12-30-10 Brooks's Big Day!!

Well, today I got to bring another one of my tiny, perfect babies home--and when I say tiny, I mean TINY!  MD called us yesterday and said that Brooks was doing great and we could "pick him up tomorrow".  I knew he had been doing really good and would be home soon, but I had no idea it would be this soon.  I am so happy to have two of my three babies at home with us.  My mom came today and will be staying with us indefinitely now to help.  I am so lucky to have such great help from my mom and mother in law!
Quick update on Kate--She is doing well today.  Poor little girl has had a rough time, but is such a sweet baby.  MD's decided yesterday to try her on a soy formula, thinking she may have a food allergy that is causing her abdominal distension and gas.  She has tolerated the soy formula well so far, however is only receiving a very small amount right now.  I just hope this works and she is able to come home soon!

The latest baby news...

Kate is at Vandy.  MD called me Christmas Eve morning and told me she wanted to t/f her to Vandy due to her belly issues.  The MD was convinced that Kate had a "mechanical" problem (bowel obstruction) causing her belly distension and abnormally high amounts of air in her belly--the confusing part is that Kate still eats great and has bowel movements--which she typically would not do if there was an obstruction.  The "fix" for this type of problem is surgery, which they do not do on newborns at Baptist, so...we went to Vandy.  I was really upset bc 30 min earlier-the nurse had called and said she was probably coming home that day.  Anyways, once she got to Vandy, they did a barium contrast study to look at her large intestines to see if they could find some obstruction or narrowing anywhere.  At this point, I was really hoping they would find something very minor that would be an easy fix bc I was tired of the mystery of her large belly.  They found NOTHING abnormal and said they did not see anything that would be causing her problems and require surgery.  I was glad she does not have to undergo surgery, but so frustrated no one seemed to know what was going on.  Yesterday morning, they started Kate on Pregestimil--a special formula for babies with allergies to breast milk-- to see if this would help.  To me, this totally makes sense bc my neices both have this "rare" allergy to breastmilk.  Again, I was kind of frustrated bc I have mentioned this to at least 3 doctors over the past 2 weeks who all said that her belly issues were not caused by my milk.  As of today, she is only allowed to take a very little amount of formula to make sure this does not aggravate her belly and cause her to begin building up air again, but so far so good.  I hate that this poor baby has had to go through so many tests and sticks for blood work over something that could be so simple as intolerance/allergy to breastmilk.
Brooks is still at Baptist and continues to do great.  As of last night, he weighed 3lbs 11.8oz.  He is growing so quickly now and may actually beat Kate home!  If all continues to go well with him, I expect him home within the next 2 weeks.  It is amazing to me how well he has done over the past few weeks.
Braden is doing good at home.  We go back to MD on Tuesday for 1 mo check up--even though he is actually 5 weeks old.  I am anxious to see how much wt he has gained.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  Although mine was NOTHING like I expected, we are so blessed.  Walking around Vandy's Children Hospital, seeing very sick young kids, really puts things in perspective!
- Show quoted text -

December 22,2010

Well...as you can tell from  my lack of updates, I have been a little busy lately.  I know you all are thinking "if you think you are busy with one, just wait till all 3 get home!".  One of the reasons I have stayed so busy is the daily commutes back and forth to the hospital to see Kate and Brooks.  Thankfully, I have a wonderful mother and mother in law who have kept Braden for us to allow us to see the other 2, but it sure has been tiring.
Braden is doing great at home and slowly adjusting to his life outside of the NICU.  I have been overly cautious with him, so he has not left the house except for one trip to MD and one trip to his Pops and Losi's house (about 1 mile down the road).  He is a very sweet baby, who thankfully really only cries if something is wrong (hungry, dirty, etc).  He has had his days and nights confused, but we are working on keeping him up more during the day to help him sleep better at night.  I am so thankful to have this sweet baby at home with me!
Brooks is also doing great and gaining wt like a champ!  As of last night, he weighed 3lbs 4 oz and has been gaining 0.5-1 ounce almost everyday for the past week.  As we have said all along he is a fighter and I truly believe will be able to come home soon.  He is taking bottles at every feeding now and is regulating his body temp in incubator.  He will have to be able to regulate his body temp in an open crib (which he will be able to go to when he reaches 4lbs) prior to coming home.  He is finally starting to fill out and actually looks a lot more like Braden than I ever realized.
Sweet Kate has had a rough week.  As you know, I was planning to bring her home with Braden last week, however due to high bilirubin levels, MD decided to keep her a few more days.  Well, that "few days" has turned into 1.5 weeks.  They were able to get her bilirubin levels down, but noticed that her blood count was low.  MD said they wanted to watch it for a few days and if it continued to to drop, they were going to transfuse her (it is normal for premie babies to need blood transfusions).  While they were watching her blood levels, we began noticing her belly appeared to be distended.  It had actually been distended for a few days, but we kept brushing it off as gas.  We got another new MD this week (they change every week in NICU) who really did not like the appearance of her belly.  This MD decided to go through with the transfusion and put her on Pedialyte for a couple of days to see if this helped her belly.  Kate finished the transfusion last night and her blood work this morning was good.  Her bilirubin levels have come up a little again, but this MD does not seem concerned with them at this time.  MD told me this morning that if her belly remains soft and her blood count/bili levels are good in a couple of days, she could come home.  So....I am still hoping to have her home for Christmas.
All this being said, we have been so blessed this year and are so lucky to have 3 beautiful healthy babies.  I did not get around to sending out Christmas cards this year, but I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Braden is HOME!

