27 Weeks 3 Days - December 28, 2011

9:00 am: Two more doctor's appointments today - first seeing the regular OB, then heading to CDH. Hoping & praying for good news! I'll keep you posted...


9:00 pm: I'm happy to report that I didn't need to be admitted to the hospital and the doctors sent me home. However, the MFM appointment didn't go quite as well as I had hoped. My cervix is still closed but does continues to shorten. It's down to around 2.5 cm but there's still some room to go. Some of the moms from the triplet message boards I've been reading have gone 4+ extra weeks with a cervix as short as 0.5 cm, so it's really just a waiting game. The doctor's felt okay sending me home as long as I continued to stay on bed rest.

The doctors were also still concerned about Baby B - at this point it's not a "problem" but just a "concern". They observed again that Baby B has a decreased blood flow through his umbilical cord. Since the boys are fraternal, they each have their own placenta, so only B is affected. Basically, he is still getting nutrients and blood through his cord, but at a reduced rate. They decided to do a Biophysical Profile (BPP) which is basically a non-stress test where they measure the baby's heart rate, movement, muscle tone, amniotic fluid, and breathing. The baby is given a ranking of 0-2 in each category for a maximum possible score of 8/8.

After they looked at Baby B, we were all pleased to see that he scored a perfect 8! Since he appears to be doing well, there's nothing more to do at this time. They'll continue to monitor him and the other two once a week. Should his status change and he is suddenly under a lot of stress or the cord flow reverses, they will go ahead and deliver, but for now we're still aiming for 32 weeks.

My next appointment will be on Thursday, Jan. 5 and I'm guessing that it may conclude with a long hospital stay, but we'll wait and see. We're comforted by the fact that this is all out of our control and there's really nothing we can do except trust in God's plan. Psalm 139:13-16 reminds us...

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Merry Christmas Eve

There's no doubt that I've got the round belly that shakes when I laugh like a bowl full of jelly.  Santa's got nothin' on me!

Merry Christmas Eve to all of you - I hope this post finds you doing well and enjoying the company of loved ones.  It has definitely been a unique Christmas season this year, and will be the last "quiet" Christmas we may ever have!  I can't believe that next year at this time the house will be filled with little ones.

While this week started out pretty quiet, unfortunately, it didn't stay that way.  On Thursday (26 week 4 days), I went back in to CDH for a check up with Maternal Fetal Medicine.  We were originally scheduled for a quick cervical length check, but ended up being due for a full growth scan on the babies which was nice since our last one was done around Thanksgiving. 

The babies all continue to grow and are looking healthy, but the doctors were a bit concerned about Baby B.  At Thanksgiving, the boys were all ahead of schedule and in the 70th percentile based on weight which was amazing.  At this appointment, A & C are still in the 70th but B had dropped into the 50th.  While 50th percentile is still very good (especially for triplets), they were a bit worried that he may not be getting as many nutrients through the placenta.  He is definitely an active little boy, and both the doctor and sonographer had a hard time taking some measurements because he was moving so much.  They said the movement was definitely a good sign, and that it appeared as if he was going just fine.  We'll just continue to watch him more closely, but for now he looks okay.

Baby A - 2 lbs 6 oz; measuring 28 weeks 2 days
Baby B - 2 lbs 3 oz; measuring 27 weeks 3 days
Baby C - 2 lbs 6 oz; measuring 27 weeks 3 days

Well if you do the addition, I've got 6 lbs 15 oz of baby plus whole lot of fluid in my belly, so it's no surprise that my uterus thinks it's farther along than I actually am.  After the babies growth scan, they did check the length of my cervix.  It's still closed and was measuring 3.2 cm which is still very good.  However, in the middle of the exam I had another contraction and we all watched as that 3.2 shrunk down to just 1.0 cm.  Talk about scary!  At that point, the MFM doctors didn't feel comfortable sending me home, so back to the hospital I went.

They admitted me again to the hospital, just two rooms down from my previous home-away-from-home.  They wanted to monitor my current dose of Nifedipine for a while and then possibly increase the frequency from every 6 hours to every 4.  At one point, the contractions were coming every 8 or 9 minutes,  but eventually they quieted without an increase in medication.  By the time Friday morning arrived, they had almost completely stopped.  After meeting with MFM and my OB, they decided I was okay to return home.  The worst parts of the short hospital stay was that it took three tries to get the IV in and I forgot my leopard slippers under the bed.  Which reminds me that I need to call them...

So for now, I am back home but am trying to be even more cautious about movement than the doctor's have ordered.  I'm still allowed to do the stairs once or twice a day, but am really trying to avoid being on my feet.  The nurses advised me that even sitting up can put almost as much pressure on my cervix as standing, so it really will be just the recliner and my bed for the next 5-6 weeks.  The doctors would still like to see me get to 32 weeks which is the end of January/early Feb. 

