The kids make me laugh out loud a bazillion times a day with their witty observations and funny sayings. Sometimes they'll apply knowledge to a completely new circumstance with hilarious results. Or mispronounce something and be unintentionally funny.
They're also starting to say rather embarrassing things when we're out in public, which I'm sure will only intensify as the months go by.
Hooray for talkative 2-year olds. As you can tell by these quotes, it's been a lot of fun lately.
-- May sayings --
Ada's recap of a friend's 3rd birthday party, "I rode the roller toaster. Fast. Many times."
An older gentleman brought his granddaughter to the play area. Emma immediately noticed his black eyepatch and said (loudly), "The grandpa is wearing an eyepatch." I said, "Yes, yes, he is" while trying to think how best to respond and explain. Before I could get another word out, Julia shouts from across the play area, "He must be a pirate!"
Driving around the other day, Julia said to the oncoming traffic, "Truck, please give us space!" (She says this to her sisters when they bug her.)
We were admiring dogs at the dog park, when Emma looked at her sisters approvingly and said, "We're a pack of sisters." This one makes me feel all warm and fuzzy everytime I think of it.
Julia was batting her eyelids and said, "My eyes are feathering."
Ada, "Hooray! Mamma back from libwawy. New books. So 'cited (excited)." May it forever be this easy to bring joy to my children.
Julia is singing, "Little red caboose chug chug chug..." Emma says, "Julia, can you sing quietly?"
One of the little people passed gas. "Oh, that was a loud burp. Say 'scuse me!" says Julia to her sister, who shall remain unnamed.
Julia was pretend playing with a little plastic dinosaur and I overheard her say in a funny voice as if the dino is talking: "I'm a dinosaur. I can poop in the wild." We're not potty training yet, because I want to wait until after we move. However, there's been lots of conversations about animals and humans, and who does what where.
-- April sayings --
Trio in the bathtub filled with bubbles and Julia says, "Let's have a snowball fight!" I nixed the fun just as she smeared a handful of "snow" over Emma's face, and Ada simultaneously targeted Julia's eyes. Cue chaos!
Julia is jumping and falling in their play tent, surrounded by soft toys. I ask, "What are you doing?" She says, "I'm rocking and rolling" as she takes a tumble.
At bedtime, a friend asked Emma what she plans to dream about. "Old hat, new hat?" asks my friend, based on The Berenstain Bear book they just read. "Chocolate," answers Emma emphatically.
-- February --
Kids are waking up, chatting in the nursery. I'm standing in the hallway, just listening. I hear, "No way!" from Julia. "No way!" says Ada. "Yes way!" says Emma.
There have been many, many more, but I'm usually too busy to write them all down.
Showing posts with label GGG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GGG. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sleep glorious sleep
Our little Ada slept 7 hours straight last night, from 11 to 7. Oh, the joy. She fusses and gives her colicky cry for a few hours before she goes to bed, but once she's asleep, it's bliss!
I'm feeling indescribably excited and hopeful about longer sleep cycles in our near future. These past few months have been wonderful, but the sleep deprivation is a doozy. It impairs my ability to function and steals the joy of interacting with them. Having my energy and zest back would be lovely.
Now if we can only get Ms Ada to repeat this feat - sans the 4 hours of crying that precedes the sleeping - and get the other two peanuts to follow suit, we'll be the happiest parents in the whole wide world. We're close. I can feel it.
It all began a few weeks ago when I noticed they weren't all that hungry when I was trying to feed them at night. They'd dreamfeed and each drink about half of their bottle, but weren't interested in more. I didn't force the issue, hoping they were starting to wean themselves of the 2 am feed and knowing that ultimately we'd want them to go without eating at night.
The next step was letting them go (sort of) "on demand" at night. Instead of waking the first one after 3 hours, we'd wait until one woke up and then feed them all. We noticed it was always Julia waking up first. It seemed Emma and Ada would sleep longer if we let them. Here's the rub, though. If you have triplets, you don't want to be up every single hour through the night feeding a baby, so it's a tricky scenario knowing when to let them go.
To figure out what kind of stretch each baby was capable of sleeping, I stayed up the first part of one night (11-2) and Dh the second part (2-5). Turns out, Emma and Julia could go 4 hours, and Ada 5 hours. Armed with this knowledge, we feed them all at 11 pm, then expect Julia and Emma to wake around 3 am. We let Ada sleep from 11 am until she wakes up, which was 4 am two nights ago, 5 am yesterday and 6 am today! She's definitely making huge progress. It will probably be another few weeks before Emma and Julia are able to go longer - they have some catching up to do weight-wise.
Here are a few tips I think have helped us:
- We've been actively waking them up at the same time every morning, regardless of what happens during the night.
- They're at the point now where they don't cry for food the minute they wake up, so it's starting to be possible to wake them simultaneously and get them situated in bouncy seats, boppy pillows, swings, etc. and then feed them one by one.
- We keep them on a 3-hour schedule during the day, and encourage them to eat as much as possible. Ultimately, we'll try to add in any ounces they "miss" during the night to their day feeds.
- I've noticed that they want to eat less in the morning (8-11 am), and then slowly eat more per feed as the day progresses. They are *hungry* when the sun goes down. Sometimes it feels like I'm feeding them all every 90 minutes from 5-9 pm, but I guess it's because they're gearing up to sleep through the night. Since they're struggling with reflux, eating large amounts at a time is still challenging for them.
- We dreamfeed them for all of their night feeds - from 8 pm to 8 am.
- The lights are kept very low at night (we can barely see!) This goes for the living room where we feed them, the bathroom where we change them, and their bedroom.
- We keep them snuggled in a blanket during their feed and "handle" them as little as possible. I hold them and burp them, but do a gentler version at night.
- We don't talk to them when it's "sleep" time. I whisper a few words when I pick them up and lay them down, but not in an excited tone of voice.
- We change diapers at 11 pm, but not during the wee hours of the night (unless there's a little stinker!) My dh has installed a small LED nightlight in the bathroom. It emits just enough light to change a diaper without waking them up.
- At night, we change diapers before feeding them. That way, they can fall asleep after the diaper change, during/after eating without being disturbed again. Works like a charm!
If you have more tips on how to get us a good night's sleep, please delurk to leave a comment.
I'm feeling indescribably excited and hopeful about longer sleep cycles in our near future. These past few months have been wonderful, but the sleep deprivation is a doozy. It impairs my ability to function and steals the joy of interacting with them. Having my energy and zest back would be lovely.
Now if we can only get Ms Ada to repeat this feat - sans the 4 hours of crying that precedes the sleeping - and get the other two peanuts to follow suit, we'll be the happiest parents in the whole wide world. We're close. I can feel it.
It all began a few weeks ago when I noticed they weren't all that hungry when I was trying to feed them at night. They'd dreamfeed and each drink about half of their bottle, but weren't interested in more. I didn't force the issue, hoping they were starting to wean themselves of the 2 am feed and knowing that ultimately we'd want them to go without eating at night.
The next step was letting them go (sort of) "on demand" at night. Instead of waking the first one after 3 hours, we'd wait until one woke up and then feed them all. We noticed it was always Julia waking up first. It seemed Emma and Ada would sleep longer if we let them. Here's the rub, though. If you have triplets, you don't want to be up every single hour through the night feeding a baby, so it's a tricky scenario knowing when to let them go.
To figure out what kind of stretch each baby was capable of sleeping, I stayed up the first part of one night (11-2) and Dh the second part (2-5). Turns out, Emma and Julia could go 4 hours, and Ada 5 hours. Armed with this knowledge, we feed them all at 11 pm, then expect Julia and Emma to wake around 3 am. We let Ada sleep from 11 am until she wakes up, which was 4 am two nights ago, 5 am yesterday and 6 am today! She's definitely making huge progress. It will probably be another few weeks before Emma and Julia are able to go longer - they have some catching up to do weight-wise.
Here are a few tips I think have helped us:
- We've been actively waking them up at the same time every morning, regardless of what happens during the night.
- They're at the point now where they don't cry for food the minute they wake up, so it's starting to be possible to wake them simultaneously and get them situated in bouncy seats, boppy pillows, swings, etc. and then feed them one by one.
- We keep them on a 3-hour schedule during the day, and encourage them to eat as much as possible. Ultimately, we'll try to add in any ounces they "miss" during the night to their day feeds.
- I've noticed that they want to eat less in the morning (8-11 am), and then slowly eat more per feed as the day progresses. They are *hungry* when the sun goes down. Sometimes it feels like I'm feeding them all every 90 minutes from 5-9 pm, but I guess it's because they're gearing up to sleep through the night. Since they're struggling with reflux, eating large amounts at a time is still challenging for them.
- We dreamfeed them for all of their night feeds - from 8 pm to 8 am.
- The lights are kept very low at night (we can barely see!) This goes for the living room where we feed them, the bathroom where we change them, and their bedroom.
- We keep them snuggled in a blanket during their feed and "handle" them as little as possible. I hold them and burp them, but do a gentler version at night.
- We don't talk to them when it's "sleep" time. I whisper a few words when I pick them up and lay them down, but not in an excited tone of voice.
