The babies and I all got another gold star at our check up Tuesday. Yay! The vital stats are that we are now 26 weeks and 4 days along (about 6 1/2 months), and the babies' weights are good: Baby A is 2 lbs 3 oz, Baby B is 2 lbs 5 oz, and Baby C is 2 lbs 0 oz. This puts all of them at around the 50th percentile for size if they were a singleton, so they are doing great. There are no indications of pre-term labor or other major risk factors so we're always relieved to hear that as well. I gained another 3.5 lbs, for a grand total of 28.5 lbs gained. I was actually a little concerned since the babies' weight gain represented about 2 lbs of that, but the doctor assured me all is well and to just keep eating as well as I can (easier said that done!). My stomach seems to have been permamently relocated to a spot just under my ribs and squashed to about the size of a grape. Some days I can eat quite well, others it's a total chore. But somehow I always have room for ice cream! :-)
Starting with my next appointment on July 10, the doctor moves me to an aggressive monitoring schedule of two appointments every week. I will go in every Monday and Thursday for an ultrasound and a non-stress test, where they will hook me up to monitors to track any contractions I might be having (4-5/day is actually normal right now) as well as the babies' heartbeats. This will continue until I deliver. He favors this approach over bedrest or other methods, so that he can be aware of any change as it's happening and deal with it quickly. In fact, other than resting as needed, he encouraged me to try to keep life as normal and active as possible for now - good for me both mentally and physically.
Another big milestone is approaching. As of July 8 I will be 28 weeks (about 7 months), and at that point the prospects for the babies improves dramatically if I were to deliver. Even as of today our doctor feels that the babies would survive, but with very real possibilities of long-term health issues. By 28 weeks (just 10 days away!), survival rates for all three will be about 90%, and about the same likelihood that we would avoid any major health issues. So every day right now is about keeping those babies in! The two triplet pregnancies ahead of me in the clinic recently delivered at around 32 weeks, so I've been given the challenge to make it to 33 weeks and beat 'em both! That would be August 12. Keep praying...
In general, things are good but I'm definitely starting to feel the strain physically. My belly is measuring the size of a single pregnancy at about 37 weeks (a normal single pregnancy is about 40 weeks), and major fatigue is setting in. This may be compounded by the fact that my blood pressure is really low (88/50) - good news health wise but can contribute to the tired factor. It's difficult to get more than a few hours of sleep at a time...which I suppose is great training for what's to come! The babies are moving and kicking like crazy and Jeff is having a great time sharing in that. Every once in a while we can even see it from the outside. One of them loves to dance on my bladder while another favors my ribs.
As usual, pictures are attached. The ultrasound pics get less interesting each time as the babies get bigger - it's really just snapshots of body parts at this point. Hopefully the "belly" pic makes up for it as my girth increases seemingly daily! Even I have to admit at times it's a bit comical to see me try to move around. At church the other day, as I went to kneel during the mass, I misjudged the space (or lack thereof) in front of me and banged my belly into the pew! I've now switched to the kneel/sit combo to avoid such situations. And Jeff, well he loves bedtime. Watching me get situated is about a 10-minute affair...pillows, adjustments, grunting, sighing...and just when all is quiet, I've got to switch positions or go to the bathroom! He has been such a trooper - continuing all his responsibilities at work, picking up the slack at home, watching over me, putting up with my tossing and turning at night, and barely saying a word as I point and direct through every house project while he provides the manual labor! Just wait till we start the nursery! :-)
Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers, calls, emails and support. These babies are very well taken care of in the prayer department and I know that God is listening. We have been SO blessed!
The babies and I all got another gold star at our check up Tuesday. Yay! The vital stats are that we are now 26 weeks and 4 days along (about 6 1/2 months), and the babies' weights are good: Baby A is 2 lbs 3 oz, Baby B is 2 lbs 5 oz, and Baby C is 2 lbs 0 oz. This puts all of them at around the 50th percentile for size if they were a singleton, so they are doing great. There are no indications of pre-term labor or other major risk factors so we're always relieved to hear that as well. I gained another 3.5 lbs, for a grand total of 28.5 lbs gained. I was actually a little concerned since the babies' weight gain represented about 2 lbs of that, but the doctor assured me all is well and to just keep eating as well as I can (easier said that done!). My stomach seems to have been permamently relocated to a spot just under my ribs and squashed to about the size of a grape. Some days I can eat quite well, others it's a total chore. But somehow I always have room for ice cream! :-)
Starting with my next appointment on July 10, the doctor moves me to an aggressive monitoring schedule of two appointments every week. I will go in every Monday and Thursday for an ultrasound and a non-stress test, where they will hook me up to monitors to track any contractions I might be having (4-5/day is actually normal right now) as well as the babies' heartbeats. This will continue until I deliver. He favors this approach over bedrest or other methods, so that he can be aware of any change as it's happening and deal with it quickly. In fact, other than resting as needed, he encouraged me to try to keep life as normal and active as possible for now - good for me both mentally and physically.
Another big milestone is approaching. As of July 8 I will be 28 weeks (about 7 months), and at that point the prospects for the babies improves dramatically if I were to deliver. Even as of today our doctor feels that the babies would survive, but with very real possibilities of long-term health issues. By 28 weeks (just 10 days away!), survival rates for all three will be about 90%, and about the same likelihood that we would avoid any major health issues. So every day right now is about keeping those babies in! The two triplet pregnancies ahead of me in the clinic recently delivered at around 32 weeks, so I've been given the challenge to make it to 33 weeks and beat 'em both! That would be August 12. Keep praying...
In general, things are good but I'm definitely starting to feel the strain physically. My belly is measuring the size of a single pregnancy at about 37 weeks (a normal single pregnancy is about 40 weeks), and major fatigue is setting in. This may be compounded by the fact that my blood pressure is really low (88/50) - good news health wise but can contribute to the tired factor. It's difficult to get more than a few hours of sleep at a time...which I suppose is great training for what's to come! The babies are moving and kicking like crazy and Jeff is having a great time sharing in that. Every once in a while we can even see it from the outside. One of them loves to dance on my bladder while another favors my ribs.
As usual, pictures are attached. The ultrasound pics get less interesting each time as the babies get bigger - it's really just snapshots of body parts at this point. Hopefully the "belly" pic makes up for it as my girth increases seemingly daily! Even I have to admit at times it's a bit comical to see me try to move around. At church the other day, as I went to kneel during the mass, I misjudged the space (or lack thereof) in front of me and banged my belly into the pew! I've now switched to the kneel/sit combo to avoid such situations. And Jeff, well he loves bedtime. Watching me get situated is about a 10-minute affair...pillows, adjustments, grunting, sighing...and just when all is quiet, I've got to switch positions or go to the bathroom! He has been such a trooper - continuing all his responsibilities at work, picking up the slack at home, watching over me, putting up with my tossing and turning at night, and barely saying a word as I point and direct through every house project while he provides the manual labor! Just wait till we start the nursery! :-)
Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers, calls, emails and support. These babies are very well taken care of in the prayer department and I know that God is listening. We have been SO blessed!