At this point, the days have actually gone very quickly.  It helps that I don't usually get out of bed until 10 or 11:00.  I appreciate the offer for visitors, but at this point it's probably best that I just rest and take it easy.  I definitely want to pass the 28 week mark, so this next week is critical.  We've had several people ask what you can do to help...and so far the toughest part has been meal times - so if you enjoy cooking or want to get rid of your Christmas leftovers, just send them our way!  Other than that, we're hanging in there.  We realize we have so much to be thankful for, and knew all along that carrying three babies at once wouldn't be easy.  This year, we're just hoping that Santa brings us six more weeks of bed rest...now go enjoy your Christmas!

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:16-20

Home Sweet Home - 26 Weeks - Dec. 18, 2011

I'm happy to report that this post comes to you from the comfort of my recliner!  The Christmas tree is lit, there's football on tv, and Chief is laying at my feet, so things are much more enjoyable.  I was surprised and relieved to hear on Saturday morning that the doctors were thinking about letting me go home.  The contractions had slowed to 1-3 per hour or less, so the big question was whether my cervix had continued to shorten.  After a quick exam with Maternal Fetal Medicine, they found that the opposite was true.  My cervix had closed back up and was measuring almost a full 4 cm which was up from the 2.5cm on Monday.  It turns out that the contractions had caused most of the shortening, so between the bed rest and medication, things were looking very positive.  The contractions will most likely continue from now until delivery, but since I had already received the steroid shots for the boys, MFM and my doctor felt confident that as long as I continued to rest at home, there was no reason to keep me at the hospital. 

I've received so much support and encouragement from all of you over the last week - thank you so much for that!  I owe so much to Ryan who has been my personal nurse, slave, and cheerleader for the past week - he's probably just as thankful as I am to be home and sleeping in our own bed without constant interruptions from nurses or the sound of monitors and machines all night.  Also thank you to my parents, Ry' parents, Bethany, Erica, Jessica, and Jason for your visits - they definitely made the time go more quickly and kept me in good spirits.  A text from one of you brought me to these verses in 2 Corinthians, which I've also found to be so applicable...

"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12:9-10.  My hospital stay has reminded me once again how insufficient I am.  It seems like any time I become too "confident" in my own abilities, God graciously humbles me and reminds me that I can do nothing without Him.  Jesus wants us to turn to Him, depend on Him, and rely on Him, and it's situations like these that give me that much needed wake-up call.  How often do we try to control situations or handle things "our way" instead of giving Christ the credit for the amazing things He does in our lives?  Only by acknowledging my weaknesses and inabilities can I give Christ the credit.  With Christmas only a week away, I hope that many of you will reflect on and appreciate the miracle of Jesus - fully God while also fully man -  who came to earth as a tiny baby boy, who would then die a death on the cross that He didn't deserve, and be raised again so that you and I would be made clean and sinless in God's eyes.  Talk about an incredible gift - that, my friends, is grace!

Before the Christmas holiday, I'll head back to the hospital for hopefully just one more check-up.  It sounds like these boys should get the chance to keep growing for a few more weeks, but of course I'll keep you all posted.  Our goal is still to make it to 32 weeks, but we will continue to take it day-by-day. I hope all of you friends, whether near or far, will have a great week and a wonderful Christmas with your family and loved ones!

Week 25 - December 15, 2011

Well I was hoping that my hospital stay was nearing an end, but it's difficult to tell at this point.  I'm still having around 3 contractions an hour, which could be considered "normal" with triplets, but still isn't ideal.  I just finished my last dose of the contraction-stopping drug, Indomethacin, and will start on a new drug, Nifedipine, tonight.  It's primarily used to treat high-blood pressure, but also helps reduce contractions, so they'll monitor my blood pressure closely to make sure it doesn't drop.  The boys' heartbeats all continue to look good and I imagine the docs will check cervical length in the next few days to see if it has shortened at all.  They keep reassuring me that my body is just doing what it's meant to do and that I shouldn't beat myself up over it.  There's nothing I could have done to prevent the contractions, and even full bed rest wouldn't necessarily stop them.  The contractions may continue from here on out, but our main concern should really be the cervical length.  As long as that's good, these boys should have plenty of more time to grow.  I guess we just wait and see, it's hard to imagine this for another 6 weeks, but that's my hope.  For now, I'll just rest, drink lots of water, and listen to the experts!

Hospital Test Drive

Quick 30 second update:
I was admitted to CDH on Monday due to moderate/severe contractions that I wasn't even feeling, they've given me medication to stop/slow the contractions, steroid shots to help develop the boys' lungs in case of a very early delivery, and progesterone hormones to strengthen my cervix and prevent any additional shortening.  So far, everything is working as it should but we're still not totally in the clear.  The doctors are amazing and I'm in the best place I can be right now.  The boys are all doing well, and we know God's got things under control.  Keep reading for the full story, but for now, that's all the big stuff!

