26 weeks

I was granted a pass so that I can attend my shower today! Currently waiting (rather impatiently) for Mr. Husband so I can blow this pop stand for a few hours. :)

I'm still on a rollercoaster of hormonal emotions but I suppose that's to be expected. Otherwise I'm getting a lot of reading done... and thanks to friends & my parents, I'm watching a ton of computer TV (because daytime basic cable stinks... and they conveniently have to bug me as soon as something comes on that I want to watch.)

The latest news is that we'll reevaluate the situation at 28 weeks to maybe go home (a week and a half!) The doctors here are very conservative... which is awesome for safety reasons. But I'm so ready to be home... There are so many baby things to play with! Even though I'd still be on bed rest, at least I'd be home to direct the chaos of putting everything away so that I can still be involved if I can't do it myself.

How far along? 26 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss?  about 33 lbs
Maternity clothes? These days it's mainly yoga pants and mens Hanes t shirts :)
Stretch marks? Yep
Sleep: haha, because this hospital bed is so cozy... lots of naps, though
Best moment this week: Baby shower today!
Movement: They're so wiggly!
Food cravings: Still anything that isn't hospital food
Sexes: BBG!
Names: Clinton, Luke & Paisley
Labor signs: None this week
Belly button in or out? In, but I think it's starting to flatten
What I miss most: Being home with my hubby and my kitties
What I am looking forward to: My shower... today!
Weekly wisdom: Having nothing to do is severely over rated.

25 weeks

2 weeks in the hospital and counting. Sigh.

There still haven't been any changes, which is excellent. However, I'm still here... which is the best thing for the babies, I'm know, but it's very rough. I spoke with my doctor today and if all is still the same by Friday, she will write me a day pass for my shower. I think that's the hardest part - feeling like I'm missing out on things, especially the fun things surrounding pregnancy. Of course I'm grateful and happy these guys are healthy and doing well... it's hard to explain the many thoughts and emotions. People who don't "get it" think it's as easy as saying, "Whatever is best for the babies." And while their wellbeing most obviously comes first, it's just not that simple.

In happier news, I passed my 3 hour glucose test. Take that, placentas!
Also we had a surprise shower for hubby at his work this week. I was in on it, but he was shocked. They Skyped me for the shower. I was happy I could at least "be" there in some way.

How far along? 25 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss?  about 30 lbs
Maternity clothes? These days it's mainly yoga pants and mens Hanes t shirts :)
Stretch marks? Yep
Sleep: haha, because this hospital bed is so cozy... lots of naps, though
Best moment this week: No changes! Also, no gestational diabetes!
Movement: Clinton keeps kicking me in a very painful place
Food cravings: Still anything that isn't hospital food
Sexes: BBG!
Names: Clinton, Luke & Paisley
Labor signs: None this week
Belly button in or out? In, but I think it's starting to flatten
What I miss most: Being home with my hubby and my kitties
What I am looking forward to: my shower next weekend
Weekly wisdom: Having nothing to do is severely over rated.

24 weeks

The contractions have been stopped for over a week now. I feel a few here and there, but as this is a very inexact science, their best guess is that they must be Braxton Hicks. As of today I'm still only a centimeter dilated, which is awesome news!

The doctors on my "team" are all of differing opinions, which is frustrating at best. One doctor told me that it would be reasonable to send me home this coming weekend if we stay stable and uneventful through the week. Another would like to see me stay until at least 28 weeks. We have an appointment on Friday to reevaluate, at which point the team will discuss and see what they feel is best. To me, if I prove to be stable through the week, I think I would feel comfortable to go home at that point. I'm sure I'll end up back here soon enough...

Last Wednesday we visited the NICU. I was impressed, as it wasn't at all what I expected. I expected a large room of incubators and noise... the babies are all in private rooms (there's even a triplet room) and it's so peaceful. Everyone we met was so nice and encouraging. There is a couch, chairs, a refrigerator...even showers and a sleep room so we can stay super close while they are here.
Thursday we had our first 3D ultrasound! The babies are all so CUTE! It's amazing how we can tell their little features and who they look like.
Friday, Hubby threw me a fantastic surprise party for my birthday. :) It stinks to spend your birthday in the hospital, but I think I had the best birthday possible. He's a real winner, that one. :)


In general, I'm over sitting, I'm over TV... I spend most of my day reading and coloring while listening to the radio because daytime TV stinks. Thank goodness, though, for visitors and real food. I'm super grateful for the food, and the company. And for the short stints I'm allowed to break free of this room in the wheelchair. And for those who come to pamper me with leg shaving, hair braiding, nail painting...

How far along? 24 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss? 30 lbs
Maternity clothes? These days it's mainly yoga pants and mens Hanes t shirts :)
Stretch marks? Yep
Sleep: haha, because this hospital bed is so cozy... lots of naps, though
Best moment this week: 3D ultrasound!
Movement: Over the past day or two, I'm actually feeling them move around instead of just kicking. So fun :)
Food cravings: Not craving much these days... except anything that isn't hospital food
Sexes: BBG!
Names: Clinton, Luke & Paisley
Labor signs: nadda
Belly button in or out? In, but I think it's starting to flatten
What I miss most: Being home with my hubby and my kitties
What I am looking forward to: Seeing my kitties
Weekly wisdom: Having nothing to do is severely over rated.

23 weeks... Bed rest

23 weeks this week. Mangoes.

The evening before my 23 week appointment, I noticed a small amount of green mucus on the tp (sorry for the tmi.) I realized it clearly wasn't normal, but there wasn't much so I made a mental note and moved on. Friday morning, there was a significant amount of it so I decided I should probably call the doctor just in case. My appointment was at 2:40 but they wanted to see me at 10 instead. The ultrasound went well, and the babies measure in at 1.4 oz, 1.3 & 1.3. The doctor examined me because of the discharge and learned that my cervix had shortened, and I was 1 cm dilated. She immediately had me placed on a monitor and admitted, where we found out I was in fact contracting.

The next few hours are a blur of activity and meds... Magnesium to protect their brains and slow labor, pills to stop contractions, steroids to mature their lungs... 23 weekers are just at the cusp of viability, however the prognosis is quite grim. Per the neonatologist, only 2-3 out of 10 23 weekers survive birth, and only 1 of 10 who survive do not have some sort of neural damage. Furthermore, 23 weekers can deliver through 4-5 cm, so while 1 cm dilation is nothing for a full term baby, it's significant for these babes.

As of today, Saturday, the contractions have stopped... The last contraction was around 2:30 am. I was taken off of the mag around 9, but I refused to go without the contraction monitor. There hasn't been a contraction all day, so as of 9 pm I let the nurse talk me into taking it off. I was using it as a security blanket all day... Which they think is making me more nervous. I remain 1 cm dilated and their cultures came back to show I have a yeast infection... Not loss of my mucus plug as previously thought.

And so, this is it. Bed rest. A full month before the date I set for myself in my mind.. and I had really hoped it would start before any dilation occurred, of course. At our last appointment 2 weeks ago, everything was fine. My cervix measured normal length. This happened fast, but who knows when it started because I didn't feel any contractions until after midnight last night (which they continuously mention is s good sign.)

Obviously this is not best case scenario; but it could be worse so I am grateful for the stability, no matter how fleeting it could possibly be. It seems I'll be in the hospital for the foreseeable future. Per the doctor this morning, I could potentially go home for bed rest if I become a "barnacle" here at the hospital. Here's to hoping. And, per our doctor,  with every day in my belly cutting 3 days off our NICU time (not to mention the significant growth occurring,) I'll have to take it one day at a time and hope they stay nice & snug in there.