- We change diapers at 11 pm, but not during the wee hours of the night (unless there's a little stinker!) My dh has installed a small LED nightlight in the bathroom. It emits just enough light to change a diaper without waking them up.
- At night, we change diapers before feeding them. That way, they can fall asleep after the diaper change, during/after eating without being disturbed again. Works like a charm!
If you have more tips on how to get us a good night's sleep, please delurk to leave a comment.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Almost four months
The girls are doing beautifully. The joy and rewards have increased a million fold these past few weeks. They are now interacting with us on a consistent basis. They recognize us. I don't know why this surprises me so much, but they KNOW me.
I know they know me, and have known they would know me from the moment I fell pregnant, but it is different to see the recognition in their facial expressions. I never knew I had the power to make another human being light up the way they do when I walk in the room. It is humbling and joyful. It makes me feel like a mom, complete with that overwhelming sense of responsibility. Their vulnerability, and the expectation in their expressions, are simultaneously wonderful and terrifying.
These first few months with preemie triplets, who are all refluxing and colicky, have been much harder than I anticipated. The hardest part is not having the quality time with each of my children that I had dreamed about. Every snuggle with one means two others are missing out. I take turns to chat with each, to play with each, to feed and cuddle each of my babies, but it is always interrupted by another baby who is crying louder or needs me more. I relish the "stolen" moments when two are asleep and I can cuddle just one at a time. Of course, these moments also come at a cost, because we're trying to keep them on a schedule to save our sanity.
Much of our time is spent trying to feed them. They're growing nicely - to the tune of 12, 10 and 9 pounds each. Despite being in the midst of reflux hell, sleep deprivation, and the continuous "feed-cry-burp-cry-diaper-cry-sleep-cry" repeat cycle, the monotony is suddenly interspersed with these goofy, nose-creasing, gummy smiles that make my heart bounce. Their smiles are like booster shots of joy and energy for my depleted shell of a body. I continue to express more than 2 liters of milk a day (~66 oz) and although it's been exhausting to keep up the pumping schedule, I know this is what's best for them.
I laugh out loud with them dozens of times a day because they're so precious and they know it. They coo and make gargly baby noises, kick excitedly and slap at their dangling toys. We've even heard an audible giggle from Ada (Baby A). Our "firstborn" is the most high maintenance and demanding. Everything is high intensity with her. Her cries are blood curdling - like a smoke alarm you simply can't ignore - and her smiles are disarmingly sweet. She's my little firecracker, blazing through the night until 2 am when she finally collapses and then sleeps so soundly that I keep wanting to ask her, "Now was that really so hard, munchkin?" A few nights now, she has slept five hours straight. She's on the cusp of actually sleeping through the night, which fills me with tremendous hope.
Julia (Baby B) is the strongest physically. Although they are all holding their heads up, pushing up and turning their heads from side to side during tummy time, she is able to push herself up further and hold the position much longer than her sisters. She pushes herself up and then looks from side to side to see what's happening in the world. She is the most inquisitive baby and loves to spin the globe on her swing and play with the toys dangling from her bouncy seat. She often looks at me with this quizzical expression, as if she's asking me about what she's seeing. When I tell her about the world around her, she beams and coos. If my kids' personalities could be pinpointed on a pendulum, I'd say Ada is the one extreme, Emma the other, and Julia is somewhere in the middle.
Emma (Baby C) is such a relaxed, contented, quiet baby even though she struggles the most with reflux. She flashes her smile at me more frequently than her sisters and is always watching what we're up to. She is very observant. The smart money says she will check out how her sisters attempt new things and stumble their way through it and then she'll jump in and get it "right" the first time. She's my little pixie, but she amazes me with her strength.
They are all scooting around their cribs these days like little inchworms. Gone are the days that we could put them down in one crib for their short naps. It's hard to believe they're four months old this week.
I know they know me, and have known they would know me from the moment I fell pregnant, but it is different to see the recognition in their facial expressions. I never knew I had the power to make another human being light up the way they do when I walk in the room. It is humbling and joyful. It makes me feel like a mom, complete with that overwhelming sense of responsibility. Their vulnerability, and the expectation in their expressions, are simultaneously wonderful and terrifying.
These first few months with preemie triplets, who are all refluxing and colicky, have been much harder than I anticipated. The hardest part is not having the quality time with each of my children that I had dreamed about. Every snuggle with one means two others are missing out. I take turns to chat with each, to play with each, to feed and cuddle each of my babies, but it is always interrupted by another baby who is crying louder or needs me more. I relish the "stolen" moments when two are asleep and I can cuddle just one at a time. Of course, these moments also come at a cost, because we're trying to keep them on a schedule to save our sanity.
Much of our time is spent trying to feed them. They're growing nicely - to the tune of 12, 10 and 9 pounds each. Despite being in the midst of reflux hell, sleep deprivation, and the continuous "feed-cry-burp-cry-diaper-cry-sleep-cry" repeat cycle, the monotony is suddenly interspersed with these goofy, nose-creasing, gummy smiles that make my heart bounce. Their smiles are like booster shots of joy and energy for my depleted shell of a body. I continue to express more than 2 liters of milk a day (~66 oz) and although it's been exhausting to keep up the pumping schedule, I know this is what's best for them.
I laugh out loud with them dozens of times a day because they're so precious and they know it. They coo and make gargly baby noises, kick excitedly and slap at their dangling toys. We've even heard an audible giggle from Ada (Baby A). Our "firstborn" is the most high maintenance and demanding. Everything is high intensity with her. Her cries are blood curdling - like a smoke alarm you simply can't ignore - and her smiles are disarmingly sweet. She's my little firecracker, blazing through the night until 2 am when she finally collapses and then sleeps so soundly that I keep wanting to ask her, "Now was that really so hard, munchkin?" A few nights now, she has slept five hours straight. She's on the cusp of actually sleeping through the night, which fills me with tremendous hope.
Julia (Baby B) is the strongest physically. Although they are all holding their heads up, pushing up and turning their heads from side to side during tummy time, she is able to push herself up further and hold the position much longer than her sisters. She pushes herself up and then looks from side to side to see what's happening in the world. She is the most inquisitive baby and loves to spin the globe on her swing and play with the toys dangling from her bouncy seat. She often looks at me with this quizzical expression, as if she's asking me about what she's seeing. When I tell her about the world around her, she beams and coos. If my kids' personalities could be pinpointed on a pendulum, I'd say Ada is the one extreme, Emma the other, and Julia is somewhere in the middle.
Emma (Baby C) is such a relaxed, contented, quiet baby even though she struggles the most with reflux. She flashes her smile at me more frequently than her sisters and is always watching what we're up to. She is very observant. The smart money says she will check out how her sisters attempt new things and stumble their way through it and then she'll jump in and get it "right" the first time. She's my little pixie, but she amazes me with her strength.
They are all scooting around their cribs these days like little inchworms. Gone are the days that we could put them down in one crib for their short naps. It's hard to believe they're four months old this week.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Two months and growing strong
Our trio is making such rapid progress; it's hard to keep up with the daily changes.
Their little faces are changing by the day. About two weeks ago we noticed they suddenly had eyelashes and this past week their eyebrows started to become more prominent. Just yesterday, I noticed the girls are now crying real tears. It breaks my heart when they cry, and the addition of tears doesn't help mom's coping ability!
They are looking around much more, and able to focus much better than just a week or two ago. We have been playing "tracking" games with high contrast toys and it's very cool to try and figure out what they're staring at.
Julia has managed to roll over from her back to her side, and Ada is kicking up a storm whenever she does tummy time. Emma is my tiniest little pixie, but is catching up nicely to her sisters. They are all able to lift and support the weight of their heads, but not for very long.
I'm still pumping around the clock and we bottle feed them (the adults take turns to feed them), but I have made a concerted effort in recent days to get them all to latch. Breastfeeding has been slow and frustrating because I never seem to have the time to focus on just one baby.
We feed them on a staggered schedule, but it's a moving target as they seem to hit growth spurts just as we figure out their needs. It's incredible to note how much longer they're able to breastfeed now than when they first came home. In terms of their adjusted age they are barely a week old, so I have to keep reminding myself to be patient. As with pretty much all of their development thus far, they are doing things in birth order. Ada breastfeeds the longest (30-45 minutes) and latches best, Julia breastfeeds for about 20-30 minutes, and Emma can go for about five minutes before exhaustion sets in.
The trio has the most inquisitive little fingers. When we bottle feed them they touch the bottle and sometimes look like they want to hold it themselves. We use glass bottles with silicone sleeves and it's obvious that they love checking out the patterns on the brightly colored sleeves.
Their little bodies are so much chubbier now than they were just two weeks ago. The girls are all 7-8 lbs. We used the last preemie size diaper yesterday and couldn't be happier that they've finally graduated to the newborn size. Woot! I just adore the chubby baby creases in their arms and legs, and their cute double chins. What a difference from the scrawny, fragile little preemies they were at birth almost two months ago.
On Christmas day they will be exactly two months old. What an amazing, precious Christmas "gift" they are...
