Blessings & Reflections

June is often a reflective month for me. June is the month I found out I was finally pregnant after five long hard and exhausting years of trying. I was mentally, emotionally, and physically broken at that point and was overjoyed (and scared) to finally have the news. June 22, 2010 was the day we got the news. After six failed Clomid cycles, 2 failed injection cycles and 2 other failed IVF cycles, we didn't have high hopes. However, this time the news what good. We knew better than to get too excited as often times miscarriages happen (as I had had one before), so we were cautious throughout. We knew with the numbers that we were having multiples and after a few weeks we had an ultrasound that confirmed it. The ultrasound also confirmed however that one of our multiples was not developing as fast as the other two. It was suggested that we reduce the pregnancy to twins. We went to a specialist and did a full work up the next week. After careful consideration, we decided to continue with the triplet pregnancy. What was going to happen was going to happen. We had come this far already. I took every precaution. We went in every week to both the OB and the specialist and within weeks the last baby had caught up to the other two in growth. We were now on track for this triplet pregnancy. 

For those of you who want to know what it was like....it was amazing and awful all at the same time. By 19 weeks pregnant I looked full term. By 4 months I was on bedrest and by 7 months I was giving birth. 

19 weeks pregnant

25 weeks pregnant 

(last picture I took; I delivered at 31 weeks)

I did everything I could to prepare. I was realistic. I knew they would be early. I prepared myself for that. I knew they would need NICU time and would most likely have wires and tubes. I prepared myself for that. I read up on prematurity and things associated with it. Since I was on bedrest, I spent my time wisely and made sure to be prepared for what was ahead. I joined parents of multiple groups and forums to speak with multiple parents and get advice ahead of time. I was determined not to be naive about raising three babies at once. The reality is that these are humans not play toys or show pieces. They are my children and I am responsible for their care and their well-being. Those first few years are so critical and I can't screw it up. 

I started experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions as early as 4 months. I had to keep track of them- how many per hour and how intense. If they surpassed a certain amount, I had to go to the hospital to receive an injection. I also need injections for the babies lungs to develop and I received monitoring for my iron levels and blood pressure. My body was literally falling apart trying to grow these babies. 

Overall, I had 8 labor and delivery visits (emergency visits) throughout my pregnancy. The last one was the day after Christmas 2010. Two days later, my OB had me admitted for hospital bedrest. That was it, I knew it would be any day at that point. 

On New Year's Day 2011 via emergency c-section, the triplets were born. I don't remember much. I remember getting the epidural and then my body gave out. My body gave it's all and now it was time to rest. Thank goodness my husband was able to document everything. If it wasn't for him and the discharge papers, I wouldn't know anything about that day. The babies were born and whisked away in incubators to the NICU. I, however had some complications and other than pictures via my husband, didn't see the babies until they were 4 days old. 

                                                    One of the girl's feet in her daddy's hand

We were lucky. Other than some normal premature complications, our children were born perfect. By the age of two, they had out grown or had been cleared by all their doctors from birth. We still experience a few minor complications from their prematurity but for the most part they are normal kids. We are blessed. There are so many families out there- with multiples or not- that have children with birth defects, issues from prematurity, or other disabilities or defects. We are grateful for what we have and grateful for what we don't have. 

So my message to you is this: think positively, stay humble, and be grateful. You are probably already blessed in so many ways.