The Arrival of C, D, & E - A Birth Story

Two months late, here is the story of how I went from this:

5AM on November 2nd 

to this:

2 PM on November 2nd

 in just 9 hours.

After no contractions for a week, Thursday night before Friday's scheduled induction I had a string of contractions. I called the hospital to see what time they wanted me to arrive the next morning, and the charge nurse told me there were no beds.  I warned her that I might end up coming in anyway, but that didn't seem to scare her. Sleep suddenly seemed like a better idea than timing contractions, so I went to bed to wait for someone from the day shift to call me.

Just before 5 AM I decided I'd had all I could take of trying to get comfortable and sleep so I heaved my body out of bed and settled into the glider. Within minutes the phone rang. It was the L&D charge nurse asking how long it would take us to get there.  We were on our way!

We got to the hospital just after 6 am and settled in. After waiting forever, my doctor finally came in to see me just after 9 AM. Apparently the hospital director found out a 37 week triplet pregnancy walked in for an induction and my OB had to jump through some hoops to get us cleared.

So at 9:03 she said I was 4 cm, broke baby A's water, and placed a scalp monitor so there would be one less baby to worry about tracking. At around 9:45 or so we started pitocin, and just before 11 I remember complaining that things were not picking up at all (I was busy sending text messages). But then things started moving quickly!

Suddenly I was breathing through painful contractions and couldn't stand the chit-chat going on around me. Since my doctor recommend an epidural as soon as I became uncomfortable, I asked for one. Fred, my mom, and sister (did I mention they arrived just before the contractions?) left the room. The epidural placement was more uncomfortable than I remembered, but it's effects were wonderful - minus the all-over everywhere itching. Fred came back in from grabbing lunch just as the epidural took full effect.

Baby C's heart rate suddenly plummeted and everyone moved quickly to get me on oxygen to bring it back up. The resident said I was at a 9 and +2, Fred dressed in his OR garb, my doctor appeared and in the blink of an eye we hurried off to the OR - four floors down instead of the usual L&D OR.

Just before delivery. Look at that belly!

Downstairs was crazy and busy! I was pretty focused on getting the babies out, but Fred counted more than 20 people, including 5 doctors. My MFM was on the ultrasound machine and my OB was to deliver the babies.

Baby A, Cecilia Anne, came out screaming with a couple of pushes at 1:14. The doctor then had to decide on breaking baby B or baby C's water. Baby C won and thus became baby B :). Dominic Conol followed 9 minutes later with the cord around his neck, but still screaming, at 1:23. Baby girl C then decided she liked all of her new found space and decided to stay put and needed a little assistance coming down. Eleanor Elizabeth arrived at 1:41 and needed a little suction to get breathing. I finally cried and said a little prayer of thanksgiving to have all three safely out. Somehow I survived delivering triplets without needing a single stitch, woohoo!

Cecilia (left) and Dominic (right), just minutes old.

Cecilia (left) and Dominic (right) with Daddy in the OR.

I am beyond thrilled and thankful to have carried these babies to term and deliver them vaginally. It was physically one of the most (if not the most) draining things I've ever done. I wanted to go to sleep right in the OR! Quite the contrast from bounding out of bed shortly after both Charlotte and Frederick's births.

All three came back to the room with us, despite having low blood sugar. Cecilia spent 48 hours in the NICU because she quit breathing when taking a supplemental (to combat the low blood sugar) bottle.

We enjoyed many visitors in our hospital suite.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the energy to take photos until Sunday after Miss Cecilia left us for the NICU, so these are of Eleanor and Dominic meeting some very special people for the first time.

This Big Sister went straight to work holding baby Dominic.

Charlotte and Frederick with the baby.  The time it took to capture this photo also captures Frederick's initial interest in the babies.

Lola holding baby Dominic.

Couldn't resist this face.

What 18 years of bondage looks like...

By Sunday evening, two days after delivery, we were ready to come home with these two.

Eleanor and Dominic ready for their first car ride.

I cried a bucket of tears over leaving the hospital without Cecilia, but she was home with us 18 hours later - just 72 hours after her birth.

Cecilia's homecoming on a sunny November afternoon.

I still look at all three babies and can't believe every negative statistic we overcame to have them here at home with me and healthy! They are truly miracles, and I am so thankful for all of the thoughts, prayers, well wishes, child care, meals, and love that carried us to this beautiful, exhausting, life with our three new loves.  God is so good!