The Day We Have All Been Waiting For...

Monday morning I woke up very tired.  We were 34 weeks and six days pregnant.  One day short of 35 weeks, our scheduled delivery date.  I didn't want to do anything but lay still and sleep although I knew I needed to prepare for the big day tomorrow.  I listened to my body and just rested. Around 11:30, I started to have cramps.  I ate lunch and drank a lot of water hoping to make them stop. It didn't help. They continued to get stronger. I began calling the doctor’s office around 1:00 pm to talk to my doctor's nurse.  As soon as I gave the receptionist the message, she came back and said, “Dr. Wheeler is standing right here beside me. He said to go to labor and delivery at the hospital. He will meet you there. He's on call today." Next I had to call Derek who had a day full of appointments. He answered his phone as he was still having a conversation with a colleague and said, "Just a minute. This is Jennifer. Let me make sure everything is alright. I replied, "No, everything is not alright. I'm cramping and our doctor said to come to labor and delivery right now." Derek immediately told work “peace out” and came home as quick as he could. He loaded the car with the bags we had already packed in preparation for this event. We arrived at the hospital around 2:00 pm which was exactly 24 hours before we were scheduled to come to the hospital the next day.

After I arrived at the hospital, I was placed in a triage room around 2:30. The nurse checked me and I was 5 cm dilated. She began hooking up the heart rate monitors for all the babies and my contractions. I was having contractions every two minutes at this point, not painful, but regular. Before my doctor had called her back, she began prepping me for surgery. She also asked two other nurses to come assist her to get things in order as quickly as possible. It all was happening so fast. Derek and I remained calm, but excited. We knew this was coming. It was just a day early. We both agreed this way was better. We were not looking forward to playing the waiting game the next date. By this point, we had both called our parents to let them know. My parents were already in Chattanooga visiting my brothers before coming to Huntsville. Everyone immediately made plans head to Huntsville. By 4:00 pm, they were wheeling me into the operating room. At 4:58pm Chase Jeffery Daniel was born at 5 lbs 12 oz and 18.75 inches long. At 4:59pm, Ryan Garrett Daniel was born weighing 5 lbs and 17 inches long. At 5:00 pm, Tyler Lee was born weighing 5 lbs 7 oz and 18 inches long. Ryan had a true knot in his cord. This could have been very bad news. However it was not tight and thankfully they said all of their cords were very thick and healthy. All in all they estimated that I lost at least 30 lbs in surgery. I could feel the relief after each after each baby was born.

The sound of three babies crying in the operating room brought me overwhelming joy. After each baby was cleaned up, measured and swaddled, the nurses brought them to me one by one. It was so amazing to see each of these precious little babies I had carried for the last 8 months. Derek followed our new babies to the NICU. All the babies would stay in the NICU for the next 4 hours for an observation period. After receiving an initial report on each of the babies, Derek came to check on me and give me an update.  I was so relieved to hear that all three looked great and were breathing room air. The nurse wheeled me from the recovery room to the NICU in my hospital bed. I visited each baby's bed and was given time to see them, talk to them, and touch them. It's hard to describe the feeling of knowing you now have three new babies. In an instant our family went from three to six.  After the observation period was over, Ryan was sent to the well baby nursery and was never admitted to the NICU.  Both Chase and Tyler’s respiratory rates were a little high and they were admitted.  We enjoyed having Ryan in our room while I was recovering in the hospital.

Below is a video of most of the events that happened on this crazy and exhilarating day.  You can see the excitement of this tremendous blessing in this video.  WARNING:  This video does contain “baby gunk” and shows the beautiful birth of our triplets.  If you do not want to see this, please just start the video at the 2:20 minute mark of the video.

34 Weeks: A Re-cap of Our Pregnancy Journey

I cannot believe this pregnancy is almost over.  It has been a long journey and yet it went by so quickly. Over the last 8 months,  I have had 35 doctor's appointments and ultrasounds, 5 non-stress tests and 12 weeks of bed rest.  My belly grew faster than I ever imagined.  I suffered through exhaustion, morning sickness, and heartburn for months.  I have felt a roll coaster of emotions from excited, nervous, overwhelmed, scared to extreme joy.  It has not been easy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  It will all be worth it when we meet our babies. This wonderful blessing that we have been given brings me to tears every time I try to comprehend it.  I can't believe God chose us to raise these three little boys, but I am so thankful He did. In just a few short days, we will be welcoming Chase, Ryan,and Tyler into the world.  I cannot wait to start this new journey with my family.  

How far along: 34 Weeks

Weight gain/loss: 4 lbs gained. Net weight gained: 50 lbs

Maternity clothes: At this point it is hard to find maternity shirts that cover my huge belly.  I tend to wear a lot of dresses.

Sleep: It depends on the night. Lately, I have had a hard time shutting off my brain.

Best moment this week: Scheduling the c-section

Miss Anything?  Being able to move with ease.
Movement: Yes, they are beginning to get very crowded. I frequently feel body parts pushing on my stomach as they move and roll over.
Food cravings: pizza, spaghetti, and waffles with peanut butter and syrup
Anything making you queasy or sick: I have heartburn so bad sometimes it makes me sick.
Have you started to show yet? Ha Ha!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Looking forward to: Tuesday, July 17!!!!!

