Welcome Tyler and Sydney

		Tyler Gavin McGrath		Sydney Bryn McGrath
Birthday:		01/23/2006 (1:25 a.m.)		01/23/2006 (1:37 a.m.)
Weight:		7 lbs 12 oz		6 lbs 1 oz
Length:		21 inches		20 inches

To see more pictures of these two, please visit:

http://amcgrath.zoto.com/galleries

(The password to view each set of photos is that specific month, all lower case)

Inside the OR

The operating room was going to be our birthing room. This was due to the possible complications that exist during twin deliveries. We were not expecting any, but we were there just in case.

Pushing lasted less than an hour and went very well! Stacy did an amazing job and Tyler was born first at 1:25 a.m. Monday morning. He was placed on Stacy's stomach and given a quick once over. His body was covered with a thick white coating (vernix) which is fairly common for newborns.

Adjacent to the OR was a second room where a couple of baby warmers were set up. After I cut the umbilical cord, I followed Tyler into this room for his first evaluation (APGAR). Back in the OR, the team had already begun getting Stacy ready for the second delivery, taking the time to perform an ultrasound to make sure that the second baby hadn't turned into a breech position.

After a brief visit with his mom, it was my job to take Tyler to the nursery. I managed to get just outside the entrance, where we briefly greeted Stacy's parents, before being quickly hauled back into the OR for the second delivery. Sydney, much smaller than her older brother, was not about to wait!

Sydney was born at 1:37 a.m. - just 12 minutes behind her brother.

Scrubs...

...my first change of clothes in 3 days, was a welcome change since this meant we had reached the magic 10 cm and the first baby was on it's way!

Happy Times Return!

After several hours, it was once again time to assess our progress. With active labor well under way, we were expecting some pretty significant changes. Unfortunately, that was just wishful thinking. Stacy had only gained a cm. We were now half way there, but there was still along road a head of us.

After some careful consideration, we decided now would be the time to get an epidural to ease the pain of the contractions. It made a night and day difference for Stacy as misery turned to relaxation. I think it helped us all relax a little.

The Show must go on!

The hospital is not a place to go if you want to get some rest! We made a valiant effort to get some sleep, but if it wasn't the babies falling off the ever-present monitor, it was a nurse needing some lab work or Stacy's temperature. We managed about 5 hours of sleep before it was time to start the Pitocin again.

So it is now Sunday and most of us thought the babies would be here by now. If the twins are not getting the picture yet, they are about to know we mean business. After several hours and much of the same slow progress (about a cm dilation after 4-6 hours), we decide it was time to break the waters and really kick this party up a notch! And believe me, once this happened there was a change. Stacy went right into active labor and where there were light contractions before, now came the contractions people talk about when they describe labor. Stacy was no longer talking, the TV was turned off and the rest of us (me, our doula and the nurse) tried to make her as comfortable as possible.

My Kingdom for a Bed

By 8:30 a.m., we were in the room we'd call home for the next 24+ hours. Two hours later, Stacy was receiving Pitocin [labor inducing drug] intravenously and we were on our way!

The induction process is a much slower process than I imagined; which has its good and bad points. Introducing the drug slowly into Stacy's system was good. Every woman responds differently to the medication, so it was important to increase the dosage a small amount every few minutes to achieve the desired contraction strength. The bad part about this is that it took all day.

In addition, the babies had to be constantly monitored to ensure the contractions weren't stressing them out. For the babies this was great, but for mom and the rest of us it was a continuous annoyance trying to keep them under surveillance.

Saturday ended and we had gained some ground but not as much as we'd hoped. To be in top form for the delivery, we opted to stop the Pitocin for the night and get some rest. We would try again in the morning.

Induction Day: PM

Well, the time has sort of arrived. We were advised by our doctor to arrive at the hospital at 8 p.m. for an NST (non-stress test). They still don't have any free beds, but the idea is that our presence will hopefully be enough to magically free something up.

Unfortunately, by 10 p.m. it was clear that nothing would be free. However, our doctor did talk the overnight nurse into letting us stay the night in the observation room. This would set us up to be first in line in the morning for a room. So, the trip was not wasted.

Since no real inducing would be happening, it opened up the opportunity for me to spend one last night at home before the real fun begins. I felt some guilt as I left, but both Stacy and I agreed it was the right decision, considering what was in store the following day.

Induction Day: AM

January 20th...Our induction day has arrived! Excitedly, we awake at 5 a.m. to call the hospital (as instructed) to see when they have scheduled us to come in. Of course, 5 a.m. is right in the middle of a shift change, and the person who does the scheduling has not yet arrived. We are told to expect a call later this morning. So it is back to sleep as best we can.

Around 11 a.m., having still not heard from the hospital, we decide to call. Unfortunately the news is not very good. While they are doing their best to get us in, it does not look like there will be an open bed until 8 p.m. when few of the current patients will be discharged. We are told to expect a call to confirm around 3 p.m.

So, more chilling out on the couch until then -- I think we'll pop in a DVD while we wait.

Still Pregnant???

It's true. I'm still pregnant! Yesterday was the date we told everyone they would be here by, but we decided to push it off a little. We cancelled our Tuesday induction in hopes that with a few extra days they would come on their own.

Well, I am getting the impression that we could give them another 2 weeks and we would still have to induce! Since two more weeks is out of the question, we scheduled an induction for Friday, January 20th. Assuming everything goes well, they should be here either Friday or Saturday.

Wish us luck!

Week 37 Photo

Wow, I can't believe we actually got to week 37. We are getting pretty impatient at this point, and I have been out mall walking several times. If we make it to our doctors appointment on Thursday, we will probably have to schedule a date for them to induce labor.

There are still a few of you who are in the running for guessing the correct birth date. Be sure to have the names ready (ha!)

Week 36 Already?

I just wanted to acknowledge one of our final milestones. Today is officially the start of week 37! With 36 weeks behind us, we have reached the stage in which Twin development is essentially complete (meaning all vital systems are ready and available for life outside the womb). Now all they are doing is gaining weight! By our estimates, they should both be in the 6 lb range now, which I am proud to say is above average for Twins (way to go Stacy).

As Stacy has mentioned, we are both very anxious and excited to greet and get to know these babies. The days we guessed they would arrive have come and gone. There is not much more for us to do: the room is ready, the suitcase is packed, and now we wait. (I can hardly stand it!)

Nursery

I have been wanting to post pictures of the nursery for a while, but I never felt like it is *quite done*. Well, it is now! It is a very cozy room, which the dogs love to hang out in...for now. I don't think it will have the same appeal once there are a couple of crying babies taking up residence there. You never know though. Maybe our babies won't cry :)

I also wanted to highlight the paintings my very talented mother whipped up one afternoon. Very cute!