24 wks, the game changed

We have been so blessed w/ such an uneventful pregnancy, and we are so so thankful!

So, I feel bad even complaining about the game getting a little more challenging, but yesterday was certainly a challenge for me! I should say Monday that my cervix

went up a little and measured at 3.9 - really good news! No major contractions and the babies look great. They look so baby like now! We saw baby c look at us and roll over and put her arm in front of her face like she was this little baby rolling over in her crib. Scott and I both started laughing and freaking out a little at the same time -- getting more real everyday!

We took a breastfeeding class Monday and actually had more of a fun date night out of it because we couldn't stop laughing at everything. It was sort of helpful, but what we will always remember is how hard we laughed and how much better we felt at the expense of a poor girl that really just couldn't get the football hold down. Poor girl, but the memory of her awkward stance of holding baby almost on her shoulder will make me laugh in the middle of the night when I'm struggling myself with a double football hold :)

In other fun news we did a diaper and book mini surprise shower for baby Weaver!! So fun..we stacked the diapers and our fav childhood books up in an old Radioflyer !

The big news this week is that since my insurance cuts off home care October 1st, my Dr wanted to be proactive and set up home uterine monitoring for contractions as well as setting up a terbutaline pump. I was clueless about this pump thing. I knew the monitor would be nice to have - it's simply strapping on a monitor around my belly for an hour twice a day and then plugging the box in to the machine to send it in to a nurse to review the contraction activity. It's easy to do, and for some reason the baby under the monitor kicks when it's on me, so I like to get that activity. But the pump....the pump is my arch nemesis.

This is what it looks like to the right. I inject a needle into my subcutaneous layer on my thigh and then connect the tube to the control unit, which has the medicine in it, where the medicine is basically fed to me all day every day to keep my blood level up with the medicine. And then, every 4 hours you get knocked with a big dose of the stuff to really make sure you have enough. I have to leave the needle in all the time and change it every 5 days. The little box (I pretend I'm on a reality show with it hooked to my pants) goes with me everywhere too. I even have a waterproof bag for the shower. The indication for this drug is to treat asthma and is used to relax and prevent bronchospasms. It's off label use is to do the same thing to the uterus -- relax the uterus and prevent contractions and preterm labor. In theory, it sounds great. ( A little weird to carry around a tube with a needle in your thigh, but seems worth it).

However, as relaxed as it may make my uterus, it sent me over the ledge. I had my first "big dose" at 8 pm and Scott thought I had been out doing illegal street drugs. I was nervous, jittery, my heart was racing, wanted to puke, hands shaking and overall just paranoid and grinding my jaw. They even make you take your blood pressure and pulse to make sure it hasn't hit the roof before and after a big dose. If I would have let the machine hit me again at midnight, 4 am and 8 am, I think I would have been checked into a mental hospital. I really don't think you would ever sleep. I left the needle in, but turned the medicine off at 11 pm last night and plan to call the doctor today to see if I can rip this out. I still didn't sleep and I am feeling so nervous and yucky. I will do this if it makes the babies get here bigger and better, but I really hope I test out of this one...

Strapped

Quick update from today's appt.. good news, no change in activity or bed rest needs!! I can still leave the house and be active in society! My goal is still to be able to do things up to 28 weeks - leaving myself 4 wks and 3 days for getting all my socializing in :)

The only weird part was that my Dr. felt my uterus contract when I was on the table...so next thing I know, they have me in a wheelchair going over to get checked in to the hospital! They actually checked me in like I was going into labor - wow!

I had to sit in labor triage for an hour and a half strapped in with a monitor over my belly to watch for contractions. I was so bored that it was enough to make me even more determined to stay off bed rest in the hospital. Fortunately, no contractions!! (Although I get them pretty much everyday now, which my dr says is normal). So I was released and was so happy!

So the babies got a good report card again.. 4 days until 24 weeks! Oh, and the scale tips in at 47 lbs gained. It's the big babies, right? Countdown to my birth goal: 11 weeks and 1 day! I better read some more books, last night I had a dream my babies came out as rats and I kept forgetting to feed them...and I kept them in a refrigerator. Hmmm, does that mean I'm not ready?

