This is part 2 of the Triplets page…Afterbirth.
So, at 4:22pm Gabriel is born 3lbs 6oz, 4:23pm Trinity is born 3lbs 4oz, and 4:24pm Asher is born 3lbs 7.5oz. The doctors quickly show me each baby before they whisk them away. The c-section delivery went very successful. A little while later while I was still in labor and delivery to have my vitals monitored and to make sure the block wore off properly, the nurses brought in each baby so I could see them again. I was not yet able to hold them.
That night was interesting…we had a tornado warning, so those of us who were not allowed out of bed were moved away from any windows. All those who could move were out in the hallway. Luckily the tornado never touched in our area. I was give a morphine button. That was nice. Every time the light would turn green I was advised to push the button so I wouldn’t have any pain. Didn’t really realize how nice this was until later the following day when I had to try to walk. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be though. I pushed myself and started walking holding on to a wheelchair to the nursery.
For the most part our babies were doing great. On the second day Gabriel and Asher had developed some lung issues and were incubated (put on ventilator). Gabriel did great and was able to come off his after three days. Asher on the other hand had more complications. His lungs collapsed twice and he needed a chest tube. He stayed ventilated for a week. At one point they had him on a high speed ventilator, which was extremely hard to see…especially when I wasn’t prepared for it when I came in the nursery. But it was better for him and easier on his lungs. I was released from the hospital that next Monday (4-7-08)
Finally Asher started doing better. It was a joyous time! After about a week I was able to hold each of our babies! It was so awesome to finally feel them in my arms. I was at the hospital everyday all day. The first week I stayed at the Ronald McDonald House, then a spot opened for me to stay at the UAMS house right across the street from the hospital. No more taxi’s!!!! I tell ya what…taxi’s are not fun for someone who just had a c-section….they do not drive safe at all and Little Rock roads are extremely bumpy especially when going mock 5. So each day I would walk to the hospital and stay by our babies sides, read to them, talk to them, hold them for short amounts of time (had to make sure they kept their temps up). My husband would come down every weekend.
After 5 weeks in the hospital Gabriel and Trinity where doing so well that they were able to come home. This was great news, but also very hard for me. This meant that I would have to leave Asher (still having lung issues…developed Chronic Lung Disease from being on the ventilator) and go home which was 3-4 hours away. But this is what had to be done, and we were happy that the other two were doing so well. So every weekend I would drive down and spend Saturday with Asher while my wonderful husband stayed with the other two. At about 3 mos old, Asher was able to finally come home. He came home on oxygen. Praise God he only had to stay on it for about a 3wks to a month.
They are all gaining weight and developing just as they should, and in some things they are actually advanced for their adjusted age! Due to them being so premature, and due to Asher’s lung issues, we are not allowed to take them to any kind of daycare…even at church, so my husband and I take turns going to church. We are able to go for drives together and on walks together. When they are about a year old, we will be able to start taking them into more public places (store, church, etc…)
We are so thankful and blessed to have been given these three precious babies. Life is so fun with them. We are lucky too, as they are such good babies. They fuss when they are gassy, tired or hungry or want some lovin’, but for the most part they entertain themselves, chill out, sleep, talk to each other, play with their toes or toys, and suck on their fingers. They also really like to watch movies…especially Star Wars or Baby Einstien.
If you have any questions about triplet pregnancy or raising triplets, just post a comment and I will do my best to answer!
