{Quad Squad} Fitting a Circle into a Square

Welcome to Day 25 of my lovely hospital stay. I can't believe it's been nearly a month—it has not gone by fast or anything, I just can't believe I've held out this long! If all goes well, I've got another month to go. Blech, I can hardly think about it. Tomorrow, Day 26 ironically enough, I hit 26 weeks, another big milestone on our goal list. From there, I intend to focus on the 14 days to get me to 28 (a fantastic point to reach with these quads and a huge improvement in their birth and health statistics). Then from there, I'll take a big breath to hopefully get me another 14 days to 30 weeks.

That said, I've been completely exhausted all week. My stomach is weighing more than 15 pounds, I'm guessing, and it's becoming really difficult to roll over in bed, get up and down for bathroom breaks and so on. Things seem to have shifted in my body, the pregnancy has truly become a strain on me. I know it sounds weird, because everyone assumes growing quadruplets isn't easy. And they're right. But it's been bearable up till now and really not as bad as I thought (other than the first four months I was deathly sick!). But this is a new kind of struggle I'm experiencing as my body now truly begins to push its limits, I can feel it. My stomach is so big and stretched so tight and the quads are becoming bigger and stronger and are pushing and shoving around in there. It's like trying to fit a circle into a square hole, there's just not enough give! Their moving around sometimes triggers contractions, and for the most part drinking water, staying calm and laying on my side helps keep the contractions smaller in number. But yesterday I had more contractions on and off then I'd had in awhile, and my stomach never felt like it relaxed at all. The tightness and discomfort that I get when I do feel contractions (no real pain yet) just never really went away. I feel it's a combination of me getting farther along and my body running out of room as the babies get bigger and my stomach struggles to keep up. 

After talking with my doctor this morning, they've upped my mag IV to 2mg/hour. I'm hoping I adjust to this okay and don't get as sick as I did last time. I'm sure I'll feel like total crap by this afternoon and through the weekend, but I'm bound and determined to give it my best shot. I assume we'll have to continue to increase the mag at certain intervals when the contractions start becoming prominent, it can certainly be what carries me through to 26 weeks for now. I can also take Indocin as needed if things heat up, but it's only good for 48 hours at a time—so we don't want to burn through that too frequently if it can be helped. Sort of like saving the reserves for the heat of the battle, type thing.

My mom has been here this week, which is always really nice. Something about moms just makes us feel better. She is so great helping me in and out of bed, fixing meals, filling my water, chatting when I'm awake, updating family and running interference with the 50 people that come by my room every day from hospital reps to food delivery and chaplains to lactation consultants. You can read her latest blog posts here and here.

I did have another big highlight in my week. My dog, Jersey, came to visit!!! I was sooooo excited to see her, it had been 23 days at the time and watching her come walking down the hall was the sweetest sight. A program at the hospital helps arrange for pet and owner visits and made it very easy for us to get her trip set up. My husband picked her up after work, a volunteer met them at the door and they made their way up to my room. I swear for a few seconds she didn't recognize me with that big bump on the front of my stomach! But after inspecting the whole room, she was quite happy to sit with me and get some lovin'. I fed her apple pieces and eventually she rolled over and laid down on her back, sticking all her feet up in the air, as is her typical lady-like fashion. Love my baby dog!!

She did so great in such strange surroundings and was happy to love on everybody and hang out with her momma. It truly was the perfect pick-me-up and I just couldn't believe she was in my hospital room!

Speaking of adorable animals, have I told you the story of my Cheap Ass Easter Bunny? The first week I was in the hospital, I wanted to have some flowers in my room that were a really bright color. It just seemed so lifeless in there. (Now I've got beautiful arrangements that friends have sent, and I love looking at them every day!) But my husband was always coming to the hospital straight from work and didn't really have enough time to find a grocery store or flower shop, plus he was always loaded down with stuff so carrying a vase wasn't quite feasible. So one day he stopped off to grab some food supplies at a nearby grocery store on his way and all their Easter stuff was 50% off. He saw this little purple bunny at quite the bargain and grabbed it for me. Now, y'all have to realize I'm not a stuffed animal kind of girl. While I admittedly enjoy pretty bouquets of blooms, I don't do girly gifts and typically definitely not stuffed animals!