Their little faces are changing by the day. About two weeks ago we noticed they suddenly had eyelashes and this past week their eyebrows started to become more prominent. Just yesterday, I noticed the girls are now crying real tears. It breaks my heart when they cry, and the addition of tears doesn't help mom's coping ability!
They are looking around much more, and able to focus much better than just a week or two ago. We have been playing "tracking" games with high contrast toys and it's very cool to try and figure out what they're staring at.
Julia has managed to roll over from her back to her side, and Ada is kicking up a storm whenever she does tummy time. Emma is my tiniest little pixie, but is catching up nicely to her sisters. They are all able to lift and support the weight of their heads, but not for very long.
I'm still pumping around the clock and we bottle feed them (the adults take turns to feed them), but I have made a concerted effort in recent days to get them all to latch. Breastfeeding has been slow and frustrating because I never seem to have the time to focus on just one baby.
We feed them on a staggered schedule, but it's a moving target as they seem to hit growth spurts just as we figure out their needs. It's incredible to note how much longer they're able to breastfeed now than when they first came home. In terms of their adjusted age they are barely a week old, so I have to keep reminding myself to be patient. As with pretty much all of their development thus far, they are doing things in birth order. Ada breastfeeds the longest (30-45 minutes) and latches best, Julia breastfeeds for about 20-30 minutes, and Emma can go for about five minutes before exhaustion sets in.
The trio has the most inquisitive little fingers. When we bottle feed them they touch the bottle and sometimes look like they want to hold it themselves. We use glass bottles with silicone sleeves and it's obvious that they love checking out the patterns on the brightly colored sleeves.
Their little bodies are so much chubbier now than they were just two weeks ago. The girls are all 7-8 lbs. We used the last preemie size diaper yesterday and couldn't be happier that they've finally graduated to the newborn size. Woot! I just adore the chubby baby creases in their arms and legs, and their cute double chins. What a difference from the scrawny, fragile little preemies they were at birth almost two months ago.
On Christmas day they will be exactly two months old. What an amazing, precious Christmas "gift" they are...
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Baby Julia is home - our trio is complete
We finally have all three girls home! As you can imagine, we're trying to find a routine, getting to know each baby's personality and cues, and generally just settling into the schedule the NICU used. It's a zoo, but we are enjoying every minute of having them home.
I often walk into the nursery just to stare at them while they're sleeping. I still can't believe I have three babies - it just feels so amazingly surreal sometimes.
We're feeding them breast milk by bottle every three hours (10, 1, 4, 7), and I'm pumping breast milk every three hours, around the clock. It's been going really well. I've fallen even more in love with my husband who smiles at, talks to, and cuddles his babies at 4 am - after very little sleep. He is doing most of the work at night so I can get a little more rest before he goes back to work next week. For the past few nights, my parents have done the 10 pm and 7 am feeds solo, which have helped tremendously.
The girls have all had their first pediatrician appointments. Julia weighed in at 2.2 kilograms yesterday. Julia and Emma have to be screened by an opthalmologist for retinopathy of prematurity, and breech babies Ada and Emma have to get hip ultrasounds. Between scheduling the home health nurse visits (2x per week for 2 weeks), the pediatrician appointments, the opthalmologist and ultrasounds appointments, I'm struggling to keep track of it all. I guess I better get used to the idea of the girls having a busier schedule than I do!
I often walk into the nursery just to stare at them while they're sleeping. I still can't believe I have three babies - it just feels so amazingly surreal sometimes.
We're feeding them breast milk by bottle every three hours (10, 1, 4, 7), and I'm pumping breast milk every three hours, around the clock. It's been going really well. I've fallen even more in love with my husband who smiles at, talks to, and cuddles his babies at 4 am - after very little sleep. He is doing most of the work at night so I can get a little more rest before he goes back to work next week. For the past few nights, my parents have done the 10 pm and 7 am feeds solo, which have helped tremendously.
The girls have all had their first pediatrician appointments. Julia weighed in at 2.2 kilograms yesterday. Julia and Emma have to be screened by an opthalmologist for retinopathy of prematurity, and breech babies Ada and Emma have to get hip ultrasounds. Between scheduling the home health nurse visits (2x per week for 2 weeks), the pediatrician appointments, the opthalmologist and ultrasounds appointments, I'm struggling to keep track of it all. I guess I better get used to the idea of the girls having a busier schedule than I do!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Baby Emma's homecoming
Emma came home on Thursday and everything has been going well with having two out of three babies home. When we swaddle Ada and Emma and lay them down in the crib together (spaced apart), they turn their heads towards one another, without fail. It's the cutest thing in the world to witness, especially after they had been separated for four weeks in the NICU. They definitely take comfort in one another's presence.
We are hoping to bring Julia home on Monday. The NICU was ready to discharge her on Thursday, but then a vigilant nurse spotted Julia's distended stomach. Fortunately, she doesn't have an infection, which was our primary concern. Since then, Julia has had a few desats, so it's better for her to be 100% before coming home to be with us and her sisters.
We can't wait to have our full house!
We are hoping to bring Julia home on Monday. The NICU was ready to discharge her on Thursday, but then a vigilant nurse spotted Julia's distended stomach. Fortunately, she doesn't have an infection, which was our primary concern. Since then, Julia has had a few desats, so it's better for her to be 100% before coming home to be with us and her sisters.
We can't wait to have our full house!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
NICU news and an update from the home front
If all continues to go according to plan, Julia and Emma will be coming home together on Thursday! We are beyond excited to have them all home with us. They will be moving to open cribs tomorrow, and I will be spending the day with them at the NICU. (Dad will stay home with Ada.)
Ada's first ped visit went well today. She now weighs 2 kg (up from 1.875 on Saturday) and is 17.25 inches long. She is nowhere on the full term singleton growth chart (just a lonely little dot way beneath the lowest curve), but the pediatrician is not concerned given she arrived 7 weeks early.
Ada and Emma are both breech babies and we will need to schedule an ultrasound to check whether their hip joints developed properly. If it didn't, they will need to wear a harness. Other than that, we are fortunate to have three healthy preemies so far.
We love having Ada home with us, caring for her, cuddling her. We're starting to see a glimpse of us as a family. She has the sweetest, funniest facial expressions that regularly crack us up. We talk to her, snuggle her, give her updates about her sisters - and every so often I have to pinch myself that our dream came true. Here I am: a mother, holding one of MY babies, one of OUR babies. And the realization is omnipresent: ugly, imperfect embryos really do make beautiful babies (as my RE consoled me on the day of our second transfer, when I thought all hope was lost.)
The surgeries, IVF cycles, pregnancy and postpartum period have all been extremely stressful. Even though I'm sleep deprived now - and will continue to be for many months - a heavy weight has lifted. The uncertainty of infertility and the risks of a triplet pregnancy have evaporated, leaving just the "normal" fears of any new mom of multiples.
It's still pretty unreal that Julia and Emma will be home in two days. We can't wait to start our crazy new life, with all three of our miracle babies home with us.
Ada's first ped visit went well today. She now weighs 2 kg (up from 1.875 on Saturday) and is 17.25 inches long. She is nowhere on the full term singleton growth chart (just a lonely little dot way beneath the lowest curve), but the pediatrician is not concerned given she arrived 7 weeks early.
Ada and Emma are both breech babies and we will need to schedule an ultrasound to check whether their hip joints developed properly. If it didn't, they will need to wear a harness. Other than that, we are fortunate to have three healthy preemies so far.
We love having Ada home with us, caring for her, cuddling her. We're starting to see a glimpse of us as a family. She has the sweetest, funniest facial expressions that regularly crack us up. We talk to her, snuggle her, give her updates about her sisters - and every so often I have to pinch myself that our dream came true. Here I am: a mother, holding one of MY babies, one of OUR babies. And the realization is omnipresent: ugly, imperfect embryos really do make beautiful babies (as my RE consoled me on the day of our second transfer, when I thought all hope was lost.)
The surgeries, IVF cycles, pregnancy and postpartum period have all been extremely stressful. Even though I'm sleep deprived now - and will continue to be for many months - a heavy weight has lifted. The uncertainty of infertility and the risks of a triplet pregnancy have evaporated, leaving just the "normal" fears of any new mom of multiples.
It's still pretty unreal that Julia and Emma will be home in two days. We can't wait to start our crazy new life, with all three of our miracle babies home with us.
Monday, November 16, 2009
NICU update - Day 23
Wonderful news from the NICU today: Julia and Emma are both progressing beautifully. They are each drinking 31 ml of breast milk every three hours. Their nasal cannulas and Julia's IV have been removed, and Julia is no longer receiving phototherapy. Yay for not being hooked up to Vapotherm, hyperal and intralipids! Freedom.
Dad went to visit his two baby girls in the NICU today while I stayed home with Ada. My dh reports that they're still in their isolettes, but I'm sure the next step is to switch it to air and see if they can maintain their body temperature. Hopefully by the end of the week, we'll have at least one more baby home, if not both.
Ada is doing great at home. She's such a sweet, content baby. Ada is sleeping in her own crib in the nursery, and has adapted well to the new sounds and smells of home. We have her on the same 3-hour schedule the NICU used: 10, 1, 4 and 7 day and night.