Longer update - hopefully not TMI:
So Monday, 12/12/11, I was scheduled for a routine appointment at CDH with Maternal Fetal Medicine to check cervical length.  These appointments typically only last 15-20 mins. so I was planning to just go there by myself since Ryan had a meeting at work.  Thankfully, a close friend, Jess, had taken the day off work and had no plans, so we decided she'd come with and we'd make a lunch date out of it.  We stopped quickly at one store, had a great lunch at Houlihan's, and then headed to the appointment.  Funnily enough, I was telling her over lunch that even though things were going smoothly, at this point in the pregnancy you never know if you may end up having the babies that day.

Anyway, at the appointment Dr. Steinberg didn't like seeing that my cervix had decreased from 3.6cm two weeks ago to 2.5cm on Monday.  I told him I hadn't felt any contractions or pain...but then again, I wasn't really sure what I was looking for.  He had me hooked up to a contraction monitor for approx. a half hour, and it showed that I was definitely contracting.  I was expecting to feel some cramping or pain, but instead it was just a firm spot on my belly which I kept interpreting as one of the babies shifting positions.  Guess not!  I had one nurse that finally explained it to me in a way that made sense...the uterus contracts and tightens which makes it feel harder so if it's a mild contraction, your belly should feel as soft as the tip of your nose.  If it's a moderate contraction, it will feel like your chin, and if it's severe it will be as firm as your forehead.  I definitely had times when my belly felt like my forehead, so it's such a relief that I now know what to look for.

On Monday, I was 25 weeks and 1 day, so the boys should each be over 2 lbs.  With approx. 6.5 lbs of baby this is all very "normal" and it's pretty common with triplet pregnancies for the uterus to begin contracting at this point.  While the babies are past the first big viability milestone, their lungs are still very far from being fully developed and if they had been born today, they would be looking at a stay in the NICU of several months.  Other triplet moms that I've heard from had similar experiences and then were able to return home and keep the babies cooking for several more weeks, so we're very optimistic.  They immediately admitted me to the Labor & Delivery unit and started medication shortly after.  A HUGE thank you to Jess for going with me, keeping me calm, and staying with me until Ry could make it to the hospital.  Without her, I can imagine how panicked I might have felt. Looks like God knew exactly what I would need that day!

The doctors have me on indomethacin to stop the contractions, so I take that by pill every 6 hours.  They only administer this drug for 24-72 hours, but they want to keep me on it for the full 72 before switching me to something different.  I'm no longer on an IV, but I've got a contraction monitor strapped to my belly and those funny leg wraps that contract & expand to help with circulation.  My ankles look the best they have in weeks, so they do actually work!  They did give me two shots of steroids which will help the lung development of the boys.  There's no need for additional shots at this point, but it could be repeated in a few weeks or as close to delivery as possible.  All three heartbeats look great, and they'll do another full exam before I go home which looks like it won't be until this Friday.  At least this means almost a full extra week of growth for the boys.  The nurses reminded me that every 1 day they stay in my belly, it will take 3 days off the NICU - so by the time I go home, that's 15 fewer days for them!

I've been catching up on some movies, have a stack of books waiting for me, and so far have not minded having to lay in bed all day.  It helps that it looks gloomy and rainy outside though too...there's not much else you want to be doing on a day like this.  Another highlight - I got to shower today, so I'm feeling human again finally.  In many ways, I'm thankful that I got do a "test drive" here at the hospital which will probably make the delivery process a little less stressful.  I now know what sort of things I should pack for my hospital bag, how to order room service, what an IV feels like, etc.  Plus, I'm incredibly thankful they discovered the contractions at my appointment versus being home and not realizing there was an issue.

Another cool thing happened on Monday - Ryan was in the cafeteria and ran into a couple from our "Managing Multiples" class that we took in November.  Turns out they had their twin boys two weeks ago and are staying here at the hospital while their boys are in the NICU.  I think they guys were born at 31 weeks, and they are doing really well.

Once I'm home, I'll be on "moderate" bed rest which will allow me to get up to use the bathroom, eat, and use the stairs once a day.  Other than that, it's off my feet!  That will probably ruin most of our holiday plans, but the health of these babies is worth it!  I'm guessing I'll get lots of snuggle time with Chief, which he'll enjoy before dropping to #4 on my snuggle list :) 

For now, I think that's all the news I have.  Thanks to all of you for your prayers and words of encouragement.  These boys are going to have some amazing friends and family to meet once they arrive...which hopefully won't be until January.  We've trusted God throughout this entire pregancy, so no reason to stop now.  While things can get scary, we know it's all part of His bigger plan!

Week 24 - December 3, 2011

Wow, it's really December already?!?  It seems so hard to believe - time has been flying by lately.  This last week has had several milestones and important days.  For starters, I had my last day of work at the DCCF on the 30th, so I'll be resting from now until the babies arrive.  My office held a holiday open house that afternoon so it was a nice ending to the year.  Fortunately I managed to leave with just watery eyes and not a full-blown sob-fest.

