Hospital bed rest day 65 W30D1: 30 weeks and still going strong!

Let's face it - No woman goes to bed wishing to wake up the next day pregnant with triplets.  Twins yes, but triplets no.  And definitely not quads!

I tried my best to be as low-key as possible when we first discovered that I was pregnant with triplets.  I do, however, have a FIL (father-in-law) who cannot contain his pride as a grandfather-to-be of triplets.  Unfortunately, FIL also happens to be friends with everyone down the street here in this town where I am currently hospitalized, so word does spread rather quickly.  It goes without saying that the entire church is aware of this fact.  Even the owner of a popular Chinese restaurant here knows.

Yet, truth to be, a triplet pregnancy is nothing like a normal, singleton pregnancy. While dad and FIL exclaimed in half-disbelief and half-delight upon receiving news of our triplet pregnancy, I remember the look of concern registered on both our mothers' face.  DH's mother was a retired midwife, so she was well aware of the risks of multiple pregnancy, so did my mother.  While I was still in my first trimester, our Peri in Kuala Lumpur told us bluntly that the body was not made to carry three babies - it may be able to tolerate two, but three...?  Then he advised us to take this as an adventure, since that was the best that we could do.

Back in January, the  other Peri who had discovered the triplets during a scan while I was still in hospital had advised us not to go and read about all the things about triplet pregnancies on the internet because she didn't want us to get too anxious.  Well of course that was just what we did.  Power is knowledge, and the more we learned about the risks involved, the survival rate of of babies, the health complications and everything there was that remains unknown to most singleton mothers, the more we prepare ourselves for this journey.  I had a mission to get my hands on every material, every resource and experience I could read on triplet pregnancies.

If you are clueless about why triplet pregnancy is considered a "high risk pregnancy" this articles spells it out it well enough: Watching risks, week by week  I remember DH reading the stats to me - triplets have a 1 in 10 risk of birth defects, including down syndrome.  I found some other stats in the Enlightenment Issue no. 10, June 2011 published by the Interwoven Soals Coalition, an organnization that supports medical research relating to complications arising from a multiple pregnancy and birth (see left).

Oh, and did I tell you that mothers of triplets are 5x more likely to develop post-partum depression? And are at a higher risk for heart complications, severe bleeding post-delivery among others.  When I think about it, I seriously feel like I have to get to the business of working on my will before I am cut open, sigh!

DH went through a period of feeling depressed after we discovered our triplet pregnancy.  When I started bleeding, having blood clots and backaches, I myself laid in bed for a week miserable waiting for my babies to go.  Our fertility doctor said it was quite common for one of them to vanish (i.e. the vanishing twin syndrome) so perhaps nature would take its course.  Yet, as I continue to bleed for another week, I didn't know how many of my babies were going to make it.  I told DH that I would grief even if I lost one of them.

Yet all three babies pulled through!  Slowly, the bleeding stopped and I heard the Lord assuring me that my babies were not going anywhere for now.  I was comforted.  DH had moved to the stage of acceptance and felt enough peace that we would just have to walk in faith, praying and hoping for the best of circumstances that was beyond our human control.

And so, even as I struggled through my all-day sickness (which the doctor said was good because it meant that my body was producing enough hormones for the babies!), we stepped into our roles as parents-to-be of triplets.  How much do we plan, and how much should we brace ourselves realistically for the worst case scenario?  How excited should we allow ourselves to get, or should we always be mindful that we could lose our babies at any time?  How do we balance between preparing to become a family of five from just the two of us, and the possibility that we could face a life of struggle and pain, should we lose our babies or have children with severe health problems.  As first time parents-to-be who had traveled down a less than smooth baby-making journey, we could not suppress the joys of pregnancy (finally!) but there was always the shadow of the unknown that remain hidden yet close by.

We started our journey of adventure in January 2012 when we first discovered the three heartbeats of our babies inside me.  Seven months later, here we are with our triplets, at 30 weeks gestation, sill going strong.  The "still going strong" part refers to our babies, their kicks are now strong compared to the flutters I felt several months ago.  I haven't always felt very strong, emotionally (and psychologically) during this journey, but DH and I continue to walk this journey in faith.  Thank you, Lord, our Jehovah Jireh, for bringing us this far.