Thank you for all the wonderful comments and good wishes as we're bringing the girls home one by one. Each comment is appreciated and means the world to us. The girls are fortunate to have so many friends rooting for them. While you're cheering us on, my thoughts are with my brave friend Kate, who had her ET today. Dear Kate, if you're reading this, just know that I'm sitting with you, willing the universe to work its magic.
Dad went to visit his two baby girls in the NICU today while I stayed home with Ada. My dh reports that they're still in their isolettes, but I'm sure the next step is to switch it to air and see if they can maintain their body temperature. Hopefully by the end of the week, we'll have at least one more baby home, if not both.
Ada is doing great at home. She's such a sweet, content baby. Ada is sleeping in her own crib in the nursery, and has adapted well to the new sounds and smells of home. We have her on the same 3-hour schedule the NICU used: 10, 1, 4 and 7 day and night.
Thank you for all the wonderful comments and good wishes as we're bringing the girls home one by one. Each comment is appreciated and means the world to us. The girls are fortunate to have so many friends rooting for them. While you're cheering us on, my thoughts are with my brave friend Kate, who had her ET today. Dear Kate, if you're reading this, just know that I'm sitting with you, willing the universe to work its magic.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Baby Ada is home!
We brought our precious little Ms Ada home with us tonight. It is an indescribable feeling to know she's sleeping soundly in the next room. We are so excited to have her home and can't wait for her sisters to join her.
Before Ada was discharged, we were able to hold all three of our babies together for the first time. They were all moved to one area of the NICU two days ago, but since Julia and Emma are still on nasal cannulas, and Julia is still receiving hyperal and intralipids through her IV, it has been impossible to hold them all together. We've spent plenty of 1:1 time with each of them, though.
Julia and Emma are both drinking 20 ml of breastmilk every three hours. Emma pulled her IV out and even though she didn't quite get to the 24 ml of breast milk threshold, the neonatologist opted to wean her from the hyperal and intralipids early. She's done phenomenally well and has leapfrogged Julia. The prediction at this point is Emma might be coming home later next week.
Julia has had a few setbacks and is back under the phototherapy lights. There have been a few dsats today that she didn't recover from by herself, so she is still receiving oxygen and Vapotherm (4 litres). The neonatologist predicted she may be in the NICU for another couple of weeks.
Before Ada was discharged, we were able to hold all three of our babies together for the first time. They were all moved to one area of the NICU two days ago, but since Julia and Emma are still on nasal cannulas, and Julia is still receiving hyperal and intralipids through her IV, it has been impossible to hold them all together. We've spent plenty of 1:1 time with each of them, though.
Julia and Emma are both drinking 20 ml of breastmilk every three hours. Emma pulled her IV out and even though she didn't quite get to the 24 ml of breast milk threshold, the neonatologist opted to wean her from the hyperal and intralipids early. She's done phenomenally well and has leapfrogged Julia. The prediction at this point is Emma might be coming home later next week.
Julia has had a few setbacks and is back under the phototherapy lights. There have been a few dsats today that she didn't recover from by herself, so she is still receiving oxygen and Vapotherm (4 litres). The neonatologist predicted she may be in the NICU for another couple of weeks.
Sunday, November 01, 2009
One week old - NICU update
All three girls are now receiving gut stim "practice feedings" of 3 mls of breast milk three times a day. They're lovin' it! I can't believe they are already a week old.
Emma
She had been struggling the most, but is progressing wonderfully. Emma has moved to an isolette, just like her sisters, and has finally been taken off the ventilator. She is sporting a nasal cannula and breathing room air. While I was pumping, my husband was able to witness the gut stim in process. He reports that she was fussy, but the moment the breast milk hit her tummy she settled down. He took her temperature, a perfect 36.8 C, and was able to touch her head as the nurse unhooked her from all of the monitors. I held her for the first time today and it was just amazing to see her little face. She was wide awake, staring at me and her dad and seemed to really enjoy being swaddled and snuggled. After about 30 minutes, she was wiped out and needed to return to her isolette and the bilirubin lights.
Julia
She is no longer jaundiced and the bilirubin lights have been switched off. Her isolette is now covered with a pretty blanket to mimic the muffled, darker environment of the womb. For the second day in a row, her heart murmur couldn't be heard, so it seems as if the three doses of meds worked its magic.
Ada
Her nasal cannula has been removed and she is breathing room air. Ada is still under the bilirubin lights for jaundice, but doing terrific in every other respect. Her heart murmur can still be heard, but we hope it will resolve on its own. I had a chance to hold her for the 2nd time today. She was wide awake and stared at me. Like Emma, her eyes turned toward her dad whenever he spoke. It was lovely seeing her more comfortable, and receiving no breathing assistance whatsoever. Real progress!
Emma
She had been struggling the most, but is progressing wonderfully. Emma has moved to an isolette, just like her sisters, and has finally been taken off the ventilator. She is sporting a nasal cannula and breathing room air. While I was pumping, my husband was able to witness the gut stim in process. He reports that she was fussy, but the moment the breast milk hit her tummy she settled down. He took her temperature, a perfect 36.8 C, and was able to touch her head as the nurse unhooked her from all of the monitors. I held her for the first time today and it was just amazing to see her little face. She was wide awake, staring at me and her dad and seemed to really enjoy being swaddled and snuggled. After about 30 minutes, she was wiped out and needed to return to her isolette and the bilirubin lights.
Julia
She is no longer jaundiced and the bilirubin lights have been switched off. Her isolette is now covered with a pretty blanket to mimic the muffled, darker environment of the womb. For the second day in a row, her heart murmur couldn't be heard, so it seems as if the three doses of meds worked its magic.
Ada
Her nasal cannula has been removed and she is breathing room air. Ada is still under the bilirubin lights for jaundice, but doing terrific in every other respect. Her heart murmur can still be heard, but we hope it will resolve on its own. I had a chance to hold her for the 2nd time today. She was wide awake and stared at me. Like Emma, her eyes turned toward her dad whenever he spoke. It was lovely seeing her more comfortable, and receiving no breathing assistance whatsoever. Real progress!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Day 3 NICU Triplet Update
All of our girls are stable and doing as well as can be expected. Ada and Julia are receiving oxygen through nasal cannulas, but Emma is on a ventilator and struggling the most of all three. It just breaks my heart to see them all so fragile, and using their entire bodies to take a breath. It looks like breathing is the most exhausting thing in the world for them to do. Their entire torso moves with each breath.
Ada, who broke my water, is doing the best. She is already in an isolette, while Julia and Emma are in open warmers for easy access. The perinatologist who delivered them said it's typical for the baby who "wanted out" to be the strongest post-delivery, and for the one farthest from the action (Emma) to be the weakest. "Their sister might have wanted out, but Julia and Emma were still enjoying the 'air conditioning' in your uterus," the peri said. It made me laugh.
All three girls are jaundiced and receiving phototherapy. They look so cute with their eye protection on, like they're hanging out on a beach somewhere, but we wish we could see and study their tiny little faces. With all the monitors, IVs, tubes and other NICU paraphernalia, it's impossible to see their features, so we'll have to keep guessing for now whether they look alike, and which parts of mom and dad they inherited.
We are falling truly, madly, deeply in love with our babies.
Ada
- She was on 30% O2 at 5:45 this morning (21% is room air)
- She is receiving the oxygen and positive airway pressure through a nasal cannula.
- Receiving IV for nutrition (intralipids and vitamins/minerals)
- Lots of tactile motion going on, even though her eyes are covered, her tiny little fingers are exploring everything in her isolette. She was holding and sucking her binki this afternoon, and touching the vital signs monitor attached to her leg, and touching the vent going into her nose.
Julia
- She was on 35% O2 at 5:45 this morning, and they dropped it down to 30% tonight. She is receiving the oxygen and positive airway pressure through a nasal cannula.
- Receiving IV for nutrition (intralipids and vitamins/minerals)
- She pulled out her 3rd IV tonight, and the nurse said they will try to go in through her umbilical cord to re-establish the nutrition feed. Ah, mommy's little troublemaker.
Emma
- Emma is on a ventilator to help her breathe
- She started on 45-50% O2 at 5:45 this morning, they upped it to 75% this afternoon, but was able to bring it back down to 35% after she received a third round of synthetic surfactant to help lubricate her lungs. Surfactant acts like a detergent on the inner surface of the alveoli, reducing the incidence of collapse.
- Receiving IV for nutrition (intralipids and vitamins/minerals)
Mothership update
- The peri who delivered the girls told me today that I did in fact have post-partum HELLP Syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) and not "just" preeclampsia. Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday were the worst. My platelets dropped to below 75 (normal is 150). It's a good thing the doc waited to tell me how worried he was until after I started to feel better, otherwise I might have felt even more sorry for myself. LOL.
- My peri felt that preeclampsia and HELLP had been brewing for weeks as I've been showing symptoms of it, but since the bloodwork came back "normal enough" for the three weeks in a row before I delivered they weren't going to act on it.
