Bye Bye First Trimester!

Your Baby: Week 13
Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy. (Much more convenient.)

All twenty teeth have formed and are waiting (Teething is yet to come!). Your baby approximately weighs in at 1 ounce (28.3 grams). Consider that the placenta weighs about an ounce now as well.
Your baby's intestines are migrating from the umbilical cord into his or her abdomen. The villi are also forming in the intestines, these help in peristaltic movements and digestion. The pancreas of your little one is even secreting insulin! Meconium, the baby's first stool, is developing.

Wow, we are finally past the "danger zone". However, with multiples technically until they are born it is all a danger zone.

Our local Toys R Us is now going to be a combo Toys and Baby's R Us! Seems kinda silly to get excited, but now I don't have to drive as far to go endlessly walk around. I went in yesterday to see just what they had done (i didn't even know until I went to the craft store next door). Anyway, they had a boppy pillow that had a little pea pod with three little heads in it. It was so freaking cute.

I also bought a scrapbook so that I can start documenting the pregnancy. Yes, I have the blog, but I want something tangible for the babies. And something that I can safely store all of their ultrasound pictures and things of theirs.

Wow, they look like little babies....

Wow, that is all I can say. They are really taking shape of little people. All three look good and are growing appropriately. I feel great. What more can a girl ask for.

I will say today was a happy, but sad day at the doctor's office. Today was our last visit with Dr. Nash. However, he plans on checking in on us from time to time and wants to see us after the babies are born. I think he and his nurses were as sad to see us go as we were to be leaving. It sounds silly, but we've been through a lot with this office. They bring comfort when I'm ridiculously anxious. Which, happens to be every weekend before an ultrasound.

I will tell you there is nothing more calming than hearing the heartbeats surround you in the room. I'm so grateful.

Baby A. If you look closely you can see his/her spine and femur bone. He/she is in the same position as last ultrasound just bigger. Oh and flipped over. He/She is butt up instead of down this time.

Baby B. I tend to think this is actually Baby C, but for today he/she is baby B. He/she is head down. Poor thing is going to be kicked in the head by his/her sibling. How unfair is that.

Baby C. We got a little bit better of a picture this week. Still our biggest of the bunch. I did get to hear his/her haertbeat loud and clear today. Such a relief.

Whoop!

We have made it to the last week of our first trimester! I can't tell you how relieved I am. As far as I know, everyone is growing and doing fine. I read the other day that right now, for this short week, the babies move about 30% of the time! Now, that stops because that uses too much of their reserves, but still. Let's see what is going on with the babies this week...

Week 12:

The second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed. The baby's brain is not the same size it will be at birth, it does have the same structure. Bile is being secreted by this time. S/he weighs about 14 grams and is approximately 3.54 inches in total length.
Your baby has its reflexes and also practice movements in the digestive tract. All in preparation for extrauterine life. The babies are the size of a plum!!

Yesterday I got a wonder ful package in the mail with the cutest onsies. Thank you Jenn and Leanne! I'll post pictures of them probably over the weekend.

The nurse visit with the new doctors office went well. After Monday I will be released into Dr. Stewart's care. Just like with Dr. Nash, I will see him every two weeks for an ultrasound and exam. I believe at 24 weeks I will start having bi-weekly non-stress tests. That is where they hook you up to the FECG monitors and record the babies for a certain amount of time. It also lets them know if I am having any contractions. 24 weeks just doesn't seem that long when you stop and think of it.

I feel fine. I think I am having some ligament stretching in the groin. I notice that when I sit and go to stand and walk, I kinda limp along for the first 10 steps or so. I've also been having some little twinges in the uterine area, but from what I've read it seems that is stretching as well. I see Dr. Nash on Monday, I'll talk to him about it. I assume since the babies are the size of plums that there will be some stretching and pulling as we go along.

Next ultrasound is Monday. I hope we get good pictures of all three of them. I am especially looking forward to hearing Baby B's heartbeat loud and clear. He/she is the one who is pushed to the back. While we heard it last time, it was faint because of positon. Not as loud as the two up front.

I told my boss about the triplets last week. I was terrified! However, he already knew so it was a moot point. It seems someone who knew or overhead went and told him right after we found out. So, I was scared for nothing. I laid out my plan for when I am out on leave. He seemed to be okay with it. I now have to just make sure I deliver what I say.

On a sad note, today we lost Derek's grandpa. It was expected, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. He was very excited about the babies and we will make sure they know all about him. RIP Papa

11 Weeks!

A few things to talk about today. First, let's see what is going on with the beans this week.

Babies: The iris will begin to develop this week and finger nails appear! Your baby weighs about 7 grams.