We are so blessed to have one of our sons home with us tonight.  Unfortunately, Kate and Brooks are still at the hospital, but thankfully are doing well and will hopefully join Braden at home soon.  We had an interesting night last night when we "roomed in" at Baptist Hospital.  The NICU likes for parents to room in with their babies before they take them home to ensure parents feel comfortable taking care of a premature baby.  Braden was such a good baby who really only became upset with me when we had to change his clothes.  He has had a great day at home and was able to meet some of his aunts and uncles when he got home.  I am so happy to have him home and can only imagine how much better I will feel when I have all of my precious babies at home.
Kate is doing well and was actually supposed to come home with Braden today, however, due to higher than desired bilirubin levels (causes jaundice), she had to stay.  Hopefully they will be able to get this controlled soon and she will be home later this week.  Brooks is also doing very well.  He has began to really put on some wt this week (weighing in at a whopping 2lbs 8.75oz!) and has been tolerating all feedings well. 
With a baby in my home, I am finally starting to feel like a real mommy!--looking forward to the adventures ahead!

All Good News this Week!

Well, it has been a good week so far.  All babies are doing well and progressing good at this time.  Braden and Kate both reached the 4lbs milestone this week and have been moved to open cribs.  They have done well with this transition and have kept their body temps up as hoped.  They have also gotten the feeding tube taken out and are taking bottles at all feeding times!  It is so nice to see them in real baby clothes looking like real babies.  Brooks is also doing much better.  Since his set back last week, MD's allowed him to gradually resume eating.  He is currently receiving max amount he can for his weight with increased calories to aid in his wt gain.  Following his set back, he had dropped down to 2lbs 2oz, but is now up to almost 2lbs 5oz.  The small little guy is still the fiestiest of the three and such a fighter!  I also received more good news today that if Kate and Braden continue to keep their temps up and take bottles well, they will be coming home on Sunday or Monday!  I was so excited to hear this news and now am kind of freaking about all that needs to be done before their arrival--you would think that having babies in NICU for 3 weeks would give me ample time to get everything ready, but with running back and forth to see them, the day is over before I know it.  Again, I can not say enough how truly blessed we have been!

Ups and Downs of the NICU

The past week has had its share of ups and downs in the NICU.  Thankfully, Kate and Braden have done wonderfully and as of tonight have surpassed their birthweights.  Kate and Braden both currently weigh 3lbs 14oz.  Their weight gain has taken off in the past couple of days, so I am hoping they will reach 4lbs soon and be able to move to an open crib.  They are both taking at least 2 bottles a day and tolerating the transition well.  Brooks has had a harder week than the other two.  He finished the meds for his heart murmur and was able to resume eating shortly thereafter.  For a few days, there was no sign of heart murmur, however nurse and MD heard murmur again on Tuesday of this week.  He also had some bowel issues on Tuesday, with a lot of "air" in his belly.  MD was unsure of cause of the increased amount of air in his belly, so ordered him to begin IV fluids again and made him NPO ( no food).  This was hard for me to hear for numerous reasons.  #1- He had a great morning on Tuesday and actually took his first bottle that morning prior to this downfall--that day was literally filled with emotional highs and lows for me! #2 He had just started to gain weight when they had to stop his feedings--it is awful to look at your tiny baby and know he is not going to get to ear for a couple of days. #3- I was terrified of the underlying cause of this "air" in his belly, especially since MD tried to prepare me for the worst (I know she was just doing her job, but it was hard to hear nonetheless).
     Once again, God has provided and answered my prayers.  Brooks is doing much better today and was able to resume eating (taking milk through feeding tube for now).  They are starting him out slow and gradually increasing the amount of food he receives at each scheduled feeding.  He had gained up to 2lbs 4oz, but after this set back has lost back down to 2lbs 2oz.  I pray he will tolerate his return to eating well with no bowel/stomach problems and begin putting on weight.
    Another "high point" of the week occured today when 3 sweet girls from Springfield High School came to NICU to deliver Baby Bundles that were donated from students in her class at school.  What a kind and thoughtful thing to do for mothers who are going through the stresses of having a baby in the NICU.
    I am still unsure of when the babies will be able to come home, but if Kate and Braden continue to progress well, I feel like they will be home pretty soon.  Thank you for you prayers--please continue them for now.

So Much to Be Thankful for this year!

