, and that makes them our heroes. Austin is now up to 3lbs 1oz and Malia is 2lbs 5oz. Their tiny little bodies are growing, their cute little bellies are filling out and their personalities are as vivid as can be. I love that Austin finds comfort in grasping at our finger and holding tight (with his pacifier in his mouth of course) and Malia loves to be held and in the arms of mom & dad. We love that our family & friends follow us on the blog and are able to enjoy this journey with us. Life is so precious and Austin & Malia are examples of just how fullfilling and meaningful life can be.

5/23 Update

Tuesday and Wednesday have been very good days for both babies, looking plump and much more baby-like than the days before.  By Wednesday's weigh-in, they BOTH had exceeded their birth weights with Austin at a hefty 2lb 15 oz., while Malia was back up to 2lb 2oz.  Malia looking cute below without her cannulaid and gear hooked up to her face.

 180 degree turn... (can't decide which one we like better, so you all will get both!)

 On Wednesday during the morning session, Cheryl held a very tolerant Malia for 1.5hrs!  She liked mommy time and seemed comfortable throughout.  The shot below was captured during the evening visit, and she was resting comfortably on her tummy.

 Daddy got to do Austin's "cares" during the night session, and he was pretty happy as usual after his diaper change. 

Everything is progressing great, with Malia up to 10cc's per feeding, and Austin up to 17cc's!  The extra food is showing in their weight gain and their bodies, and it's nice to see them a little more filled out than before.  Unfortunately, Malia's heart murmur is still there, so the PDA has not yet resolved.  We caught a video on youtube of the surgical ligation of a PDA on a similar preemie today, and it opened our eyes to what the surgical fix could entail... pretty scary!  You can check it out yourself if you think you have the stomach for it... www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOj6K_BoIAc
There's still a chance it could resolve itself, but the likely complications if left untreated long-term are ominous.  Still hard to think of our little girl going through so much at an early age, but so far there's nothing telling us we need to do it before she grows a little more.  So let's hope she can work this thing out on her own!  But for right now, they seem to be working hard for an on-time arrival at home.  Can't wait to share their adorable faces with you all!

Brian and Cheryl

One week old, one week closer to home

Our morning session was maybe the most memorable yet.  Cheryl got to hold Malia for the first time.

She's still tiny, but getting close to her original birth weight at 1 pound, 15 ounces.

Like her brother, she really seemed to like the tummy time with mom.  She stayed on for about an hour and a half, which I think was heaven for both Cheryl and Malia.  The extra weight seems to be showing in her face, and she's looking more like her brother these days.  Who can tell though, unfortunately we almost never get a real good look at either of them; you have to try and catch them when the respiratory technician changes their cannulaid, and all the gear comes off for a couple of minutes.  She really does have a beautiful face, but my grainy, dark iPhone photo doesn't really do her justice.  I'm a little biased, admittedly!

And daddy finally got his tummy time with Austin.  It was an amazing experience, feeling his tiny limbs move, and hearing his squeaky noises as he shifted into his comfortable position.  Now taking 7cc feedings of breast milk every 3 hours, he's quickly gaining weight and exceeding his birth weight at 2 pounds, 11 ounces.  He should be on track to gain about an ounce per day.  His NICU spot was pretty dark during kangaroo care, so this shot turned out a little bit grainy.

So Friday wrapped up with the news that both babies' brain sonograms came back normal/healthy.  The nurses and doctors are overall very pleased with their health for 27-weekers.  They have a long way to go before coming home, but they're maintaining pace with the best-case scenario.  We're thankful for that.

Austin & Malia's First week wraps up

Thursday was an emotional day (as if the others don't measure up!), but our morning check-in with the babies was highlighted with Cheryl's first up-close encounter with either of the babies - tummy time with Austin.  In the NICU they call this kangaroo-care (explanation not necessary), and it gives the mommy a chance to bond with her baby, a benefit that is often deprived in the intensity of a preemie birth.  The gravity of the encounter was certainly not lost on Cheryl, nor would any first encounter soon be forgotten by any mother with her baby.  It was a very intimate, sweet moment; the restless and fussy kid both inside and out of the womb had found his home on his mother's chest for the first time.  It's hard to say for certain whether Austin recognized his precise location in the universe, but it's undeniable when a baby finds comfort in the embrace of his mother.  I think this picture captures just that...