23 weeks -- showers of love and growing babes

I made it through the whole weekend -- our couples shower on Saturday and our family shower on Sunday (and waiting for Scott to get home safely from the late Sunday night Colts game)

We are so blessed to have so many people that care about us and are excited and willing to help us prepare for our babies and the journey ahead. My family has done so much to encourage us and support us already, and we are so thankful. Having a baby (or 'ies' in our case) brings people you would never expect out of the woodwork to support you, encourage you and just be there for you. There's only a few major events like this in your life..maybe graduation, your wedding, a baby...and in these moments it's nice to just be taken care of and celebrated. Sometimes it really is the people you expect the least, or even see or know the least, that do the most. And for all of you that have made us feel special, Scott and I thank you and only hope we can return the favor someday.

We had a great ultrasound appointment Monday following all of the weekend activity. It was really exciting to have Grandma Richards with us. We told her our names during the u/s and when we were on baby girl B, we were able to tell her that her middle name is after her middle name! Great news again! I am SO proud of our little birds for growing big and strong :

Lil Man - 1 lb 7 oz (grew 10 oz in 3 weeks)

Flipper Girl B, on my right - 1 lb 6 oz (grew 9 oz in 3 weeks)

Poser Girl C, on my left - 1 lb 10 oz (porker grew 12 oz in 3 weeks)

I am so happy they are ahead of the curve. Our prayers are for big and developed babies at 34 + weeks!! We are on our way! I've been told triplets drop off the singleton charts around 28 wks, so we need one more big spurt and we will be ahead of the charts going into that stage!

I'm feeling good, just really miss curling up and sleeping on my stomach or back without gurgling up dinner at night. Have been getting a hard uterus off and on, so I am really looking forward to our appt tomorrow to find out more about whether these are contractions or what?I'm staying pretty positive..the alone time laying horizontal can start to wear a little on you...and although I love my DVR of all the new fall line up, too much alone time does make you lonely. Which can lead to feeling sorry for yourself. Which can lead to days of really being grumpy. Which then leads to an

emotional upswing of not wanting to waste one day of not loving this pregnancy and feeling blessed for the feeling of life inside of you.

Today it is rainy and gray outside and I sort of like it. It makes me feel I am not missing anything. I am still allowed activity, so I can run to get lunch, but I mostly lay in hopes of keeping these babies in my pouch as long as possible. I love feeling the kicks get stronger, and with every stronger movement and every good weight gain, I am encouraged to keep going!

Am I the only one that cried my eyes out watching the pilot for the dumbest show, "Raising Hope". It made me feel so happy I cried picturing Scott and I. I'm sure no one watched it, so the scene was a baby that wouldn't stop crying all night. So the weirdo, hillbilly and not sure what to do with a baby, grandma and grandpa came in and played the guitar and sang "Danny's Song", and the baby fell asleep. (that song gets me every time) In comparison to most people or situations in our life, all babies ask of us is love, and I know Scott and I can do at least that.

22 wks - What I have learned about carrying triplets

At 22 weeks, I am 40+ lbs heavier and much smarter about doing my job of getting three healthy babies into this world...Top 10 things I have learned in 22 weeks.

1) What NOT to Expect When You're Expecting multiples. Reading these "week by weeks" in normal books is sometimes frustrating and ALWAYS won't apply to you. Expect day by day and trust your Dr. and specialist - it's the only place you feel normal.

2) There is no shame to bust out the abdominal support strap at this point. It may be for 35 weekers, but my uterus doesn't know we are only 22 weeks! I can almost remember what it's like to have a core wearing this.

3) Sleeping through the night is done. Probably forever. However, the cheap body pillow from Target beats the $60 Snuggli or whatever it's called that is made for expecting moms. My combo is a wedge under my belly, a pillow behind, a pillow to cuddle, a pillow under my head and a pillow between my legs. Scott always asks what I need, and I say "clouds to lay in". Can we invent that?

