[larklynn]

tracey hey we have very simlar belly sizes!!

[charms]

Justine - all you can do is your best. there is nothing that can prepare you for preterm labor, mine came quite suddenly and i lost my twins at 20wk5/6 days just this august.

i felt fine all was well....i couldnt sit still in church and found my self walking around. i had some gas pains, or what i thought was gas pains and DH and I went shopping and out to eat after chuch. Got home and had a nice goop of mucus, we called the oncall nurse who said to go to OB triage (18wks) and we got checked in, i got in the gown, was given a cup to pee in and took 3 steps out of the room to go to the potty and my water broke for baby A.
we did go on to carry the boys for 12 more days, we were hoping to get to wk 24, alas God had diffent plans for his Angels. Oh and I was on a modified bedrest starting wk 16 - no exercise and no extenious activities, basically sit on my but and go to the potty.
after my water broke it was strict bed rest - until my angels came.

nothing can prepare you, just be you and be as safe as you can.

even now i am still finding it hard to bond with this little one for fear that in a few weeks he/she will be gone too.

taking one day as it comes and trusting that God has a plan no matter what the outcome.

your little ones are doing just fine!

[charms]

Alana, i think keeping it a secret is great! i just love to hear my mom she has this strong vietnamese accent and it cracks me up!

since we are keeping the sex a secret from us and everyone else....i figure by naming the baby it could eleviate some of my bonding issues.

this is still so NOT matter of fact for me - i am hoping it all changes after friday's u/s.

[BabySteps]

Alana, I just love your baby bump!! You could be a pregnant model, seriously, you have the figure for it. Have you ever seen the show Model Moms?
I am really sorry to hear that the move to LA will be delayed but it will be well worth it when it finally happens!!

I also love the rainforest theme for a nursery. I have been checking out the Fisher Price Rain Forest Bouncer and I think it is just so cute I am going to have to get 1 or 3... As far as a nursery goes for my babies....I will be lucky if I can fit 3 cribs and a change table in the room!! I was thinking of painting it a light green, gender neutral color and maybe doing a border or some sort of wall baby decorations. We plan to sell our house and buy a bigger one once the babies start moving around quite a bit, maybe in 2 years.

Christine, I like the name Aedyn as well. In fact that is one of the names we are considering naming one of the boys. I only knew of the spelling Aiden, though. Is it pronounced the same? Good luck Friday with your u/s. Post a picture if you can!!

I want to keep our name ideas secret for the same reasons others have mentioned. DH told some people at his work that we were thinking of Tia for a girl and they gave him a hard time because in Spanish it means Aunt. UGH... I had to let him know that in English / Greek it means Princess.

Justine, I can totally understand how you feel about wanting a girl. I was the same way and I knew the odds were with us to have all boys. I kept asking the doctor is he was sure one was a girl and he kept saying well one did not have a penis. I felt like maybe he was not sure it was a girl even though he said it looks like a girl. I have to tell you though, I am really excited now about having 2 boys and DH is really thrilled. I just love watching his face when he talks about doing 'guy' things with the boys and having a Daddy's girl.

As far as being tired I have to say that after my 1st trimester I had an energy burst (well compared to before) for 3 weeks and then BAM...I was dragging my butt out of bed in the morning and tired again!! I have been eating for energy and taking many vitamins but these babies are sucking the life out of me!! I am not complaining though, I will endure anything for them!!

Tracy, your baby bump is really cute. Thanks for sharing! You girls look healthy for Mommies to be but you are not huge at all......I am GIGANTIC!!! Mine is not a bump...no, it begin under my breasts and curves out to my pelvic bone. Seriously my whole tummy grew at once!!

[designdiva32]

After losing your two wee boys Christine I'm not surprised you are keeping your distance from this one a bit. I lost my two previous pregnancies very very early on and that traumatized me enough to do the same thing. I can only guess how hard it is to bond with everything you have been through. I'm only now starting to relax a little bit, however I also know that anything can happen at any point and none of us can ever really prepare for it. I mean, in the news today an 8 months pregnant woman was randomly killed on her way to work and they managed to save the baby. How on earth can we ever prepare for something like that?? The sad truth is we just can't. You have two wonderful little angels watching over this baby Christine, I think they are going to do just fine.

Okay, so now that I've made myself cry thinking about all the things that can go wrong and all the wonderful things ahead for us all...I just have one thing to say. I'm LOVING my highlights!! lol. I forgot how good it is to get your hair done, I've had the worst look for weeks. What a relief.

Tracy...you are too cute!! I think your bump is perfect, and what I can't wait to have. I think you are carrying high? I must be low I guess. Does high mean a girl or boy? I'm sure thats just another myth but it would be interesting to see if theres any truth to it.

Justine, I think they can tell the gender from about 15 weeks on so its possible they are doing one then. Are you having the triple screeing then too? I'm going in to get my blood drawn for it on Friday. Then its the anatomy and gender scan for me about three weeks later. My DH has also booked us in for a 4D scan, its a package where you go at 21 then 28 weeks. However I think if the anatomy scan is quite clear I'll save the money and just do the 28 weeks one.

Oh, and I ordered some jeans from Motherhood online and now I'm waiting for them to arrive. I went by their measurements online, however does anyone know if their sizes are usually on the small side? I hope not, I'm worried now I ordered everything the wrong size. I did buy some comfy stuff to day after the salon though. Not maternity stuff, but empire waisted tops etc that could pass for it. I also got some black leggings to wear under the longer dress style tops as they are soooooo comfy. I'm finding it really uncomfortable even with my bella band now, its just a bit too tight. I don't think the baby likes it either. I always feel nauseas when I wear it for awhile.

