Since Saturday was Jake, Quinn and Claire’s birthday, I have been reminiscing about the day of their birth. My pregnancy had been a difficult road, it could have been worse but it was still hard and full of may adjustment for me and Jeff and Hayden.
At 21 weeks I was taken off of work but two days after I stopped working, I started to have some bleeding. I was admitted to the hospital but released to home three days later when the bleeding stopped just a quickly as it began.
So I was 22 weeks pregnant with triplets and on bedrest with a 2 year old running around. Needless to say that I was not very good at the whole bedrest thing and that is part of the reason why I was admitted to the hospital again at 26 weeks with contractions and cervical shortening.
Once I reached the goal that the doctors set for me of 30 weeks, they decided to once again send me home. Basically they told me that every week I made it here after was icing on the cake. The babies looked healthy so all I needed to do was fatten them up.
At my 33 week appointment, I told my doctor that I was done. I was done being kicked in the ribs while being kicked in the bladder. I sat down feeling like when I sat down on the toilet a baby was going to fall out. I was done with not being able to turn over in bed without a push from Jeff. I was done not being able to have Hayden sit on my lap. I was done with being pregnant with triplets.
So the date was set for my C-section, Tuesday June 19, 2007.
The morning started out as any other morning. We got up, got dressed, dropped Hayden off but this morning we headed into the hospital.
Once we were there, I was wheeled up to the Labor and Delivery unit where I was prepped for surgery. My room was a buzz with activity. Doctors and nurses came in and out. My blood was drawn, vital signs were recorded and consents were signed.
The doctor that was going to preform my surgery wanted to do an ultrasound to confirm the position of the babies and establish which baby would be coming out first.
As he scanned my belly, Jeff and I chatted with the nurse when the doctor spoke,
“How many babies are you having today?”
The room fell silent as I took in his question. I didn’t speak as he asked again,
“Have you ever been told that there were four babies in here?”
I looked at him dead in the eyes and began to laugh and said, “Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny. You know, this really is not the kind of joke that a soon to be mother of triplets wants to here right now.”
But the doctor didn’t smile or laugh. He just looked at me and then looked back at the ultrasound screen. At that point, I could feel the color drain from my face and my heart began to race.
“Are you saying there are four babies in there? Four babies?” I said trying not to cry.
The doctor didn’t say anything but just studied the screen and moved the probe around on my belly. It felt like he did this for hours but I know it was only a few seconds. Finally, he looked up and smiled at me. I had no idea what that smile meant, were there four babies or just three?
“I see it now,” he said, “I thought baby B’s arm was just at a weird angle and it didn’t look like it was coming for his body but I got it now. There are just three babies. Alright, I’ll see you in the OR.”
And with that, he wiped the gel off my belly and left them room. I realized that I had been holding my breath and I finally exhaled as the doctor closed the door. Our nurse said something but I can’t remember what she said but it made Jeff make this remark, “Yeah, I bet we will laugh at this later.”
I gave a half ass smile but didn’t say anything. It had taken me 34 weeks to wrap my head around the idea of three babies. Can you imagine four and learning of the fourth minutes before birth.
Yeah, this would be a funny story. But three years later, I am still not laughing… much.
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh.My.God. I can’t imagine if it had been 4. I had enough trouble wrapping my mind around twins, let alone 3 or 4. HOLY.
Happy belated.3rd birthday to your sweet babies!
.-= debi9kids´s last blog ..Our Utah Vacation Continues…. =-.
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I held my breath through your post until the part where he told you he was wrong and it really was three and I was just reading your experience so my best guess to how I would react is probably some mixture of peeing my pants, fainting, or heart attack.
Happy Belated Birthday to Quinn, Jake and Claire! I hope their day was wonderful!
.-= Catherine @ Evolving Mommy´s last blog ..Five Years Ago Today. =-.
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I think I would have passed out! I still can’t believe I know someone that has had triplets.
Happy Birthday to the kids!
.-= Connie @ Young and Relentless´s last blog ..Not For The Faint of Heart =-.
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Oh my word, I would have absolutely died to find out there were four at the last minute! He should really have figured that out before saying that to you. Ugh!
.-= Lani´s last blog ..A MoM’s Dilemma =-.
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Holy heart attack!!! The Dr’s lucky Jeff didn’t pass out right there!
Hope the kiddos had a great bday!
.-= Barbara Manatee´s last blog ..How a Schedule & Stickers Saved my Sanity! =-.
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From this side of the world, I’m finding it hard to laugh. I thought you were going to say he was having an ill-timed joke with you.
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hahahahahaha! I would have passed out right there on that table! Can you imagine?!