4) You can crave working out. Last night I watched Usher dance, and at the end, he was sweaty and could barely breathe. I was sooo jealous of that feeling.

5) Pre-natal massages should be prescribed by your doctor.

6) This is my "hungriest day ever" may happen over and over and over again. I actually dream every night of anything from ramen noodles to pastry shops.

7) You know your cervix and membranes very well. Your cervix is like a good report card and healthy membranes are totally good news, and totally unknown what it really means.

8) I am planning to breastfeed and know it won't be easy or maybe even enjoyable. But I'm recruting my"cheerleading squad" now. I don't want to quit. I have a breastfeeding class next week and am contacting the LaLeche league and a faithful follower of breastfeeding triplets blog. Positive in = positive out.

9) You can take the girl out of yoga, but you can't take the yoga out of the girl. We have had bumps of weird stresses and questions of where we will leave and how we will do all of this - but every morning and every night I try to stretch and do my version of yoga with meditation and instead of repeating negative thoughts, I go through my affirmations of how I see it all turning out. Visualization for big babies, babies breastfeeding and healthy parents, family and babies are always included. It really helps. I think Brian Tracy said, the human mind can only hold one thought at a time - choose a positive one.

10) Have learned, but not mastered this yet. When you are stuck at home and totally exhausted and feel alone, hungry and thirsty - your loved one's don't know this. Not even your husband. That's why you have a phone (I just need to learn to ask...because when they get here, I will really need to ask)

Ok..one more...why bedrest? Why all this dumb laying around (besides it's the only thing you have energy for...) I read these often to remind me and to encourage me to stay put!!

Staying Horizontal Helps: (as stated in my fav multiples book - "When You're Expecting Twins,Triplets, or Quads" by Dr. Barbara Luke.

- Reduce strain on your heart and improve blood flow to kidneys and eliminate excess fluid

- Increase circulation to uterus, providing more oxygen and nutrients to babies

- Minimize catecholamines - stress hormone that can trigger contractions. (I've read in other books that high levels of this big word during pregnancy has been linked to colic...hmm)

- Take pressure off the cervix

- Limit activity to reduce contractions and to conserve energy overall so all your energy and nutrients you have goes directly to your baby!

Music to the Babies Ears

Instead of watching TV all day everyday, I've been trying to get in some meditation and music time with the babies. A lot can float in your head while you're not really doing anything...but I am committed to giving these little birds a peaceful and relaxing environment. So I play music, sing to them and read books and will even do some of my modified yoga stretches. (Yoga, I so miss you)

I know classical music is the preferred choice for in-utero enjoyment, however - my little kicker (still waiting on the other 2 to get up to speed and kick through their placenta obstacle) loves Elton John, Paul Simon and any version of Hallelujah. And it makes mama happy.

Music relaxes those roller coaster hormonal anxieties and makes me move on and forgot about those things like anxiety over our couples shower this weekend (I am so excited, but always get anxious about showers because I don't like to burden people with all the big shower planning entails). Or how I opted to not get a chicken pox vaccination because "who get's that anymore" and now, while I'm pregnant, there is an Indianapolis chicken pox outbreak. Or how downright sad it was to see all the brutal realities and possible things that can go wrong with multiples at my multiples class. They really need to advertise this class as "COME LEARN ABOUT EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE THING YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT" because seeing a 24 wk old tiny little baby in the NICU when you are 22 weeks doesn't settle well with hormones. Those little babies aren't cooked and it makes your heart ache for their innocence and trust in all that is coming their way. Thank goodness Scott saved the day and took me to Bob Evans that night after that class (I am really into places where the food tastes homemade and the crowd is my speed because most are over 70). As I told him in our wedding vows 3 years ago, he does and always will make my crazy sane.

But with all of that, I can still choose to stay positive and relax everyday knowing I am doing all that I have control over to get these babies to 34+ weeks. At least my job satisfaction is high these days.

21 wk pics and our 1st shower!

