We had a very positive doctor's appointment this week! The doctor said that the babies heartbeats all looked good, amniotic fluid levels looked normal, and my cervix stayed stable! So, again I am home again for another week! I am so happy about that! Now I also know when I look down at my belly and see heads or bottoms pushing out which baby they belong to and what body part they are! Maggie is head down on my left side. Charlie is head down on my right side. And Sophie is located behind them with her head on the top!
Next week we go in for a longer appointment: we will go to Radiology who will use their "special machines" (as the doctor put it) to get more accurate measurements of all three babies.
Today, Chris finished putting the shelves up in the closet! We also have all the baskets we need to organize baby stuff (at least for now). Right now, Chris is working on washing all the baby clothes we have so that I can organize it tomorrow by sizes (we have been welcoming hand-me-downs)! Whitney finished re-finishing the dresser yesterday so we are just waiting for someone else to come by and help Chris put it in the nursery. It's all starting to come together! I am so happy about that! I am constantly amazed by how much "stuff" babies need!!!!
Tomorrow, Chris' aunt Ellen is coming to town to visit. She is staying next door with Muti (who is very excited!). We will be celebrating Muti's 85th birthday on Sunday (her actual birthday is Monday). I am so happy that I will be home for this... when we started talking about her birthday I was really worried that I would be in the hospital by then!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Updated pictures!
Thought I would share some updated pictures!
I got my hair cut recently. It was great, my sister's neighbor was able to come over and cut my hair at home!
It's a lot shorter than my normal... but now it does not get stuck under me when lying down.... and is much easier to care for. Thought somehow that might be important with 3 babies coming!
This picture was taken at one day prior to 28 weeks. I am amazed by how much bigger my stomach is getting!
Me standing up. Wow... I guess I do look pregnant now!
It's April... and I am outside, lying in the sun... in shorts!
I promise I wore sunscreen!
I got my hair cut recently. It was great, my sister's neighbor was able to come over and cut my hair at home!
It's a lot shorter than my normal... but now it does not get stuck under me when lying down.... and is much easier to care for. Thought somehow that might be important with 3 babies coming!
This picture was taken at one day prior to 28 weeks. I am amazed by how much bigger my stomach is getting!
Me standing up. Wow... I guess I do look pregnant now!
It's April... and I am outside, lying in the sun... in shorts!
I promise I wore sunscreen!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Week 28 Fun for all
This weeks doctor's appointment went well. We first met with the NICU (neonatal (infant) Intensive Care Unit) staff. The neonatalogist we met with was amazing. He was very kind and honest. He didn't use a lot of scare tactics but told us what we would see if the babies were born this week, at week 30, or at week 32. He told us all about what the babies would look like... what kinds of respiratory support the babies would need, and how the babies would get nutrition. The the doctor gave us a tour of the NICU. It was calm and organized inside. I felt like the babies will be safe and well cared for there.
Afterwards we went to see our normal Perinatalogist. It was a good appointment. We found out that all 3 have good amiotic fluid levels! This is an improvement for Sophia! Then we got new weights for the babies. Magggie measured at 2lb 6oz, Charlie measured at 2lb 4oz, and Sophie is still small at 1lb 10 oz. We go back next week for a quick cervix check and a quick ultrasound look at the babies: heatrates and amiotic fluid levels! Then when we are at 30 weeks we go in to Radiology to get more accurate weights. Radiology has machinery which should be able to get a better view of Sophie.
Tomorrow we will be having a final bash for Chris' birthday with some of his college friends and some other friends. It should be fun!
Afterwards we went to see our normal Perinatalogist. It was a good appointment. We found out that all 3 have good amiotic fluid levels! This is an improvement for Sophia! Then we got new weights for the babies. Magggie measured at 2lb 6oz, Charlie measured at 2lb 4oz, and Sophie is still small at 1lb 10 oz. We go back next week for a quick cervix check and a quick ultrasound look at the babies: heatrates and amiotic fluid levels! Then when we are at 30 weeks we go in to Radiology to get more accurate weights. Radiology has machinery which should be able to get a better view of Sophie.
