OMG! It's triplets!!!

[Kiwithecat]

Last friday I had my first ultrasound and it's triplets!! First pregnancy after several years of infertility and (quite surprisingly) just one round of IUI. We are shocked. We were praying for twins in case (me being 37 and with infertility issues) couldn't conceive again. But THREE??!!

I read all the triplets threads on here, but still have so many questions and I can't find the answers online. They booked me to have an specialist appointment in the high risk pregnancy unit (translating from my language, I am outside UK) but they haven't called me yet.

Could I ask for some parents of triplets to tell me something about your experience with the whole process? I can do with any information, and I don't mind if you're blunt, quite the contrary, I would like to tell me the scary bits too.

For example: How big am I going to be? Did they doctors told you about risks and what were they? At what week did you give birth? How was the birth? Did you have any complications? Were your children ok? How are they now? What about the car?! And the stroller?! And how will they sleep when babies? Three cots? Honestly, tell me anything even if you think it will be irrelevant!!

On the plus side of all this, I'm quite enjoying telling people and observing the shock on their faces. I must be very stupid, because I know they are shocked for me and my future life, but, don't ask me why, it's being really fun to see.

I have no multiple experience but just wanted to say congratulations!

Thank you!! 😊

Congratulations!!

I don’t have triplets but do have twins. In terms of how big you’ll get, that’s so variable! I was tiny but worked out heavily beforehand and was 24 when I gave birth. I went into early spontaneous labour at 31 weeks but met a triplet mum in the nicu who had made it to 33+ something. Triplets will always be born via section, this will be explained to you and the reasons why. I had my twins vaginally but came very close to having to be put under a GA to deliver twin 2 via section as the babies after the first baby tend to get more distressed and fatigued due to going through all the labour of the first baby but still not being born!
Look for an antenatal class for multiples. My hospital held one and took us around nicu as chances are at least one baby will need some time there. They also prepped us for how many people would be at the delivery and what their job roles would be. My partner did a headcount and there was 23 people when I was delivering!
We used one cot by the bed and had them swaddled and once big enough they went into compact cots in their own room right next to each other.
I can’t help with a car! But also consider boot space - prams for multiples are bloody enormous.
Despite being 3lb at birth and 9 weeks prem, my kids are so so so tall (tallest in their year 2 classes!!) they do have ASD and ADHD - very common for prem kids but they are lovely kids and have the correct support in place at school. Very active and fun and typical boisterous boys.
After nicu, we had a few hospital stays. Winter can be hard on prem babies so the first year was tough but honestly they’re so resilient.
Accept any help offered to you and when the babies are small, establish a routine that works for you and stick with it! Nap times were so precious to me and meant we had good nights sleep too.
And be kind to yourself 🥰

hopefully someone with triplets will offer more valuable advice but wishing you a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery x

Congratulations!!
About names.... How about
Oh
Bloody
And Heck!?

Congratulations!!
Not triplets here but 1+2 with a 17 month gap. In no way am I saying that compares but for me I found using slings and baby carriers a godsend. Triple buggies are bulky. I used a double and carried one baby ... Usually the smallest because he had a flat head and so it was better for him not to lay flat. With bassinets/carrycots on a double buggy, when tiny you will probably be able to swaddle babies and have 2 in one side until one is big enough to be carried in a stretchy wrap. Or use a double and a single buggy when going out with company.
I had babies in compact cots next to me when small and then all 3 in one room with a bunk cot for twins and a regular cot/toddler bed.
One thing I found was my eldest knackered my back with changing him on the floor, lots of bending and lifting etc so when the twins came along I did everything at waist height....baby bath, changing table, cots on high setting as long as was safe etc. It helped me immensely. And I never carried the babies in car seats after the first, always moved them to the pushchair and it was never any bother.
It takes ages to get out the house! Always give yourself extra time.
But honestly you are in for the best adventure ever 😁

Congratulations! Not got triplets but did have newborn twins and a 2 yr old. The best advice I received was don’t go to classes for multiples as no one can help you! Going to the “standard” baby classes really helped because the twins were a bit of a novelty for people and there were more spare hands available to help me get them them out of the buggy, feed them, hold them

hahahahhahah love it!! 😂

@Jassummer

Thank you so much for that lenghty post, it has so much valuable information.
I really hope my hospital impart those classes, and to show me around nicu, that would be so useful.

That's interesting you tell me about your kids being tall. My husband and me were discussing about this just a moment ago. We weren't sure if twins are shorter than single children or if it's a myth. It doesn't worry me either way. I am quite tall and always wished I were short and cute instead 😂

@NCfor24

Thank you so much for all that info!