Happy Thanksgiving--the day has an all new meaning to me this year!  I am so thankful for my 3 precious little ones, but also thankful for all of the friends and family who have been there for us during this difficult time.  Although we did not get to spend the entire day with our little ones, every minute with them at this time is precious.  We did get a few pics of them today of their first Thanksgiving.  We also discussed how different Thanksgiving will be next year when these  little ones are home and we are trying to keep up with them!
  Yesterday was an emotional day for me.  I was released from hospital after my near 6 week stay, but couldnt help being sad as we drove away without my babies.  I was also remembering 6 weeks ago when I drove into the hospital parking lot and how extremely scared I was at that time.  I know the babies are where they need to be at this time, but it is still very hard to be home without them. 
   Update on babies:
       Kate: she is doing excellent!  After the usual wt loss that happens in babies after birth she had dropped to 3lbs 5oz (from 3lbs 12oz at birth).  She has consistently gained weight over the past 2 days and is up to 3lbs 7 & 3/4oz.  Her hair is definitely red at this time.
       Braden: also doing very well!  His weight also dropped to 3lbs 5oz, but he too has been gaining weight the past 2 days and is up to 3lbs 6 3/4oz.  His hair is by far the darkest of the three.
       Brooks: doing well considering the obstacles he is having to overcome.  MD informed us yesterday that they detected a heart murmur in Brooks and he was going to have a cardiologist come check him out.  Turns out, the murmur is caused by an open PDA ( All babies have an open PDA--patent ductus arteriosus-- in utero which is their means of obtaining O2 from momma.  Typically this PDA will close after birth, however in some premature babies it does not close and causes a murmur.) Thankfully, this can be easily fixed by meds.  The problem is that while he is on the meds (3 doses 12 hours apart) they have to stop his feedings.  Entering the world at a mere 1lb 15oz, it pains me to think of keeping food from him at this time.  After the first 2 doses, nurse says he is doing well and will have 3rd dose tonight.  If all looks well, he will resume feedings tomorrow. 
    I pray that all will go well with Brooks tomorrow and we will hear good news that the PDA closed and he can resume feedings.  I also pray that Braden and Kate can continue to grow and do well as they have over the past 5 days.

Babies are Here!!

Sorry I am just now getting back to the blog.  I have been amazed at how busy I have been already, even with nurses taking care of the babies, but I have wanted to be with them as much as possible--which keeps me away from computer.  As most of you already know...Babies are Here!  I woke up around 4:20 on Saturday November 20 (32 Weeks exactly!) to find my water had broken.  I was shocked, scared, nervous and excited and within 3 hours had 3 beautiful babies.  Kate, who was supposed to be Baby B based on position in utero, wanted to be first and worked her way around to do just that.  She was born at 7:22, weighed 3lbs 12oz, 16.5" long.  Braden, who so kindly let his sister come out first, came out also at 7:22, weighed 3 lbs 11oz, 16.25" long.  My little guy, Brooks, is actually the one who broke his water.  I figure he decided he was tired of being hungry (from the absent flow) and allowed mommy to get to 32 weeks as she wanted then had enough.  He arrived at 7:23 weighing a mere 1lbs 15oz, 14.5" long--he is such a fighter!
  It has been a crazy few days and after almost 6 weeks of being here in hospital, I will be going home tomorrow.  I have mixed feelings about this departure, as I am so excited about being home, I am also so sad about leaving the babies behind.  I know this is where they need to be for now, so they can continue to grow and get the proper monitoring they need at this point, but it is very hard to leave them behind.  I am hoping that Braden and Kate will be home with in the next 4 weeks or so and then Brooks a couple of weeks after that.  I will be driving back and forth daily until then to see the babies and gradually become more active in their care. 
   I feel like I am on cloud nine when I am with these babies and am so proud of how well they have all done.  Not one of them has had to be put on supplemental O2 and they have been able to tolerate the feeding intake as advised by MD according to what he feels appropriate.  Each of the babies did develop some jaundice and have been under special lights for treatment of this since day 2.  They also wear eye protectors to shield their eyes from the light--which are the "sunglasses" you see in pics.
  Well, I am headed down to see my beautiful babies, so this is all for now.  I do want to thank you all again for the prayers and ask that you please do not stop them yet.  God is so good and has protected our little ones so far, but they are not out of the woods yet.  Please continue to keep Kate, Braden and Brooks in your prayers daily.  Thank you!

