21 Weeks Pregnant with Twins + Severe Round Ligament Pain

Today I am 21 weeks and 3 days pregnant with twins (a boy AND a girl, yay!!) and last night around 4:30 am I woke up crying out in pain. The pain was coming in waves, and lasted for about 20 to 30 minutes. It would die down then flare up again, all in my lower abdomen. I could feel babies kicking and moving all over the place.

My husband, mostly annoyed that I had woken him up with my cries of pain (his cranky butt had gotten up at 5:30 the previous morning to take his mother to the airport) says, "well you aren't in labor are you?"... um really? This is my first pregnancy. And it's twins. HOW THE HELL WOULD I KNOW IF I WAS IN LABOR???!!! So Dr. Hubby looked on the internet and said he believed it was just round ligament pain and told me to toughen up* (*note: this was a mean thing to say. He thinks it's funny to tease me till I get pissed off me because he thinks I have a temper... and apparently he somehow finds humor in it. However, I do not think it was an appropriate statement to make at that exact time. So I made him rub my belly and back after that until I was able to fall asleep. Hmph.)

This morning I called my doctor's office and asked the nurse if this was normal, to which she replied, "most definitely not". She called back a few hours later (why the rush?) and said the doctor believes it was round ligament pain which presented itself in a very severe manner.

Well freaking great. I am so sore it isn't even funny. My entire lower abdomen has never been so sore. My back hurts. I have an all over unpleasant feeling. It hurts to go up and down the stairs. It hurt to carry a gallon of milk. When I walk around it feels like things are just going to fall out. So I asked the doctor what I could do for the pain and I was given these exciting tips:

1. Take Tylenol, up to extra strength (which she said if I only had regular strength I could take up to 3 which would equal extra strength.

2. I can use a heating pad on the very lowest setting for 15 minute increments... so on for 15 minutes and off for 15 minutes rotation.

3. Apparently the way I am sleeping can be a factor, so I can utilize a wedge pillow OR try sleeping on the couch if it is comfortable (which it is not). I have been sleeping only on my left side pretty much, which she said when we sleep in bed with someone we tend to sleep facing away from them on whatever side of the bed is ours. She said people find on the couch it is easier to wedge the pillows in front and back and get more comfortable.

We have a "red neck" sofa as my mother likes to call it. It reclines, it vibrates, it heats, has reading lights, cup holders, and a slide out drawer with storage for your remote controls with a built in beer cooler. It is the best couch on earth in every single way... unless you want to sleep on it. There are too many metal components underneath that are not comfy whilst lying down across the couch cushions (as opposed to sitting in recliner position).

Interesting note on the way hubby and I are sleeping though... I was told that basically I would have so many pillows around me to be comfortable that I would be taking up about 3/4 of the bed and hubby would barely have any space. Apparently he didn't get the memo. I wake up all the time to see him sprawled out on my pillows with his elbow in my face, and etc. I have to push him back to his side! lmao!

4. The nurse said that most of the pain is probably due to the rapid amount of stretching and extra pressure being put on me by having two babies in there... so she recommended that I get one of these ultra super sexy contraptions...

It's You Babe Best Cradle, Small (90-165 Pounds)

It is called the "Prenatal Cradle." She said you wear it during the day for extra support for the tummy and back and take it off at night. My husband is picking me up one on his way home from work. Frankly, I don't care how overly sexy it is as long as it takes the pain away. :) We will see how this goes...