- I'm so glad that the peri discussed the symptoms with me in detail during my office visits, because when I started to feel lung pressure and was struggling to breathe, and experiencing vision changes while in the recovery room, I knew I needed to alert the docs to it and not just power through (which would've been my normal inclination). Thank goodness I did...
- While in the high risk maternity ward, I became somewhat of a freak show. Several residents (it's a Univ. hospital) wanted to see my "party trick." I was unusually "hyperreflective," meaning that whenever they would test my reflexes in my knees, my shoulders would shake simultaneously. It was so weird!
- The peri said the best thing that could've happened, was for Ada to have broken my water when she did. If she hadn't, all four of our lives would have been in jeapordy.
Ada, who broke my water, is doing the best. She is already in an isolette, while Julia and Emma are in open warmers for easy access. The perinatologist who delivered them said it's typical for the baby who "wanted out" to be the strongest post-delivery, and for the one farthest from the action (Emma) to be the weakest. "Their sister might have wanted out, but Julia and Emma were still enjoying the 'air conditioning' in your uterus," the peri said. It made me laugh.
All three girls are jaundiced and receiving phototherapy. They look so cute with their eye protection on, like they're hanging out on a beach somewhere, but we wish we could see and study their tiny little faces. With all the monitors, IVs, tubes and other NICU paraphernalia, it's impossible to see their features, so we'll have to keep guessing for now whether they look alike, and which parts of mom and dad they inherited.
We are falling truly, madly, deeply in love with our babies.
Ada
- She was on 30% O2 at 5:45 this morning (21% is room air)
- She is receiving the oxygen and positive airway pressure through a nasal cannula.
- Receiving IV for nutrition (intralipids and vitamins/minerals)
- Lots of tactile motion going on, even though her eyes are covered, her tiny little fingers are exploring everything in her isolette. She was holding and sucking her binki this afternoon, and touching the vital signs monitor attached to her leg, and touching the vent going into her nose.
Julia
- She was on 35% O2 at 5:45 this morning, and they dropped it down to 30% tonight. She is receiving the oxygen and positive airway pressure through a nasal cannula.
- Receiving IV for nutrition (intralipids and vitamins/minerals)
- She pulled out her 3rd IV tonight, and the nurse said they will try to go in through her umbilical cord to re-establish the nutrition feed. Ah, mommy's little troublemaker.
Emma
- Emma is on a ventilator to help her breathe
- She started on 45-50% O2 at 5:45 this morning, they upped it to 75% this afternoon, but was able to bring it back down to 35% after she received a third round of synthetic surfactant to help lubricate her lungs. Surfactant acts like a detergent on the inner surface of the alveoli, reducing the incidence of collapse.
- Receiving IV for nutrition (intralipids and vitamins/minerals)
Mothership update
- The peri who delivered the girls told me today that I did in fact have post-partum HELLP Syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) and not "just" preeclampsia. Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday were the worst. My platelets dropped to below 75 (normal is 150). It's a good thing the doc waited to tell me how worried he was until after I started to feel better, otherwise I might have felt even more sorry for myself. LOL.
- My peri felt that preeclampsia and HELLP had been brewing for weeks as I've been showing symptoms of it, but since the bloodwork came back "normal enough" for the three weeks in a row before I delivered they weren't going to act on it.
- I'm so glad that the peri discussed the symptoms with me in detail during my office visits, because when I started to feel lung pressure and was struggling to breathe, and experiencing vision changes while in the recovery room, I knew I needed to alert the docs to it and not just power through (which would've been my normal inclination). Thank goodness I did...
- While in the high risk maternity ward, I became somewhat of a freak show. Several residents (it's a Univ. hospital) wanted to see my "party trick." I was unusually "hyperreflective," meaning that whenever they would test my reflexes in my knees, my shoulders would shake simultaneously. It was so weird!
- The peri said the best thing that could've happened, was for Ada to have broken my water when she did. If she hadn't, all four of our lives would have been in jeapordy.
Monday, October 26, 2009
32w6d - Our girls are here!
My water broke on Sunday afternoon at 1:35. We arrived at the hospital an hour later and I was 5 cm dilated. Shortly after 4 pm our babies came into the world, kicking and screaming in surround sound.
Baby A
3 lb 15 oz
4:03 pm
Baby B
3 lb 14 oz
4:04 pm
Baby C
3 lb 13 oz
4:06 pm
All 3 girls are in the NICU receiving help with breathing and hooked up to IVs for nutrition. I saw them for a few minutes on Sunday evening, but I have since developed preeclampsia and have had to rely on my Dh for photos and video clips of our babies. (They are tiny, but seem strong. And oh so adorable!)
I'm on the devil drug, magnesium sulfate, to prevent seizures and/or a stroke and have been feeling absolutely horrid. Will update more as soon as I'm able.
Baby A
3 lb 15 oz
4:03 pm
Baby B
3 lb 14 oz
4:04 pm
Baby C
3 lb 13 oz
4:06 pm
All 3 girls are in the NICU receiving help with breathing and hooked up to IVs for nutrition. I saw them for a few minutes on Sunday evening, but I have since developed preeclampsia and have had to rely on my Dh for photos and video clips of our babies. (They are tiny, but seem strong. And oh so adorable!)
I'm on the devil drug, magnesium sulfate, to prevent seizures and/or a stroke and have been feeling absolutely horrid. Will update more as soon as I'm able.
Friday, October 23, 2009
32w4d - No news is good news
Another week down, 24 more days to go to reach our approximate C-Section date of November 17. The peri is waiting until we get a bit closer to schedule the actual date, but if all continues to go well, it will be sometime during week 36. Of course, the girls could decide to come any day now, but it's nice to have a goal to shoot for.
During this week's appointment, the girls all scored 8/8 on their biophysical profiles. The amniotic fluid levels look great, and they completed the 30-second breathing movement, gross motor and fine motor movements.
We saw Baby B making suckling movements with her lips. It was the cutest thing! She had her little fist by her mouth and looked like she was sucking on a pacifier. It made me think of Bart Simpson's baby sister...!
My blood pressure continues to be wonderfully low, but I have other early signs and symptoms that may or may not point to preeclampsia, so the docs are keeping a close eye. This past week, I've started swelling to ridiculous proportions. Edema is no fun, but compared to all of the other discomforts, it's just par for the course. I get to do the "jug o' fun" aka the 24-hour urine collection and associated bloodwork, just to be sure I'm not spilling more than the +1 protein that has been showing up since September.
I'm also the lucky recipient of more bloodwork to recheck my liver function as the epigastric pain is unchanged and I'm still clawing at my skin from the severe itching despite taking Actigall for Cholestasis of Pregnancy.
The great news is that my cervix is still closed. I can hardly believe it with all of the contractions and pelvic pressure, but I'm really relieved about that.
The belly circumference is a whopping 48 inches now, and the fundal height is 44 centimeters (the equivalent of being a month overdue with a singleton pregnancy). There's no denying that I'm huge now.
Instead of the usual, "I can't believe you're carrying triplets! You're so small!" I'm getting more of the uninhibited stares from strangers quickly followed by, "Wow. You must be due any day now!"
One of the funnier comments was from a guy walking by me in the hospital foyer, staring at my belly and quipping, "You really should switch to light beer." It cracked me up.
At a restaurant this week, the hostess took one look at me and said, "Let me guess. You would prefer NOT to sit in a booth, right?"
Fortunately, no strangers have attempted to touch the belly, because they would surely have lost a limb in the process.
My motto for the week ahead: keep on trucking.
During this week's appointment, the girls all scored 8/8 on their biophysical profiles. The amniotic fluid levels look great, and they completed the 30-second breathing movement, gross motor and fine motor movements.
We saw Baby B making suckling movements with her lips. It was the cutest thing! She had her little fist by her mouth and looked like she was sucking on a pacifier. It made me think of Bart Simpson's baby sister...!
My blood pressure continues to be wonderfully low, but I have other early signs and symptoms that may or may not point to preeclampsia, so the docs are keeping a close eye. This past week, I've started swelling to ridiculous proportions. Edema is no fun, but compared to all of the other discomforts, it's just par for the course. I get to do the "jug o' fun" aka the 24-hour urine collection and associated bloodwork, just to be sure I'm not spilling more than the +1 protein that has been showing up since September.
I'm also the lucky recipient of more bloodwork to recheck my liver function as the epigastric pain is unchanged and I'm still clawing at my skin from the severe itching despite taking Actigall for Cholestasis of Pregnancy.
The great news is that my cervix is still closed. I can hardly believe it with all of the contractions and pelvic pressure, but I'm really relieved about that.
The belly circumference is a whopping 48 inches now, and the fundal height is 44 centimeters (the equivalent of being a month overdue with a singleton pregnancy). There's no denying that I'm huge now.
Instead of the usual, "I can't believe you're carrying triplets! You're so small!" I'm getting more of the uninhibited stares from strangers quickly followed by, "Wow. You must be due any day now!"
One of the funnier comments was from a guy walking by me in the hospital foyer, staring at my belly and quipping, "You really should switch to light beer." It cracked me up.
At a restaurant this week, the hostess took one look at me and said, "Let me guess. You would prefer NOT to sit in a booth, right?"