Tomorrow we will be having a final bash for Chris' birthday with some of his college friends and some other friends. It should be fun!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Week 27 Doctor's Appointment
Tonight Chris and I went into our standard Wednesday doctor's appointment. Maggie and Charlie looked "perfect". Sophie is still looking a little small and her amniotic fluid looks low. The doctor measured the blood flow through her umbilical cord. The flow into Sophie looks good, the return flow looked a little weak towards the end of a Cardiac cycle. The doctor said that this does not look "reassuring" but is not "ominous". This is good news right now. He said it is likely a placenta issue and is caused by there being 3 placentas so Sophie's is not implanted in an area with as strong a vascular system. We go back next week and he will look again at her size and the fluid levels. If they remain small/low then we will discuss closer monitoring (hospitalization?) and getting steroid shots to mature the babies lungs. He did tell us that there is a chance that next week it can be "all better". I was also happy to learn that it is not caused by anything I did: diet, fluid intake, and amount of time lying down will not affect this (although for all reading: I am still drinking ridiculously large amounts of water, eating the best I can, and lying down 90% of the time... much of it on my left side). Sophie could use some good thoughts sent her way... we are not panicking about this at this point, just being cautious.
Good Friday
Good Friday may have not been quite as "good" as it sounds for Chris and I... but it ended well! On Good Friday during a yummy dinner of Chinese food, I started to have contractions. After we measured 4 within a hour (our cut off re: the perinatologist). We called and were told to come in. During the drive into Boston, we had another 3 contractions (1 every 18 minutes). Then as soon as we got to the hospital they stopped. I was hooked up to all sorts of machines which measured any contractions, and the babies heartbeats. They did a FFN test which tested whether or not I would go into preterm labor within the next week or two. After it came back negative we were released to come home. Since then I have only had 1 or 2 contractions a day. Not too bad! I kind of felt like the car with a rattle that you bring into the mechanics and stops rattling as soon as you get there!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Week 26 doctor's appointment!
Wednesday's doctor's appt. went very well. We got baby weights: Baby A (Maggie): 2lbs 1 oz. Baby B (Charlie): 1lb 10 oz. Baby C(Sophie): 1lb 4 oz. The doctor said Sophie looks small but that he had a lot of trouble getting good measurements as Sophie is tucked behind the other 2. The doctor wasn't too worried... said he would just keep checking on Sophie over the next few weeks!
I should get a call from the office tomorrow setting up appts. for me with physical therapy (I have lost a lot of muscle tone over the past 6 weeks of lying down and they are worried about my recovery unless we start a pt program) and a NICU consult for when I am 28 weeks.
I also had a glucose challenge test (1 hour test for gestational diabetes)- I passed it! Yay, no more gestational diabetes testing!
My cervix has stayed stable from last week, so that is also good! Chris and I go back next Wednesday. Things are definitally moving along. My belly is getting bigger. I no longer have an "innie- bellybutton". A few contractions on occasion, pressure if I stand "too long"... but they all go away quickly. Extra water and putting my feet up higher always stops everything, and I havn't had more than 2 contrations in an hour, normally it is more like 1 a day... not to bad!
I should get a call from the office tomorrow setting up appts. for me with physical therapy (I have lost a lot of muscle tone over the past 6 weeks of lying down and they are worried about my recovery unless we start a pt program) and a NICU consult for when I am 28 weeks.
I also had a glucose challenge test (1 hour test for gestational diabetes)- I passed it! Yay, no more gestational diabetes testing!
My cervix has stayed stable from last week, so that is also good! Chris and I go back next Wednesday. Things are definitally moving along. My belly is getting bigger. I no longer have an "innie- bellybutton". A few contractions on occasion, pressure if I stand "too long"... but they all go away quickly. Extra water and putting my feet up higher always stops everything, and I havn't had more than 2 contrations in an hour, normally it is more like 1 a day... not to bad!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Made it to 26 weeks... and opening day for the Red Sox!
Well, Thanks to a postponement due to rain yesterday, Opening day of the Boston Red Sox fell on the day I made it to 26 weeks! Wow. It's hard to believe that I have made it this far! Only 9 more weeks until these babies arrive (remember we are aiming for making it to our c-section at 35 weeks). Making it to 26 weeks means really good chances for these babies. I'll feel better though, once I get past 28 weeks. For most of the preemie world, 28 weeks is a huge milestone. It lowers the chances of long term developmental issues, and has a really good survival rate (80%) with 32 weeks being awesome with a survival rate of 90%. Also at 32 weeks usually the lungs are ready to support the baby and the baby is close to being able to suck, so feedings can be easier! 32 weeks is the average delivery age of triplets, but those who know me know that I can be an overachiever so I am aiming for 35 weeks... the longest triplets can stay in the womb! Some triplets at 35 weeks even go home from the hospital with their parents! ( Although I am preparing myself for a NICU stay of some length).