Look at that belly! No stretch marks - fingers crossed! How am I staying so busy while mostly resting and not working?Not sure..but in the past 2 days I have..

1)Gone to the Dr. to check fetal heartbeats (went to lunch with a friend who told a terrible story that I won't even share in the case you are reading and expecting a baby, it stuck with me and lack of movement from little girl B put me into a sweat...so fortunately, I love my Dr.'s office and they would probably ultrasound me every day if I asked) Outcome = great heartbeats/ babies getting kicked in the head from sister and cervix dropped to 3.9 from 4.1. Nothing to get concerned about...just time to get serious about resting,resting,resting! My uterus measured 32 weeks..as the picture reflects!!

2) Paid a visit to new triplets in our multiples group! 10 wks old (1 wk adjusted - due date was 9/2) So sweet and not overwhelming at all! Same combo as us - GGB..the boy was about 8 lbs and girls were around 6 lbs. They eat every 3 hrs, and feedings are 1 1/2 hrs. Yes, we will be a milk feeding factory around here!

3) Hit up Happy Hour.... AT STEAK AND SHAKE!! $1.50 shakes 2-4 pm. What a deal.

4) Scott and I went to our 1st shower! Scott's office and co-workers are angels!! Soooo many diapers and wipes and other goodies - can't wait to put those little bums in those diapers! We are so thankful! We have also started to get boxes on our front door step with sweet little baby items. This is more fun than our wedding! Look at the diaper cake Karen Fanning, our dear friend, made for us below. Scott is next to our tower of diapers w/ his gift...depends :)

4) And this may top the list...after days of eating out (ending last night w/ Steak and Shake, not proud) I needed a "home cooked meal". So, I woke up and went to MCL Cafeteria and literally sat in a dining room alone reading Happiest Baby on the Block, but not all alone - there were 2 buses of local senior citizen living! I am not too cool to admit I loved the soft music and plate of chicken, roll and broccoli w/ cheese like you got in elementary. I may go back. It was pleasant and I will no longer judge anyone for anything :)

Baby girl is kicking away today...thankfully. Wouldn't have ever guessed how comforting little mice feet running around inside would ever be! We have our multiples class tomorrow!! 10 am - 3 pm (I think the person who planned this has NOT had multiples -- I will need a nap and at least 2 meals during class...

My trip to the "gym" and a cookie

Today is one of those days I just really love being pregnant, and I am embracing and getting super excited about three times the love! I always have required a strong purpose..of which I normally looked for in a job, career or big business idea. Today I have such a peace with my purpose as a mother to three growing babies. I have been reading a lot on breastfeeding triplets, and although much of what I come across is distraught mothers of multiples who give up, there are many posts and articles that are positive and share the success that is possible. I look at it as an extended pregnancy...since most likely mine will be cut shorter than 40 weeks. I am committed to giving it my all and will be realistic with myself, but get really excited about being able to give this gift to our babies. For now, I am researching and trying to get lined up with a supportive local lactation person. This has been my favorite post on feeding triplets - http://triplestuff.blogspot.com/2008/01/yes-i-nursed-my-triplets.html

My trip to the physical therapist today, who happens to be located within Lifetime, my gym, was like a high for me. I saw so many people I knew who were suited up to run, climb and lift - while I was in jeans ready to go be adjusted and rotated. But I was totally ok with it. I felt like I am right where I am supposed to be as I walked by the tan display of 6 packs in sport bras on the treadmills. The Dr. thinks my lack of muscle activation and forward flexion is causing my headaches. So he did some work on my neck by extending my cervical spine with a rolled towel under my neck and took a roller to my calf muscles, thighs and IT band. I felt great as my muscles actually felt used and even love that my tight calf muscles felt sore. I was of course, out of breath and tired, just from all of this. But my best experience at the "gym" was running into the girl I met last time who is also expecting. She was like a little cheerleader placed right on cue for me as I just had read all the negative yuck on breastfeeding this morning. She has had one child, and she told me that I am so lucky to have three times the love, and since I am growing and birthing 3 babies, I can do anything I want. She said after pregnancy and birth, you find superhuman abilities and that nothing is impossible anymore. She said, "especially you, after three, don't let anyone tell you what you can't do! You can!" Awe..gotta love fellow go girl power of pregnancy!

