This is Chris. I'm doing the blog tonight. Kim has been admitted to the hospital this evening. Everything is O.K. They want to start monitoring the babies and Kim a little closer now. She is probably going to give birth in the next few days. Today, the babies weighed 3 lbs. 9 oz., 3 lbs. 13 oz. and 3 lbs. 1 oz. Baby C is still a concern because she is falling behind in weight and not getting adequate bloodflow. They are going to run regular tests, and when the results determine that Kim needs to deliver, then that's when they will do the C-Section. The earliest would be tomorrow afternoon. Everything is going fine, except it's a little less comfortable now that we're in the hospital. I'm sleeping on the couch and Alex is staying with Kim's parents. Please continue to pray that God will see us through to the end and continue to bless us as He has done so far.

Dr update- 31 weeks

Had my high risk doctor appt today- nothing has changed with my contractions or cervix since last week so that is good news. He says I could last a few more weeks or I could go into labor today- there is just no way of telling. He is going to have me go ahead and get the steroid shots tomorrow and the next day to help develop the babies lungs. I feel better about going ahead and getting them, also, as it just seems like waiting until I go into labor would be too late. He said babies over 3 lbs that have had the steroid shots should do great in the NICU so that was good news.
His only concern is over our smaller baby "c". She is having some umbilical cord issues and doesn't seem to be getting as much blood flow, etc.. through it. Since it has been 2 weeks since they were last measured he wants me to come back Monday (after I have had the shots) to measure and check on her development. As of the last measurement she was a good size and only a little bit behind the other two so he just wants to make sure she isn't falling more behind. It is very common in triplet pregnancies that one of the babies has some placenta/cord issues and falls a little behind. He said it's not anything major to worry about, and at the worst if they check her on Monday and there are significant issues they will just go ahead and deliver the babies- and they should be just fine.
Pray for our little baby "c" and I'll let you know what happens on Monday!

Dr. update today- 30 weeks

Today was not quite as encouraging. While the girls and I are still doing well, the doctor was concerned over my contractions. Although I have been experiencing them for months, they have certainly increased in frequency, duration, and intensity. Today they decided to monitor them and found that while I am not having labor contractions yet, at this rate they may not be far behind. They are iffy now on whether I will even make it to 32 weeks. If I do go into labor before 32 weeks they will give me something to stop it for a few more days and so they can also give me steroid shots to help develop the babies lungs. Apparently the steroid shots work best when given 48 hours or so before the babies are delivered, so they don't want to do them yet.

I am still hopeful as so far I think we have defied the odds in our pregnancy- and of course with God anything is possible.
Whatever happens, though, I was touched by the verse I read today that:
"From the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:5-6
He has begun a great work with these girls, and He will be faithful to carry us through.

Had another doctor's appointment today and they measured the girls:
Baby A: 2 lbs, 11 oz
Baby B: 2 lbs, 14 oz
Baby C: 2 lbs, 9 oz

The average for a singleton at 29 weeks is 2 lbs, 6 oz so our girls are doing great! Everything looks good and the doctor thinks it is very possible that I will make it past 32 weeks. He said by 33 weeks the babies should be over 4 lbs and it would be really good for them to reach 4 lbs before they are born. At the rate they are growing I think they can reach 4 lbs even before then!

28 weeks and counting...

We are glad to have reached the first major milestone in a triplet pregnancy- 28 weeks! At this point the babies would have a 95% survival rate if born so that is pretty cool.... but I am doing so well still that I know we can make it a lot longer.
The next big milestone is 32 weeks, which is the average for a triplet pregnancy, and the survival rate is 99% then. I would really like to make it to 34 weeks. Just a little more time in my belly could mean weeks less for the girls in the NICU (Neonatal intensive care unit). My close friend had twins at 34 weeks and they didn't even spend a day in the NICU so that's really encouraging. Also, the last reflex to develop is the sucking reflex and it develops around 34 weeks so until then they wouldn't be able to breast or bottle feed.
I am not getting around much now and my 50lb belly feels enormous, but overall I still feel well and there are no problems or complications! This really is so unusual- I follow a lot triplet pregnancy blogs and many were hospitalized from 4-7 weeks before delivering their babies at around 30 weeks. My doctors are impressed and we are just so thankful to God every minute.
Here is a picture of me and my belly at 28 weeks:
Alex took the picture so it is a little lopsided, but you get the general idea (that I have a huge belly!)



















Here is the babies' room that my parents painted for me- Thank you Mom and Dad!
My mom is also sewing curtains, and we plan to put the babies' names over their cribs (if we ever decide what they will be) :)











































And here are some pictures of Alex as I can't leave him out!
Here he is painting some letters for the girls' room- I was trying to see how they would turn out, even though we don't have the names down for sure yet.















He went on a camping trip with Chris and Erik and made himself his own little fire next to the bigger one.




























Thanks for your prayers! Keep them coming!

We had another good report from the high risk doctor this week! The girls are looking healthy and are growing well. The bottom baby "a" is 1 lb 11 oz, and the other two are both 1 lb 9 oz. Actually most singles this far along (25 weeks) weigh about 1 lb 6 oz so the girls are even on the bigger side and that is wonderful!
I had a difficult time with the contractions last week but they have been much better this week. The doctor was not too concerned about them, though, as they are pretty harmless as long as they don't turn into the real thing! He just advised I continue to try to stay off my feet, etc.. He said everything else looks good on my end. I also just had an appointment with my regular ob/gyn that will actually deliver the girls and she is very impressed that I am doing as well as I am at this point. Praise God for that, and prayerfully it will continue through the next month!

Here is my sister and I!
I am at 23 1/2 weeks, Laura is at 28 weeks....
Who's belly is bigger???




















And here are the girls...

This is "baby a"















Here is "baby b"
It's hard to tell in the picture, but her hand was up to her mouth














and here is "baby c" and her sweet little hand















We have a hard time getting good shots of them since they are all so squished in there together.
Baby "a" is positioned across the bottom of my belly, and "b" and "c" are next to each other on top of her. According to the latest pictures they were head up with their heads so close it looked like they were touching!

I am feeling well still, but I seem to have turned a corner to where it is affecting me more. I have started having braxton-hicks contractions, which are not labor contractions, and are relatively harmless although uncomfortable. The doctor said it was normal since I am the size of a full term single now. I really can't be on my feet long now- the other day I tried to do some shopping at Walmart and near the end I was having constant b-h contractions, blurry vision, and my heart was pounding. So I am definitely at a point where I need to be off my feet as much as possible. Other than that, though, everything is going great and the babies are growing well!

Thank you for your prayers!