Fight For Preemies!!!

November is National Prematurity Awareness Month! Jason and I know what it is like to have a preemie, 3 of them actually, and to experience the scary and bumpy NICU roller coaster. That was the hardest month + of our lives, and many tears were shed. Thank goodness our babies made it, but sadly many do not. Check out the March of Dimes and their Fight For Preemies link http://marchofdimes.com/prematurity/index.asp Also Check out http://www.bloggersunite.org/event/fight-for-preemies to learn more about the unfortunate rise of premature birth, and what you can do to help.

Here is a little video of the pictures we took while on our NICU journey with the triplets.



I thought I would add a little more of our story. I started having a lot of braxton hicks contractions late in my 24th week of pregnancy. At 25 weeks I had an appt. with my MFM and though things were looking good he wanted to admit me for some over night observation. The contractions hit like crazy that first night and they were running through all the meds trying to stop them. I was given Procardia, Nifedipine, Terbutaline, none of that was working so I got the first steroid shot and they put me on Magnesium Sulfate. Jason and I cried...it was such a shock to go in for some braxton hicks thinking I would go home the next morning because all was fine to suddenly be looking at our babies being born at 25 weeks. Thank goodness the Mag did the trick, though I still got the 2nd steroid and was not released to go home. I ended up getting way too much Mag, my levels were way too high, I couldn't move, I couldn't see...it was the worst few days but it gave our babies time...precious time. I was taken off the Mag and watched, the contractions came and went, when they would start to get bad again I was given one of the other drugs to calm things back down. I stayed in the hospital for 6 long weeks. My 2 MFM Doctors were not in agreement with me going home 1 thought it was OK, and one did not. While the one that didn't want me to go was out for the weekend my other Doc did an ultrasound and things were looking up so he gave Jason and I the choice to go or stay. I regret that the 6 weeks had gotten to us and we jumped at the chance to go. That was 31 weeks....24 hours later Baby B, Hayden, broke her water and back we rushed. Just after midnight at 31 weeks 2 days the babies were born by Csection. Xander was first out, he weighed 3 lbs and 12 oz and cried for us right away. Hayden was born in the same minute as her brother and she was bigger at 3 lbs 15 oz...it took her a few seconds to cry. Little Lily was last out, the Doctor had a hard time finding her as she was hiding from him. She was 3 lbs 7 oz and did not cry until they got her into the adjoining room and gave her some help. I hardly remember much of my Csection just that I was so excited to see my babies. As they rolled me through to the recovery room the triplets were still in their recovery area and we stopped for a brief moment so that I could touch their tiny hands. I was not too with it so I only remember seeing them and trying to touch their fingers. I then went to my recovery room and the babies went on to the NICU. After my hour in recovery they took me to my room, on the way they wheeled my bed to the NICU and I got to see them all again. Lily was put on CPAP right after birth, but Xander and Hayden made it a few hours before they too needed to be put on CPAP. Since they were not yet on CPAP Jason and I got to hold both Xander and Hayden for just a moment, we didn't get to hold Lily, or Xan & Hayden again, until they were 4 days old and the CPAP's came off. The first week in the NICU was scary mostly for Xan and Lily, they both needed PICC lines and both had feeding issues, they had to go on and come off feeds a few times, Xander also needed caffeine. They all had to deal with A's and B's (apnea and bradycardia) but by week 2 they were really doing a lot better. Jason was a rock the whole time, I was not...I cried a lot and felt a lot of guilt. Our NICU Doctors and Nurses were just awesome, they did an amazing job and took such wonderful care of our babies. After 26 days in the NICU Hayden got to be the first one home, at 33 days Lily came home and at 35 days Xander came home. We are so lucky that they are totally healthy and growing like weeds, they haven't slowed down one bit!!!