Meanwhile, Malia seemed to be a little more active than her usual self, but she had also just received a PICC line hours before our arrival and might have been a little pissed about it.  Once she calmed herself down, she began to open her eyes up for the first time (that I've seen).  It's right about this point in the pregnancy that the eyelids even un-fuse, so it was really nice to see Malia testing out her new-found sense of sight.

It takes some getting used to, how small these babies are.  With pictures, you look for points of reference like a hand or a syringe, but it doesn't really sink in until you have them in your grasp.  Austin, the bigger of the two, still has a lot of growing before he'll fit into his dad's size 10 wedding band.

Our evening session with the babies was a little harder on the parents.  We knew that Malia had been diagnosed with a "loud" heart murmur, and they were to do an echocardial ultrasound to see what was going on in there.  When we asked the nurses about the test, there was an awkward moment when they balked at answering the question and arranged to have the doctor come explain the results.  The doctor explained that the murmur was related to what they suspected, a common condition in preemies known as Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA).  The normal function of this duct is essential in utero, but when the baby begins breathing air after birth, it is necessary for the pathway to close.  Without this connection closed, it allows too much oxygenated blood to return back to the lungs, and can cause a number of other problems down the road.

(Photos taken from Preemies: The Essential Guide for Parents of Premature Babies (Linden, et. al), and thanks to Tom & Danielle Flowers for the awesome bible of preemies!)

So the tricky part is the much overused statement by the doctor about having a crystal ball in terms of making the right clinical decision.  The possible outcomes for Malia are:

• with time, her PDA resolves itself by closing, and hopefully presenting no symptoms or complications associated with the condition.  The condition itself is most likely a result of gestational immaturity, so time could fix the issue.
• She begins to show symptoms of a PDA complication like hypotension, pneumonia, renal complications, breathing problems.  Intervention by medication or surgery is recommended
• If PDA complications look like medication (indomethacin) would present the best possible outcome, then medications would be favored to surgery.
• Once Malia is two weeks old, the efficacy of indomethacin decreases, and the known side effects in conjunction with some symptoms might make surgery the more favorable outcome.
• If surgery is the only option to ameliorate the PDA, then she would be sent to CHOC where a specialist would perform the procedure to clamp the duct.  Fairly easy surgery to perform, but still very serious for a preemie.  (Details shown below)

So that sucked.  We had to remind ourselves that she's asymptomatic of the PDA besides the heart murmur.  The waiting game begins.  Lets hope that stronger breathing and good growth helps her resolve this on her own...

Momma comes home!

Today was much anticipated, although I think Cheryl's homecoming was envisioned quite differently by us both, mainly in the fact that we figured it might come much, much later.  Just a week ago, Cheryl started to feel the effects of homesickness and talked about wanting to come home (though accepting the impossibility), but last night had a struggle with our impending departure.  It has been so nice to get a chance to meet our kids early; but it would have been a lot less stressful (yet boring, on hospital bed rest) to have them come along at 32+ weeks rather than 27w4d.  After 4 days of quality time in the NICU, it's not hard to recognize that there's almost always a bigger struggle nearby than your own.  Isn't that just life, though?  It's all relative, and depends how far back you pull your focus.  In the NICU, everyone is rooting for each other.  Doesn't matter whether it's a 2 month premie or serious birth defect, you just hope for everyone to leave all smiles.  We left with big smiles, especially knowing our kids were in good hands.

I was glad to bring Cheryl home today.  Back to her own bed, the comforts of home.  We stopped by the hospital in the afternoon to check on the kids.  Amazing how much can change in a few hours.  We returned to find that both of them were off of their bili lights.   Austin is now taking 3cc of breastmilk every 3 hours, double his dose from yesterday, which means he's tolerating it well and his gut is digesting things properly. As a result, he's gotten back up to 2lb 6oz.  Malia on the other hand, while tolerating the feedings better than she did initially, has had a slower gut response to the feedings.  She's getting only 1cc every 6 hours.  She will have plenty of time to catch up, but she's got a long way to go at 1lb 13oz. 
So both Austin and Malia are making nice progress.  We found them both sleeping comfortably this afternoon.

Austin likes sleeping on his belly; it seems to restrict his spastic movements and keep him calm during his sleep. He is definitely going to like to be swaddled. Malia, as usual, is content on her back.  She hardly moved her arms while we were there.

