May 17 - 34 Weeks 1 Day

I am using the loaner laptop here at the hospital...it was broken for a week...then I got it back and used it for 30 minutes...then the wireless was taken down for maintenance. Geesh! Here I go again today!

Truly not that much has changed other than the size of my belly and the date of the c-section has been agreed upon. Tuesday, May 19 (34 weeks 3 days) @ 6:45am we will be welcoming the Zuck triplets into the world. I can hardly wait! I thought I was uncomfortable at the end with Brody but there is really no comparison.

I expect to be in the hospital until Saturday recovering from the c-section. I am hoping the babies can get out with me or shortly there afterwards. They have been getting all 8's on their BPP's.

Here are the final growth ultrasound weights as of Friday:

Baby A - 4lbs 13oz.
Baby B - 4lbs 12oz.
Baby C - 3lbs 5 oz.

I am still pretty worried about Baby C (Audrey) but they keep telling me that the little ones usually do better that the bigger ones since they are used to fighting for resources. I just worry that I did this to her by using the heating pad too much trying to help with the back/side pain I've been experiencing since my belly got so huge. Hopefully on Tuesday they can tell me to get rid of my mommy guilt.

I can hardly beieve I only have one more day until I am the mother of 4 children!!!!!

Tuesday, May 5 - Saturday, May 9 33 Weeks!!!!

I got a little behind on the blog last week - really not much had changed until today anyway.

Throughout the week I have been having more contractions but they never get more intense or continue so no one seems worried. The procardia has been changed from every 6 hours to every 8 hours so that may have something to do with the numbers increasing a bit.

We had a BPP on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. All babies scored an 8/8 for each test. They've also been watching to make sure the blood is going the right way into the umbilical cord for baby C (Audrey). I guess if that changes we will have to deliver all the babies right away.

Dr. Dornbier told me on Friday that he is planning the C-section for the week of May 18. Yay!! That will be 34 weeks and a few days. I am getting so uncomfortable that I told Dr. D. that I would split the difference between 35 weeks (my goal) and 34 weeks (his goal) with him. The babies should be fine at that gestational age.

Now I can say we are down to days until the babies arrive. I am excited but with all the time to think here am really starting to freak out a little bit about the enormity of the situation. Luckily we have a great support system in place so I know we will be OK.

Keep the visits and phone calls coming - it really makes the time pass quickly. The only thing I ask is for quiet time between 2pm and 4pm so I can nap. I am still not sleeping that well here so the nap really seems to help.

Monday, May 4 - Hospital Day # 7

I slept pretty good last night. I am chalking it up to laying on my right side. This is the most rested I've been in a week.

Dr. D stopped by today. He said I can have 40 minutes off the floor each day if I want. He took me off the TOCO machine which monitors my contractions since I am only having 2 an hour or so thanks to the meds. The hour they monitor the babies they will monitor for contractions, too.

Dr. D said we are also in a waiting situation right now that we are going to take day by day. I will have a BPP (biophysical profile) every other day to keep track of baby C. If she falls too far behind or looks to be in distress then all the babies will have to be delivered. He wants to make it to 34 weeks and knows I want to make it to 35. Please keep praying we can make it just a few more weeks. May 26 would be a good day! All the babies looked good duing their BPP today and scored 8 out of 8.

I had several visitors today which was nice - it sure makes the time go faster.

Thanks to Sue Baty for bringing me Mexican food for dinner and hanging out with me for a while!

I got a picture taken today of my LARGE belly but don't have a way to download it yet.

Sunday, May 3 - Hospital Day # 6

Today was a slow day which was good - I was able to get some really good rest. I got all dressed in my street clothes to go to the infant CPR class that is sponsored by the NICU here but Dr. Fagerland put a stop to it. He didn't want me to be too far away in case something were to happen. I put in yesterday's post about the stockings but I actually got those today.

They moved me from room 3101 to 3109 so they can monitor all the babies instead of just A & B. It was nice to have a change of scenery and my mom was here thinking she could go to the CPR class so she was able to help. The room does not seem as big as the other one but I am laying on my right side to see the TV which is much more comfortable to me and how I lay at home in my own room. I was so comfy I napped from 2:30pm - 6:30pm. This is the longest stretch since I've been here.

I missed ordering dinner due to my nap but Dave brought me down leftover's from Pop's b-day dinner. There were 16 people at our house to celebrate. It was nice to have non-hospital food for dinner.

Cousin Tami and Cousin Gregg came by to visit. They were here to pick up Jackson for his new forever home. Thanks guys!!

Saturday, May 2 - Hospital Day # 5 32 Weeks!!

Dr. Fagerland from the OB practice stopped in on me this am at 6!!! He said it was great that I had made it to 32 weeks and that he was impressed. He left me some c-section paperwork which kind of freaked me out but he assured me it was just because it would be easier for me to fill it out now than in an emergency situation.

He wanted to know if I had spoken to any of the neonatologists - I had not. He sent one down to talk to me. Dr. Turner said he is one of a practice of 6 doctors so someone is always here on site in the event I were to have an emergency c-section someone would be here. He repeated how impressive it was for me to have made it 32 weeks. He discussed the fact that the babies will probably have an IV either in their arm or umbilical cord. He said most of what he will do for the babies is to make decisions based on risk. Whichever decision is the smallest risk to the baby is what will be done. He really couldn't tell me much more of what was going to happen than I had already read in my books.

He did say that there is a warm room off the side of the c-section room where the babies will be evaluated after delivery Unless there is an emergency the babies will be shown to me on their way to the NICU.

Mimi and Brody came by to see me and brought flowers. How sweet! We went down to the McDonalds to get something "different" to eat for dinner. It was so gross it made the hospital food seem gormet. I was POOPED after this trip.

Friday, May 1 - Hospital Day # 4

Dr. Dornbier, my OB, stopped in bright and early this morning. It was 7:30 am and I was just getting in the shower when I heard him talking in the hallway. He checked my cervix and said it had thickened which is a good thing. He was happy with the way the medicine was keeping the contractions under control.

He gave me two choices 1) stay here where he can keep a close eye on the babies or 2) go home on strict bed rest and continue to see him twice a week.

His recommendation was for me to stay here because he could keep a closer eye on the babies. The fact that all three were breech the last we knew and there is a foot down there could end up with an emergency C-section. We don't want that. He did mention we could do some of the monitoring from home but I found out that insurance doesn't cover these services unless I am in the hospital.

Dave and I had discussed this last night and were in agreement that if Dr. D thought I should be here I would suck it up and stay for the duration. So I am here for at least this weekend possibly 21 more days depending on what happens. Dr. D wants us to make it to 34 weeks (today is 31 weeks 6 days) and I want to go at least 35 weeks. If I want to make it that far this is the best place for me.

We had the growth scans today and found the following (31 W 6 D) :

Baby A (Mason William) 32 W 1 D - 4lbs 5oz!!! Breach (his foot is the culprit)
Baby B (Katherine Ann) 31 W 1 D - 3lbs 13 oz Breach
Baby C (Audrey Grace) 29 W ) D - 2lbs 13 oz - pray for Audrey to catch up please!

I've had several people call and stop by which is really making the time fly by! Thanks so much everyone!

More updates later.