Last weeks appointment went alright... some slight shortening of my cervix, but the doctor just felt he wanted to keep monitoring it. I have been taking it really easy this week at home... hopefully there will be no more cervical changes tomorrow at my next appointment. And I gained some more weight! (I think this is the first, and only time I am excited about seeing my weight go up on the scale. I know it means the babies are growing!). Tomorrow I get to drink my "yummy" (if I keep telling myself that, maybe it'll be true) Orange glucose drink... we get to see if I fail my first gestational diabetes test. The doctor warned me that with 3 babies and placentas I most likely will! I am also hoping to get baby weights tomorrow! Chris and I should be having a consult with a NICU doctor in the next few weeks... just so we know what to expect.
I was looking at the Red Sox schedule (for those who don't know, Chris and I are going to be having the Triplets at Beth Israel Hospital which is in the Fenway area of Boston... it actually is the "Official hospital of the Boston Red Sox") so I figured I better find out if any games are going to be a problem. Let's just say, Chris and my rides into Boston shouldn't be too bad, but there are an awful lot of Wednesday night games (7pm) so leaving the hospital should be fun. I'm glad Chris is driving!
I'll try hard to update Thursday or Friday with results of tomorrow's appointment.
Last weeks appointment went alright... some slight shortening of my cervix, but the doctor just felt he wanted to keep monitoring it. I have been taking it really easy this week at home... hopefully there will be no more cervical changes tomorrow at my next appointment. And I gained some more weight! (I think this is the first, and only time I am excited about seeing my weight go up on the scale. I know it means the babies are growing!). Tomorrow I get to drink my "yummy" (if I keep telling myself that, maybe it'll be true) Orange glucose drink... we get to see if I fail my first gestational diabetes test. The doctor warned me that with 3 babies and placentas I most likely will! I am also hoping to get baby weights tomorrow! Chris and I should be having a consult with a NICU doctor in the next few weeks... just so we know what to expect.
I was looking at the Red Sox schedule (for those who don't know, Chris and I are going to be having the Triplets at Beth Israel Hospital which is in the Fenway area of Boston... it actually is the "Official hospital of the Boston Red Sox") so I figured I better find out if any games are going to be a problem. Let's just say, Chris and my rides into Boston shouldn't be too bad, but there are an awful lot of Wednesday night games (7pm) so leaving the hospital should be fun. I'm glad Chris is driving!
I'll try hard to update Thursday or Friday with results of tomorrow's appointment.
The Baby shower
Hi! Sorry to have taken so long to write an update.... it can be hard to type when you are lying down...
The baby shower was amazing. I really owe everyone who came a huge hug. It made me feel so loved to see so many faces- present co-workers, Chris' co-worker (and friends), high school and elementary school friends, family, and childhood neighbors, and current neighbors surrounding me. It was amazing when I realized that over 40 people stopped in. The only thing I felt bad about was that I didn't have enough time to spend with each person! The shower went by in a blur. These are definitely 3 very loved babies- and they aren't even born yet!
I spent the entire next week going through the presents and writing thank you notes!
I need to particularly thank Rachel (the best friend a girl could want) and my mom for organizing everything, my sister, father, and mother for helping Chris out by doing some cleaning prior to the party, and my mother-in-law, and Muti for bringing food and helping out!
The baby shower was amazing. I really owe everyone who came a huge hug. It made me feel so loved to see so many faces- present co-workers, Chris' co-worker (and friends), high school and elementary school friends, family, and childhood neighbors, and current neighbors surrounding me. It was amazing when I realized that over 40 people stopped in. The only thing I felt bad about was that I didn't have enough time to spend with each person! The shower went by in a blur. These are definitely 3 very loved babies- and they aren't even born yet!
I spent the entire next week going through the presents and writing thank you notes!
I need to particularly thank Rachel (the best friend a girl could want) and my mom for organizing everything, my sister, father, and mother for helping Chris out by doing some cleaning prior to the party, and my mother-in-law, and Muti for bringing food and helping out!
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