Our lives are officially a lot crazier now. Today we brought home Molly and Cooper :) Getting them home was uneventful as was most of the day. They've all three had only mediocre feedings today but I'm confident they'll be back up to speed soon. We learned quickly that feeding all three at the same time may not be as simple as we hoped. Monday, with me here all by myself, ought to be very interesting.
The one thing we really have to work on is the breastfeeding. I've been pumping all this time and just started really working on latching with Emily this week. She's doing pretty fair with it. Molly has had one good nursing session earlier in the week but because she is the poorest feeder, I haven't wanted to use up her energy by working on it too much. Cooper is just not having it, however. We'll see how much I'm really able to concentrate on breastfeeding when I'm handling all the day feeds by myself.
So it's likely that my updates from here on out will be few and far between. Not that they are not remarkably easy babies, but just the sheer time involved in round the clock feedings and changing for three will be suck all the energy out of me.
PS I got my hair done today and I'm fitting into my old clothes, so for the moment, I look less like I just had triplets and am the mother of six, and more like one hot momma, LOL :)
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
An exciting day, from pre-dawn to well past dusk
Yesterday was full of excitement, both good and not-so. I'll start at the beginning of the day instead of good news/bad news.
Monday night Scott and I went to the hospital to visit and feed the babies. I was having a lot of pain and soreness in my back and abs, which is nothing new, my back hurts every night. By the time we left, I was leaned back in the seat of the car and just could not get comfortable. I took some pain medicine and took a bath trying to get comfortable, though I was ok enough to fiddle around the house getting baby things ready and went to bed around 11:30.
At 1 I woke up in a more pain. It was almost time to get up and pump anyway, so I did that and tried to go back to sleep. I never could get comfortable and the pain was steadily getting worse and was obviously in my stomach area. I was thinking bad reflux/heartburn or an ulcer so I was popping Tums, as well as taking another dose of another pain medicine. At 3 it was so bad that I was doubled over and finally called my mom (oh, the advantages of having a doctor in the family!). She came over and we talked about the pain, etc and both decided it sounded like my gallbladder. So off to the ER we went.
We were right, of course. I have "multiple gallstones" though my gallbladder is "not acutely inflamed". The recommendation is that I have it removed, sooner rather than later, because I "will continue to have attacks". Since I just had major surgery and already had an appt with my OB scheduled, I talked with her about it and she said that yes, I could go ahead and do it now, but that most surgeons would tell me to wait 6 weeks. We're thinking that if I can get it done ASAP, then maybe I can be recovered before the babies come home.
So, I'm in the process (as if I didn't have enough going on) of finding a surgeon and getting ANOTHER appt for that consultation. BTW, the pain stopped while I was in the ER and I'm fine now. I probably passed a stone.
When it rains, it pours.
Well, after my trip to the ER and the various drugs they gave me for pain, nausea, etc, I called the NICU to a) tell them I would not be in at 11 for feedings because I would be sleeping, and b) was my breastmilk going to be safe after those meds or should I "pump and dump" a couple of times. Somehow, word got around that I was extremely ill, running high fever, etc and they put a hold on Emily's release from the hospital. So when I arrived at 3 (after my OB appt) they said she wasn't going home. Um, WHAT!?! But I told them about the ER trip, that I DID NOT have fever and was obviously feeling fine, so they put a rush job on processing everything and we were walking out the door with her about 4.
Everyone is so excited that she is home. We've had to really hold off on holdings and visits, etc so that she can get rest after the excitement of getting home (she was awake most of the couple of hours between feedings while we changed her clothes, loaded her in the car, etc).
Then things got a little hairy. Her first feeding at home was ok, but then next her temp was very low and she would not eat. So I sat up with her on my chest for a couple of hours trying to get her warm. Then she had only a so-so feeding so, of course, we're freaking out because she's not holding her temp OR eating, both of which were criteria for her to leave the hospital in the first place. At 2 am she finally had a good feeding and a good temp and since then all has been well. We agreed on a feeding schedule that has me up during the night, so that by the time I feed and change her, make/warm bottles, pump, clean pump stuff, etc, I get to sleep about 1/5-2 hours before the next feeding. Kinda hard to get good sleep that way.
Just wait til we have 3 at home :o
Monday night Scott and I went to the hospital to visit and feed the babies. I was having a lot of pain and soreness in my back and abs, which is nothing new, my back hurts every night. By the time we left, I was leaned back in the seat of the car and just could not get comfortable. I took some pain medicine and took a bath trying to get comfortable, though I was ok enough to fiddle around the house getting baby things ready and went to bed around 11:30.
At 1 I woke up in a more pain. It was almost time to get up and pump anyway, so I did that and tried to go back to sleep. I never could get comfortable and the pain was steadily getting worse and was obviously in my stomach area. I was thinking bad reflux/heartburn or an ulcer so I was popping Tums, as well as taking another dose of another pain medicine. At 3 it was so bad that I was doubled over and finally called my mom (oh, the advantages of having a doctor in the family!). She came over and we talked about the pain, etc and both decided it sounded like my gallbladder. So off to the ER we went.