Every Day is a Blessing

Well, as you can see....the 31 week pics did not get posted as I promised.  I actually ended up having a pretty rough weekend and pictures were not on the top of my priority list at the time.  I began noticing increased back pain on Friday, which I was contributing to the size of my large stomach pulling on my back.  Everyone else seemed to agree, as my stomach has been growing rapidly in the past couple of weeks, so I just figured this was a pregnancy discomfort I would have to deal with for the next few weeks.  By Saturday night the back pain was much worse and unrelenting.  When I tried to lie down to sleep Saturday night, I was extremely restless and could not get comfortable.  My sweet mother had come up that night and was staying with me, so she suggested I ask for some Tylenol.  After tossing and turning for a few minutes, I decided to try the Tylenol.   By the time the nurse arrived with my Tylenol, I was literally shaking and contracting pretty frequently.  She hooked me back up to monitor and called MD on call for that night.  They decided to give me another type of med to help with the shaking and began an IV with fluids.  After a VERY long night, I woke up feeling better, but pretty groggy.  MD had ordered blood work to be done that morning where they found my platelets had dropped to 87,000 and my liver enzymes were elevated (signs of HELLP syndrome).  They decided to recheck the blood that evening and if no better, they were going to deliver the babies last night.  I was not allowed to eat after 10AM in case I had to deliver that night.  MD's had pretty much prepared me to deliver last night, but at about 7:30, I got a call saying I could eat dinner because my blood work had improved--BEST news of the day!
  They did blood work again this morning, which showed I was stable, so we are "moving forward cautiously" (per Dr. Saig).  She said she does not think this episode is something we can just forget now that I feel better, so she is going to check my blood again tomorrow. 
  Good news--US this morning went great!  All babies got 8/8 on BPP and blood flow to Baby C looked much better than last week. 
   Based on everything this weekend, I do feel the babies birthday is coming sooner rather than later.  I still really want to make it to 32 weeks, but I know at this point, every day I am able to keep these babies in  is a blessing!

4 Weeks in Hospital and Counting!

   As of today, I have officially been in the hospital for 4 weeks.  I am so thankful for everyday I have had here at Baptist and believe prayers, rest and excellent care from MD/nurses are the reason I have been able to make it this far without having to deliver. 
   It is kind of ironic how your mind thinks when you are here in this situation.  When I came into hospital (at 26 weeks 6 days), I remember thinking "I will feel so much better after I have passed the 28 week milestone".  After we made it to that point with no major problems (other than my awful gall stone!), I kept thinking "just let me get to 30 weeks, then I will feel better if I have to deliver".  Now of course at almost 31 weeks (I will be 31 weeks tomorrow), all I can think is "please let me make it to 32".  I am sure if God's plan is to let us make it to this milestone, I will be begging to get to 34 weeks.
   I had another doppler US and BPP yesterday which, unfortunately, did not go as well as it has in the past.  First, Baby A (Braden) decided to not cooperate and show us his ability to "practice breathe", so the sonographer said she could not pass him for the BPP and I would have to come back in the afternoon.  I was not too worried about this because he has never had a problem with this and actually gets the hiccups (which they consider a form of practice breathing) all the time!  My main concern was caused by the increased time of absent flow noted throughout the cord with Baby C (Brooks) today.  There was still no reversal of flow-which is good, but MD said that based on this US, the absent flow seems to be progressing now.   Thankfully, Baby C still scored an 8/8 on biophysical profile, so MD's said that we would not "overreact" (deliver) just yet.  I did go back yesterday afternoon for follow up US on Braden to make sure he would show us that he could "practice breathe" and this time he passed with flying colors.
   I will try to post some new pics tomorrow when I reach the 31 WEEK milestone!
   Please continue the prayers that Brooks's flow does not become reversed and all babies continue to grow appropriately.

Slow but Steady

I am writing this today with a great sense of relief.  Due to something my nurse saw on HR monitor last night, MD decided to move my ultrasound up from Thursday to today.   (Baby C's HR appeared to be dropping momentarily, but would immediately return to a normal level--nurse said it could be from baby tugging on umbilical cord but she wanted to let MD know)
Again, Baby C had continuous forward umbilical cord blood flow, ratio still higher than normal limits, but continuous none the less--which is good news!
Braden (Baby A) weighs approx 2lbs 13 oz today and is in 12th percentile (based on wt of a singleton baby)
Kate (Baby B) weighs approx 3lbs 3 oz today and is in 40th percentile!! (I think she needs to share some of the food!)
Brooks (Baby C) weighs approx 1 lbs 14 oz today and is in the less than 5th percentile--still small, but growing
I was pretty nervous following this US and wondered if today was going to be the day I was going to meet these precious little babies.  MD looked over my US results and said "your babies look good".  She told me that my babies are growing at "their own rate" and have shown consistent growth at "their rate" for the past 2.5 weeks.  The sense of relief I felt when I heard her say those words was overwhelming.  I am so happy to know that the babies are growing-slow but steady!
Overall, I am still feeling pretty good these days.  The hospital bed is obviously getting a little old, but hopefully, I will have to endure it a few more weeks!  Babies will be 30 weeks on Saturday-what a milestone! 
Please continue to pray that these babies will keep growing and my body will be able to handle the growth without going into labor early!

 

 

29 Weeks!

Thankfully, we have no new changes to report.  Another US was performed today which went well.  Blood flow to Baby C is still abnormal, but no worse than it has been.  Again the biophysical profile was performed and all babies scored an 8/8.  Thursday will be the next US which will consist of new growth and weight measurements.  I am very anxious/excited about the US and praying for increased weights of all babies, especially Baby C.  Again, I want to thank you all for your prayers, visits and phone calls.