I've also hit that critical week 24 milestone.  Hooray!! At this point, the babies are considered "viable" and would have a 50% chance of survival if they were born today.  So far, there are no signs that they should be arriving this early, but it's still a little scary to think there's always that chance.  Our next goal is to make it to the 28 week mark where their viability jumps to 90%.  My next appointment will be on Friday, so I'm just taking things one day at a time.  I think the reality is starting to sink in for me that we're really going to have three babies sometime soon.  I have no idea what our lives will look like...which is both terrifying and extremely exciting.  I am constantly reaffirmed that God's got it all covered and worrying about things won't do any good.  I'm trusting that He'll not only "get us through" this, but that it will be one of the best and most memorable times of our lives.

To help prepare for these little guys, my sister-in-law threw me a baby shower on Saturday.  It was absolutely amazing and I felt really loved by all of the Harris family and friends that came out to support us.  It was great to catch up with the people that we didn't get to see at Thanksgiving as well as chat with old friends.  These boys are going to be so loved and spoiled, I can see it already.  A huge thank you to Bethany, my mother-in-law, Harris cousins, Alicia, Lauren, and all others who helped out for such a great day!

Caution: Cankles ahead

Today definitely feels like I'm pregnant with triplets.  Lately I've had a lot of swelling in my feet and ankles - which is normal, but still uncomfortable.  To prove it, here are some lovely before & after pictures.  Warning: wait 30 minutes after eating before viewing.



THEN

NOW



On a happier note, Monday's appointment with MFM went really well. The boys are still growing a little ahead of schedule and continue to look healthy.  Babies weighed in at the following:  A - 1lb 8oz, B - 1lb 9oz, and C - 1lb 10oz for a grand total of 4lbs 11oz of babies.  It's great to see that all three are close together in weight which means that no one is struggling for the nutrition they need.  They all fall between the 72%-77% percentile, which is fantastic at this point.  There's no "triplet scale" to measure them against, so those percentages are compared to a single baby which is pretty impressive in my mind.  No official bed rest yet, but doc says I need to limit the time spent on my feet to 2-4 hours per DAY, which is hardly enough time to do anything.  Fortunately I've got just one day left of work and then it's "Hello, couch".  Hopefully some time with my feet up will help take care of these cankles...

Turkey and Stuffed...I mean Stuffing

"Stuffed" - that pretty much describes how I feel 99% of the time these days!  As this belly grows & grows, there's definitely less & less room for everything else...especially my lungs, bladder, & stomach.  This Thanksgiving I tried not to over eat, but that's basically impossible when you've got such amazing food spread out in front of you.  We headed to Rochelle early on Thursday morning to spend the day with my side of the family and got to visit with aunts & uncles I don't get to see very often and my bro, sis-in-law, and niece from Iowa.  It's amazing how much our niece, Alexandria, grows each time we see her - it makes me realize how much changes in a year!  There's definitely so much to be thankful for - not just on Thanksgiving, but every single day!!!  



We weren't planning to do any Black Friday shopping this year...but couldn't resist completely so Kelly, Ryan, and I stopped by Wal-Mart on our way out of town just to witness the madness.  We got sucked into the chaos and ended up waiting in line for 30+ minutes just for some $6.88 Rubbermaid containers.  We ran into a friend who was shopping for his boys, so we actually had a nice time waiting in line and keeping him company.  

The rest of the weekend we decorated for Christmas and hit a few other stores.  We were able to head into the 'burbs on Saturday for lunch and shopping with Ryan's parents, so we got to spend a little bit of time with them over the holiday weekend.  It seemed like Ryan and I have had a shopping role-reversal where I'm the one who searches for the chair in the department stores while he looks around for deals and gift ideas.  I definitely don't have the energy or endurance that I normally have, and need to take it easy.  Those wheelchairs & motorized carts were looking more and more appealing with every store we entered. 

My body was telling me to rest, so today has been a "recovery day" filled with lots of sitting down and a long nap.  It's getting tougher to sleep comfortably, so naps will become more important as the days go on. We have another doctor's appointment tomorrow morning and a Baby Basics class at night, so tomorrow will be another big day.  While the babies are still tiny and under-developed, they could arrive at almost anytime from this point forward.  Their kicks and punches seem to tell me that everything is going well and they're doing fine, but we'll see what we hear from the doctors tomorrow.  We're hoping for at least another 10 more weeks!

Well, I need to wrap this up.  This mama is getting hungry from all this turkey talk - time for dinner...

