The boys have arrived!

It has been a busy and crazy week, but undoubtedly the best week of our lives as we welcomed our three little gentlemen into this world. 

At 29 weeks and 1 day our little guys made their debut.  

The delivery

On Tuesday, November 17, I went in for my 29 week OB appointment at 9:00 am. Markus had class, so my mom brought me to the appointment. I had an ultrasound done and everything looked normal. My blood pressure readings, however, were not normal. I had good BP the entire pregnancy and suddenly my readings were high. The MFM midwife came to see me after the ultrasound and  told me I was going to be admitted, as my BP was above their cutoff.

My mom and I made our way over to OB triage, where I was admitted around 11:00 am. I was hooked up to fetal and contraction monitors and had some blood work done. The babies' heart rates were perfect, but it appeared I was having some small contractions. The nurse asked if I felt them and I didn't. My labs came back and showed some abnormal results as well as protein spilling into my urine. My BPs were still high. The on-call MFM OB came to see me and told me it was looking like I had developed preeclampsia and that I would be moved upstairs to labor & delivery to be monitored -- likely at least 24-48 hours. I called my husband, who was in class at the time, and told him to come over to the hospital, as I was now going to be admitted overnight.

Once in the labor & delivery room they continued to monitor my vitals, contractions and the babies' heart rates. I continued to have mild contractions, but the nurse said with triplets I could've been having them for a while and not been aware. Markus had just left for his 2:30 class when the OB came to check my cervix, which surprisingly was already dilated 3-4cm. I called Markus, who was 20 minutes into class at the time, and told him things went from a discussion about holding me off until 32-34 weeks to me being in labor in a matter of half an hour! Markus rushed over from school (which thankfully is across the street from the hospital) and was there with my mom to help me through the early stages of labor. When Markus arrived I could really feel the contractions worsening and pain wrapping around my low back. I was then started on a magnesium drip (everyone says this is the worst thing in the world, it wasn't that bad other than it makes you really groggy and SOO hot -- like I thought my face was burning off hot haha. Thankful for the nurse who gave us an ice bucket and washcloths!) Things then started happening very quickly and my memory is already hazy on the details. Sometime shortly after getting the magnesium drip and a steroid shot for the babies' lungs, the OB checked my cervix again and I was already at 6 cm. I was then told it was time for me to deliver! November 17th would be the day! 

Sometime after 3:30 pm or so I was in the operating room getting prepped for our c-section. At 3:58 pm our three miracles came out crying like tiny little lambs -- I cried each time one came out! The c-section went well (other than a good amount of blood loss) and babies were all healthy upon delivery. 

Mariks Olivers

3lbs 2oz, 16.5 inches

Henrijs Viktors

3lbs 8oz, 16.5 inches

Julians Augusts

2lbs 14oz, 15.5 inches

Post Partum

Post delivery things got a little complicated for me. I lost about 2.3 liters of blood during the c-section, so I had to have a blood transfusion. My lab results also indicated that I had developed HELLP Syndrome. Luckily, the blood transfusion and getting the babies out improved my labs quickly. A few days post delivery my numbers looked even better. I was discharged four days after delivery, but unfortunately was re-admitted six days post delivery for high blood pressure. The OB had put me on a BP med, but the dose wasn't high enough and I found myself having high readings, lightheadedness and dizziness. After two more days in the hospital (which helped me get additional rest, too!), my BP was finally under better control and I began feeling better.

The Babies

So far our boys have been doing great for 29 weekers! At just over a week post delivery they are breathing room air with the help of Cpaps (Mariks already had his off once for 24 hrs and the others may soon have theirs removed). They are tolerating feedings (by feeding tube) pretty well and are having the appropriate number of wet and soiled diapers. It certainly has been a rollercoaster and when it comes to preemies things can move back and forth quickly, so we celebrate the good news when we receive it. We look forward to their discharge and in the meantime continue to pray for their health.

We are so in love with our little guys! :)