The nurse said Austin was well enough to be held today.  Cheryl opted out because he was sleeping as soundly as we've ever seen him today.  Perhaps tomorrow she'll get to hold her baby boy.  Boy, wouldn't that be something?

Update from Mommy....

This is my first post since the delivery of Austin & Malia. I know Brian has been keeping everyone updated while I recovered. What can I say but it's been a whirlwind these past few days. Even though my condition of mandatory bedrest would give some possibility of an early delivery, it was a huge surprise to me on Friday as I realized that I was in the throws of labor. Things were pretty calm til one early morning I was woken up with terrible contractions, as most of you read. Well, everything is history from there, just as quickly as I was brought into the OR to deliver the twins, I am now sitting here with just a few hours left til they discharge me. It's such a bittersweet moment....although I was ready to go be-at-home with my puppies and hubby and finish the pregnancy I am now forced to go home without them and leave our precious babies behind to continue their growth here in the hands of the NICU staff. It makes me sad. I know they are in the hands that can give them the best care they need. Just as we've made adjustments while being on strict bed rest in the hospital, this will have to be another adjustment to make. There's nothing Bri and I wouldn't do to ensure that Austin & Malia receive everything that they need for a healthy and safe remaining weeks ahead. It's a whole different experience to witness the growth of your babies for your own eyes. There's milestones in their growth that you witness and it's something that as a parent brings you so much joy. It's funny because as an ultrasound tech, we follow these babies and their developments in utero and it's another to experience it in real life.... Especially if their your own. I've been watching the growth of our babies since they were just tiny follicles on my ovaries. That's how I know that they are something very special to us. Today, Austin was turned so that he was laying on his tummy. He seemed to like that. He was less fidgety and seemed content. We just watched through the glass as we know the more they sleep the more they grow. Still his personality is so distinct and we love that he's our wiggle worm and lets know even this early on if he needs something. Let me tell you he hates those wet diapers! I know we laugh at it now... I'm sure when we get home and we are forced to change him everytime we won't be laughing then :) Malia, our sweet little girl, she's so tiny and delicate she is hardly fussy and loves to sleep. Today, I got to change her diaper for the first time and she did not like that. I on the other hand was just so happy that I was able to do something for her. It's hard in this moment in time because they are so small and so delicate that you don't have that opportunity to just hold them in your arms and show them that you are there. Every day will be a new day and we are just thankful that we have so many people that care for them so much already. We will keep everyone posted and we'll be sure to takes lots of pics. Thanks again to everyone who reached out and sent their well wishes, we were overwhelmed with the love that we received!

48 hours down, 1st Mother's Day elation

Today was certainly an easier day for the twins than the two prior.  Malia was still breathing well on the CPAP, but success thus far doesn't rule out the possibility of going back on the ventilator.  The doctors said this wouldn't be considered a "step-back," but just a response to how their saturation levels are maintained with the CPAP, and there's a 30% chance of this happening at some point.  Austin is still doing great, and seems pretty happy as long as you keep him in a clean diaper.  His NICU nurse remarked that he needed 8 diaper changes in her one shift, which wasn't even over at that point! He also likes his pacifier quite a bit, and Cheryl got to administer it after changing his diaper this morning.

He is quite a troublemaker in knocking out the canula on his CPAP, so he keeps the respiratory techs on their toes around the clock.  While the respiratory tech was changing the adhesive aid for his canula, I had a rare view of him without all of his head gear.  With the lights low, he began to crack his tiny eyelids open to see what was going on around him.  Pretty cute face, and his mother's features are showing strongly!

Meanwhile, a very uneventful day for Malia involved a lot of sleep and good breathing.  She's still such a tiny little peanut; delicate, graceful, and dimunutive.  Much of her face differs quite a bit from her brother's, but hard telling how much of that is influenced by her weight deficit.  Still, one of the best parts of our day is sitting with her holding our fingers, just like this:

Sigh... a very good day winds down.  Couldn't have asked for a better 1st Mother's Day for two of the newest parents in Newport!  Much love to all of the amazing mothers who go the extra mile for their children.  We have big shoes to fill...

D-day plus 1: and these kids were born to fight...