Fortunately, no strangers have attempted to touch the belly, because they would surely have lost a limb in the process.
My motto for the week ahead: keep on trucking.
Friday, October 16, 2009
31w4d - Still at home
The girls are still safely in utero, and I'm still chugging away at home. This week's doctor's appointment went well - no surprises, thankfully! The girls scored 8/8 on their 4th biophysical profiles and everything looks great, so we live to fight another week.
I'm waiting for the injectable H1N1 vaccine (thimerosal free) to become available later this month and plan to get it based on the long conversation with the perinatologist about benefits/risks.
The sonographer tried again to get a 4D image of each baby's face and although the girls all had their faces turned toward the u/s wand, there were umbilical cords, arms and legs in front of all of their faces. We caught glimpses of their facial features, which was truly amazing, but unfortunately there were no clear images to print. The sonographers at the perinatal center are incredibly thoughtful. They always try and print an equal number of pictures for each baby, "Or else you'll have a hard time explaining that you love them all equally once they hit their teens and want to see these photos."
If it's at all humanly possible and my body holds out, the peri wants me to aim for 36 weeks, which would be November 16. I'm beyond uncomfortable now, sleeping an hour or two at a time, exhausted beyond comprehension, and the cholestasis symptoms are driving me nuts. Oh, and this week, the edema went from mild to insane - think hobbit feet. It hurts to walk. The contractions start the moment I sit or stand. When I lay down in bed, it feels like I'm doing a headstand. Head rush. Almost as if there's way too much blood to keep it all inside my skull. Fortunately, no headaches, but the pressure is very unpleasant.
Some days I just want to cry and give up, but then I feel guilty and think of how much of a difference every single day makes and how much I want to give these girls the best possible start in life (but I realize that's not up to me...) And then there's the part of me that remembers what a struggle it was to get here, how many of my friends are still struggling to conceive, and how grateful I am to be experiencing a pregnancy at all. It never fails to snap me out of the pity party.
For now, I'm counting down to 32 weeks. There's just one weekend between me and that awesome 32-week milestone. And today we have exactly one month left to reach 36 weeks - it seems like an impossible goal, so I'll just focus on getting through one day at a time.
I'm waiting for the injectable H1N1 vaccine (thimerosal free) to become available later this month and plan to get it based on the long conversation with the perinatologist about benefits/risks.
The sonographer tried again to get a 4D image of each baby's face and although the girls all had their faces turned toward the u/s wand, there were umbilical cords, arms and legs in front of all of their faces. We caught glimpses of their facial features, which was truly amazing, but unfortunately there were no clear images to print. The sonographers at the perinatal center are incredibly thoughtful. They always try and print an equal number of pictures for each baby, "Or else you'll have a hard time explaining that you love them all equally once they hit their teens and want to see these photos."
If it's at all humanly possible and my body holds out, the peri wants me to aim for 36 weeks, which would be November 16. I'm beyond uncomfortable now, sleeping an hour or two at a time, exhausted beyond comprehension, and the cholestasis symptoms are driving me nuts. Oh, and this week, the edema went from mild to insane - think hobbit feet. It hurts to walk. The contractions start the moment I sit or stand. When I lay down in bed, it feels like I'm doing a headstand. Head rush. Almost as if there's way too much blood to keep it all inside my skull. Fortunately, no headaches, but the pressure is very unpleasant.
Some days I just want to cry and give up, but then I feel guilty and think of how much of a difference every single day makes and how much I want to give these girls the best possible start in life (but I realize that's not up to me...) And then there's the part of me that remembers what a struggle it was to get here, how many of my friends are still struggling to conceive, and how grateful I am to be experiencing a pregnancy at all. It never fails to snap me out of the pity party.
For now, I'm counting down to 32 weeks. There's just one weekend between me and that awesome 32-week milestone. And today we have exactly one month left to reach 36 weeks - it seems like an impossible goal, so I'll just focus on getting through one day at a time.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
30w2d - Another milestone conquered
Cool to have the 100th post on my blog coincide with typing the coveted "30w" in the title line. Every single day, I wake up with the thought, "I can't believe we made it this far" followed by the calculation of how far the trio and I still need to go. 12 days to 32 weeks, 33 days to 35 weeks.
For the moment, I'm still blissfully at home and go back to the peri on Friday for a growth scan of the girls. Our hope is that they're around 3 lbs each and that my blood pressure, liver enzymes, cervix and all the other indicators are still stable.
Thank you all for your encouraging words, the reality checks, and being so supportive throughout this journey. I have started packing my hospital bag, just in case.
The belly circumference is an astounding 47 inches now, and I've gained 35 lbs overall. My frame is really feeling the extra weight, and I can hardly imagine how uncomfortable and painful it must be to gain 70+ lbs during a triplet pregnancy. My hat is off to the women who are able to do so.
The girls must be going through a growth spurt right now, because I'm constantly hungry again, like I was in the first trimester. I've been drinking more milk and trying to eat smaller meals more frequently, but the heartburn makes it rather difficult.
I'm starting to go numb around my belly button and I'm wondering what that's about. Anyone care to enlighten me? It's the weirdest feeling to itch there, but to not feel the scratch. Truly bizarre, but I guess nothing surprises me anymore. This pregnancy has been one strange trip!
Baby C is hiccuping quite often; I love feeling it. So cute, and it makes me happy to know she is practicing her lungs. I haven't felt hiccups from Baby A & B yet, but they are very active. Baby A jerks and jumps with both feet and hands. It's startling when she does that, but never fails to make me smile. Baby B pushes out and makes these crazy bulges on the right side of my tummy. It feels like she's stretching constantly, and wants more room to do so. Baby C makes squirming snake-lake movements under my ribcage where her body is, and kicks strongly on my left side. It's amazing to know who's who in the zoo, and completely reassuring to know they're moving.
As tough as this pregnancy has now become, I know I will miss feeling their movements inside me after they're born.
For the moment, I'm still blissfully at home and go back to the peri on Friday for a growth scan of the girls. Our hope is that they're around 3 lbs each and that my blood pressure, liver enzymes, cervix and all the other indicators are still stable.
Thank you all for your encouraging words, the reality checks, and being so supportive throughout this journey. I have started packing my hospital bag, just in case.
The belly circumference is an astounding 47 inches now, and I've gained 35 lbs overall. My frame is really feeling the extra weight, and I can hardly imagine how uncomfortable and painful it must be to gain 70+ lbs during a triplet pregnancy. My hat is off to the women who are able to do so.
The girls must be going through a growth spurt right now, because I'm constantly hungry again, like I was in the first trimester. I've been drinking more milk and trying to eat smaller meals more frequently, but the heartburn makes it rather difficult.
I'm starting to go numb around my belly button and I'm wondering what that's about. Anyone care to enlighten me? It's the weirdest feeling to itch there, but to not feel the scratch. Truly bizarre, but I guess nothing surprises me anymore. This pregnancy has been one strange trip!
Baby C is hiccuping quite often; I love feeling it. So cute, and it makes me happy to know she is practicing her lungs. I haven't felt hiccups from Baby A & B yet, but they are very active. Baby A jerks and jumps with both feet and hands. It's startling when she does that, but never fails to make me smile. Baby B pushes out and makes these crazy bulges on the right side of my tummy. It feels like she's stretching constantly, and wants more room to do so. Baby C makes squirming snake-lake movements under my ribcage where her body is, and kicks strongly on my left side. It's amazing to know who's who in the zoo, and completely reassuring to know they're moving.
As tough as this pregnancy has now become, I know I will miss feeling their movements inside me after they're born.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
28w6d - GD test & biophysical profiles
This week brought yet another marathon 4-hour appointment at the perinatologist. It was probably the last appointment I could drive myself to, given that we live more than an hour away from the doc and the appointments will become a weekly trek from this point onwards.
The perinatologist is nothing if not thorough, which I appreciate tremendously.
The glucose drink for the gestational diabetes test wasn't bad at all. A Dixie cup filled with a sweet, fizzy orange drink, which kind of tasted like Fan.ta Orange. An hourlong wait during which you're not allowed to drink water, eat anything, chew gum, or smoke, as the nurse practitioner kindly reminded me. I've never smoked, so I thought that was pretty funny. They had to draw blood to check my thyroid function and other things anyway, so it was no big deal. What's a few more vials?
I've had some edema, spilling of protein (just +1), and headaches, so they're watching me carefully for pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure is still fine, 124/70, but given that I'm usually around 106/60, it is slowly creeping up.
The girls aced their biophysical profiles, each scoring 8/8. (We're so proud.) The BPP ultrasound for triplets can take up to an hour and a half as the babies each need to make a certain number of breathing and other movements in a 30-minute period. Thankfully the babies cooperated beautifully and it went much faster. The sonographer let me sit up in between to prevent that awful woozy feeling.
My fundal height is now at 40 cm = full term. I keep thinking that if I was pregnant with one baby, this would be about as big as I'd get. A walk in the park compared to what awaits! (Seriously - no offence intended to moms who have one baby at a time. I know pregnancy is hard whichever way you slice it.)
