Life, as you can imagine, has been turned upside down and around and inside out over the last week. The most important note on the week, however, is that Toby, Eleanor and Callista are ONE WEEK OLD today!
The week has been filled with tests, statistics, milestones, prayers, hope and fear, but it has also been filled to the brim with love. Something tells me this is the new normal for the rest of our lives.
We’ve had our ups and downs this week, but I’m happy to say that our babies’ first week of life had far more ups than downs – just as a baby’s first week of life should play out.
All three are healthy and are doing superb. Callista is the first to bypass her birth weight (as of last night), but her big brother and sister aren’t far behind. We’re hoping the standby status on their breastmilk feedings will be removed soon, giving them the best food for their tummies – homemade by Mommy!
My buddy Mae pointed out last week that I hadn’t given looks-like details on the babies, and for that I apologize. I swear I wasn’t trying to bogart that information!
Mr. Tobias looks just like his daddy – from his dark hair, to the way he furrows his brow when he isn’t quite sure of what’s being done to him, to his cute button nose and all the way down to his toes. Yes, he has his daddy’s toes and feet. As for personality, Toby is the most alert and inquisitive. He won’t close his eyes to rest if he wakes and sees that his isolette cover is pulled back.
Miss Eleanor, as far as we can tell from not being able to compare them all side-by-side, has the lightest hair of all three. She has my ears and feet to match her daddy and brother. She is mostly mellow, but she will let you know when she doesn’t like what you’re doing. She loves to hold hands – really, she loves to get a grip on whatever she can. She’s very tactile and finds comfort in having her hands on something.
Miss Callista is the youngest but biggest of the bunch. She looks a lot like me, with my ears, nose and feet. She is a firecracker and has earned her reputation as miss priss. We still need to have a talk about that ninja baby business, but so far, she’s behaving herself. For all her fussing, Callista sure does love being held. She has yet to fuss a bit while in the arms of her mommy or daddy.
That’s right – we’ve been able to hold all three babies. We haven’t held them all at once yet, but it’ll happen eventually. Their fourth day (this past Friday – Nov. 26) was the first day Rob and I held the babies. Toby and Eleanor are neighbors in the NICU, so Rob held Eleanor while I held Toby, and we sat side by side as four-fifths of our family. After we put our happy, peaceful babies back to bed, we held over to Callista’s area (she isn’t far at all from her brother and sister – don’t worry), where I held her.
Yesterday, we walked in to a surprise. The nurses decided it was time to let me hold Toby and Eleanor at the same time.
I cried happy, amazing tears the first time I held each baby on his or her own, but seeing two of the three together, face-to-face for the first time. Wow. There are no words to describe how simply beautiful that vision was. They reached out for each other and grabbed on – they first held hands, then Eleanor found Toby’s hand was a good pacifier, and Toby later found that Eleanor’s arm was comfy to hold onto. They stared at each other and turned my heart into goo.
Other notes of interest: Breastfeeding (breastpumping?) has been going super for us. The babies’ feedings have been suspended, but I’m working at building them a huge stash in the NICU freezer. I’ve had a few pumping sessions that have produced enough milk for three full-term newborns. I always said I hoped to breastfeed, expecting a rough go at it. So far, I’ve more than met my goals and expectations.
I couldn’t be more proud of my own body. It’s about damn time I get to say that.
Continued well wishes, thoughts and prayers would be greatly appreciated. We’ve climbed over quite a few hurdles, but countless ones lie in our future. Premature babies face so many potential complications and health problems, but we’re doing our best to focus on the positive and the joyous fact that all three are alive, healthy and thriving.
And now, while I’m off to pump, shower, eat and visit with our amazing trio, here are a few overdue photos from the last few days:
Callista and Mommy nap together
Toby (left) and Eleanor meet face-to-face and get some quality skin-to-skin time with Mommy
My view (Eleanor on left, Toby on right)
Toby, 6 days old, fresh from a bath
A freshly bathed, 6-day-old Eleanor
Callista, 6 days old, clean and ready to relax after screaming through a bath
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I’m going to be a bit slow to update on the blog while Rob and I figure out a routine and settle into our new life in two homes – our normal one and our NICU home. I’m much better about updating my Twitter feed, though even that has suffered in favor of three beautiful faces. You don’t need a Twitter account to view my feed, just click on my username, Jennandtonica, at the top of my Twitter widget over to the right there in the sidebar.
BlogHer has asked to syndicate my recent entry, “A quick rant: Yes, they’re natural.” You can check it out on the super huge, super awesome site here. Go ahead, click it! You know you want to.
Who knew getting worked up would get my lil ol’ blog some national attention?
Happy Thanksgiving 2010!
Today, I’m thankful for a husband who tells me I’m pretty when most people would think I look my worst and who hates even thinking about taking off his hospital bracelets that identify him as the daddy of three NICU patients.
I’m thankful for parents who live close by, especially mine because they were able to quickly sell their house in a terrible economy and selling market (Cleveland kind of defines the current sad economic state). The timing of their move here couldn’t have been more perfect.
I’m thankful we chose our home in a city we settled for. We live less than 30 minutes from three level IV NICUs and 10-15 minutes from the hospital we’re currently sitting in.
I’m thankful for an OB practice I chose nearly seven years ago on the sole reason that they were the main group for the hospital closest to us. I have an established relationship with them and was able to believe the two who performed my c-section when they said everything would be fine.
I’m thankful for a past that has shown me how to be patient, how to see the bright side as quick as possible and to know in my heart of hearts that bad days are what make good days so sweet.
