Today's Checkup

Today I had one of my obstetric appointments and all is still going great guns.  Mr TAN has now banned me from driving and everybody has agreed with him much to my disappointment, which I am not complaining about I just don't like being dependant on others. 

I am now measuring 43cm - YIKES!  For those of you who don't know what this means it generally relates to the equivalent of how pregnant you are IE 30cm is 30 weeks pregnant.  The babies are now all between the 50th and 70th percentile, which is fantastic news and I am looking forward to seeing how much they have grown at my next growth scan next week. 

Generally apart from being constantly breathless, headaches, being huge and in pain, the reflux and how squished all my internal organs are now I am feeling pretty good.  My high resting heart rate is still a concern so need to keep an eye on it and watch out for swelling and dizziness.  I have also been told IF I make it to 35 weeks a ceaserean will be scheduled for then, although the way I am beginning to feel already I am not sure if I will make it that far.

I am now finding myself with very little energy and basically just move from the couch to the bed.  Thankfully my mum has moved up to help me as of this week which is making a huge difference.  She has been helping with all the general household chores like cooking, washing and helping to care for Oliver.  With her help I believe I can manage an extra week at home but we will need to play that one by ear.

One thing that I am beginning to have fun with though is the comments I am getting from strangers about the size of my belly.  For example I was browsing in the shop at the hospital and a customer was having a conversation with the lady behind the counter, this is how it went:
Shop Lady "Busy day?"
Customer "Yes, people keep having babies"
Shop Lady "Look at her she is about to have a baby"
Me "I'm about to have 3" this is the fun part
All faces turn to me "3" "your having twins?" "Are they those ivf babies?"
Me "Yes, triplets, yes they are natural ;)"
This was then followed by a whole lot more clucking, this is just one example but it is becoming more of a daily occurrence when I leave the house but it is keeping me entertained....

Are there any other HOM parents out there that have had fun with these kinds of things?

Neonatologist's and Maternal Foetal Medicine

Wow what a day yesterday was!  I was quite nervous heading down to our appointments yesterday with the Neonatologist.  After hearing so much doom and gloom in the early stages of this pregnancy I really wasn't sure what to expect. 

Firstly we had our MFM appointment, this doctor has been present at all of our scans so;
 far and we already have built up a confidence and trust in him.  In fact if it wasn't for his positivity we may have looked more closely at selective reduction.  We did get the chance to ask a few questions that we weren't sure about like if we will get given steroids for the babies lungs routinely, or only if there is a need.  So he explained that unless a situation arises like labour far earlier than 32 weeks then they would probably go ahead.  But from 32 weeks it is not something they would do routinely.  We also got a chance to discuss the option of me being admitted, and the good news is he is happy for me to stay at home for the moment due to all the help I am getting.  However if anything changes, or I need some respite, they are happy to have me admitted for a few days or a week if needed.  Everything else seems to be going splendidly, but he did mention my fast heart rate.  I have noticed this the past few weeks, ever since Baby C has been in my ribs I have been finding it much harder to breathe and in turn my heart is working that bit harder.  So we will see him again tomorrow at the growth scan and see how well these babies are growing.  He is also happy to keep the scans at 3 weekly for now. 

So next up we had our very first appointment with a neonatologist.  This was the one that was worrying me the most but was surprised that I found it quite reassuring and positive.  As this was our first chance to discuss any possible complications and what to expect with having early babies.  One of my concerns was how much we would be able to be involved in their care and how soon I would get to see them after their birth.  But as it turns out I will get to see them briefly as each baby is taken out, again before they get wheeled off, and once more on my way out of surgery.   Again everyone is optimistic that we can and will make it to at least 32 weeks which minimises any complications enormously.  To conclude this appointment we got shown through the NICU and SCBU.  I had seen pictures of tiny little premature babies previously but neither of us had seen these babies in the flesh before.  The were so little and precious, we saw babies at a few different gestation's so it was a really good opportunity to get a picture of what it will be like.  We saw babies that were born at 25, 28 and 32 weeks.  It is amazing to think that tiny little 25 weeker is about the same size as our babies now.  MR Tan was quite surprised at how small even the babies born at 32 weeks were as that is likely what we will at least reach that gestation. 

All in all I feel very confident about the care that we will all be receiving and we are very much looking forward to our triple cuddles sometime in July.  Hard to believe they could be here in as little as 8 weeks!

Week 23!

Well not too much has changed here, have been fairly quiet just busily growing babies.  And growing they are!  I had an ob appointment this week and she could not be happier with how things are going for a triplet pregnancy.  I am now measuring the same size as someone who is 38 weeks pregnant so it is any wonder that some of my clothes are getting a bit firm and uncomfortable.  Baby C who has always measured a bit bigger as of 2 weeks ago was in the 90% percentile for size, with Baby's A and B not far behind.  When they compare sizes they always compare it to a singleton baby so considering there are 3 in there it appears all the rest I am getting is helping tremendously. 

This week we have a lot of appointments coming up we have our first appointment with the maternal foetal medicine doctors, and we are also meeting with the neonatal doctors for the first time.  We will also get shown the NICU ward at the same time.  On the same day we also are meeting with the hospitals multiple birth coordinator.  So a very big day coming up there.  Then next Friday we have another growth scan so I am excited to see how much my little trio have grown in the past 3 weeks.  Another exciting milestone approaching in just 2 short days is we will reach 24 weeks.  This means we are officially 'viable'.  This is a term that I despise immensely but important nonetheless.  My first official goal is 28 weeks, though I hope to make it to at least 32 thanks to all the wonderful support I have around me. 

