Friday, September 28, 2012

TWO!

I don't think they are very excited that they are big boys now!
I woke up that Tuesday morning feeling like I would be pregnant forever. I pretty much felt the same as I had been, meaning all my aches and pains were a little worse with each and every day that I remained pregnant. I was miserable, I don't want to forget that, miserable! I guess at least I could be miserable at home and not stuck in a hospital, I am thankful for that. I had already stopped driving because everyone kept telling me to stop and I finally listened one or so weeks back. My in laws were already in town so they drove me to my fetal monitoring appointment I had that morning. The nurse that hooked me up mentioned that she didn't think I would last much longer, I was so relieved to hear those words but then was frightened by my next thought. "How does she really know that" since there were still no signs at all! Just like all my other fetal monitorings the nurse sent me on my way and told me a doctor would analyze the results and give me a call if anything looked wrong. As I walked down the halls of the clinic I never once even got 'are you expecting twins?' I was at least twice as big as I would have been with a full term singleton, I'm only 5'2" and I was huge! It would take my breath away if I tried to roll over from one side to the other, I had to sit up and then turn. For the longest time afterward I would forget that I wasn't pregnant anymore and hold on to something before sitting down to pee since it was too much weight for my knees to support. Anyways, so we drove back home and before I got into my comfortable clothes I had mama Sue snap a picture of me since today I was exactly 34 weeks pregnant with triplets! (see pic on right side bar)

Around 3:30pm I got a call from the hospital to tell me that it wasn't a real big concern but baby A's  (my sweet Caleb) heart beat was fluctuating a little more than normal. They'd like to repeat the non-stress test just to make sure it wasn't anything more than a fluke. I could take my time and come in within the next two hours. I really thought they'd just do the test and we'd be home for dinner. Worst case I'd be admitted into the hospital for bed rest or observation. Since it was late enough I called Phil at work and told him to come home a little early so he could take me in. I took a shower and finished packing my hospital bag. We arrive at labor & delivery sometime after 5pm and I get hooked up. Baby A is checking out great! They tell me I should be able to leave here pretty soon. Of course I was the talk of L&D, who is this woman that is 34 weeks pregnant with triplets and not yet admitted for hospital bed rest! Funny thing is, as I was laying there strapped to all the machines I started getting real contractions. Everyone starts to realize I might be in labor, I call my mom around 6pm to tell her that I can't say 100% for sure but this might be it and that she should see about getting the next flight here. Thankfully my doctor was on call, around 8:30pm and only 1cm dialated they finally tell us that I'll be going in for my c-section in the next hour or so. At that point all I could do was stare blankly at the walls during contractions and my weak aspirations for a vaginal delivery went out the door (actually I gave them a little kick). Get me some drugs now! It wasn't that they hurt that bad, it's just that I wasn't mentally prepared to deal with that and just wanted them gone and to be done with the c-section. I wasn't at all scared, I just wanted relief from being pregnant. On the other side of things, Phil was very nervous but not showing it. At 10pm, I get a spinal shot, and it feels oh so good! I can finally relax and get excited to meet my boys! At 10:35pm cut, rip, and pull! Out comes Caleb, then Eli (baby A and C). At 10:36 out comes Thomas (baby B). Screaming like crazy, and as Phil noted, he couldn't believe how wide they could open their mouths to belt it out : ) As they begin to sew me up Phil leaves me to go check on the babies and take oodles of pictures of them.

A little while later I'm wheeled to a waiting/recovery room. Next thing I know they bring in my babies one by one. I expect them to take a baby and then hand me the next one but instead they plop all three babies on me, 'oh yeah that's a much better idea' I think to myself. As I'm handed each baby I give them a kiss on the cheek, the kiss feels clammy and a little strange. I get my picture taken with them and I over hear one of the nurses tearfully say, 'this is the most amazing/best/greatest (can't remember the exact adjective used but something to that effect) thing I've ever witnessed in my whole life." Then off they go to the NICU. A little while later my mom walks in, just a half an hour after the birth! In only three and a half hours she bought a ticket, packed, drove from SJ to SF airport, flew to Portland and drove to OHSU (a friend picked her up). She barely made the last flight of the day to Portland!

I was so naive back then even though I spent hours reading about triplet pregnancies I was sure that 34 weeks meant perfectly healthy babies. Now I know that even at 35 weeks some babies have trouble breathing or other issues. Thankfully, my boys were indeed perfectly healthy! They didn't even need the bili lights for jaundice which most 34 weekers seem to need. Of course babies at 34 weeks do not have the energy to sufficiently nourish themselves by bottle so they spent two weeks  in the NICU without a single set back till they caught up developmentally. The rest is history!

Where did my tiny preemies go?

CET at 1 month, Caleb is so small that his shoulder is coming out of his preemie sized onesie!

kangaroo care is especially beneficial to preemies : )

3 comments:

nan cee said...

How nice to reminence! Yes, it brings back my memories of that day and all the wonderful new pictures of my little tiny great newphews! My how they have grown.
Love to you all,
A.Nancy

Jonalyn said...

What big boys! I am still amazed at your pregnancy photos.

Jehan said...

You five make an amazing family! Congratulations on parenting triplets with a good sense humor, bunches of love, and making having trips look easy. Love you guys! Brihan