Saturday morning began with slightly less intrusion than Cheryl had been accustomed to after nearly a month in antepartum.  Cheryl had a little more time to relax and sleep off the rigors of the day prior, while I had a chance to stop by home and check on the dogs.  When I returned, we headed over to the NICU to check on the babies, and were delighted to see the babies doing great!  Austin was given a lamp to help with his bilirubin count that had risen to 6.  He was all hooked up with his CPAP, beanie, IV tubes, and sunglasses (sort of) to keep the light from overstimulating him. 

Malia looked exactly as we left her; quiet, peaceful, and still. 

Unfortunately, Austin was going to need a PICC line put in, because the IV lines going in through his hands were not going to be adequate in the long run.  The procedure for the PICC line involved them running a tube or catheter up one of his larger veins, either through the leg or arm.  The docs told us in the afternoon that things had gone very well and the procedure was successful.  In the ensuing fuss, he had ripped his CPAP canula away from his nose, so the respiratory tech let me snap this shot.

The rest of the day consisted of periodic napping, pumping, and baby visits.  By the evening, Malia had been upgraded and was put on a CPAP instead of the ventilator.  She's looking great and breathing (seemingly) comfortably.  For 2lbs, 2oz, she's making up in toughness what she lacks in stature.  Here's a little family shot with Malia, holding onto her Mom and Dad's fingers. Precious.

Welcome Malia Rose & Austin Russel (yes, with 1 L, now deal with it!)

As I was being escorted into the OR, I was taken aback by the small army of people preparing for their arrival.  It had been about 20 minutes of prep until I was allowed in there, so all of Cheryl's lines were in place and the anesthesiologist had already begun his process.  I walked into quite a commotion, as Cheryl had clearly just gotten sick in the general vicinity of the area I was to sit.  I helped her clean herself up a little and get ready for the delivery.  In the insterest of not being the dad to take a nose-dive into the floor, I opted to stay behind the curtain in fear that the sight of all the blood might give the docs a 4th patient in the room (I maintained my consciousness throughout, thankfully).  And then the doctors said, "okay, so it's gonna go by pretty quick from here on out."  They weren't kidding.  Maybe a minute or two, Cheryl and I were listening to the first battle cries of Austin, born at 10:57AM.  Cheryl began to tear up, and I stayed close, reassuring her evrything was going just fine.  One minute later, Malia Rose pulled out crying, and was shuffled off to her table next to her brother (see photo below)

As the docs worked on Cheryl, I made it over to get my first gimpses of the kids, although it was hardly unemcumbered.  I managed to snap a few shots, and got my first look at those tiny hands on Austin.



Shortly after, they were packed up in the transport incubators, and briefly shuffled by Cheryl for a quick glance before being transported to the 6th floor NICU.  Each baby was placed in their stations, just about 15 feet from one another.  This is the farthest these babies have ever been apart, ever.  Must have been a strange experience, don't you think?  Below is my first shot of Malia.  Pretty damn cute...

Meanwhile, on Austin's side...

Remember, it was cold in there!  I swear!

Once situated, both babies were put on CPAP for breathing assistance.  Although their Apgar scores were both 9/9, the CPAP is there to take the "work" out of breathing for them.  While they could probably manage for a little while on their own, when they get tired they are at risk for a more pronounced bout of apnea.  In Malia's case, her blood gases were not ideal with just the CPAP, so she got the next step up with a ventilator tube.  Although invasive, they were able to administer some surfactant meds to her lungs to ensure better gas exchange and surface area.  Before and after

Once Cheryl was taken out of the OR to the recovery room the nurses were trying to stabilize her because her blood pressure had crashed to 64/30. The anestheiologist had to act quickly to come to Cheryl's need. they gave her a shot of epinephrine to jump start her blood pressure levels. After close monitoring foranhour Cheryl finally stabilized. Cheryl was then moved to her new room on the 6th floor, where she could be a quick walk away from the NICU to see the babies.  She still had some recovery time to put in, so it wasn't until much later on Friday night that she was actually able to meet the babies and see them up close.  Ironic that they shared a space with their mom, and yet she was one of the last they got a visit from.  Yet another one of the mothers' sacrifices I suppose!  Below is a precious picture of Malia's tiny hand in Cheryl's.

So that wrapped up an eventful and surprising day for the Vlasich and Nodalo families!