Bless you for having triplets! And then another one! Four kiddos–you are blessed & I bet exhausted! (My parents had 5, none of us are multiples & I know they are dead tired, I can only imagine having them all at the same age!)
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That is SO. NOT. FUNNY. I wouldn’t be laughing today either. However, I am relieved that you didn’t tell me there was a 4th baby that didn’t make it. Then I would be crying right now.
.-= Rachel @ Mommy Needs a Vacation´s last blog ..To J Man =-.
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Oh my GOSH! Wow, that would have been crazy if there had been a 4th baby they hadn’t seen yet, huh? YIKES! Happy birthday to the triplets!
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That’s just mean. Happy birthday to your kiddos!
.-= Molly Doe´s last blog ..Fathers Day =-.
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Wow, that is crazy!! I’d have panicked too.
And by the way, the triplets share my birthday. Though I am much, much older :/ I hope they had a good one!!
.-= Amber´s last blog ..On Zumba and Sexy Moves =-.
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Jeez, I got chills just reading that! I think I would have fainted!
.-= Heather – notes from lapland´s last blog ..Why Does No-one Comment On My Blog? =-.
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Oh my goodness, I can just imagine! I would have died if at the delivery date they said 3 in stead of 2.
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Unbelievable!
I was on bedrest for the last trimester of one of my pregnancies. It was so stressful! I imagine it would be 3 times as stressful with triplets!
.-= Mrs.Mayhem´s last blog ..Warning: Sentimentality Ahead =-.
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Uhhhhh, HELL NO I wouldn’t have been laughing! That guy should have kept his trap shut until he knew something for sure.
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Holy cow I would have been freaking out! How did you survive all those weeks of bed rest in the hospital with a two year old? The two days I was laying there trying not to have Ryder were hard and long for me… I feel like a wimp now
.-= Emmy´s last blog ..Motherhood And Beauty =-.
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I wouldn’t laugh either:-)
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not. not. not funny. An arm at a funny angle…you’vegottobekiddingme!
I did grin…but it was more of a HUH?-grin, than a HAHA-grin.
I am so glad that all is only 3xs happy and not 4.
.-= Kim – In Search of Me in Mommy´s last blog ..Humble pie. =-.
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Ha ha ha. Yeah. I would have FREAKED. Not what you want to hear two minutes before having babies. Good god.
Forgot to say in my last comment that I am in the throes of potty training 3 year old twins. Surprisingly, it hasn’t been nearly as bad I expected it to be! Hopefully it will be the same for your 3.
.-= Megan´s last blog ..Happy Father’s Day =-.
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I would have had a heart attack, but it is funny to the rest of us now at least. Happy late Birthday to the threesome! I read this slightly horrified that I now know what cervical shortening means. I must be a dad.
.-= Otter´s last blog ..Kelley Blue Book Condition: Kids =-.
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Wow! That is amazing. What a great story!
.-= Kristy´s last blog ..Carpe Diem! =-.
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Ugh. Not laughing either. I can’t even do two (singletons!).
.-= CC´s last blog ..The Star (Wars) Shine Brighter in the Summer =-.
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Wow! I probably would have punched that doctor. I don’t think a court in the land would have prosecuted you for it.
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Holy crap….I sooo wouldn’t have been laughing at that! Not cool, dr. Not cool!
(And, even if he did think that, why say it out loud?)
.-= Krystyn´s last blog ..Mommy and Me Monday-The 18th Edition =-.
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Ah, what’s one more in the grand scheme of things, right? ;-P
(this from a person who has not had multiples… oy)
Seriously, I can ONLY imagine how freaked you were for a minute!!
.-= Elaine´s last blog ..A Day Late and a Lightbulb (or two) Short =-.
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WHOA. Now that would have been a surprise. sheesh. (but it does make for a funny memory)
.-= Heather of the EO´s last blog ..Actually, it felt more like a shoe hit my head. Or a toaster. =-.
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Oh three, four, seven, what’s the difference?
.-= tulpen´s last blog ..With a Jug of Wine in One Hand and A Toilet Brush in the Other. =-.
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I suppose that’s not quite as shocking as it would be to be expecting one and find out you have 3, but still, that would have thrown you!
.-= Ronnica´s last blog ..Privilege: a Wake-up Call =-.
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Oh, not so funny at all. I probably would’ve burst out in tears under the stress of the entire situation!
.-= Tina @ Ride On Toys´s last blog ..Pedal Go Karts – Safe Enough For Parents And Cool Enough For Kids =-.
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Doofus doctor! He should have just kept ultrasounding for a few more minutes til he was sure, and kept his mouth shut in the meantime. What a trick to pull on you!
.-= Crazy Sister´s last blog ..The Conclusion It WAS Glass- =-.
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