So, I went to Paradise Cafe after and savored the moment of ordering a whole sandwich, a soup and a whole salad... and walked out with my to go food eating my white chocolate macadamia nut cookie before my lunch. (Yes, my sweet tooth is re-introducing itself.. in fact, I had my first craving run for Scott this weekend -Kit Kats!! Those dang give me a break commercials with the snaps got me!) Once you give in to this crazy ride, it really is fun -- even if your pregnancy at times feels so alien compared to most every pregnant girl carrying one.

I will get Scott to take my belly pics tonight - I keep forgetting! Here are some pics from this weekend/week. Below is my parents with me in my new outfit my mom bought me -- wow maternity! We had a fun day and I had my first decaf pumpkin spice latte for the year..yum!

The below picture is the pile of clothing that one of the sweet moms in my multiples group brought over to me today! All of these moms have been lifesavers. I got to see her three little 2 yr old triplet boys...so sweet! Katie gave us some stuff from the boys today too..so I think baby boy is set for the first 3 months of life! It's so nice that people are sharing with us to help with some of these crazy costs! It's so fun to look at all these little outfits and onesies...I have loads going in the laundry with my typical afternoon routine of my feet up watching Baby Story. And to think, a year ago today we were roaming the streets of Rome, Italy...

LLLI | Breastfeeding Triplets

Good Article from La Leche on multiple breastfeeding! LLLI | Breastfeeding Triplets

21 week salute

I decided last night that all 3 baby birds are staying in my belly, forever. Scott was at the Notre Dame game and my parents had just gone home from entertaining me for a day. (Which was really fun!) So I was really bored and since I am allowed to go sit in movies, I went to see a terrible movie by myself (Sat night, movie alone = sad. BTW, Skip "The Kids are Alright" that movie is not alright) So when I get out, I see a text message from my brother who is in the middle of nowhere camping that says, "Please pray for Cohen (my 4 yr old nephew of a twin set), he hit his head and has a skull fracture and several stitches." I instantly freak and feel alone and think how quick something like this happened. Of course, I can't get anyone on the phone, including Scott - so I am alone in my hormonal thoughts as I start to get hot all over and cry like a crazy woman leaving the movie theater.

Between my mom and sister and text messages, we put the pieces of the ER disaster together, and Cohen will be just fine. In fact, the ER Dr told Katie he was shocked w/ twin 4 old boys that she hadn't been in yet (mental note that the ER is to be expected). He will just have a serious gash for show and tell at preschool and will get a lot of ice cream for a week. But it hit me, Oh my gosh - when they come out of you, that's it for the ultimate protection. We really have no control over what happens when they are learning to walk and you turn your head for a second or better yet, when they are 16 and get in that car and drive away for the first time. There are so, so many things you don't get about your parents worrying until you create life. And mine are still safe and cozy in utero! I guess the only thing I can take out of this experience is that every second we get with our children, and family and friends for that matter, are important and precious. Be present and WITH your children when you are with them. Which is one of our parenthood vows. (Scott and I are re-committing our vows with a picnic ceremony w/ just us, to promise vows to our children...so far those marriage vows have worked, so why not give the same to them?!) We plan to do in the next few weeks, so I will share to "have witnesses" when we are done with them. Anyways, the whole event put into perspective that not having a job, not being sure of where we are living, having the perfect strollers or even having the pregnancy and delivery you imagined, just don't matter. Those precious, precious little lives are what matters. Thanks for the life lesson little sweet Cohen Robert :)

Today is a day that actually feels like a snapshot of our old normal life...it's cool enough for me to be outside, so we are out back and Scott has made me a serious comfy concoction of a bed out of our lounge lawn chair. So I'm laying here reading and writing while he is hitting golf balls. I've been reading The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp. I love how it gives newborn babies a voice of their "4th trimester." I'm reading up on all those books now while I have the time. And I feel like such a rebel.. as Scott drinks a Blue Moon I am enjoying a can of Orange Pellegrino... what a crazy Labor Day!

