When you find out you’re having TWINS….ALONE! Thanks, Covid

It was 8:00 on a Friday morning. I arrived on time wearing my mask and sat in the waiting room as I patiently waited for my name to be called. The first ultrasound of a pregnancy is always a little nerve-wracking. You got the positive test(s) at home, but you want that reassurance that your little blob on the screen is doing ok. My husband and I had discussed that it was a bummer that he couldn’t come, but no big deal…. this was our third rodeo.

My name was called, and I followed the tech to the first room on the right…it’s hard to forget now. Once we were ready to go I asked (even though I already knew the answer) if there was any way I could Facetime my husband so he could see the little guy or gal. She politely said “no” and the ultrasound began. Not one minute later she said the words I will never forget, “Do twins run in your family?” I immediately and boisterously responded NO! And she replied cheerfully, “Well they do now!”

As I stared at the TWO little blobs on the screen, the only words I could muster were “Oh my God” and “Holy sh*t!” I think I repeated each phrase several times over the next few minutes. So many thoughts began barreling through my brain. “How did this happen?!? “We don’t have any twins in our family.” “I’m going to have four kids.” I stared at the ceiling, getting hot and laughing deliriously, “really God?!”

I took the elevator upstairs, thankful my mask was covering most of my face because I could only imagine the look on it. I couldn’t just casually call my husband and tell him over the phone that we were not expecting baby number 3, we were expecting baby number 3 AND baby number 4. Sitting in the waiting room, my heart was pounding. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I was overcome with emotions. The nurse called me back and as she began to take my blood pressure, I burst into tears. She reassured me that everything would be okay while I reassured her that I was not crying because I was upset. Mom guilt is real even before your babies are born! Unsurprisingly, my blood pressure was higher than normal. This can occur when you’re having a mild panic attack if you didn’t know.

After I met with my doctor, I was sent to the lab for blood and urine samples, and after what felt like wayyy too long, my husband met me in the parking lot with lunch (I requested a cheeseburger and fries) before he went to his golf game. I had explained over the phone that it was necessary that I see him in person before he left, so he knew something was up. I handed over the ultrasound photo which clearly stated: “Baby A” and “Baby B” next to each little blob. I wish I would have recorded his face. His exact response was, “Are you sh*tting me?!” “We’re having twins?!” Then came that same delirious laughter I had heard from myself earlier.

Well, here we are several weeks later and already in the second trimester. I am excited and terrified all at the same time. I keep wondering how will we afford them? Will I ever sleep again? Am I going to need a C-section? And the list goes on. But ultimately, I feel extremely blessed. My boys are two and four, and they have brought me more joy than I ever knew was possible. Thinking of having two more beautiful babies around makes my heart swell. I know we will manage somehow, and one day we may even have a laugh about the day I found out I was pregnant with twins alone…. Thanks, COVID.