  

Thanksgiving 2011 - 22 weeks 6 days



Triple Blessings 11/19/11



Loved the rubber duckies floating in the punch



It has been a little busy around here lately, so this post is about a week over-due!  On Saturday the 19th, our church family at Harvest Bible Chapel of DeKalb threw me an amazing baby shower.  I had such a good time with the women of the church, and I think can speak for Ryan and I both - we feel so blessed to receive such encouragement and support from everyone.  We left the shower with a van full of gifts (including all three of our car seats) and left feeling so grateful but completely undeserving of such generosity.  Even more important than any of the "stuff", I know that any of those women (and their families) have been praying for the health of these babies & the pregnancy and would drop anything to come to our side if we needed something.  I am so thankful that God has brought us to this church and a HUGE thank-you goes out to the friends who planned everything - Danielle, Jessica, Amy, Erica, and Natalie! 

 




Delicious homemade cake pops & diaper-cake centerpieces



Who knew you could get so excited over laundry detergent!



Grandma-to-be & me



Week 22 - November 17, 2011

I'm not sure if I can blame it on "pregnancy brain" but I feel like I have a zillion things running through my mind - some are things I need to do, some are things I've been wanting to blog about, and others are just thoughts about what lies ahead.  So forgive me if this post jumps around a lot or doesn't make much sense.

For starters, I had another doctor's appointment on Monday with MFM.  It was just a quick appointment to check cervical length, and so far everything continues to look positive.  Ryan was in Texas for the day (whole other story), so my mom came with and got to see an ultrasound of her grandsons.  All three heartbeats were normal but they weren't being very photogenic.  Most of my appointments have been first thing in the morning, but this one was mid-afternoon and apparently that's their nap time. They had curled up into little balls just like the cat does, so we didn't get many good pictures.  My blood pressure was high but had dropped to the top of the normal range the second time they checked it.  It really is getting tougher each day to move around.

The boys, on the other hand, like to do TONS of moving around!  Sometimes I think babies B & C are having a dance-off in there.  Because of Baby A's placement, I really can't feel him moving at all, but we've seen it on the ultrasounds so there's no need to worry.  Yesterday I woke up with a mini-bump on my belly that was either a little butt or head sticking up.  It won't be long before I have strange little alien bumps & lumps all over the place.

Let's see, what else...

Work is winding down which is a strange feeling.  I don't think I've wrapped my head around that one yet.  I've got two weeks left before I need to be resting at home, so there's really not much time left.  I'll miss what I do, but know that the health of these babies trumps everything else at this point so I'm looking forward to some time at home.  We're making progress on the nursery and a few other little projects around the house, but it will be nice when I can just focus on taking it easy.

Tonight will probably be my "last hurrah" as we're having some friends over to hang out before going to the midnight opening of the new Twilight movie, Breaking Dawn - Part 1.  I'm not sure how I'll make it till midnight, but we had a party last year too and it was a blast.  I may spend most of the night in the recliner, but it should be fun and I've got all day on Friday to catch up on sleep.  I'm just hoping Bella's birth scene in the movie doesn't totally freak me out...

Favorite pic from last year's Eclipse party

11.11.11

Just a quick post with a few updates from the weekend - maybe more details to come later...

• On Friday I had a quick appointment with Dr. Russo and everything went well.  No ultrasound, but she measured that my belly is the equivalent to a singleton pregnancy at 33 weeks.
• I (technically "we") now officially weigh more than Ryan.  It won't be too much longer before I join the 200-club...and I'm sort of excited about it.  The more weight I can gain, the bigger these babies will be, so continue to bring on the food!
• We took a "Managing Multiples" class at CDH on Saturday and got lots of good information.  I found the most beneficial part to be touring the NICU so we can mentally prepare for what's ahead.  I couldn't help but tear up when I saw those tiny little babies - it's hard to imagine that ours will be that small. 

Sorry this is such a short post, but it's my bedtime and this mama needs some sleep!  Hope you all had a great weekend!

Last week's pictures

I finally got around to scanning our ultrasound pictures from last week.  I decided not to post the ones that pointed out their "little boy parts" (as our nurse likes to say) but they're definitely boys!  I also posted a few old pics on the August 7th post which are worth checking out if you want a good laugh.

Baby A

Baby B

Baby C

Baby B has his knees tucked up to his chin

Baby A

Week 20 - November 1, 2011

As promised, here's your update!  Yesterday we had another appointment with the M-F Specialists at CDH and everything went really well.  This was the third doctor we’ve seen there, and fortunately I’ve liked them all.  We had a level 2 ultrasound which is just a more detailed anatomy scan to measure the size of the babies and evaluate their major organs to make sure they’ve formed properly.  So far, all three boys look very healthy, organs all looked as they should, and they're actually growing a bit ahead of schedule.  Baby A was measuring 2 weeks ahead, and Baby B & C were both 1 week ahead - so hopefully they keep it up!  I was officially 19 weeks and 3 days at the appointment, so Ryan and I had to laugh when the leg measurements were all in the 21 week range.  Looks like we may have some long legs in there!  They boys definitely looked a little more crowded than before, but were still moving and squirming the whole time.  I still can’t quite feel the movements, but it should be any day now.  We brought home lots of good pictures, but I'll have to post them tomorrow.  The doctor reminded me to watch for signs of pre-term labor and to call if I start having contractions every 10 minutes.  So far, I haven’t felt anything that’s caused me to worry, but these next few weeks will be important ones (although I guess they're ALL important!).  We’ll see Dr. Russo next Friday and will be back at CDH in two weeks to check cervical length and then again in four weeks for another growth scan.   Now we just hope for smooth sailing until then!