Emotional Highs and Lows

With many prayers, rest and good MD's I was able to hit the 28 week milestone yesterday. The past couple of days have been "medically uneventful" as my MD would say--which is how we like it!  In my last post, I was very encouraged about the results of an US that had been performed that day, only to be totally discouraged the following day by another US (definite periods of absent flow were noted with baby C in US on Friday).   After a day filled with a lot of crying, I spoke with MD and realized I was probably overreacting a bit.  I have decided that I know just enough about what is going on and what we are looking for on US to really know nothing at all!  She explained to me that rather than acting(deciding to deliver babies) based on results of one US that showed intermittent absent flow (unless reverse flow is noted), they look at the big picture.  For now, the "big picture" still shows all 3 babies with good HR's, good fluid levels and good fetal movement.   Another US is scheduled for tomorrow so I have decided to just relax and TRY not to overreact.
I can not say enough about the care I have received since arriving here at Baptist.  The nurses on the  antepartum floor are absolutely amazing and seem to know exactly what to say and when to say it.  I typically see 2 doctors at least 1x/day if not 2x/day and am very confident in their skills at this time as well.  The bed is getting a little old these days, but I was given the okay today to go on wheelchair rides outside to get some fresh air.  I think the MD's get worried that their patients are going to go crazy in here because they are always giving me ideas of different things I could do to keep myself busy. 
I am thankful for the wonderful friends and family that have stopped by which also definitely help the time roll on by. 
Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us--- we definitely need them right now!

One Day At A Time

  I have now been on hospital bedrest for 6 days.  Thanks to my wonderful family and friends, the time so far has actually moved rather quickly (well maybe not quick, but not as bad as expected).  The first few days in the hospital were pretty uneventful, which is how I prefer it because that means we are all doing okay.  Unfortunately,Tuesday was much more "eventful" than I like.  I woke up with mild pain just under sternum and noticed a had difficulty catching my breath.  I brushed it off as a pain from the growing babies and tried to ignore it.  I went down for US and got a good report on all 3 babies.  They all scored an 8/8 on biophysical profile which assesses fluid levels, HR, fetal movement and their ability to "practice breathing".  The blood flow to Baby C had not changed, which I was taking as good news since it could get worse.  As the day went on, my pain began to gradually increase and was now in my back b/t my shoulder blades.  By early afternoon I was very uncomfortable and had to inform the nurse of my discomfort.  They thought at first the pain may have been due to indegestion and gave me Pepcid.  About an hour later the pain was worse so the nurse decided to contact MD.  I was hooked up to monitor to watch babies HR and my contractions and thankfully all babies were fine, however my contractions began increasing (due to my pain).  Following quite a few more meds (to stop contractions, decrease pain and help me sleep), the contractions decreased and I was able to fall asleep.  I had a little soreness the following morning, but thankfully by today the pain was gone.  MD said they think I may have passed a gall stone due to some elevations they noted in my liver enzymes (which had decreased by this morning).  Whatever it was--I am so thankful it is gone!  I was not sure that I could tolerate much longer with that much pain and was beginning to think I was going to have to deliver the babies.
    Today was a great day!  I had no pain and got another good report on the babies.  A second doppler US was done today that revealed baby C's cord flow was within normal limits (still on the high side, but in normal range!).  I do not have any updated measurements on the babies, but am very encouraged by this news concerning improvement in blood flow.
  

Scary Stuff!