Brian recounts the moments prior to delivery

So Wednesday (in retrospect) kicked it all off with more frequent and intense contractions.  By Wednesday night, there was some possible leaking of fluid that they wanted to look into further.  Initial tests indicated that it wasn't amniotic fluid, and rather a possible UTI.  The urinalysis came back negative for UTI, so it was back to square one.  I decided not to sleep at the hospital Wednesday and Thursday night because of a cold that set in on Tuesday, but Thursday ended up being the worst night of them all!  By 4AM, the most intense and painful contractions were coming in almost non-stop, so the nurse had an order made for an increased dose of procardia for contractions.  Since the fetal growth ultrasound was scheduled for Friday anayway, any other activity could be confirmed when the scan was done later that morning.  Since the contractions were not subsiding despite the meds, the doctor checked Cheryl's cervix around 9AM - 6cm dilated!  It was go time!!
I was to be taking a short day anyway at work due to the cold, so when confirmation of the onset of labor was made, it was time to make a bee-line to the hospital for the delivery.  I made it in time to see the madness in Cheryl's antepartum unit room, and arrived right about the time the doctor was confirming the fact that Baby B (Malia) was breeched, hence C-section ordered.  Within minutes, Cheryl and her medical entourage were on their way to the 5th floor Labor and Delivery unit.  I was given the medical garb, and ushered to the OR within 15 minutes.

Today I'm officially in my 3rd trimester. Only 10 more weeks til our expected delivery @ week 37. So far we are hanging in there. There's been no change to our status aside from the growing pains I've been experiencing. We have a schedule follow-up ultrasound this Friday and I'm curious to see how much our little ones weigh. Thanks to Eric who visited last night and bought the twins' their very first pair of matching shoes. As the weeks close in we really have not had a chance to prepare for the babies. It's been hard enough juggling Brian's schedule to maintain the house, take care of the dogs, and still manage to be by my side everyday. I guess I'll be spending a lot of time shopping online :)

So happy to finally get a chance to visit with my (Vlasich) family.  In the photo above you'll see our newest edition Arden (11 mons). She has such a beautiul face and slight curls in her hair that are just adorable. Rylan, as you can see is just getting so big.  She brings so much joy to our family and always puts a smile on faces. This will probably be our last family photo before the twins arrive..... so hard to believe this-once very small family is growing quickly.
(This photo was taken just outside of Hoag 05/06/12 while I was enjoying my daily visit outside. I'm 26 weeks 6 days pregnant).

I enjoyed visiting with my friends Jen Mendez, LeeAnn & her son Ford this week. Jen's husband and my husband are the best of friends since grade school. Jen and I were first introduced in 2008 and the four of us since have been really close. So Brian and I are lucky to have them as friends. LeeAnn and I were roommates and she just gave birth to her son Ford in August. He was such a joy to be around. He has such a handsome face, gorgeous eyes and a sweet playful personality. It's exciting to know that one day soon we will be taking our kids out together for a play date. As for the babies, they are doing great thus far. It's a known fact our boy moves constantly but our little girl is building up her Strength and kicking and moving more and more each day like her brother. Lucky for me! :)

This week my sleeping schedule has been so off. I briefly fall asleep around 10pm then i'm woken up at 2am. It's only 4 short hours later that I'm woken up again at 6am to take my medication, at this point the sun is peering through my windows and I'm wide awake. I struggle all morning to get a nap in but I'm constantly being interrupted, by noon I'm exhausted. One of the reason I miss being on home bed rest is being able to take advantage of all this time I have to rest and sleep as much as I can now before the babies come. But it looks like I'll be here for at least another 6 weeks (til the babies are 32 weeks) then the doctors will consider sending me home on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy.

Week 26

It's the last week of my 2nd trimester and I'd like to say it went by just as quickly as the 1st but some unfortunate events occurred that landed me on bed rest half way thru. But in any case, we are grateful for ever week that goes by. I had the pleasure of having the infamous orange sugary glucose drink..... Yuck!!!!! It was like orange soda + red bull ... I thought the babies were going to jump out of my stomach after drinking it. Not to mention how mommy was feeling... I could barely contain myself, I thought I was going to barf. But, I remembered someone telling me that if I did I would have to start over- so I just grit my teeth and practically held my breath the whole time. I was able to get th results within 2 hours and thankfully my results came back negative for gestational diabetes. Yay! One last thing to worry about.