The belly bump circumference is a whopping 45 and a half inches, and I've gained 33 lbs total. I've read of other triplet moms who have circumferences of 52 inches towards the end. I've read much pain and suffering lies ahead...
The perinatologist is nothing if not thorough, which I appreciate tremendously.
The glucose drink for the gestational diabetes test wasn't bad at all. A Dixie cup filled with a sweet, fizzy orange drink, which kind of tasted like Fan.ta Orange. An hourlong wait during which you're not allowed to drink water, eat anything, chew gum, or smoke, as the nurse practitioner kindly reminded me. I've never smoked, so I thought that was pretty funny. They had to draw blood to check my thyroid function and other things anyway, so it was no big deal. What's a few more vials?
I've had some edema, spilling of protein (just +1), and headaches, so they're watching me carefully for pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure is still fine, 124/70, but given that I'm usually around 106/60, it is slowly creeping up.
The girls aced their biophysical profiles, each scoring 8/8. (We're so proud.) The BPP ultrasound for triplets can take up to an hour and a half as the babies each need to make a certain number of breathing and other movements in a 30-minute period. Thankfully the babies cooperated beautifully and it went much faster. The sonographer let me sit up in between to prevent that awful woozy feeling.
My fundal height is now at 40 cm = full term. I keep thinking that if I was pregnant with one baby, this would be about as big as I'd get. A walk in the park compared to what awaits! (Seriously - no offence intended to moms who have one baby at a time. I know pregnancy is hard whichever way you slice it.)
The belly bump circumference is a whopping 45 and a half inches, and I've gained 33 lbs total. I've read of other triplet moms who have circumferences of 52 inches towards the end. I've read much pain and suffering lies ahead...
Saturday, September 19, 2009
27w5d - Girl Girl Girl Gear galore
We have had not one, not two, but THREE baby showers! The girls, my husband and I are so incredibly spoiled by our friends and colleagues. Not just with the unbelievable baby showers, but with the most amazingly thoughtful 2nd hand clothes, blankets and other gear like high chairs, playmats and swings we have received from our generous friends.
In the words of a colleague, "Baby shower? Gmph! It's more like a baby thunderstorm!"
We started gearing up pretty early, knowing that I might be on bed rest towards the safer part of the pregnancy. After IVF, it required a huge leap of faith to start acquiring baby stuff. On the other hand, since this will most probably be my one and only pregnancy ever, I didn't want to miss out on a single moment of the experience.
Dh and I started boldly: by buying a 2nd hand triplet stroller and a previously owned minivan - all in one morning - when I was barely out of the first trimester! I was researching strollers online, reading advice from other triplet parents, when I came across a Triple Decker on eBay.
The wonderful family with triplets we bought it from had 3 Graco Snugride seats, six bases, and threw in 3 car seat sleeping bags, a must for our infants arriving in the fall.
We kept in touch with the triplet family, and they sold us their 3 bouncy seats, 3 exersaucers, 3 Bumbo seats, Podee bottles, and threw in lots of extras.
We had toyed with the idea of getting a minivan, but we weren't planning on purchasing it so soon. Then an incredible deal on a previously owned 2009 model turned up. The minivan was practically brand new, just owned for a month.
Craigslist proved very useful: we purchased two changing tables (still boxed and new) and things we won't need for a while, like the North States Super Yard XT.
Gift cards and gifts of cash from the baby showers enabled us to buy three Graco Lauren 4-in-1 convertible cribs. Target had a huge Labor Day baby gear sale where you could get the mattresses for free if we bought the cribs there. Not only were their cribs the most affordable (beating out any price I could find online - and even Wal*Mart), but getting the mattresses for free saved us $240.00.
It was quite the spectacle when my husband and I walked out alongside the Target employee with the rolling cart loaded to capacity with three humongous boxes and three mattresses.
There was a guy sitting on a bench near the loading zone waiting for his wife and he looked on in amazement. "TRIPLETS?!" I was so exhausted I almost responded with, "Nah, we're just getting a few extra because it's such a good deal." But I bit my lip.
My gracious husband responded with a proud father chuckle and said, "Yeah" as they started loading up our new minivan. The conversation continued with funny banter as the guy's wife and kids arrived and he went over the details of the unfolding spectacle again. They seemed very happy for us, and not at all intrusive, so it was fine by me. Better get used to it, eh? Once that Triple Decker starts going places with us and the trio, I'm sure it will be an attention-grabber.
All I really keyed into was how unflustered my hubby was with all the attention. That's a good sign.
In terms of other baby gear: we received a Boppy pillow, and bought two more, and purchased three matching covers. We have bought a few things new, including 3 Kiddopotamus cotton swaddle blankets and a Dr Brown's formula pitcher, which so many triplet moms recommended.
I think we're as ready as we'll ever be with baby gear, so if I have to go on strict bed rest at home, or heaven forbid, hospital, I can relax knowing we have tons of diapers, wipes, and all the gear in the world. :D
We're already looking forward to a humongous garage sale!
In the words of a colleague, "Baby shower? Gmph! It's more like a baby thunderstorm!"
We started gearing up pretty early, knowing that I might be on bed rest towards the safer part of the pregnancy. After IVF, it required a huge leap of faith to start acquiring baby stuff. On the other hand, since this will most probably be my one and only pregnancy ever, I didn't want to miss out on a single moment of the experience.
Dh and I started boldly: by buying a 2nd hand triplet stroller and a previously owned minivan - all in one morning - when I was barely out of the first trimester! I was researching strollers online, reading advice from other triplet parents, when I came across a Triple Decker on eBay.
The wonderful family with triplets we bought it from had 3 Graco Snugride seats, six bases, and threw in 3 car seat sleeping bags, a must for our infants arriving in the fall.
We kept in touch with the triplet family, and they sold us their 3 bouncy seats, 3 exersaucers, 3 Bumbo seats, Podee bottles, and threw in lots of extras.
We had toyed with the idea of getting a minivan, but we weren't planning on purchasing it so soon. Then an incredible deal on a previously owned 2009 model turned up. The minivan was practically brand new, just owned for a month.
Craigslist proved very useful: we purchased two changing tables (still boxed and new) and things we won't need for a while, like the North States Super Yard XT.
Gift cards and gifts of cash from the baby showers enabled us to buy three Graco Lauren 4-in-1 convertible cribs. Target had a huge Labor Day baby gear sale where you could get the mattresses for free if we bought the cribs there. Not only were their cribs the most affordable (beating out any price I could find online - and even Wal*Mart), but getting the mattresses for free saved us $240.00.
It was quite the spectacle when my husband and I walked out alongside the Target employee with the rolling cart loaded to capacity with three humongous boxes and three mattresses.
There was a guy sitting on a bench near the loading zone waiting for his wife and he looked on in amazement. "TRIPLETS?!" I was so exhausted I almost responded with, "Nah, we're just getting a few extra because it's such a good deal." But I bit my lip.
My gracious husband responded with a proud father chuckle and said, "Yeah" as they started loading up our new minivan. The conversation continued with funny banter as the guy's wife and kids arrived and he went over the details of the unfolding spectacle again. They seemed very happy for us, and not at all intrusive, so it was fine by me. Better get used to it, eh? Once that Triple Decker starts going places with us and the trio, I'm sure it will be an attention-grabber.
All I really keyed into was how unflustered my hubby was with all the attention. That's a good sign.
In terms of other baby gear: we received a Boppy pillow, and bought two more, and purchased three matching covers. We have bought a few things new, including 3 Kiddopotamus cotton swaddle blankets and a Dr Brown's formula pitcher, which so many triplet moms recommended.
I think we're as ready as we'll ever be with baby gear, so if I have to go on strict bed rest at home, or heaven forbid, hospital, I can relax knowing we have tons of diapers, wipes, and all the gear in the world. :D
We're already looking forward to a humongous garage sale!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
26w6d - U/s growth scan update & NICU tour
Our baby girls continue to amaze the perinatologists and sonographers with how well they're growing (not just compared to triplets, but compared to singletons!) My peri is ecstatic with their progress - she gave them a thumbs up for sharing their "real estate" equally, and growing consistently:
Baby A: 2lb5oz, 142 BPM
Baby B: 2lb2oz, 142 BPM
Baby C: 2lb4oz, 134 BPM
That's almost 7 pounds of babies! When asked at what point they might schedule the C-section, the peri said if everything continues to go this well, and I'm still feeling good, they may even let me go to 36 weeks and a few days. (One can dream! First, I need to get to 28 weeks.)
A very good sign is that all of the girls are measuring pretty close, which bodes well for the next two months or so. I've only gained 0.4 lbs the past two weeks, but given how well the girls are doing and my overall weight gain, my peri wasn't concerned. Phew. The heartburn has been making it challenging to eat. My cervix is still as short as ever (a scary 2.4 cm), but still no funneling or dilation.
My Dh and I went on a tour of the level III NICU. They can admit almost 60 preemies, and they approximately 280 people on staff. The wonderful charge nurse spent 45 minutes with us going over their protocols, and describing different treatment scenarios.
Seeing so many babies fight for their lives is extremely disturbing and frightening. I just wasn't prepared for that. The upside is that it is also an immense motivator to see exactly how fragile the preemies are, because it makes me want to do everything in my power to grow our girls for as long as possible.