As many of you know by this time, I have been admitted to Baptist hospital for further monitoring of the babies.  It all began on Friday of last week when I went in for my usual appointment hoping and praying to leave with good news, especially about Baby C.  Unfortunately, I left scared to death, and headed straight over to Baptist where I was told I would be admitted until the babies arrive.  The cause for increased concern is still over my little guy, Baby C.  Due to his growth seeming to lag behind the other 2 babies, my MD decided to do a doppler US to check the cord blood flow (amount of blood getting to placenta).  The sonographer in my MD office found what appeared to be Absent Diastolic Flow (in laymans terms, abnormal blood flow getting to baby) which they believe could be the cause of his slower growth pattern and sent me immediately to Baptist.  My MD had already contacted Dr Collins with Tennessee Maternal Fetal Medicine (oversees high risk pregnancies) who came in and met with me that night.  He decided to do his own US and sat with me for 2 hours on Friday night while he looked very closely at the anatomy and blood flow of all babies.  Thankfully, we received good news during this US that gave me a more optimistic outlook on the remainder of my pregnancy.  The sonographer at the hospital found "some forward diastolic flow" which is much better than "absent flow" (FYI: Reverse diastolic flow is critical and would mean delivery is necessary immediately, Absent flow is concerning and cause for monitoring").  This flow is not normal, but Dr. Collins was optimistic that it was not absent (which of course made me feel a lot better).  Following this US I left knowing that the anatomy of all 3 babies appears normal (even Baby C) and they have normal HR's.  The MD was optimistic that no delivery would need to be made this week, but said we would just take it a day at a time. 
When I returned to my room Friday night, my usual OB had also contacted Dr. Graham with the NICU to come give me some insight on what complications we could possibly be facing if the babies had to come this week.  At 27 weeks (which is where I am at this time) he told us that the babies would have a 90% chance of survival (which he states are very good odds).  He then went on to inform us of various other problems they could encounter, but said that every week that passes, these percentages would decrease (they are about 25% right now).  The best part of the discussion was where he told us about a set of triplets they had in the NICU that were delivered at 26 weeks and are now 9 weeks old and about 1 week away from going home!  This was obviously very encouraging for me to hear!
The following day I had the opportunity to visit the NICU.  The nurses were very nice and I was able to see the adorable, tiny babies who were doing well.  I did get to see the triplets and meet their parents who were very encouraging to me (she was put in hospital at 19 Weeks! and then delivered at 26!).  Technology today is amazing!
As of now...the babies have their HR's monitored every morning and every evening and they monitor my contractions.  So far, so good with the HR's which is a good sign that the cord flow is forward (MD said that abnormal HR pattern would indicate absent or reverse cord flow) and my contractions are occuring typical for someone with triplets at this point.  We will have a BPP (biophysical profile) on Tuesday to assess fluid levels, activity and respiration of all babies and another doppler US on Friday to check the cord flow. 
I feel so thankful to be where I am at this time.  I believe that changing doctors when I did was the best decision that we have made so far.  I still love my OB-Dr. Saig and am very confident with the skills of Dr. Collins (who sat with me for 2 hours during my first US on Friday night).  The nurses are wonderful and also go on and on about how excellent Dr. Collins and the entire TMFM group is. 
Needless to say, Friday night and Saturday morning were pretty tough.  I am feeling much more encouraged at this time and know that this is totally out of my control.  God has a plan, as I know he has with my entire pregnancy, and I am constantly reminding myself that his plan is much better than mine could ever be.  There is no need for me to worry (although this is easier said than done) when God is in control anyways.  Although I do not want these babies to be born this week (or in the next 4 weeks for that matter), if that has to happen, I have to trust that is God's plan and he will take care of my precious babies. 
Thank you all for your prayers so far and continue to remember us over the next few weeks.

26 Weeks!

Wow!  When I think back on the last 7 days, quite a bit has happened (especially considering I have been on modified bed rest!)
 We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family in our lives.  In the past 2 weeks we have had 2 more showers where we received more than I could imagine.  With help of my mom, mother in law and sister-- the nursery is coming together and we are beginning to collect items that will be desperately needed in the next few months-years.  Our diaper collection appears to be pretty impressive at this point, but when I really think about it, I realize that we will probably go through all those boxes in 3-4 weeks! 
  Last week was my first week off from work.  I thought I would go crazy lying/sitting around the house all day and then feared I would not sleep a wink at night, however, the days passed more quickly than I thought (and I stil slept much better than expected)!  I did decide to see a new MD and am thrilled with her!  She is so nice, personable, knowledgable and makes me feel much more comfortable than my last experience.  I had US again on Friday to check my cervix length and growth of all 3 babies.  Luckily, my cervix had stabilized and had not gotten any shorter since the previous week.  As we continued on with the US and I began to see my babies I became so excited and optimistic about my ability to carry these babies beyond 32 weeks (which is considered average term for triplets).  Baby A (boy) continues to grow right on track and was found to be in the 48th percentile weighing 1lbs 15 oz.  Baby B (girl) is keeping up with her brother also in the 48th percentile weighing 1lbs 15oz.  Unfortunately my little guy (baby C) continues to struggle with his growth.  He is not growing as quickly as he should be and is weighing only 1lbs 5 oz at this time (i know that doesnt seem like a big difference, but when my MD compared them in gram 882 vs 585g I knew he was really lagging behind).  Obviously, this is our main concern at this time rather than me going into premature labor (as was my concern last week).
  What I love about my new MD is that she actually called to tell me her concerns and actually discuss her plans and some options we will have in the near future if his growth does not speed up.  Options at this time primarily involve giving me steroid injections to speed along lung development of all the babies in case an early delivery is needed (to ensure Baby C receives the nourishment he needs).  I will see MD again next week and she is now going to be doing the growth checks weekly to track his progress.  In the mean time, I will be lying around.  I have read (which I know I probably should not be reading online), but that lying on your left side is the best way to increase blood flow to fetus--which increases the nutrients that the babies will receive, so that is my plan for this week--Spend as much time on my left side as possibe AND of course PRAY. 
  It is easy for me to once again try and take control of a situation that is really out of my control.  I have to remind myself that God gave me these precious babies and he has a plan for us all. 

