A
Mom's
Triplet Journal
(Recalled from memories as long as 6 years ago!)
Links frame
Pre-Birth
Birth Complications
When
I was around 22 weeks into the pregnancy I began to have some serious contractions.
(OH, must not forget to mention that my husband was at the HOCKEY game during
this event and asked if he needed to miss it? Hmm!) I was hospitalized overnight
and given Magnesium to stop the contractions ( Panic didn't help the situation
either.). It was so scary because I KNEW it was too early (I had suffered
a miscarriage of twins prior to this pregnancy). I was then sent home on complete
bed rest and a monitoring system to keep track of my contractions.
We
had a 2 story house, so the insurance company allowed us to rent a hospital
bed to place on the first floor. Although that was helpful, I could still
see all of the activity taking place in the house. It was very difficult to
stay in bed while all the action was going on without me. My daughter still
needed her mother and didn't understand why a grown-up would be in bed all
day. Sometime during my bed rest my Doctor ordered self injections of tributiline
(not sure if that is correct, but think so).
Somewhere during his time I had a visit to my Doctor and I told her of pressure
in my chest. She sent me straight to a cardiologist and I was given an EKG
and sent home. He told me that I didn't have any signs of irregularity, and
that I was too young (34 then) to be having any problems. So, I just associated
it to my panic and nervousness in regard to the pregnancy. With the monitor
and the medication I was able to stay at home until about 26 weeks.
I
then went into premature labor and was immediately hospitalized and given
Magnesium again. I hated the magnesium wash but it worked! I then stayed in
the hospital until my delivery. In the beginning I was in one of the small
rooms, but, because I was a long-timer I moved up to a large room with views
and BOY was that special. I was constantly monitored and then checked via
ultrasound to see how everyone was doing. One of my sons, now known as Preston,
would take a dive as far back as he could to avoid getting pushed and prodded
by the nurses. We used to laugh every time he did it. He wasn't sneaky about
it either. The little toot would kick and push his brothers out of his way
to get where he was going.
I
had a pretty uneventful stay in the hospital prior to delivery. I can't
say that it was a pain in the butt, because now as I look back, it was peaceful
and quiet! I needed peace and quiet and to be waited on. I enjoyed my warm-tub
visits and HATED my weigh-ins! On the 4th of July I was allowed to be wheeled
up to the top floor (an empty fancy suite for the wealthy) to view the fireworks.
There was something special about that night,don't know what, but it will
always be in my memory banks. Soon after that little adventure I went into
labor again. It was still too early in the Doctors opinion and she recommended
Magnesium one more time. I refused to take it for oh, about 2 hours. Then,
I got nervous because the boys still needed time to develop and it was kind
of painful. So, I gave in....but, this time, it only helped for a few days.
Now, again, I had chest pressure while in the hospital and they ordered an
EKG, and it showed nothing. So, that was that! I was starting to think I was
a little nuts. I have a family history of hypertension (VERY high blood pressure,
monitored and taking medications) so, I thought that there was a reason to
be cautious, plus, I had always been borderline normal/high before pregnancy.
At 32.5 weeks, Joseph decided he was done with all of that. He was tired of
being pushed shoved and cramped by his 'larger' brothers. So, he stuck his
foot through the sac and I lost too much fluid to hold out any longer. They
tried to replace my fluids by administering IV fluids into my system. The
worst part of all of it was that it was 2a.m. in the morning and I was sitting
in my bed watching TV(sleep is pretty much out of the question at this stage
of the game) and eating an assortment of 'nuts' that someone had given me
as a gift! Well, I KNEW, what was going to happen, so I warned them all! They
were prepared for me, and sure enough as soon as the anesthesia kicked in
I Barfed all over the place. Phew, glad they were expecting it! Be
prepared for what looks like an army platoon in the delivery room! There is
a nurse and Doctor for each baby, and that makes for a LOT of people in one
room.
Birth