Heartbeats (normal 120-180)
A: 158
B: 146
C: 150
Mom: Constantly out of breath

Weight (normal 10-10.5 oz)
A: 13 oz.
B: 12 oz.
C: 12 oz.

Mom: +35 lbs.

Grow, belly, GROW!



Everyday I wake up and it seems my belly is bigger than they day before.  At this point, the boys should be approximately the size of mangos and weigh between 8.5-10 oz. each.  We've got our next appointment on Monday, so we should have more specifics soon.  Here are a couple pics over the last few weeks...



16 Weeks - 10.7.11



17 Weeks - 10.13.11





Wearing the Birthday Hat around 18  Weeks - 10.19.11

 

19 Weeks - 10.28.11



When's your due date???

That's hard to say...the easy answer is that my "official" due date is March 25, 2012 but the babies will most definitely come early.  As far as how early??  Well, your guess is as good as mine!  Below are some of the targets when it comes to triplets.

• 24 Weeks (begins Nov. 26): The border of viability - triplets who make it to this point have a 50% chance of survival outside the womb.  One chart lists the average stay in the NICU to be over 110 days.

• 28 Weeks (Dec. 24): Very early preterm – viability skyrockets at this point and they have a 90% chance of survival. Average NICU stay of 57 days.

• 32 Weeks (Jan 21): Early preterm – the doctor says this should be our goal, and anything after 32 is just a “bonus”. This is also the average gestational time for triplets.  Average NICU stay of 26 days.

• 35 Weeks (Feb. 11): Preterm for multiples – our original goal was to make it to 35 weeks.  While this would still ideal, it also might not be realistic.  I'm hoping that my tall frame will equal more room for growing babies, but only time will tell!  Average NICU stay of 5 days.

• 36 Weeks (Feb 18): Term for triplets - rare for triplets to make it this long but it does happen!  Average NICU stay of 3 days.

• 40 Weeks: Regular singleton pregnancy.  Average NICU stay of 0 days.

We are definitely very optimistic at this point and have every intention of keeping these babies cookin'!  When you realistically look at the dates and timeline, it makes me realize how quickly this will go (already halfway done!), how important rest is, and how much is out of my control.  We continue to ask for your prayers for good health for the babies, wisdom for the doctors, and God's hand in this entire pregnancy.  It looks like we won't be making many plans for the holidays and will hope for a mild winter!  Thanks again to you all for sticking with us through this!

Pink, Blue, or BOTH???

When you have good news, it’s hard to keep it a secret!  We figured there was no point in holding out any longer, soooo…get ready for lots of blue!   We found out that we are definitely having three little boys.  The grandpas are going to have their hands full with little duck-hunters and bass-fishermen! 

We were told at our previous appointment on 9/30 (15 weeks) that it looked like there were at least 2 boys, but they couldn’t be 100% sure about the third.  We figured it was better to wait until we were positive before we said anything, but they were able to confirm on Friday that it’s definitely three boys!  So far, we’ve got two nieces in the family, so this will make for a fun mix.  I’ll be out-numbered at home, but I’ve never been much of a “girly-girl” so I’m really looking forward to it. 

Now to start thinking about names…

Oct.14, 2011

Just a quick update - Friday's doctor appointments went really well.  We saw both the regular OB and the M-F Specialists.  Dr. Russo estimated that I'm about the size of a singleton pregnancy at 23 weeks.  I wasn't expecting an ultrasound, but I guess that's the easiest way to find all three heartbeats.  So....they were able to confidently reveal the babies' genders!  Before we fill you all in, we wanted to give you a couple days to make your bets.  Leave us your guesses in the comments and we'll let you know in a few days...