As the arrival of these babies and the changes that will happen draw closer I have been thinking alot about how they will actually arrive.  From the beginning I thought that a cesarean was the only option and had never questioned it.  But after hearing a few amazing stories from other Australian women who have birthed triplets I begin to have doubts.  There are a lot of criteria that you need to meet for it to be able to occur from what I have heard apart from a doctor willing you need to meet these

• Baby A and B head down
• Past 32 weeks
• Mum and babies in good health
• Epidural in place for just in case
• Need to deliver in theatre, again for just in case
• Constant monitoring for each baby

That is all I can remember for now.  But after thinking about all this I wonder if I will have the energy and the strength to birth 3 babies, with the possibility of it ending in a cesarean anyway.  So I guess in a way I am still torn and perhaps am leaning towards the easier option.  For me what my concern is with the cesarean is mainly the recovery time.  Not only with caring for my son, but also all the hour long drives to the hospital to visit with the triplets and relying on someone to take me there each day.  Mr TAN will find it hard to take off too much time of work as he has a business to run and there isn't really anyone who can do the work for him. 

So that is what has been occupying my thoughts this week, but I am sure I will have a lot more to say after this weeks appointments.

Another appointment 02/02/2012

I had another obstetrician appointment and my mum came along with me.  I have been banned from going to any of these appointments by myself now, especially after that first time finding out with only a 2 year old for company.  So at the moment the plan is I will be doing shared care between my obstetrician and the Maternal Foetal Health Specialists at the hospital.  So my normal ob will be checking blood pressure quick scans etc and the major scans will be done at the hospital.  This suits me as my doctor is about 20 minutes closer and parking is much easier too.

All is still going swimmingly.  We had another peek in on the little ones today and it is incredible the difference 2 weeks has made.  We can now see all 12 little arms and legs dancing around and they look like babies now instead of little prawns.  I also discovered the reason as to why I look so big already, turns out the fundal height is already at 18cm at 10 weeks. 

I left today feeling much more comfortable and supported in our decision, it is just such a shame how all the doom and gloom risks make you feel especially when it was all the negatives that we were being warned about and not the positives of being able to bring 3 precious babies home.

Doctors and yet another scan 20/01/2012

This morning we are all heading down to have an appointment with my obstetrician.  This is the first chance we have had to actually speak to a medical professional since finding out we having triplets 4 days ago.  We went in expecting to to get more information and care options, and maybe to touch on the risks involved.  Instead it feels like a lecture.  We are told all about the high amount of risks involved with a HOM (higher order multiples) pregnancy including:

• premature babies born before 28 weeks,
• high risk of having children with mental and physical disablitlies,
• 90% risk of gestational diabetes
• and also the scary fact that we could loose all of these babies at any stage in the pregnancy.

Again it is discussed with us about considering using selective reduction to reduce the risks involved.  She also referred us to see a Maternal Foetal Health Specialist from the Women's and Children's hospital at another ultrasound place for that afternoon.  We both leave feeling really deflated and scared. 

Having suffered the emotional and physical pain of miscarriage last year at 12 weeks we don't feel that this is an option that we can consider.  Especially given this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and a true miracle we have been incredibly blessed with.

So later that afternoon we head off for yet another scan which reconfirms that there are in fact 3 placentas and 3 amniotic sacs (trichorionic, triamniotic.)
  We are told that this is the best case scenario and makes it less complicated than pregnancies where the babies share a placenta or amniotic sacs.  When we talk to the Maternal Foetal Health Specialist we are once again talked to about the risks although this time we feel much more at ease with the risks involved and potential complications.  We hear that

• most triplets are born between 30-34 weeks
• they generally weigh around 2 kilos each
• the risk with the most complications is if the babies are born before 28 weeks
• I am also told I am likely going to be needed to be admitted to hospital for a few weeks at some stage later in the pregnancy and I will be on modified activities

We are also told that if we do choose selective reduction there is a chance that we could loose all 3 babies.  We are also told that the bubs are most likely to be identical.  As with our embryo transfer we only had the one embryo transferred which somehow managed to split a lot.  We both leave feeling comfortable with our decision and knowing that we have lots of support from our family and friends we are going to embrace these miracles with everything we have.

The Scan 16/01/2012

The last few weeks have been a bit of a blur.  Between Christmas and New Year and battling this extreme exhaustion but we are now 8 weeks and Oliver and I are heading off for a scan to see how things are looking.  So we head in and lay down and there is silence

Sonographer: "Are you seeing this?"
Me: "No, is it twins?"
Sonographer: "No, TRIPLETS, and they all have heartbeats"

And then the shock and happy tears set in.  She rushes off to get another sonographer to make sure she isn't seeing things and the doctor.  So after all the compulsory measurements and checks are done we have to go off and see the doctor, still with little Ollie by my side.  I am told I need to arrange another scan and an appointment with my obstetrician within the week.  I am also given a brief low down on the high amount of risks involved in a multiple pregnancy and how I should consider reducing the number of babies to reduce the risks.

So we head off home with my thoughts still racing at a million miles an hour.  As I get home my Mr TAN is in a rush getting ready for work.

Mr TAN: "How did it all go?" 
Me: "Good" showing him the picture.
Mr TAN: "Oh that's nice"
Me: "Look at the picture there are 3.  It's triplets!"

He doesn't have too much to say and continues getting ready for work.  After 30 minutes or so and the initial shock has worn off he comes back inside and gives me a big hug.  He also tells me all about all the information he has found on Google, and the plans he has started making, including how we will fit 4 children into our small 2 bedroom house. 

My mum came up later that morning and we told her our new news.  We told the rest of our immediate family that day as we knew we would need lots of support around us.  Below is the pics we got from that day.