I’m thankful for friends who have redefined the boundaries of the word “family,” who love us so dearly that their own families – from significant others to children to parents and siblings – love and pray for us and send us text messages and e-mails telling us so.
I’m thankful for the Internet, which has provided a medium to connect me with many of the people who fill my life with nothing but smiles and positivity. For the first time in my life, I have no friends whose influence is more negative than positive.
I’m thankful for a body that I have admitted defeat to more than I care to admit. It has not defeated me. It has not betrayed me. It has not betrayed my family. It is responsible for growing and now nourishing three beautiful people at once. Four, really, if you account for it being somewhat vital to my health.
I am thankful for the millions of infertility warriors who came before me, who played a role in developing the medical knowledge that made it possible for us to beat infertility.
I’m thankful to be part of what will bring success to current and future infertility warriors.
I’m thankful for the March of Dimes and all the babies, families and doctors who came before us, making possible all the knowledge available to the people caring for our three preemies.
I’m thankful to have our three part of a study for babies born at early gestational ages. They are already giving back to their new world.
I’m thankful that my mind couldn’t begin to comprehend the number who people who will include us in their list of Thanksgiving blessings.
I’m thankful for Tobias, Eleanor and Callista, who completed the family of five I never knew Rob and I were meant for.
Happy Thanksgiving, readers. I’m thankful for you and wish you a day full of awareness and thanks for all the blessings in your life. Enjoy yourvday. I know I will.
Tobias, Eleanor and Callista all big days today, their third full day as outside babies.
Actually, it was a big day for all five of us. I can’t really deny how many milestones each day brings for Rob and I, too.
(Side note – someone really ought to offer us honorary doctorates, like celebrities get from universities. Except we’ve actually earned something fancy like that. Do you know how well we can roll with and pick up medical terminology now? First, we became fluent in fertility treatments. Then we became fluent in high-risk/multiples obstetrics. Now we’re on our way to becoming fluent in NICU.)
We started the day by sitting in while the doctors did rounds. We got the full report on how the babies have fared the past two days plus a bit of an outlook and plan for the next couple of days. The doctors said all three babies are doing great for 28 week-gestation triplets and then amended to say they’re even doing better than most 28-week gestation singletons.
Makes. Me. Grin.
Toby came off his ventilator just a couple hours ago and is so far tolerating the bubble CPAP well. He’s back on a bit of oxygen – 30 percent – but being without the ventilator is making him work a bit harder. What seems like a setback really isn’t. Plus, Toby’s umbilical line started slipping, so they removed it and attempted to place his PICC line. The poor guy’s veins didn’t want to cooperate, so he’s stuck with a temporary IV until a second PICC-line attempt tomorrow morning.
He doesn’t seem to mind, though. We just got back from a quick visit, and he’s currently snoozing on his tummy, happy as a clam under his bili lights.
Speaking of bili lights, Miss Eleanor started phototherapy this evening and is in a position similar to her brother and nursemate (Toby and Eleanor are right next to each other and share a nurse. The setup in the NICU unfortunately doesn’t have room right now (if ever?) for all three to be next to each other, but they may share the same nurse soon). Eleanor also had to power through a failed attempt at placing her PICC line, but attempt number two was a success. She’s been without a central line since the first night, so she’ll now have rest from so many temporary IV pokes.
Both Toby and Eleanor are going to get their first breastmilk feeds in a little bit. We’re stoked for them!
Ninja Baby Callista is not only a stealth hider at 7 weeks gestation – she’s a wild kicker, too. Up until this afternoon, you could pretty much count on Callista to kick out both legs, straight out in a plank-like position, nearly every two minutes. When we visited her this afternoon, she was sleeping soundly and motionlessly. Why? Callista had her first breastmilk feed earlier today. She didn’t have to wait for a PICC line attempt, as they decided to leave well enough alone on her until tomorrow. In the meantime, they wanted to start her feeds since she’s doing so well otherwise.
When they checked her belly at the time of the next feed, nothing was left from the previous one. Her body tolerated it and seems to love her new nutrition.
While we’re on the subject of boob juice, I have to share my own milestone. My excellent first-day experience tanked a bit yesterday – something I completely expected and was therefore thrilled with 8 mL per session. Today, however, I set a new personal record with a 25 mL session, then a 33 mL session. Nearly each one of my pumping sessions today will provide enough breastmilk for all three babies for one full day on their current feeding regimen.
One of my closest friends visited tonight, and my proud tearing up made her tear up as I explained how relieved/happy/PROUD I am that breastfeeding has been a plentiful breeze so far. My body has failed and/or tested and worked me to the max in every other aspect of our road to this point. I fully expected to struggle with breastfeeding. To have my body not only do its job on its own but to do it with such ease – it’s just an amazing feeling. I do not miss the feeling of defeat – one I even fought Monday morning when I heard I wouldn’t carry the babies past 28 weeks and 1 day.
I need to wrap this up and skip over photos for today because we’re off to a date in the NICU right now. Rob is going to finally change Callista’s diaper and help with her care session – something he’s already been able to do a couple times with Toby and Eleanor. Somehow, we just always miss Callista’s cares. Not tonight.
After that? Toby and Eleanor will have their first breastmilk feeds.
We’re so proud of the leaps and bounds these babies are making, and we’re doing our best to keep up with our own milestones as parents of triplets. These overachievers are going to be hard to match!
My husband, my son
(Rob checks Toby’s temperature for the first time.)