Yes, I´ve been looking at pictures and videos of triple buggies and they look huge! Also the streets near our house are really narrow, so your advice about the sling and the double buggy sounds a good solution.

Oh, that's very clever! I will follow this advice for sure! I'm also in a need of friends, we moved not that long ago to this new place and we barely know a bunch of people here through the gym.

Would you say is common to make friends in the baby classes?

Yes, very! Mine are tweens now and they are in the same class with those babies and good friends and I’m still friends with the mums. I’d say it’s the point where you probably make the most friends as you instantly have something in common and it’s easy to chat

How very wonderful OP- hard work coming up - but an instant family!!

Congratulations!
Mum of twins here, have a couple of good friends with triplets.
Would advise joining Twins Trust - charity offering advice, guidance and discounts to parents of multiples. Has an online forum and Facebook group and I'm sure would be able to put you in touch with other triplet mums.
Also seek out your local multiples/twins club - no one else gets it like another parent of multiples and having some locally will help.
I won't offer advice/thoughts on triplets because I 'only' have twins and it's not the same at all!

I agree with making friends at baby class …. It’s really worth doing as it’s a massive support to have people in the same boat as you to chat to and also to go and do things with!
Congratulations btw!
I have no experience with multiples but have you got a good support network? As even with just one having a “village” was so so helpful!

My friends just had triplets, she’s not on here (I think) but has a social media page! Lots of triplet mums on there sharing tips etc

I used to look after a neighbour’s twins once a week and pushing a double buggy was massively hard work compared to a single- but I’d imagine you’ll need a triple buggy as your back as they get bigger won’t thank you for carrying one and pushing two-
Good luck! ( it was doorways that was hard with a double- plus it was a very hilly area - people were good about holding doors open though)

Congratulations 🎉Twin mum here, one for side on is fine and they soothe each other as they are used to the noise. We had them in a separate room with a bed for parent at night just so there was one parent would could sleep.

I mixed fed due to an early infection and they were both fine and feeding could be shared.

Get the lightest buggy pram you can as it will make going out easier

Make people come to you in the early days and accept help.

It's a wonderful time enjoy them

Would you say is common to make friends in the baby classes

Mine are singletons but I did find friends but not straightaway. Took me a bit. Tried different groups until I found one where the people were friendly and welcoming.

How are you doing now?

No advice, other than does the local hospital have a special care/NICU? That would be my concern, whether the local facilities can cope with 3 premie babies or if you will need to go to a larger town/city to give birth?

Clearly it depends on the country and area you live in?

@TinyMouseTheatre
10 weeks and four days today and symptoms-wise it’s actually going pretty well! Although I have an obvious bump now, it's growing so quick! 😨

But sadly I'm not doing to good emotionally. I went to a doctor appointment this week and although two weeks ago I was told that for sure I were going to be monitored by a specialist in multiples now I am told this will not be the case. This it´s making me really upset and scared too.
The doctor even told me if everything goes well my babies will be born at 37 weeks and every website I read about triplets says that they shouldn’t be born later than 35 weeks. So it made me mistrust my doctor.

@JC03745
That’s another thing that worries me. Because the specialist lead appointments are not going to happen, I’m also made to stay in the tiny hospital near my town. They told me they have a NICU that is suitable for babies born after 32 weeks, so if they are born before I will have to move to another hospital.

Please note that I live in Spain so unfortunately, I don’t think you can give me lot of advice about this issue 😞

Di you have any kind of National Guidelines in what should happen with your care?

congratulations!
bot had triplets myself but I am one!
we were born at 34 weeks due to HELLP pre eclampsia and fetal growth restriction. All completely well with no long term problems. 1 month on NNU and we were home.

Really good question! I was given a kind of a printed notebook (that they will fill in every appointment) it has guidelines about the care I am going to receive, advice, timing, tests, vaginal birth plan (of course nothing about cesarea)... BUT it continuosly talks about a single baby. Nothing about multiples. Even has a single page to fill with all the information when the baby is born, date, weight, etc. Only one page! 😂Reading this together with the rest of info in websites that never mention multiples makes me feel like a freak.

I´ve been searching online for other national guidelines for multiples. I can´t find anything (or I am doing the research really badly)

That´s so good to know! Thank you for posting this! It made me really happy 💖

Also I have another question for all of you. Have you done any prenatal test apart from nipt? I´ve just read it´s not very accurate with twins and even less with triplets