33 Weeks

18-01-2012

My weight has finally reached a respectable 79 kg now. On 20th January there is going to be a bedside scanning. Yesterday movements were very few, probably due to my Citrazene intake. I am still taking it to fight my dust allergy. As expected, doctor asked me to walk for a few minutes every day. Otherwise it will be very difficult to move or feed after cesarean it seems. The foot elevation of cot is still there, though they may remove it tomorrow. Me and DH went to the breezy terrace of the hospital. Walking is very difficult for me now.

01-02-2012

Scanning done. Baby A 2.1 kg, Baby B 1.8 kg and Baby C 1.6 kg.

NEXT...35 weeks

32 weeks

11-01-2012

32 weeks completed! Almost 78 kg now. Maximum I can expect is 82-83 kg. That is each baby should be somewhere to the tune of 2 kg. Once all babies are 2.5 kg only they will discharge us from NICU it seems. DrR said today that mother can enter NICU and sit for sometime. Relief! 

DrR (Akka) said now the strict bed rest routine will not continue. I will be asked to move around a bit. So that means, another time like this- when I am completely in rest, completely taken care of by others- is not going to happen for a very, very long time..

I am not sure if total bed rest was really required for me. Doctors instructed me to do so, and I followed the instructions mostly. Sometimes I could not, though. According to the hospital records, I leave the bed only once a day, when I get up to go to the bathroom in the morning. Finish toilet, and bath at the time, and then everything else is to be done in bed. Food tray connected to bed, and someone should feed while I lie down. Similarly use bed pan to relieve myself. I am told that ladies with multiple pregnancy who used to take rest like this go full term, or at least 36 weeks. I guess they will cite my example to the future inmates here, saying I took absolute bed rest, so went full term (if that happens)! But the truth is that everyday I eat sitting up. I don't want to disobey them, but I simply can't take food as my stomach always feels full, and it is essential that I eat. And I simply cannot eat while lying down. That too, my cot is slightly raised at the bottom (For all cases where a preterm delivery is suspected, the cot is slightly raised at the foot part. To defy gravity I think. While I was taking rest at home also my cot had this extra wooden piece attached at two legs to keep it up). 

So eating becomes very difficult, and I sit up and eat. Similarly I hate using bedpans, and always walk to the bath room. I get up from bed at least 15 times a day. All my instincts insist that I really did not need bed rest until the last trimester. So my advice to the future expectant moms is, not to say no to bed rest, but to listen to your body, understand its capabilities, strengths and limitations. Then consider your own intuitions, and take a decision.

NEXT...33 weeks

When do I get to see you!

1-1-2012

Looks like they are celebrating New Year inside me! Got a few very strong kicks today, I think from Baby-B. These are the first REAL kicks I am experiencing! Till now it was only movements.

5-1-2012 (31 weeks)

I shouldn't have told the nurses about the vaginal itching, I think. Candid-B was good enough, but they insisted on a Betadine wash, and got one today. Very dilute solution since it is said to have some minor side effects. Wash was slightly painful, no side effects though. Next time, Candid-B is enough!

Afternoon, a UV scan was scheduled. A nice change from the confinements of the room. We went right after my lunch. There was a queue, so it took about 90 minutes for my turn. Cervix 4 cm long (great, considering it is 31 weeks) (OK, may be an explanation is needed here- the baby comes through this small tube path called cervix. At the time of delivery cervix dilutes and becomes zero length, and baby comes out. Cerclage is done so cervix does not dilute fast and the required length is there. As delivery approaches cervix starts to shorten to 2.5 cm, 2, 1.5 and so on). I was lucky my cervix was still holding tight. Baby-A was in the lowest position and in vertex presentation, Baby-B breech and Baby-C is in transverse. Vertex is the best position it seems, vertical with head down. Breech means vertical, but feet down and transverse is horizontal, the most difficult position for natural delivery. But as my case is going to be a C-section, no worries about positions. They showed the monitor to me, but except for three outline of sacs, nothing was clear. Their weights were estimated at 1.596 kg, 1.628 kg and 1.631 kg- fairly good weights. In 32 weeks, the ideal weight is 1.7 kg. Now it should be seen if the same growth and weight increase will be maintained. I am praying that they will be inside me till 36-37 weeks at least, and their birth weights be at around 2.2 kg each. I wanted to go for a normal delivery. But in that case, Baby-A should remain in vertex presentation. Also I read that there is a chance when A comes out, the breech position baby's chord might get entangled causing blood supply to brain to get cut off causing autism. I do not know about all these, just sharing what I heard or read. If all three babies become vertical, head down.. great!  But rare chance.

