It’s hard to believe that almost four years have passed since that fateful day, but I can still picture it vividly. The room was dimly lit as I reclined on the examination table, and the technician squirted that warm goo all over my belly. Ugh! I absolutely detest that feeling. I leaned in closer and whispered, “Do you have any of that stuff that’s not warmed up?”
“What? Most people prefer it warm!” she replied, clearly baffled.
“Not me! It’s gross!”
“Wow, I’ve never heard that before,” she chuckled.
“Can we just get started?” I said, hoping to move past the discomfort.
Then came the plastic wand, jabbing and prodding my abdomen as sound waves bounced around inside me, capturing images on the monitor. The technician was focused, making thoughtful sounds as she examined the screen.
“What’s going on?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
“Is this your first sonogram?” she probed.
“Nope, I had a few with my first child,” I responded, blissfully unaware of the gravity of her tone.
“Um, I mean, is this your first one for this pregnancy? Do you know anything yet?”
“Oh, right! This is the first one for this pregnancy. We only know I’m pregnant. Ha ha!” I laughed, completely oblivious to the impending news.
“Okay, let’s have a look,” she said, moving the wand across my belly. “What do you see here?”
“The baby! That’s the head, the arm, the legs!” I gestured enthusiastically, my husband peering over my shoulder trying to catch a glimpse.
“Great,” the technician replied, shifting the wand to another spot. “And now?”
“Um, the baby turned?” I guessed, noticing the profile had changed.
“Nooooo.”
Big pause, a pregnant pause, perhaps?
“Two babies.”
“What?!” I shot up, wide-eyed in disbelief, staring at the poor technician as if she held the keys to the universe.
“I’m just the messenger,” she said, raising her hands in a defensive gesture.
“WHAT?!” I repeated, unable to process the information.
“Two babies.”
“HOW?” I stammered, my mind racing. “We just wanted a sibling for our daughter. Not TWO! I never wanted three kids! Three is an odd number! We’ll never fit at a table for four—there’s always one left out! Our house is too small for twins!”
As the shock washed over me, fear gripped my thoughts. “OMG, I’m going to have to feed two screaming babies at the same time! I barely managed with one!”
“Don’t worry,” she reassured me, “they’re fraternal twins.”
“Two eggs?” I echoed, processing this new reality.
“Yes, two eggs,” she confirmed.
“So this is my fault?” I asked, half-joking.
“What? There is no fault here. Just two babies,” she replied, slightly bemused.
“Yeah, I know that! But how? No twins run in our families!” I gestured to my husband, who remained eerily silent behind me.
“Well, it seems you’re 35, and as you age, your body is more likely to release multiple viable eggs,” she explained.
“Like rats off a sinking ship?” I joked, trying to alleviate the tension.
“Uh, sure!” she laughed, and I tried to settle back down for the rest of the exam.
Finally, I stumbled out of the clinic, still in shock, and called my sister. “You’re NEVER gonna believe what just happened.”
Even now, four years later, it’s still hard to wrap my head around it.
For those embarking on their own journey into motherhood, check out some amazing resources at WomensHealth.gov for vital pregnancy information, and if you’re considering home insemination, this blog is a must-read. And for a reliable artificial insemination kit, visit Make a Mom.
Summary:
In this heartfelt reflection, Jamie recounts the surprise of discovering she was expecting twins during a routine sonogram. Faced with overwhelming emotions and practical concerns about her growing family, the story captures the whirlwind of thoughts and feelings that accompany unexpected news. Jamie’s humorous and candid narrative reminds us that the journey to parenthood is often full of surprises.