[designdiva32]

Originally Posted by BabySteps

Alana, I just love your baby bump!! You could be a pregnant model, seriously, you have the figure for it.

I could kiss you right now Shelly!! Lol, seriously, I was having such a frumpy day and you just cheered me right up.

I also forgot to ask in my rather long winded post above, if any of you are suffering from a lost appetite like I am. I was absolutely ravenous the entire first trimester even though I was suffering with morning sickness. Yet now the morning sickness has gone I have no appetite at all. I realized today I'm hardly eating at all and even DH has noticed and is starting to force food down my throat. Is this normal do you think? Or should I be calling my OB about it?

[BabySteps]

Alana, I am glad my comment cheered you up...I was serious though....

I have lost a lot of my appetite. I think a lot of it has to do with my stomach starting to be squished and how things inside have moved up. I try to eat small meals. I still get full quickly and I still have heartburn too... My nutritionist told me this would begin to happen, but I just did not think it would happen so early. She encourage me to eat a lot early in the pregnancy. I have been forcing myself to drink lots of protein shakes to at least get the protein I need.

[designdiva32]

Lol...I'm too much of a wimp to model. I'm also too unfit...not toned and tanned like in my youth! I miss those days.

Its funny also that you mention the protein shakes, I was freaking out today about my lack of food intake so DH drove me to the store and we stocked up on protein shakes just in case. I had one tonight and it wasn't too bad. At least I know the baby has some nutrients in there now, otherwise they were surviving on a piece of toast and one slice of cheese all day!

Its weird though, I was really hungry in the first trimester while I was sick, and then as soon as I feel better I lose my appetite. Why don't the annoying 'what to expect' books mention this stuff!!

[charms]

thank you for the waterworks Alana - i do get teary eyed when i think of them. but is still a smile that they are my angels.

Shelley - Aedyn is pronouced the same - i found the spelling in ones of those 10,001 baby name books. i became quite fond of it spelled uniquely.

it is fun though to keep some suspense in friends/family - we may have a name, but will not know the sex until the birthday

as for energy - i woke up at 5am today!!! but normally i can sleep a good 8-10 hours a night. i am exhaused today....must have been a burst of energy today it is so gone with the sun going down. i am done!

Alana/Shelley - we really do need to set up an online shower for the two of you!

Shelley - have you started your letters to the baby diaper, baby formula/food places? there are many programs out there for moms of multiples - some will send tons of coupons before the babies come and some want a copy of the birth cert and will send you tons of free stuff! i have a sample letter and some addresses of companies if you want them (PM me)

Alana - I hope that the delay isnt too long in getting to LA. There is this new show on TLC called Deliver Me, it is based out of the LA - Good Samaritan Hospital - really cute!

[BabySteps]

I thought I would post a belly picture to show you girls what HUGE really is...LOL I knew I was going to get big fast with 3 babies but I am amazed how my bump starts from my chest down to where my legs begin. Serioiusly, I look like an egg with arms and legs!! Besides the constant worrying, I am really enjoying my pregnancy and all the changes that are going on in my body. I wonder if I will ever have a waist again??? Believe it or not I use to have one. I have gained 25 lbs. I normally would freak but my doctor and nutritionist say I am right on track for being pregnant with triplets. Anything for my babies......
(BTW, the dark spot under my arm in the first picture is a shadow not a sweat mark, LOL)
April 2 2008 @ 17 wks 017 (Medium).jpgApril 2008 @ 17 wks 025 (Medium).JPG

[tracyinterior]

Awww Shelly...you have an adorable bump! I can't believe there are THREE babies in there!

[tracilynn]

Babysteps-
I'm sneaking in here from the April IVF board & I have been following you since I first joined this site and I just want to say how cute your baby (3!) belly is! So happy for you


I can't believe you are 17 wks already!

LOL about the non-sweat mark

[designdiva32]

Shelly your bump is gorgeous! You don't look huge at all...just a perfect size for three growing wee ones. Lol, if it was me though it probably would have been a sweat stain. I'm one of those people who always has that happen to them at the worst possible time!

So, I'm having a mini freak out today. The last couple of nights and occasionally during the day I get these twinges in the lower right side. I have no idea what it is and its starting to worry me. I tried to call my OB today but she had already gone. (I'll try again tomorrow morning) Its not like they are very painful or anything and I really only notice it when I'm lying down. But what do you girls think it could be? Is this what round ligament pain feels like? I know I've felt ligament pain in my groin when moving etc, this doesn't really feel like that. But maybe its different when its the uterus?? Its more like I'm being poked and prodded from inside. Kinda scary, after two miscarriages any kind of twinge makes me panic.

[charms]

Alana - could also be the wee one kicking you if it is a quick feeling. if it stays for a long time, might just be ligament streatching.

my perinatologist said to try using a masage ball on the area while it is occuring with some cocoa butter if you are worried about possible stretchmarks. this could help the streatching of the ligaments in a smoother streatch.

i wouldnt worry unless it is a sharp pain that has you unable to move.

i had some streatching about wk 16 just after the cervical length check, it went away after a few hours.

[designdiva32]

Christine its always very quick and while its a bit painful it doesn't make me double over or anything. Its more of a surprise than anything.

Of course I've been in a sobbing heap about it all day. My poor DH has been trying to convince me everything is fine and its probably just baby hitting something painful or ligaments etc. Its just so hard not to worry about very little thing though. I also feel abandoned since leaving the RE as they would have had me in for another u/s without question. With the OB its like prying it out of her cold dead hands!

But I feel a bit better knowing its probably just stretching etc. Although, is it normal for that to happen in the same place each time? Would the baby keep kicking the same place? Ugh...I wish I had a window and could peak in and see whats going on in there. This week has turned out to be my scariest yet.