Time to Slow Down

Twenty five weeks today!  While I am excited about reaching this milestone in my pregnancy with no bedrest or medicine, I have recently realized the "easy days" may be coming to an end.  I have been very lucky so far to have a very enjoyable pregnancy with relatively no morning sickness or significant aches/pains.  As I said last week, I have been pretty tired, but overall, I feel good about how well my body has tolerated carrying these 3 little ones.
   Yesterday, I left work as usual and headed straight over to my weekly appointment.  Expecting everything to go well (I had a full day of errands planned), I strolled into the clinic and began talking to the secretary about how well I had been doing.  Little did I know, those errands were going to have to be put on hold for a while bc my babies wanted some rest.  The US was performed first which showed all 3 babies doing well with good strong heartbeats.  The bad news came when the sonographer checked my cervix and found it had shortened to quite a bit from the previous week.  As she was telling me that it had shortened and she would have to contact the MD on call, she went on to tell me to prepare myself for bed rest (and possibly hospital bedrest).  My MD decided to have me go to Baptist so they could monitor me to be sure that I was not having contractions that were causing my cervix to shorten.  After sitting in the hospital hooked up to a monitor for an hour, the nurse came in and told me that I was having a contraction about every 10 minutes.  Again she told me to prepare myself to go on bedrest and medication to stop these contractions, but said she was going to go inform my MD of the rate of contractions.  To my surprise, she came back in the room a few minutes later and told us that my MD had decided to let me "resume normal activity" for now. 
Hearing this news was relieving, but also scary.  I was glad that I did not have to stay in the hospital, but in my mind I was wondering if it is safe for me to "resume normal activity" when I am having 6 contractions per hour.  I know everyone tells me I should "quit reading those books" and "stay off the internet", but so far, that has been my main source of information (since my MD has not been informative at all).  I have not been given advice on any warning signs to be aware of and have not even had an MD discuss medication options that will be available if/when needed to stop pre term labor contractions.  The book that was recommended to me by a friend who recently had twins lists "6 or more contractions per hour" as a major warning sign for preterm labor and a cause to contact MD immediately.
Luckily, Travis has a great friend who is an OB and has been very helpful throughout my pregnancy.  Although, I am scared to change physicians at this point in my pregnancy, I do not feel comfortable with the quality of care I have received thus far.  A new physician was recommended who I am planning on seeing early next week.  I hope to get some answers about what I should/should not be doing at this point.  I am willing to do whatever is necessary to make these babies stay put for a few more weeks, but just need someone to tell me what to do. 
On a good note, I am very excited about my second shower tomorrow given by my wonderful aunts!

Sleep, Rest-- really??

Well, the fatigue of these internal and external changes are starting to really set in.  I have been so very tired the past week, until, of course it is time for bed.  The minute I lie down, my head begins racing of all the things that need to be done, my concerns, apprehension, excitement, etc.  Other than the fatigue and occasional ache when I get up, I still feel pretty good (especially considering there are 3 in there!!)
We had our first shower this past weekend.  It feels so real now that we have begun to bring baby items into our nursery (room is still a work in progress).  We were so lucky to get our 3 car seats at the shower this weekend--(which reinforced the fact that we still need a new vehicle) and some adorable monogrammed items.  We are so blessed to have such wonderful, giving friends!
My check up went well on Friday and no real remarkable events occurred this week. The kicks have become more frequent and stronger, but are still not annoying or painful at all.  My project for this week will be to get a closet orgnizer to try to keep these babies clothes somewhat organized! 

23 Weeks!!

As another week rolls by, I am, thankfully, still feeling unusually well.  I am obviously tired and getting a little uncomfortable, but overall still doing good.  I will begin my 23rd week/6th month of pregnancy tomorrow and looking forward to/becoming anxious about the days ahead.
The babies movements I have been patiently waiting for others to be able to feel came this week.  Still no breath taking kicks, but enough movement that Travis and my mom have been able to feel them (or at least one of them) move.  People keep asking if I can tell which one is kicking/moving, but I honestly have no idea.  I have a general idea of where each baby is lying in my belly. but can not differentiate any specific kicks.
My growth US and prenatal appt went well yesterday.  After freaking out for about an hour when the sonographer would tell me nothing about what she was seeing, the MD came in and said "everything looks good".  He again told me to "keep living life as normal as I can" and was out the door before I knew it.  Before he left he did tell me that each baby weighs approx 1lbs right now, which he says is normal at this time.  I just keep reminding myself that if none of the MD's are concerned about anything, I should not be either.  The one piece of information the sonographer did decide to share with me was that I was having a contraction.  I immediately panic and figure I am going to be put on bedrest on the spot, but after a few moments, she goes on to tell me that the contractions are normal and everything looks fine.  Thankfully, still no bedrest and 3 growing babies with good strong heartbeats!

Another week flies by!!

So another week has passed!  Tomorrow I will begin my 23rd week/6th month of pregnancy.  Over the past week, the kicks I have been so patiently waiting for really began.  No breath taking kicks thus far, but definitely strong enough to be felt by myself and others.   I was so excited when Travis was finally able to feel the babies move earlier this week.

