Just Because I'm Having Twins...

Lately, I am finding myself thanking God for allowing me to "beat the odds" by remaining pregnant yet another week.  Careless assumptions and over-zealous doctors' orders could easily make a mother-of-twins-to-be begin to feel doomed--doomed to a cesarean, doomed to a premature delivery, doomed to a stay in the NICU.  Realistically, yes, these outcomes seem to occur more frequently for twins than for singletons.  But what is the point of being so pessimistic, as if it isn't a natural or blessed thing to have twins?  I get so tired of the assumption that I will indefinitely deliver early just because I'm having twins, that I will indefinitely need/want a repeat cesarean just because I'm having twins, that things will indefinitely go awry at the 38-week mark (if I'm one of the "lucky" ones to make it that far) just because I'm having twins.

I feel like the whole of this pregnancy has been treated differently just because I'm having twins.  Routine ultrasounds every two to four weeks; routine non-stress tests every week; and talk of trying to make it to 33 weeks, hoping to make it to 36 weeks, and not being allowed to make it past 38 weeks all make me wonder why this pregnancy is treated like a rare, unnatural, risky thing... just because I'm having twins.

Don't get me wrong.  A part of me looks forward to seeing my babies so frequently via ultrasound, and all of me is reassured when my ultrasounds and non-stress tests testify to the favorable growth and development and health of my babies.  But at the same time, a part of me longs to be treated like this pregnancy is the natural, blessed thing that I know it is.  (Many of you have indeed encouraged me in this manner, and for your prayers and optimistic support I am so thankful!  It's really just the general treatment of a twin pregnancy of which I speak, so please forgive my blanket statements.)

Thankfully, my hope and trust is not in the careless assumptions of man or in the (what at times seems to be) over-zealous protocol of doctors.  Instead, my hope and trust is in the God who opened my womb and filled it with two blessings, who hears my prayers, and who already knows the end of the story.  It is from Him my joy and optimism come, for I know that His character and His plan does not change just because I'm having twins.