Chapter 20 - Birth and What's Next

~Jan 16 cont~
We drive to the hospital, get a wheelchair, and get checked in. This process provides me with a 268-pound measurement I will have to tell Mary later, showing she stuffed me with nearly 3 extra pounds of food.

After a few hours of nurses staring at my belly while in labor, our babies arrive well overdue. Annabelle weighs 8 lbs 2 oz and Xander weighs 8 lbs 10 oz, almost 17 pounds of babies, and much larger than average for twins. The nurses and doctors were blown away I was able to carry past term and safely deliver 2 babies each the size of a regular full-term newborn. Both babies suckled my breasts the instant they smelled my milk. The doctor at least allows me immediate skin-to-skin which gives me time to bond with my precious babies, helping me to put aside the fact my birth plan wasn't as planned.

We are discharged the next day and I receive stares carrying 2 huge babies wearing 3-month-old outfits as they wheel me to the car. I feel tremendously lighter but my stomach is still massive, reminding me how long it takes for it to deflate. We arrive home, greeted with joy and excitement by Zeke, Abel, and Mary. I lay down to rest after showing off the twins.

It's been a week and the babies are going for their first check-up. Jason took Zeke to school this morning so I could rest and focus on the babies and myself. I step on the scale for the first time since going into labor, scared but excited to see without assistance what it says. "243? Wow, didn't expect that," I think. "I gained 110 lbs plus 3 pounds of Mary's stuffing me with food, but that means I've lost 25 pounds in 1 week. I don't have the ravenous appetite I used to but I'm making plenty of milk at least. I'll just take it slow and eat as I'm hungry. As long as the babies are gaining weight and are healthy that's what matters."

The appointment goes well and the babies are healthy. After the appointment, they started to fuss so I sit in the waiting area and nurse them on my full I-cup breasts. The relief was much needed as I'm overproducing milk and constantly feeling engorged. I needed to special order a nursing bra online because they didn't carry my size in the few stores that reopened. I drive home, not even craving a donut and boba with the chilly January weather.

I had Chasity come over and take newborn photos of the twins when they turned 4 weeks old. She really enjoys photography and I loved the way she edited my maternity photos, so I wanted her to capture Annabelle and Xander, and Zeke being sweet with his new siblings.

By our 6-week checkups, Jason was back working from home. The time he spent at home allowed me time to relax and take care of the babies, and he took Zeke to school in the mornings. We've still been eating out a lot as I'm just now starting to feel like myself again. We talked about me going back to work just as a formality and putting in my 2 weeks shortly after, realizing we didn't want to pay for daycare for 3 kids just so I can have all my income go there. I wanted to spend more time with Annabelle and Xander than I did after Zeke, feeling forced into taking him to daycare. Jason's job has allowed us to have a comfortable lifestyle and I need to embrace it.

At the checkups, the babies were growing well and healthy in the upper percentiles. The pediatrician mentioned pacing their bottles and I reminded them they're exclusively breastfed so they're growing solely off my milk. I then went to my 6-week postpartum checkup where the nurses didn't recognize me without the belly. I mean, I still have a lot of extra weight, but I'm not as wide as the door and unable to walk. I step on the scale, scared to see. "228" the nurse says almost confused. I am, too, calculating that I've managed to lose 40 lbs since birth so far. I know a lot of it was the normal weight loss afterward, but I guess not gorging myself all the time has helped me lose weight quickly. My doctor appears impressed and tells me I'm healing well, especially considering how large my babies were. She advises another 2 weeks before having sex but to "keep up the good work." Those words left me with mixed feelings as I buckle the babies into the car.

I tell Jason how the appointments went when we get home, telling him 2 more weeks but I don't know if I'll be feeling well about myself by then. He assures me I'm beautiful and he loves me no matter what. I'm very uncomfortable with my loose skin and sagging stomach, but I'm trying to allow myself grace and understanding. Part of me almost wishes I was still pregnant so I could enjoy my big round belly and the attention some more.

When the twins turned 2 months old, I returned to work and shortly after I put in my 2-week notice. Working from home has been great but I won't be able to handle the workload while also taking care of the babies most days, even with Jason's help. I take the babies on walks in a double stroller to get out of the house and bring Zeke for an afternoon walk around the block. I was technically on bed rest but also too big to really move for so long I have the need to stay out and about now. I don't have any desire to fully exercise, but I'm a busybody and need to just keep moving. I guess that has helped me shed some weight, too.

At 3 months old, Mary and Abel came by to spend some time with all of us.

"You're so thin!" Mary exclaims as she sees me on the couch breastfeeding both babies on pillows.

"Oh, goodness, no! I'm still way overweight."

"You gave birth to twins, April," Mary says as she sits next to me. "Compared to where you were just 3 months ago, you appear to have dropped nearly a whole person."

"Thank you," I say flattered. "I'm about 215 right now, so I've lost about 50 pounds without the constant ravenous hunger I used to have, and I think breastfeeding has helped me a little this time. Last time I couldn't lose weight while nursing Zeke. But my chest is twice the size as it was."

"Yeah, your boobs are humongous! No wonder these babies are so well-fed," Mary smiles. We talk for a while longer before Mary brings up the surrogacy offer. "We don't want to rush you or anything. I just wanted to see when you'd be able to go in for an exam with the doctor and get more information since the process will take some time anyway."

"I'll have to see when Jason can watch the kids, but I'll also probably need to lose more weight to even be an option, won't I?"

"Not much," Mary says. "You'd be surprised how lenient some doctors are these days, knowing more women have some extra meat on their bones."

"Well, I'll coordinate with you and see. I'm finally starting to feel myself again and getting into a full routine with 3 kids. I miss my baby bump sometimes honestly, and all the attention it garnered."

"Understandable. You had an amazing, breathtaking baby bump. I'd love to see you with it again."

"Well, we'll have to see how the process takes because I was only that massive because of the twins."

"Yes, of course. We'll set something up. We love you and appreciate you being willing to give us the gift of parenthood, April."

"Of course," I say. "I'm very fertile based on what doctors have told me, and I'm capable of carrying babies. Plus, I'm no longer working so I'm more available in that regard and less stressed these days."

"Oh, that reminds me, I brought over some veggie lasagna. I remember how much you liked it and I wanted to make sure you're eating enough. I'm going to make sure you're being well-fed when you're pregnant with our baby."

"I wouldn't expect anything different," I chuckle, thinking of Mary bringing food every weekend and checking in on me so often it's almost annoying. I smile for the future of what this situation has brought and will bring. Jason and I are closer than ever, and Mary and Abel have been supportive and active in our lives. The next chapter is just around the corner, and I think about how my next pregnancy will be.



Note: I will be creating a separate story continued from this one about April being a surrogate for Mary and Abel. April gets her wish of being pregnant again, and Mary gets to keep April full and will get a child out of the ordeal.