(Will post pics of belly later! It is quite the display!)

20 weeks - we love fat babies!

Our 20 wk appt was thankfully, again, pretty uneventful. The u/s showed us that ALL 3 babes are moving - in fact, normally calm Baby Girl C the poser on the left was actually the most active! Crazy I can't feel her. I found out Baby C and Baby A have anterior placenta - which basically means I have a big pillow of placenta between their kicks and my skin layer. (Hence, I feel Baby B way more because the crazy kicker has posterior placenta and no barrier from her to me) Her kicks are everyday, but still pretty gentle. For sure more in the late afternoon and evening. I think lil man (top picture on the left - looks like Scott already - he has his under nose to chin area. He thinks Baby B has my upturned nose ...Not sure where Baby C comes in yet?)

Mama has gained 36 lbs in 20 wks..yep, 36 lbs. I'm so hungry most of the time. But I'm proud of it because when they were measured today they were all 3 in the 80th percentile for weight/size!! That is my number one prayer - stay big, healthy and grow evenly! Lil man and Baby Girl B weigh 13 oz and Baby Girl C is 14 oz. So over 2 lbs of floating baby already. Baby C's head is literally about 5 0r 6 inches below my boobs towards my midline - she is so high! Baby B is nestled on my right (and I feel her butt or head or something hard ALL the time in my right belly area) and Baby boy has head down towards cervix and feet wrapping up the midline (although he did 2 or 3 somersaults just during the u/s so who knows his position??). They also measured my cervix - down to a little over 4 from a 5 two wks ago. They weren't worried and said at about this time the cervix starts to go down naturally. So no big adjustments to my schedule- can still swim and just need to put my feet up or lay most of the day outside of one or two activities.

I'm feeling pretty good overall - just kind of felt like an 80 yr old man as I left the appt w/ a RX for Nexium (heartburn,acid reflux) , cream for a really cool rash and a physical therapy appt for headaches. I have days that no food sounds good and I puke in my mouth all day and then I have days where I have all the energy in the world. This seems to be how the rest of the preg. will be.

In the same day we got all the good news I came home to find out I have been TERMINATED from lululemon. Not good to surprise fire a 5 month prego w/ hormones. So, plan B - Cobra (which just seems like a dirty word when you're pregnant w/ triplets).Cobra is stupid expensive - but my happy and relaxed hormones have taken over and I'm totally ok w/ the situation. Out of our control, and happy relaxed babies are way more important than worrying. I know it will all work out. I actually didn't even care for the first time in my life I put a big dash through the space for occupation and employer in my new patient paperwork at the physical therapist today. Full time baby grower is my new resume for now.

We toured Community N last night and met some other expecting couples. I love how fun it is to have SO much in common with someone you just met, just because you both have big round bellies. The rooms are so nice...as are the waiting areas. So in the small chance (although I'm NOT planning on it) that I'm on bedrest, I would be in one of these really nice rooms. Although if I am on bedrest, I would rather be there so I can have people waiting on me rather than being at home all by my lonesome as the fall and winter approach. We go back soon to tour the NICU.. I'm hoping if they are in the NICU they get the triplets room :) They get their own little room that is soundproof and has light that mimics natural light -- so in the morning "the sun rises" and gets brighter mid-day and then dims and "the sun goes down" at night. This is to get them used to normal outside world patterns!

I met another pregnant girl today that seemed so anxious and worried...and I had to thank God I stay pretty relaxed. She was telling me she is basically addicted to the Internet and how much bad stuff she reads. I was proud inside that I got all of that Internet poison out of the way while trying to get pregnant - these days I only look at my registry or my multiples yahoo forum. I am a recovering and successful Internet-aholic, and my pregnancy is so much better w/ all of my ignorance :)