Week 17 - October 12, 2011

Sooner or later these babies are going to force me to slow down!  While this week has been full of napping and resting in the recliner, we had another fun weekend on the go.  The babies got to attend their first Chicago Blackhawks game on Saturday with our close friends & neighbors, Mike and Erica.  We figured this would probably be my last game for quite a while and my hockey sweater was one of the few shirts that still fit me comfortably!  It was an all-around fun night - the Blackhawks won 5-2, my favorite player Jonathan Toews scored, we got to try a new restaurant that I’ll have to go back to when I’m NOT pregnant (the Beer Bistro), and we even stayed after the game to watch players head back to their cars.  Ryan loved trying to figure out who’s Bentley he was drooling over, and we all got laughs as we watched Patrick Kane climb into a huge Hummer with four pretty girls.  This is probably my favorite picture from the game…



Cousins smile for the camera

On Sunday, we had another really great day.  We headed to Rochelle for a BBQ at the Chisamore’s house where we got to see good friends, meet Seth & Jaclyn’s 3-year-old triplets, and visit with their extended family.  Jaclyn has been a HUGE help by emailing me answers to all my questions and offering advice as someone who’s been through it.  Since they don’t live in the area, it was so nice to finally meet them face-to-face.  The triplets were adorable, and it was fun to see them interact with each other and their cousins.  We figured we would leave that visit either feeling really overwhelmed or really excited, and I’m happy to report that we’re more excited than ever!  Between the Chisamores and Reinecks, there were so many kiddos of all ages running around, that it was great to see them all.  I’m so thankful for all of their encouragement, advice, and suggestions – it meant a lot to Ryan and I that we got to be a part of their day! The never-ending plates of dessert helped too...

All three wanted to climb on mom!



Boys will be boys!



So far this week has not been quite as smooth.  Monday, I let my boss know that I’d only be working through the last week of November before taking it easy and being home for a while.  That’s right at the 24-week mark which is some of the most crucial time for the triplets and their survival.  Tuesday I ended up coming home early from work with some dizziness and a headache.  I’m not sure if it was the warm, stuffy afternoon meeting that did me in, but I came home and slept for a few extra hours and that seemed to help.  I have my next doctor’s appointment this Friday, so I’ll talk to the doctor about it then. One of my biggest concerns is preeclampsia which is affects only 5-8% of singleton pregnancies but 1 in 3 with multiples.  It seems a little early to start worrying about it, but some of the signs can be changes in vision and headache so it’s just something to be mindful of at this point.  Other than that, we’re taking things one day at a time and trying to eat and rest as much as possible.  We’ll keep you posted on Friday’s appointment! 

Week 16 - October 3, 2011

First and foremost, Happy 30th Birthday Dad-to-be! 

Wow, a lot has happened since our last post...and what a great few weeks it's been!  This past weekend, Ryan and I returned home from a relaxing vacation with my parents in Vail, CO.  The weather was absolutely perfect - sunny, 60-70 degrees, cloudless skies, and beautiful fall colors.  The aspens had all turned to stunning shades of yellow and gold and looked beautiful next to the evergreens and blue sky.  I did take it easy with the decrease in oxygen at the higher elevations, but we still managed to explore, shop, and hike (slowly).  Ryan celebrated his birthday a little early with a fly fishing trip, and we even took a 17-mile bike ride (downhill & paved) down Vail Pass.  In the van on our way up the mountain, we met a man from Cary, IL who knew our "honeymoon friends" Charlie & Kristine and even attended their wedding - what a small world!!!

Once we got home from the trip, we had our first appointment with Maternal-Fetal Medicine at CDH.  It's a team of doctors who are technically acting as consultants, so its likely that I'll meet a different doc each time I go.  We had a really amazing ultrasound that took around 20+ minutes per baby.  This was still not a Level 2 Ultrasound which is typically done around 20 weeks, but did give enough detail to start measuring things like head circumference, arm & leg lengths, etc.  We were able to see the chambers of their hearts, brains, bladders, and kidneys, so needless to say, it was pretty awesome.  All three are looking very healthy and are growing ahead of schedule at this point.  I was 14 full weeks plus 6 days at the appointment, but 2 of them were measuring at 16w0days and the third at 15w4days which is great!!  At this point, they should each be 4-5 inches long or approximately the size of an avocado.  It's still a little early to tell the genders, but we're hoping it should be soon so start placing your bets.



The only picture we got of all three. I'm not sure what we see
with A, B is legs in the air, and C is the top of the head/brain.

 



Profile of Baby A who is upside down

 

Baby B's profile




Baby C's profile





Picture of Baby C's brain - looks like a scary
skeleton for Halloween!

 


Baby A is upside down with head down and feet in the air.

Friday afternoon, I met with another Sycamore mom of triplets, Angie.  What a great afternoon - I got tons of advice, information, encouragement and even a bag of maternity clothes!  Most singleton pregnancies would never fill out the clothes, but I'm guessing I won't have any trouble.  It was great to look through her baby album and see those tiny, adorable little ones...who are now 8!  It's so nice to hear first-hand about the joys and struggles of raising three babies at once.

We rounded out the weekend with my baptism on Sunday.  I was baptized as an infant but felt it was important to be baptized as an adult as a way to publicly proclaim the work that Jesus Christ has done in my life.  We've been attending Harvest DeKalb since we moved to Sycamore and truly feel like it's our church home.  I got to share my testimony with the congregation and was then baptized by full immersion.  These past few months have been filled with so much learning and growing that the timing felt perfect - we're just so thankful that we've been blessed with these three little ones, there's no way we can take any credit for the amazing things that God is doing!