34 Weeks Doctor's Appointment Part 2: The Final Appointment

My appointment went very well today. No changes in dilation!  However, my belly has grown significantly since Tuesday.  I hope this means the babies are putting on a few more ounces before delivery.  Since everything looked great, the doctor said there was no reason to return for a visit before our c-section on Tuesday! 

Derek has recently voiced his concerns about going with the babies from the operating room to the NICU once they are born.  In order to help calm his nerves, I called the NICU charge nurse on Wednesday to see if they would give him a quick tour and answer any questions he had while I was having my non-stress test.  I was able to visit the NICU back in March with another new triplet mom from my church.  The visit really helped calmed my nerves about the NICU.  I hoped a visit would help Derek just the same.  The charge nurse was very helpful and excited to hear our triplets would be born at 35 weeks.  The visit was helpful for Derek.  Now he has a better idea of what to expect on Tuesday.

34 Weeks Doctor's Appointment

Wow! 34 weeks and we made it!  It seems like just the other day we were told we were having triplets.  I have been anxiously waiting to make it to this point. Now that it's here I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.  Before we left for the appointment today, I made sure my bag was packed, the camera bag was in car, and I spent a few minutes loving on Ben and telling him bye just in case the doctor decided to send me to the hospital.  I wanted to be prepared so I could be at ease if something did happen.  Derek and I set out to the doctor's not knowing our future.

All that worry and precaution for nothing.  The appointment went great.  We watched each baby practice breathing during the ultrasound.  It was amazing and reassuring!  The tech said that was a good sign that the babies are not stressed.  We also saw a glimpse of hair on Baby C! 

My doctor and nurses were so excited that we made it to 34 weeks.  Little has changed since Friday.  I dilated a little more to about 3.5cm.  A total relief for all of us that it wasn't more than that.  My doctor then announced it was time to get a C-section scheduled on the books!  He said he conferred with the other doctors in the practice and they agreed 35 weeks was the safest and best time to take the babies.  I have said all along I wanted to make it to 36 weeks, but I was not upset when he said  we needed to schedule at 35 weeks.  These last few weeks I have constantly worried that I would go into labor or my water would break.  I do not want to be that situation with this pregnancy and therefore don't want to push it to 36 weeks since I am already beginning to dilate.  I totally trust my doctor to do what is in the best interest for the babies and me.   I am much more at ease knowing we have a date set.  We are looking forward to meeting Chase, Ryan, and Tyler on July 17!

33 weeks Doctor's appointment Part 2

Ever since finding out I was 3 cm dilated, we are always on guard knowing the babies could come at any time.  We know each passing day that I am pregnant is a blessing.  We were not looking forward to today's appointment knowing that today would be yet another non-stress test (3rd one in a week) and knowing the reality that they may not let me go home.  The appointment went well with no changes from Tuesday.  The NST was a lot less stressful today. I did not have any contractions. Yay! Baby C was the difficult baby today and did not want to stay on the monitor.  After being on the monitors close to an hour, they sent me home.  We left the hospital feeling like we had escaped yet again.  We are praying we make it to Tuesday when I'll be 34 weeks...

Independence Day!

Today was an enjoyable and relaxing day.  My oldest brother and his family came to visit and spend the day with us.  Derek, Jason, and my oldest nephew enjoyed a round of golf.  My sister, sister-in-law, and I stayed at the house to visit while Ben and my youngest nephew enjoyed playing outside in the water to stay cool.  We grilled out for dinner and had apple pie for dessert.  Then it was time to bring out the sparklers!  It was a great all-American day with family.






33 Weeks Doctor's Appointment Part 1

33 weeks! With each passing week we get closer and closer to meeting our three little babies. Each day I think about how today could be the day the triplets come.  Today's appointment was the same routine as usual. First, I go to ultrasound to check the babies heart rates, then to the nurses for vitals, and last I see the doctor. My cervix has dilated from 1 cm on Friday to 3 cm today. My doctor decided that I should have the non-stress test twice a week because of the change in my cervix. The nurse scheduled my NST for that afternoon, so I went home, ate lunch, and rested until I had to go to the hospital. Derek and I didn't think I would be coming home. I even made sure my hospital bag was packed and ready just in case they decided to admit me.

This NST took much longer than the one on Friday. The babies were on the monitors for an hour while the nurses waited for Baby B to have a reactive spike in heart rate. The nurse secured the belts that hold the monitors on very tight to keep all the babies on the monitors. It can be very difficult to find each baby's heart beat on the monitor and keep them on. To make matters worse Babies B & C were each up under my ribs.  Those things alone made me very uncomfortable along with laying on my back. Then I started contracting, which made us all nervous. The babies were also uncomfortable and were moving around like crazy. Babies B & C tried to move up further under my ribs increasing my discomfort. After an hour of being on the monitors and contracting, each of the babies had had their reactive spike in heart rate so they were able to take the babies' monitors off. What a relief!   I was so glad to have those tight belts off. My discomfort went away instantly.  However, they were very concerned about the 2 minutes apart contractions I was having.  My doctor wanted the nurse to keep the contraction monitor on me as well as give me a shot of smooth muscle relaxer to help stop them and watch me for 20 minutes.  As I expected, it was the tightness of the belts and the pressure from laying on my back that caused the contractions. Finally, at 5:00 they let me go home. Derek and I were so relieved and got out of there as fast as we could.