Photo Project

The life cycle of my triplet belly:

Today, 9 days postpartum, I'm about 20-week sized.  Maybe a tad smaller?  Definitely a bunch jigglier.  :)

I never would have guessed that 32-week shot would be my last belly picture.  If goals or positive thinking or research or willpower or anything else could have controlled it, it wouldn't be and we'd still be trucking along.  But Christopher (Baby A) was apparently up on his research and knew most triplet pregnancies last 32-33 weeks.  My body was happy to oblige and didn't react at all to the magnesium sulfate.  And so we helped the statistic, delivering at 32.5 weeks, 2 days after that picture was taken at 32w1d.

It was difficult for me to leave Houston, knowing the babies were still in the hospital.  It was naive of me, but I honestly believed in our full-term goal so fully that I had never really thought about the reality of not getting "the moment."  By that, I mean the moment we, as surrogates, do this for-- the handing over of the babies, the watching parents' dreams come true.  Happy faces, no worries, babies snug in their own beds, surrounded by their families.  That's the end of the journey and we're not there yet.  For now, we're in a bit of a purgatory, while the babies grow up a bit in isolettes in the NICU.  I really would do anything to get a do-over for this last bit-- to hold them in a little longer and grow them a little stronger.  But that wasn't our story.

Don't get me wrong-- it's still a happy ending. The babies are doing well.  M and N couldn't be better friends or more grateful or more kind in keeping me updated every day.  I'm just waiting for Christopher, Isabel, and Nicholas to get home so I can go visit and hold them all and see them strong and healthy, with their family.  That's when this chapter will close for me.

No news is good news

I've had quite a few people contact me, worried because I hadn't updated the blog.  No worries!  Everyone is doing great- it's just hard to get on here in the midst of recovering.

A brief update:

Babies are doing great. They've not needed breathing support or big interventions of any kind. They're getting feeds of donor milk plus my colostrum through tubes, but will be trying bottle feeds soon. They all have strong suck reflexes- just need to see ow they do on coordinating suck/swallow/breathe.  Still breathing room air on their own without issue. Their isolettes are heated about 5 degrees Celsius over room temp to help support their body temps- but aside from that little spa-like indulgence, you wouldn't guess they were early at all.  They are super cute, regular-looking babies (not fragile looking at all).  Give them a few weeks to feed and grow and they will be home. As M keeps reminding us, they are very advanced babies. Of course.  ;)

I'm doing well.  Dr. Dryden said she made my incision small, knowing the babies would be small.  I appreciate that!  I got discharged today, which I also appreciate- I truly disliked being in the hospital, so only having to stay 2 nights was perfect.  I'm following advice of friends and not skimping on pain meds (right now, that means 2 Norco every 4 hours), taking it easy, and wearing an abdominal binder. Getting around pretty well.  I'm here in Houston until Sunday, then will go home to Austin. It will be wonderful to be with my family again. Not that the babies and company don't count as family- at this point, they absolutely do.  But Rick, Andie, Mariela, and my mom (ok, and my dogs too) are at the top of my list!  I'll be glad to get back to my normal.  My normal is pretty awesome. 

I'm trying to pump every two hours during the day and every four at night.  I have low supply issues that I can't completely address (they are physiological- I lack sufficient glandular tissue), but my supply does best if I'm pretty aggressive in the beginning. And what else do I have to do these days but sit around and bond with the breast pump?  Not getting much just yet (about 10ml/pump for the last two- an ounce is about 30ml), but I'm seeing the transition from colostrum to milk (orange to yellow and still lightening), so I imagine there will be a bump in volume soon. And every little bit helps.

I have pictures on my camera and can't get those off until I'm home, but will share them then. Just trust me that these kids are cute!

Thanks for your good wishes and support, both in the past few days and in the many months before then.  We did it!