I believe they are now fetus's instead of embryo's. That's exciting! Additionally, we are nearing the end of our first trimester. That just seems amazing to me. I'd like to say that time has flown by, but for me it's kinda ticked away slowly. I don't worry quite as much as the little beans are growing and all look wonderful. But, right before an ultrasound I still get a little anxious. Currently, I am sick. I'm fairly certain it is allergies. The trees...oh the damn trees.

No more morning sickness to speak of. Not quite as tired during the day, but I still pass out by 9:30 most nights.

One last bit of change, we only have one more appointment with Dr. Nash :*(
I'm sad about this. He has gotten us through so much. The heartache when all of the IUI's didn't work. The emotional roller coaster of IVF. But, he doesn't deliver the babies he just makes them. So, off to the new doctor we go. His name is Dr. Stewart. He's a perinatologist (high risk doc) who specializes in multiples. I have my first appointment with his nurse today. I hope he is as understanding of my lists of questions and craziness as Dr. Nash was.

We're growing!

Here we are at our 10 week ultrasound. The babies are all measuring about the same. Today we are 10w4d. They are certainly getting bigger. Baby A is front and center. Baby C is fairly close, but head down. And poor baby B has gotten pushed to the back. C is going to be our camera shy little sprout. They are really starting to look like babies. We could see their hands and feet this morning. Or as Derek put it, their paws. My belly is certainly growing. I was reading in my multiples "bible" last night. I have to gain another 25lbs before we are 20 weeks! That means I have 9 1/2 weeks to gain 25lbs. That's going to be tough. Especially, since everything I should be eating is full of nutrition. Sure, I could eat McDonalds every day, but I don't think that is what the beans need.

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Baby A
Isn't this the best picture! His/her heart rate was
160 bpm. If you look closely you will see the outline
of the head, legs, belly and back. We did get to see
his/her feet and hands. This is our camera hog.

Baby B
Poor little bean has been pushed to the back by
his/her siblings. You can he/she is head up, but
we didn't get a great picture this week.


Baby C
Again, not camera shy. He/she is head down.
And shares the spotlight with A. If you look to the
right you can see two little dots, I believe those are
A's hands. C's heart rate was 175--if you believe in
wives tales then you know what that means :)

10 Weeks!

This week the babies:

Enter their fetal period. The average size is approximately 27-35 mm crown to rump length (CRL), or 1.06-1.38 inches. S/he weighs in at 4 grams, or 4 paper clips. Tiny toes have formed. The eyes are largely open, but the eyelids are beginning to fuse, and will stay that way until 25-27 weeks. External genitalia is beginning to differentiate. External ears are formed, as is the upper lip. The biggest accomplishment this week is the disappearance of the tail!

Our next ultrasound is on Monday. I always get nervous before we go in for an ultrasound. I keep wondering when the anxiety will go away. I suspect the anxiety will never go away. It will just change as they change. I know I am about to be 31 and my parents still worry about me.

The trees are blooming out in Ohio. I've been here long enough that my allergies have started to kick in. I can feel the sinus pressure and my ears and bugging me. I really hope this is just a mild case this year and it goes away quickly. Otherwise, I feel fine. The morning/all day sickness is less and less. Still tired, but perhaps if I slept like a normal person that wouldn't happen as much.

Derek has been busy trying to find stuff for the babies. He found some essential gear from a couple who had twins. It was all like brand new. We paid less than $150 for 2 swings, 2 carseats, and 2 bouncy seats. I won't use the car seats, but I can certainly donate them or sell them to someone else in need.

April Fool's!

Happy April Fools Day!!!

Today we are 9 weeks.

Let's see what is happening with the babies...:We have elbows! Your baby is now approximately 13-17 mm (let's remember ours are 19-20.8mm as of Monday. I think these numbers are off)crown to rump length, or about 0.51 - 0.66 inches. S/he also weighs in at 1 gram! Toe rays are present as the toes begin to form. Gonads have become testes (for boys) or ovaries (for girls). Baby will move away if touched through the uterine wall, and can spontaneously move as well. Ossification (hardening) of the bones may begin.

Grow Babies Grow

Went to Motherhood Maternity last night to find a pair of jeans. Mine are a little tight and I thought perhaps I should investigate some options. That was just a weird experience. First when the sales woman found out it was triplets she started laughing and crying. Then she handed me these jeans and said "let's put three of the bellies in there" . I thought okay, sure. Looking at yourself with this enormous "belly" when you thought you would never have one let alone three is just bizarre. We did buy a pair of jeans and a belly sleeve. The belly sleeve is like a soft stretchy belt that helps you wear your clothes longer. I'm not really ready for the full out maternity pants, so I'm hoping this thing works. We'll see tomorrow. It's jeans day at work. I love jeans day.

Everyone have a lovely day.