On May 21st, 2015, I had my regular appointment with my OBGYN and little did I know that was going to be my last appointment before the triplets arrived. I had my blood pressure taken and it was a little high, so I went for some blood work. I also had an ultrasound and the babies were measuring roughly 5 1/2 pounds each. I was so happy they were doing so well and thought they would be around 6 pounds each when I delivered them in two weeks. I had just found out my scheduled c-section was made and confirmed for June 5th, 2015.
The next day I received a call from my nurse and she told me my blood work came back and I had developed preeclampsia. She told me it wasn’t severe, but wanted me to come back for more blood work. I was pretty upset after hearing that and thought I had such a great pregnancy and now this had to happen when I was so close to delivery. I called Dan to let him know and then called my mom right after.
We got up on Saturday May 23rd, packed a few things to bring and headed to the hospital around 10 am. We checked into triage, I had blood work done right away and they also hooked me up to a machine to do a stress test on the babies. The stress test came back perfect for the babies and they were doing great. When the nurse came back with the results from the blood work, she told me my levels increase significantly compared to the blood work I had done on Thursday and she wouldn’t be able to let me leave. She also told me that the safest option for the babies and myself would be to deliver them, but it was up to me and she would give me some time to decide. Dan and I were both shocked and it was completely unexpected. We had no idea that was going to be the outcome of this trip to the hospital.
Dan and I only took a couple minutes to decided and if the nurse and doctors thought it was the best decision we thought so too. We called both of our families to tell them the news and they couldn’t believe it either. The nurse came back and we told her our decision and she said we would just have to wait for room to become available in the NICU. If we did go ahead with the delivery and there wasn’t a room available, each baby would have to be transferred to a different hospital. We didn’t want that at all and were not sure how that would even work, so we had to wait.
We were not prepared at all, since we thought we still had 2 more weeks, although thinking back, we should have been ready way before this date! Dan went back home to pack a few things to bring back with him to the hospital, including clothes for us, outfits, a toothbrush and diapers for the babies. We also had to try and figure out the car seats. We had two that we still had from Emily, but needed a third one and luckily we were able to borrow one from our friend. Dan came back a few hours later and all we could do is just sit and wait.
We were moved to a room, which was nice, but after a while you start to get a little restless. The swelling caused from the preeclampsia was getting really bad making it even more uncomfortable to sit around. I also told the nurse that I was concerned I wasn’t urinating enough. I was drinking so much water, but every time I would go there would be little amounts of urine. This was also difficult when I had to give a urine sample. When I told the nurse she went ahead and hooked me up to an IV drip to help give me more fluids. I thought for sure the IV would help, but instead I retained so much of the fluids from the IV and the swelling became even worse.
Saturday night came and they told us that we wouldn’t be delivering the babies today, but tomorrow instead. I was also told I couldn’t eat for a few hours before, so I stopped eating Saturday night and skipped breakfast Sunday morning. Waiting to know if I could eat on Sunday felt like the longest wait. We waited and waited and finally around 1 pm, the doctor came in and told us there wasn’t a room, so we would be waiting another day. Although I was hoping for an available room, I was excited to know I could eat!
We were only in the room for just over 24 hours, but it felt a lot longer. Dan and I tried to sleep throughout the day and watch TV, but there was only so much you could do to pass time in a small room. Late Sunday afternoon we asked the nurses if it was possible to go for a walk outside. She told us yes, but recommended I sit in a wheelchair. I was so excited and it was going to be so nice to get some fresh air. We couldn’t go far, so we just walked around the front and back of the hospital. After going outside, I felt like I could survive another day in the room.
It was now Monday morning and we hoped today was the day a room would be available and we would meet our triplets. We had to wait awhile again, but when they came back with news it was a yes and we were going to deliver the babies today! We were both so excited and couldn’t wait. We called our families to let them know and they were so excited too!
Monday was the hardest day for me, physically. I had a hard time sleeping the night before and everything was just so uncomfortable. My back hurt from the bed, my restless leg kept me up all night and it was so hot in the room. The swelling had also become unbearable. I was swollen everywhere, but my legs and feet were the worst. It was so bad I couldn’t bend my feet or move my ankles and when looking at my leg, I couldn’t tell where my knee cap was. I actually couldn’t even feel it, there was so much swelling. My fingers looked like 10 sausages, my face was all puffy and when I pressed on my shin there was a huge indentation showing how swollen they were. I couldn’t wear my flip flops and when I stood my legs felt so heavy. I just had to keep thinking there was only a few more hours left and the triplets would be here and things would start to go back to normal.
Around 5 pm I was taken to another room where we had to wait a little longer and then I would be taken into the operating room to prepare for the c-section. I met a few of the nurses who would be in the delivery room and the anesthesiologist who would be giving me the epidural. Everyone was so nice and it helped me to be calm and relax. As I was waiting I just couldn’t believe that the time was here and very soon we would be meeting our little babies.
I don’t remember the exact time I was taken to the operating room, but I know I was in there for a while before the babies were born. Getting the epidural was the first thing done when I went in and I was just as scared as I was when I got one with Emily. Once the epidural was given, I couldn’t feel anything from just below my chest down to my feet. They finished getting everything ready and once the blue curtain was up Dan was able to come in.
They began the c-section and at 7:09 pm Baby A was born, Baby B was born at 7:12 pm and at 7:15 Baby C was born. Jackson was Baby A, Olivia was Baby B and Levi was Baby C. We were both surprised when Olivia was born before Levi, since both boys were together, but it must have just been the way they were positioned. If you have noticed too, this is the order we always try to keep the babies in. We have used this order right from the beginning and it has stuck with us ever since.
Jackson weighed 5 lbs 6 ounces, Olivia weighed 5 lbs 1 ounce and Levi weighed 5 lbs 3 ounces. I couldn’t believe they were all over 5 lbs and to know I was carrying almost 16 lbs of baby. Each baby was healthy and after they were cleaned up and swaddled I was able to see them. They were so perfect and so cute and I couldn’t believe our triplets were finally here. I was even more surprised to find out that they didn’t need to go to the NICU. This was amazing news and I was so shocked to know they would be going right to the room with me.
We had to wait a little bit until a room was available for us, so in the meantime, our family was able to visit us in the same room we waited in before the delivery. The babies were sleeping the whole time and everyone was able to pick them up and take a picture. Emily was so excited to meet her little brothers and little sister and it was so cute to see her give each one a kiss. It was overwhelming to see how excited everyone was to meet the triplets and to know they were finally here after a smooth and safe delivery. After all the pictures were taken, everyone headed home and it was just Dan and I and the triplets!
To be continued…
(There is so much to tell and the post was getting pretty long, so I thought I would divide it into 2 posts. The second one will be about the 3 days in the hospital after the triplets were born)
The Baby Gang 