I was in a mood when he tossed it on my bed that evening and I said, "What the hell is this? Why do I need a rabbit?!" He said he figured it was a bright color and would maybe work instead of flowers. "Ah," I said. "It was on sale because it's an Easter bunny. That's why you bought it!" He laughed and admitted it sort of was but still figured it'd be a nice gesture, but knew I probably wouldn't be crazy about it and we could set it aside.

Well, folks, that little bunny has sat on my dang bed ever since. I've cried into its head, I've cuddled with it at night and I use it to shield my eyes when the nurse has to put in a new IV and I can't bear to look. The husband likes to give me a hard time for hanging on to it so much and I give him a hard time for the reason he bought it. So the little stuffed animal has earned it's proper name: Cheap Ass Easter Bunny.

Week 26, rolling on...


  1. You are adorable! And so is Mike!!

  2. Too funny!
    You are so cute!
    Don't know how you stay so pert at this stage, but you do.

  3. Just saying hello, enjoyed the post, love you beautiful dog....I whispered that if he's like ours he doesn't really know that's what he is! And I wanted to say, wow, you are doing great! Keep up the good rest! I'll be thinking of you'll and keeping you in my prayers....a friend in East Texas, Pam.

  4. Just stopping by to say Hello and keep up the good work Momma. So glad you got to have a visit with your fur-baby, she is beautiful and can tell she was happy to see you. Sherri (Mom to 3 Basset Hounds)

  5. Hi Amber. My name is Katherene, and you don't know me, but I know Summer (I'm Sabrina's cousin), and so that's how I "know" you. Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that I've been following you here on your blog since I learned about your pregnancy, and I am holding you and those babies so close in my heart. (And your husband, as well - I know how much he's carrying as well while you're kept safe in the hospital.) I am always amazed at how well you keep your spirits up, and love that you write so well - makes following your journey all that more wonderful. And how is it that you look so beautiful in every picture while you're in that hospital on bed rest feeling so miserable?! That's its own small miracle - bed rest ain't supposed to be so pretty as you make it look. So happy you're just around the corner from 26 weeks. And my husband and I are both rooting for every day you can get past that. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you've got support where you didn't even know you had it, and we send lots of love your way, and most of all to those precious, cramped little babies! Hang in there!

  6. I can not believe that you are only two weeks away from 28 weeks! You are doing great and you look amazing for being on day 25 of hospital time. I am scared for those days of being just plain uncomfortable. I remember having them with my twins but it didn't start until about 37 weeks. I would stand in the shower and have my own pity party. I know those days are coming much sooner this time around and I hate them. Nothing worse than needing to pee but knowing its going to take Mount Everest to climb just getting out of bed. Hang in there and if the bunny becomes a punching bag so be it. I look so forward to each of your blog post. Happy 26 weeks tomorrow!!

  7. Hi Amber! I worked with Summer (some time ago). Been checking your story occasionally - you are doing amazing! Have they allowed you to swim in a pool? I only carried one baby at a time but it was sooooo nice to submerse the big belly, it relieves the gravitational weight. Just a thought, if there's a body of water available...
    keep up the good work! Melody VanHorn

  8. You are one amazing Lady!!
    You look fantastic for being in the hospital so long, your Jersey is adorable and so well trained my doggy would have left a trail of puddles, and your sense of humor is great, those little ones are sooooo lucky!!
    Hey it is always good to have a "Cheap ass" friend" I would hang on to that bunny it is something special:)
    Continued prayers that you get to 28 weeks!!

  9. "Cheap Ass Easter Bunny" LOL
    Love it.



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