We were right, of course. I have "multiple gallstones" though my gallbladder is "not acutely inflamed". The recommendation is that I have it removed, sooner rather than later, because I "will continue to have attacks". Since I just had major surgery and already had an appt with my OB scheduled, I talked with her about it and she said that yes, I could go ahead and do it now, but that most surgeons would tell me to wait 6 weeks. We're thinking that if I can get it done ASAP, then maybe I can be recovered before the babies come home.
So, I'm in the process (as if I didn't have enough going on) of finding a surgeon and getting ANOTHER appt for that consultation. BTW, the pain stopped while I was in the ER and I'm fine now. I probably passed a stone.
When it rains, it pours.
Well, after my trip to the ER and the various drugs they gave me for pain, nausea, etc, I called the NICU to a) tell them I would not be in at 11 for feedings because I would be sleeping, and b) was my breastmilk going to be safe after those meds or should I "pump and dump" a couple of times. Somehow, word got around that I was extremely ill, running high fever, etc and they put a hold on Emily's release from the hospital. So when I arrived at 3 (after my OB appt) they said she wasn't going home. Um, WHAT!?! But I told them about the ER trip, that I DID NOT have fever and was obviously feeling fine, so they put a rush job on processing everything and we were walking out the door with her about 4.
Everyone is so excited that she is home. We've had to really hold off on holdings and visits, etc so that she can get rest after the excitement of getting home (she was awake most of the couple of hours between feedings while we changed her clothes, loaded her in the car, etc).
Then things got a little hairy. Her first feeding at home was ok, but then next her temp was very low and she would not eat. So I sat up with her on my chest for a couple of hours trying to get her warm. Then she had only a so-so feeding so, of course, we're freaking out because she's not holding her temp OR eating, both of which were criteria for her to leave the hospital in the first place. At 2 am she finally had a good feeding and a good temp and since then all has been well. We agreed on a feeding schedule that has me up during the night, so that by the time I feed and change her, make/warm bottles, pump, clean pump stuff, etc, I get to sleep about 1/5-2 hours before the next feeding. Kinda hard to get good sleep that way.
Just wait til we have 3 at home :o
Monday, March 17, 2008
I'm bringing home a baby Emily
I'm bringing home a baby Emily
Won't my mommy be so proud of me...
Finally we are going to be able to bring home one of our babies. Everyone is so excited! Our little peanut Emily is to be the first home. Though she's just a bit shy of 4 lbs, she's the best eater. They're all holding their temperatures and gaining weight, but Cooper and Molly just aren't eating consistently. I'm still hoping we'll turn that corner any day and they'll be home a day or so afterward.
Fingers crossed nothing changes and by tomorrow night we'll be on baby duty :)
Won't my mommy be so proud of me...
Finally we are going to be able to bring home one of our babies. Everyone is so excited! Our little peanut Emily is to be the first home. Though she's just a bit shy of 4 lbs, she's the best eater. They're all holding their temperatures and gaining weight, but Cooper and Molly just aren't eating consistently. I'm still hoping we'll turn that corner any day and they'll be home a day or so afterward.
Fingers crossed nothing changes and by tomorrow night we'll be on baby duty :)
Friday, March 14, 2008
If you are local, you may be seeing some of these pics in a small-town newspaper near you next week. They were taken by Baylor to send out with the article about us. I'm just glad to have a disc of them for a record of the first time the twins were able to see the babies. Noone under 12 is allowed in the NICU during RSV season (October - April) but our neonatalogist allowed this exception since a) it's publicity for Baylor, b) at the time the triplets were in a little private room off of the main NICU area, and c) she said she's the medical director and she can change the rules if she wants, LOL.Monday, March 10, 2008
I've been patient long enough
I spent 3 months on bedrest, 11 weeks of that in the hospital. I am overdrawn at the patience bank.
I'm ready for my babies to come home. We were given hope that it could be this week, and it still could be, but the nurses think that is overly optimistic of the doctor to say so. I've been home 3 days and managed to get 95% ready for one or more of them. I lay in bed and look at the empty crib. I get up at 2 am to pump and end up fiddling with baby stuff for a few minutes instead of going back to bed right away. I've been to Target every day just to look at baby things. I'm ready to parent these babies that I worked so hard to get into this world.
I only get to see them during their feeding times, during the daytime hours that I am able to be up at the hospital. Like today - I was exhausted and ended up going home to rest instead of hanging around for the next round of feedings.
And there are just so many things to feel guilty about: sleeping in instead of being up there for the early feedings, opting to snuggle with one baby while the nurse goes ahead with diapering and feeding another, having someone pick up the older kids from school so that I can stay at the hospital.
This evening seems especially rough for me. Emily and Molly were put in the same bed together tonight and I haven't seen them yet. I called for an update and the nurse said they looked at each other for a while, but eventually went on to sleep. I'm dying to see it! I'm so afraid something will happen, one of them doesn't tolerate it, and they will separate them again.
Anyway, just the ramblings of a new momma denied the joy of her new babies at home.