Having visuals of the space, equipment and people has alleviated a lot of anxiety.
The nurse said my Dh will be able to see our babies in the NICU within 30-45 minutes of their birth. If all of the girls are admitted to the NICU, they will be split up into different areas to help ensure that they don't get mixed up.
Up to four people, including the parents, can visit at any given time. They welcome parents calling in to check on their babies when they can't be physically present. Parents are welcome to visit any time, except for the half hour or so when shifts change (and the neonatologists and nurses share confidential information about all of the babies).
Visitors are only allowed when accompanied by one of the parents, which is very comforting from a security standpoint. (Also: I read about a triplet mom whose inlaws gained access to the NICU and they bathed her babies. When the mom arrived, not only had she missed out on giving them their first bath, but she couldn't touch her babies because they had already received so much stimulation that day.) I'd be livid, especially given how little opportunity for "parenting" exists in the NICU and how precious every one of those moments are.
I think the sweetest thing the nurse said to us at the end of the tour was, "I hope we don't have to see you or your triplet girls here!" Amen.
Baby A: 2lb5oz, 142 BPM
Baby B: 2lb2oz, 142 BPM
Baby C: 2lb4oz, 134 BPM
That's almost 7 pounds of babies! When asked at what point they might schedule the C-section, the peri said if everything continues to go this well, and I'm still feeling good, they may even let me go to 36 weeks and a few days. (One can dream! First, I need to get to 28 weeks.)
A very good sign is that all of the girls are measuring pretty close, which bodes well for the next two months or so. I've only gained 0.4 lbs the past two weeks, but given how well the girls are doing and my overall weight gain, my peri wasn't concerned. Phew. The heartburn has been making it challenging to eat. My cervix is still as short as ever (a scary 2.4 cm), but still no funneling or dilation.
My Dh and I went on a tour of the level III NICU. They can admit almost 60 preemies, and they approximately 280 people on staff. The wonderful charge nurse spent 45 minutes with us going over their protocols, and describing different treatment scenarios.
Seeing so many babies fight for their lives is extremely disturbing and frightening. I just wasn't prepared for that. The upside is that it is also an immense motivator to see exactly how fragile the preemies are, because it makes me want to do everything in my power to grow our girls for as long as possible.
Having visuals of the space, equipment and people has alleviated a lot of anxiety.
The nurse said my Dh will be able to see our babies in the NICU within 30-45 minutes of their birth. If all of the girls are admitted to the NICU, they will be split up into different areas to help ensure that they don't get mixed up.
Up to four people, including the parents, can visit at any given time. They welcome parents calling in to check on their babies when they can't be physically present. Parents are welcome to visit any time, except for the half hour or so when shifts change (and the neonatologists and nurses share confidential information about all of the babies).
Visitors are only allowed when accompanied by one of the parents, which is very comforting from a security standpoint. (Also: I read about a triplet mom whose inlaws gained access to the NICU and they bathed her babies. When the mom arrived, not only had she missed out on giving them their first bath, but she couldn't touch her babies because they had already received so much stimulation that day.) I'd be livid, especially given how little opportunity for "parenting" exists in the NICU and how precious every one of those moments are.
I think the sweetest thing the nurse said to us at the end of the tour was, "I hope we don't have to see you or your triplet girls here!" Amen.
Sunday, September 06, 2009
25w6d - Funny triplet comments
Some days, I feel like I'm going through an initiation process. Every funny look or strange comment about our triplet pregnancy is preparing me for what lies ahead.
CONVERSATION #1:
This one is the prize-winning conversation of the week:
Neighbor: I heard you are having triplicates.
Me (having a hard time keeping a straight face): Yes, we sure are.
Vocabulary-challenged neighbor: Now, will they all be the same?
Me: We're expecting three girls - they're fraternal.
Neighbor: So, will they look the same?
Me: No, they're not identical.
Neighbor (still confused): So they'll just look like sisters and not like triplets?
Me (at a loss, but trying to escape the Spanish Inquisition): Yes.
CONVERSATION #2:
Someone who hadn't seen me in five months and who didn't know I was pregnant, did the best double-take I've ever witnessed.
She (smiling knowingly): "Whoa! What happened to you?!"
Me (straight face): "I got knocked up."
She: Apparently! (laughing) Congratulations!
Me: Thanks!
She: When are you due?
A male friend of mine who has a wicked sense of humor, was witnessing this exchange, and piped up, "Oh, she's about 2 weeks along." That cracked me up, because I'm 6 months pregnant and feel as big as a house.
She: (confused) ?
Me (laughing): I'm about six months pregnant.
She: ? (even more confused because the size of my belly and what I'm telling her doesn't add up)
Me: It's triplets.
She: ???!!! Whaaaatt??? Seriously???! Wow! That's wonderful!
It was totally worth dragging it out for that response.
CONVERSATION #1:
This one is the prize-winning conversation of the week:
Neighbor: I heard you are having triplicates.
Me (having a hard time keeping a straight face): Yes, we sure are.
Vocabulary-challenged neighbor: Now, will they all be the same?
Me: We're expecting three girls - they're fraternal.
Neighbor: So, will they look the same?
Me: No, they're not identical.
Neighbor (still confused): So they'll just look like sisters and not like triplets?
Me (at a loss, but trying to escape the Spanish Inquisition): Yes.
CONVERSATION #2:
Someone who hadn't seen me in five months and who didn't know I was pregnant, did the best double-take I've ever witnessed.
She (smiling knowingly): "Whoa! What happened to you?!"
Me (straight face): "I got knocked up."
She: Apparently! (laughing) Congratulations!
Me: Thanks!
She: When are you due?
A male friend of mine who has a wicked sense of humor, was witnessing this exchange, and piped up, "Oh, she's about 2 weeks along." That cracked me up, because I'm 6 months pregnant and feel as big as a house.
She: (confused) ?
Me (laughing): I'm about six months pregnant.
She: ? (even more confused because the size of my belly and what I'm telling her doesn't add up)
Me: It's triplets.
She: ???!!! Whaaaatt??? Seriously???! Wow! That's wonderful!
It was totally worth dragging it out for that response.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
19w5d: It's a numbers game
Every time I see a reflection of myself it makes me smile. On some level, I guess I keep forgetting that I'm actually quite pregnant. Then I see a photo of myself, or I accidentally brush a door against my belly and realize, "Hey, wait a minute, there's another inch there that wasn't there yesterday."
My body's perimeter is changing rapidly. The belly is growing by the day, prompting mirror double takes and many moments of baby bump awe. At last week's peri appointment (18w4d), the fundal height was 25 cm, the equivalent of a mom 25 weeks pregnant with a singleton.
Since then, my belly circumference has increased at least one more inch, from 40" to 41" earlier this week. When I measured last night, it was almost 42". So I'm not imagining it. When I said to my husband the girls must be going through a growth spurt, he concurred, saying empathetically, "Yes, I can definitely see that!" It's very reassuring to know that they're growing.
In terms of weight gain, it has finally started to pick up. I've gained 18 pounds so far. The nutritionist said last week that I was doing great, and that I should aim for 24 pounds by 24 weeks, which finally seems like a reachable goal. It's much less than Dr. Barbara Luke's recommendation, but I feel like I'm eating as much as I can, eating whenever I'm hungry (and trying to squeeze in as much protein and nutritious food as one human being can handle, even when I'm not all that hungry).
On Monday, I will be 20 weeks along. Wow, five months. Although not the halfway mark as in a singleton pregnancy, it gets me that much closer to my first of many milestones: 24 weeks. Thereafter the goal is 28 weeks, 32 weeks, and then 36. For now, it's one week at a time. I'm sure the day will come where it will be one day, and one hour at a time, but I can't think about that yet.
My body's perimeter is changing rapidly. The belly is growing by the day, prompting mirror double takes and many moments of baby bump awe. At last week's peri appointment (18w4d), the fundal height was 25 cm, the equivalent of a mom 25 weeks pregnant with a singleton.
Since then, my belly circumference has increased at least one more inch, from 40" to 41" earlier this week. When I measured last night, it was almost 42". So I'm not imagining it. When I said to my husband the girls must be going through a growth spurt, he concurred, saying empathetically, "Yes, I can definitely see that!" It's very reassuring to know that they're growing.
In terms of weight gain, it has finally started to pick up. I've gained 18 pounds so far. The nutritionist said last week that I was doing great, and that I should aim for 24 pounds by 24 weeks, which finally seems like a reachable goal. It's much less than Dr. Barbara Luke's recommendation, but I feel like I'm eating as much as I can, eating whenever I'm hungry (and trying to squeeze in as much protein and nutritious food as one human being can handle, even when I'm not all that hungry).
On Monday, I will be 20 weeks along. Wow, five months. Although not the halfway mark as in a singleton pregnancy, it gets me that much closer to my first of many milestones: 24 weeks. Thereafter the goal is 28 weeks, 32 weeks, and then 36. For now, it's one week at a time. I'm sure the day will come where it will be one day, and one hour at a time, but I can't think about that yet.
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