22 Weeks!

    Another week has flown by--I am 22 weeks pregnant today and still feeling pretty good!  I had my weekly "check up" yesterday, which thankfully went great.  The babies all appeared to be very active on US and are growing right along.  The sonographer was surprised to hear that I could not feel the babies movements during the US, considering how active they were yesterday.  I do feel them move some, but I have yet to feel that "gut wrenching punch or kick" many have warned me about.  I am sure I will regret saying this later, but I actually want to feel the kicks and punches right now and even more want Travis to be able to feel them move.  Who knows, maybe the punch or kick I have been waiting for will come this week!  The sonographer went on to tell me my fluid levels look good (which is vital to prevent preterm labor) and was very encouraging.
    This week started a little rough with me being very tired and having a mild backache, but as the days went on, my energy actually picked up and my back stopped hurting.  I truly believe work is a good thing for me right now.  I hope to be able to continue working till the end of Oct (7 more weeks) as planned, but I guess only time will tell.

Time to vent...   
As I have met many mothers of multiples over the past few months, I have been warned about the comments I would hear ("UGH...3 at one time", "well, i dont know if I need to tell you congrats or condolences",  "it is going to be hard", " how are YOU going to carry 3", "how did this happen?"--REALLY???, etc...the list goes on and on).  I thought I would be able to just ignore them, but after 22 weeks of hearing negative comments about your pregnancy, it does sort of start to take a toll on you.  Sometimes I wonder if people think I planned it this way...i know it will be hard, but these 3 blessings were a gift from God. 
    I truly appreciate the occasional words of encouragement that I receive and I love it when someone is actually excited for me.  I am excited about the new challenges that have been placed in my life and feel ready to face them head on.  I have a wonderful support system (God, husband, family, friends, church family) surrounding me which gives me constant reassurance that everything will be fine.
It has been interesting to me that 99% of the people with negative comments are those that have no experience with multiple children.  The mothers of multiples I have met have told me that this will be the most fun I have ever had in my life--and I believe them.  Okay, enough venting...I just heard one too many negative comments yesterday and needed to get that off my chest.
   

Registering

Well today was interesting and very overwhelming.  Today was the day I attempted to register for these little ones.  I knew that we were going to need a lot (since we have NOTHING right now!), but I dont think I realized exactly how much I would need.  Luckily, I had my experienced friend with me to help.  Together we came up with a list from Target, but I have yet to make it to Babies R Us or Walmart. 
  I also picked up my triplet toddler stroller today (given to me by a mother of triplets).  Wow, that thing is huge!!We will definitely draw a crowd anytime we get out.
 

From the Beginning...

  Until this year, I have lived an absolutely normal, wonderfully average and typical life.  This year, however, has changed my so called "normal" life into an extraordinary story.  After waiting for God to bless us with a baby for about a year, in May of this year, Travis and I discovered I was pregnant.  It all began on Mother's Day.  I had a feeling that something inside me was different and that my prayers had been answered.  Little did I know that the Pink Plus sign I read that morning meant that my prayers had been answered x3!!  I went in for blood work the following week to confirm the home test that YES! I was pregnant!  Two weeks later we went in for our first US.  I can not remember the last time I was that nervous and excited.  I was praying for a heart beat and again our prayers were answered (and answered and answered!!).  I will never forget the shock between Travis and I when the sonographer looked up and said "Well, you got three".  "HUH" ...... was pretty much all we said for the first couple of minutes.  The sonographer went on to tell us how each baby was doing (by looking at heart rate).  Baby A and B's HR looked great, but Baby C's was a little bit slower.  We would have to go back in a couple of weeks to check on Baby C.  Thankfully, Baby C caught up quickly and measured comparable to A dn B at the next appt.  As our shock began to set in, the reality of our future came crashing down.  "How are we going to care for 3 babies?"  "I am going to need a new vehicle" " Will I be able to work...I have to work, I have 3 babies on the way!"
  The next few weeks were suprisingly easy.  I was expecting severe morning sickness (since they say it is 3x as bad with multiples), however I luckily did not experience the nausea that typicaly accompaines first trimester pregnancy.  Some mild headaches and pretty severe fatigue were the extent of my "first trimester blues".
  As each week passes, I have become more excited and less fearful of the future.  Many have reminded me that God will not give us more than we can handle.  I also frequently look at a bracelet given to me by my sister with Psalms 56:3 on it-"When I am afraid, I will trust in you".
  Since I am having triplets, I am considered a "high risk pregnancy".  Although this sounds bad, it definitely has its perks (especially since I have had a wonderful pregnancy thus far).  I am monitored very closely to ensure I do not need to go on bedrest which means I get an US every week at this point (weekly US began at 17 weeks).  At 15 weeks, Travis and I discovered we were having 2 boys and a girl--the perfect combination for us.   We are so excited about "instant family" as many have called it and can not wait to meet our sons and daughter.
  I am a little late getting started on this blog, as I will be 21 weeks tomorrow, but I figure better late than never.  I had another appt today which thankfully went well.  I have been told to "live my life as normal as possible" and "rest".  Resting is not in my nature, so this has been harder for me than expected, however I feel that as I contine to grow, I will be forced to rest--like it or not.