I'm ready for my babies to come home. We were given hope that it could be this week, and it still could be, but the nurses think that is overly optimistic of the doctor to say so. I've been home 3 days and managed to get 95% ready for one or more of them. I lay in bed and look at the empty crib. I get up at 2 am to pump and end up fiddling with baby stuff for a few minutes instead of going back to bed right away. I've been to Target every day just to look at baby things. I'm ready to parent these babies that I worked so hard to get into this world.
I only get to see them during their feeding times, during the daytime hours that I am able to be up at the hospital. Like today - I was exhausted and ended up going home to rest instead of hanging around for the next round of feedings.
And there are just so many things to feel guilty about: sleeping in instead of being up there for the early feedings, opting to snuggle with one baby while the nurse goes ahead with diapering and feeding another, having someone pick up the older kids from school so that I can stay at the hospital.
This evening seems especially rough for me. Emily and Molly were put in the same bed together tonight and I haven't seen them yet. I called for an update and the nurse said they looked at each other for a while, but eventually went on to sleep. I'm dying to see it! I'm so afraid something will happen, one of them doesn't tolerate it, and they will separate them again.
Anyway, just the ramblings of a new momma denied the joy of her new babies at home.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Everything is going great!
Scott and I just can not stop smiling and saying how blessed and thankful we are. The babies are doing absolutely fabulous; even the NICU staff is amazed.
I'll post as much info as I can remember right now. We only have a few minutes to grab some dinner before heading back to the NICU for their next feeding.
The c-section went OK. Without going into too much detail, I could feel way more than I thought I should have, so I was yelling throughout, which was freaking Scott out. So as soon as the babies-being-born portion of the surgery was over, they put me completely out for the rest. But I don't remember or care about any of that; as soon as I heard each baby cry, all that was forgotten.
Molly Katherine 4 lbs 2 oz, 15" long, 7:37 pm
Cooper Benjamin 4 lbs 8 oz, 18", 7:38 pm
Emily Claire 3 lbs 15 oz, 18" long, 7:39
They were, and have been, all breathing only room air, which was a shock to the neonatalogist and nurses. They started nipple feeding (trying from a bottle vs. formula pushed into a tube into their stomach) the next day and have steadily been able to tolerate and increase several times a day, so that by tomorrow we expect them to get their IVs out and take all formula feedings (may still get some by tube if they aren't able to suck/nipple all of it). Again, this is unusually outstanding for just 33 weekers. They are all 3 on photo/light therapy for increased bilirubin, which is not uncommon; this should last a few days only.
The neonatalogist told us to go home and get things ready, because they may be coming home as early as 7-10 days!!! We were shocked, not prepared (lol), and thrilled that it could be that soon.
My recovery is slower than I would like, but probably actually pretty normal considering the level of deconditioning I was in, followed by a major surgery. I was supposed to go home tomorrow, but I told them I was going to make certain my pain is well under control before I leave.
And finally, our excitement was compounded by this little tidbit. Take a look:
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5951072&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1
So much has happened this week; I hope I covered it all :)
I'll post as much info as I can remember right now. We only have a few minutes to grab some dinner before heading back to the NICU for their next feeding.
The c-section went OK. Without going into too much detail, I could feel way more than I thought I should have, so I was yelling throughout, which was freaking Scott out. So as soon as the babies-being-born portion of the surgery was over, they put me completely out for the rest. But I don't remember or care about any of that; as soon as I heard each baby cry, all that was forgotten.
Molly Katherine 4 lbs 2 oz, 15" long, 7:37 pm
Cooper Benjamin 4 lbs 8 oz, 18", 7:38 pm
Emily Claire 3 lbs 15 oz, 18" long, 7:39
They were, and have been, all breathing only room air, which was a shock to the neonatalogist and nurses. They started nipple feeding (trying from a bottle vs. formula pushed into a tube into their stomach) the next day and have steadily been able to tolerate and increase several times a day, so that by tomorrow we expect them to get their IVs out and take all formula feedings (may still get some by tube if they aren't able to suck/nipple all of it). Again, this is unusually outstanding for just 33 weekers. They are all 3 on photo/light therapy for increased bilirubin, which is not uncommon; this should last a few days only.
The neonatalogist told us to go home and get things ready, because they may be coming home as early as 7-10 days!!! We were shocked, not prepared (lol), and thrilled that it could be that soon.
My recovery is slower than I would like, but probably actually pretty normal considering the level of deconditioning I was in, followed by a major surgery. I was supposed to go home tomorrow, but I told them I was going to make certain my pain is well under control before I leave.
And finally, our excitement was compounded by this little tidbit. Take a look:
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5951072&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1
So much has happened this week; I hope I covered it all :)
Monday, March 3, 2008
The babies are coming! The babies are coming!
After 2 days of near constant cramping and contractions that the meds would only stop for an hour at a time, they agreed to deliver me tonight! So we now have a c-section scheduled for 7 pm, March 3rd. We'll post details, updates, pics as soon as we can .
Thanks for everyone's continued prayers, love and support.
Thanks for everyone's continued prayers, love and support.
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