The Yankowski Triplets

Today was our 12 week NT scan! We got some great guesses on genders, but will not be sharing until we have confirmation. Until then, here are a few nub shots, and y'all can take some guesses yourselves and see what you think!   Baby A ^  Baby B ^ Baby C ^ So, all the babies had great heartbeats... They were all wiggly and look pretty healthy overall.  However, Baby B had a think NT, which could be an indication of Downs Syndrome. This is not a reliable factor, but the doctor said it measured on the "higher end of high" and suggested genetic counseling to consider an amniocentesis or CVS testing for a more clear picture. Despite the fact I do not have many of the other risk factors, triplets carry a higher risk than singletons.  This also could point to potential heart problems, so Baby B will get a fetal echo around 18 weeks to make sure everything looks good on that end.  It's a weird position to be in. On one hand, ...

When my dad got divorced, I got the privileged of helping him sort through the mess his ex-wife left him. Somehow, I stumbled upon some school keepsakes, which included a whole book of "What I want to be when I grow up" papers collected from roughly pre-school to 5th grade. How he had them, I have no idea. But, I am the type of person who, when I find something interesting, I have to look at it. I can't just set it aside and keep cleaning. The first page had your typical pre-school answer. A princess. Who doesn't want to be a princess at age 4? Then a ballerina. Again, typical. I guess around first grade I decided I wanted to achieve higher aspirations. I wanted to be President! But it was the rest of them that truly made me smile. They ranged from a singer, a doctor...pretentious careers that would make mom and dad proud. BUT, after each profession was an extra little tidbit.."a mom." When I was 19 I fell pregnant. Earlier than I had planned, and ea...

I read this interesting article about triplets and how sometimes, people don't think before they ask questions. You can find that blog here: Triplets...are they IVF? And that really got me thinking about how much I could relate to those people saying "I would jump off a bridge" at one point. So here are my thoughts on this topic, and I really want to share them with people. After the ultrasound tech told us the news, she called my midwife to tell her what she had found. I remember getting on the phone with Colleen, fighting back the tears because I didn't want her to know I was upset. We had made jokes in the office about how we only wanted one, no twins for us! I think she probably knew I was not ready for the news that was given to me. And her words meant a lot in that brief conversation. She told "It's going to be alright, how exciting...triplets!" At the time, I just laughed a little and thought to myself 'Ha, exciting for everyone else maybe...

There is something about hearing your baby's heartbeat for the first time. With the girls, I never cried. I was happy and excited and smiled, relieved, but that little pitter patter on the doppler never brought me to tears. Then, you have triplets. And every day you wonder if there are still three. So when the ultrasound tech shows you their beating hearts on the giant screen, you smile. Then, you listen to their heartbeat and actually see your little baby up there, wiggling around...that's enough to bring you to tears. Three times. I am sure the tech thought maybe I was a little off as I fought them back and gently wiped my eyes while no one was looking. But the range of emotions that come from expecting triplets is overwhelming in itself. Hearing a heartbeat for the very first time makes it very real....and no longer a dream I've felt I have been living in for a few weeks. Baby A, Heart rate 168 Baby B, Heart rate 169 Baby C, Heart rate 170 We ...

...but it doesn't make you less important. It's doesn't make you less of a mother. It doesn't mean anything, just that you probably don't understand unless you've been in my shoes. This topic has been weighing on my heart heavily, and it has come to surface that this post needs to be made. I'm not the only one that feels like this, but this is something I don't think anyone else wants to put out there. I am not trying to hurt feelings. I am trying to spare my own. I have had two singleton pregnancies. I always gaped at the moms who had multiples. They were like super women to me! My girls were EASY compared to the horror stories I heard. They breastfed like champs, they slept so amazingly well....but that doesn't mean we didn't have our bumps. Some nights I cried as my husband took our screaming baby from my arms. I hated asking for him help because I knew he had to work in the morning, but he would spend time walking her around because I...

So, switching providers for most women likely isn't scary or traumatic. But for me, it was. You see, when I walk into my midwife's office, they all know my name. They know my kids, we chat like old friends. When I call, they know exactly who I am and what's going on with me. I enjoy being there, and seeing them. I trust my midwife and I respect her opinion. I know she is my advocate. So switching to someone new is scary. It's a bigger office with more patients, and just not the "homey" feel I had with Westshore.  But when we walked in, the first thing they asked me was "Are you our new triplet mommy?" Ha! Yep, that would be me. Dr. Stark is very nice. She is younger than I thought, but very personable. We talked a little, she told me any prep work for the babies should be done by 20 weeks, 24 at max. So basically we should be expecting them any time after 24 weeks, but goal is early September (they are...

I daily feel overwhelmed with questions. I think the top question I get asked is, what did you do when you found out there were three? This was our first visit with our midwife, and our first glimpse to see our precious little baby. I was finally feeling at ease this baby would stick because slowly but surely the nausea and exhaustion crept in. It was Valentines Day, so it was just meant to be a good day! We went in the room, BP was good, a little elevated for me, but still good. She went over the traditional pregnancy non-sense which we all agreed that this being our third go around, I might as well be a pro at this point. Then she told me to get ready for the ultrasound. Undress, lay down...she found the baby pretty quick. Measured 6 weeks and 2 days. She showed us the heartbeat, then turned the screen to try and measure it. That's when it happened... "Is that another baby?" Our midwife scrunched her face a bit and looked closer. She said she wasn't sure,...