A nurse said my next room lady had twins, both transverse; so they decided on C-section, got it scheduled, but the day before the surgery both babies turned around and it was a normal delivery! So anything can happen. I am asked to lie on my side, which I am doing now. Whole body is aching and feeling tired.

06-01-2012

Hospital bills are mounting. Working hours for DH is half of what it used to be. For me, whether the salary would be there or not is still undecided. All in all, financially not a very good situation. Slight depression is setting in and I am trying to fight it off.

Day dreamed while staring at the balcony..An afternoon 6-7 years later. I am promising my naughty kids a trip to 'Hill Palace' (Tripunithura, Kerala) to see the deer. They are happily collecting mango leaves in three separate sacks to give to the deer. Evening, all five of us riding to Hill Palace park. Deer happy and content with all the food..

10-01-2012

Tomorrow I will complete 32 weeks.Average gestational period for triplets. Still I need to carry at least four more weeks- I am hoping to carry at least until February 14th. Even then NICU admission will be required to check if everything is stable, it seems. In other countries I read that parents are allowed to sit inside NICU. Here that is not possible- only one visiti per day is allowed. Why do the doctors and nurses here so adamant about theses things? Don't we have a right to see our babies? to decide whether we need normal delivery or C-section? to decide whether to go for breastfeeding or formula? to see the uv scans? to see the other test reports? But here everything is kept inside and unless we insist very, very strongly, they do not allow us to take decisions for ourselves. We, being no experts on these things, are reluctant to insist as we fear something might go wrong. That system is wrong. The doctors and nurses should tell us the possibilities, our options, the pros and cons, and leave the decision to us, to take peacefully. They always refer to me, and all would-be mothers as 'patient'! It is so unfair! I am sure if I ask them whether I can sit in the NICU, they will laugh at me. If I can't pick up my babies and hold them close to me, how am I am I going to know if they are all right? Isn't a mother's instinct sharper than all those machines and tubes in the NICU? I really hope they act mature and let me inside the NICU for as long as I want, let me hold the babies, so that I can encourage them and give moral support so they can fight their weaknesses and become strong.

After the last scan there was a rumor that I might be discharged for a few days as there is no more major risk of preterm delivery. But later Dr said no, and this became a big disappointment for me. The room got stuffier and smaller, and I got a cold and cough. They shifted my room last week, and now it is better. Why don't they understand that the bedrest in the hospital itself is causing problems for me? I didn't have to get admitted in the first place. I could have spent the time at home, and avoided wasting the money, inconvenience to lots of people, and so on. Also all these medicines they give for minor problems! Like the betadine wash and suppositories for a slight itch, all the medicines for this slight cough now.. So I didn't tell them about the pelvic pain I have. I read that pressure and pain in pelvic area is common- it is due to a hormone being released, called Relaxin, which functions as separator for the two bones in pelvic area, to ease the passage of the baby. All these are preparations of the body to let the baby out. Surely, this means me and my body are normal. So I shouldn't kill that normalcy by giving it medicines, right? (Don't get me wrong here- the doctors, nurses and other staff in this hospital are very nice, knowledgeable and helpful. The systems I mentioned are going on forever, and they are just following it. It is not their personal choice to force me to stay in hospital, or give me medicines or anything, it is what they think is right, and good for me. The intention and the action- everything is good. Only an analysis of the system is required, that's all).

The babies are moving inside. I can see small wave like movement on the belly- fun to watch. At times on naughty kick, and the skin will rise at the place. Absolutely delightful!

Sometimes friends and relatives drop by. It is too good to see them- a relief from the monotony of the hospital stay, and a chance to update myself on what is going on around. Thank you dears.. :)

NEXT...32 weeks