I already made reference to this, but finally, to top it all off - today Ryan turns the big 3-0!  I have a feeling that this is going to be a pretty incredible year for him...and all of us!

Let us know you're here!

Hi again.  Just wanted to encourage you to leave comments on any and all posts.  We love seeing that people are actually looking at the blog and that you're finding the info at least some-what interesting.  We'd be happy to try & answer any questions you have too!

Week 14 - September 23, 2011

For those of you asking for it, here’s a belly picture.  I’m not sure if you can call it a baby “bump” because it’s really more of a mass.  I can’t believe it’s already this big at only 14 weeks!  It’s getting harder & harder to imagine how huge it’ll be by the time the babies get here.  I’m looking forward to meeting with the high-risk specialists next Friday, and hopefully will have more details to share then.  For now, go enjoy a beautiful fall weekend!

Week 13 - September 16, 2011

This week has been another exciting week for us with lots going on.  For starters, we have officially made it to the end of the first trimester!  Hopefully that means a little more energy in these next few weeks.  We had a doctor's appointment yesterday with Dr. Russo, the regular OB, and everything went well.  It was a quick appointment with no ultrasound, but we were able to hear all three heartbeats again.  At this point, the babies should be about the size of a lime or peach.  The doc estimated that I was showing as if I was around 16 weeks instead of 13.  Once we see the maternal-fetal specialists in two weeks they'll do much more detailed measurements of everything.  I was happy to see that I've gained about 8 pounds in the 4 weeks since my last visit with this doctor, so it looks like all the extra protein and trips to Ollie's are starting to pay off.

Also, I had a board meeting at work yesterday and made the announcement to everyone there.  Since all of them finally know the news, we figured it was safe to go ahead and make it "official" by posting on Facebook this morning...there's no turning back now!!

Week 11 - September 1, 2011

We had another ultrasound today and everyone looks good and healthy!  The babies were moving all over the place today - they looked like little syncronized swimmers which will make both grandma's happy!  Below are the lastest pictures...

Babies like BBQ

We just arrived home from a weekend get-away to Kansas City where we got to visit with my old friend, Meghann, and her husband Nick. We had a great time eating at lots of amazing restaurants, catching up, eating, touring the city, and eating more.  KC is known for having the best BBQ in the country, and the babies will confirm that it's true!  Ryan hopes they'll grow up to love BBQ as much as he does :)

FAQs

The info I’m reading is already starting to prepare me to receive thousands of questions from both friends and strangers.  To save everyone some time, here are our answers to some things you may be wondering.

Frequently Asked Questions

·    Are they identical? 

No, our triplets are fraternal. Quick Biology 101 lesson: in a normal monthly cycle, during ovulation one egg is released and if fertilized, it implants in the uterus and grows into a baby.  With identical twins, the one fertilized egg splits into two embryos which share the exact same DNA (which is why all identical twins must be the same gender).  With fraternal multiples, two (or more) eggs are released, fertilized, and implanted.  They all have unique DNA and could all be the same gender, or a mix of boys/girls. 

·    Does that mean they won’t look alike?

Probably, but not necessarily.  They could look alike, but chances are that they’ll just look similar like any other siblings.

·    Are they “natural”?

I hate this question.  What exactly is an “un-natural” child?!?  Of course they’re “natural” – I don’t know of anyone capable of making artificial children.  If what you’re really asking is “Did you use fertility treatment?” I would probably respond in one of two ways.  If you’re a complete stranger, it’s really none of your business. It's actually quite bold and honestly just rude.  If you’re a friend, I would tell you that I did receive hormone supplements but no, we did not have to go through IVF.  I’m not ashamed by the fact that we needed medical treatment to jump-start our pregnancy.  Something for you to think about though - if hormones or drugs result in “un-natural” children, then would prenatal vitamins, epidurals, drugs to induce (or stop) labor, or other medications also make someone’s child “un-natural”?  Please think before you speak!

·     Did you realize you’d end up with triplets?

There are never ANY promises or guarantees in life!  Like any other medication, there are always risks, but our doctors kept us informed and monitored us all the way. With the hormones I needed, there was a 20% chance of multiples – 80% of which would be twins.  For those who hate math, that means a 4% chance of triplets.  We just happened to be one of those blessed couples!

·    So are you going to be done having kids after this?

Only time will tell, but most likely, yes.  At this point, I still can’t fathom how our lives will change with 3, but who knows what may happen in the future and how we’ll feel.  

·    How are you going to survive!?!?

With lots and lots of help!  If you ever need to get your “baby fix”, please call and we’ll set-up a time for you J  They say it takes a village to raise a child, so I'm not exactly sure what we need for triplets!  Regardless of all the unknowns, we couldn’t be more excited and are looking forward to the adventure!