Amongst the dirty diapers, feedings, playtime, and snuggles... I have failed to keep my blog updated on how our family has adjusted to having triplets. I want this blog to look back on many years down the road so it reminds me how my life was at this very moment. If you know me, you know my memory is not the best. That is why I take soooo many pictures and scrapbook/make photo books.
I've shared the triplets' birth story as well as how they have grown and changed the past 3 months, but I really haven't shared how I am surviving as a new triplet Mommy.
First of all, I need to thank my Mother-In-Law and my parents for all of the nights (and days) they have gotten us through. My MIL stays every Sunday, Thursday, and Friday night. She has been such a huge help these past 3 months. I do have to say it is all kinda foggy due to the lack of sleep but I know we couldn't have done it without her. My parents are here whenever I mention we may or may not need someone. They are so willing to help and I know their schedules are busy as well. I'm so glad all of the grandparents are getting to spend so much time with their grandbabies. And I'm sure they are happy about it as well.
We have also received help from so many other generous people. Steph, Beau, Jen, Joyce, Pam, Sandra, Lindsey, Marion, Leila, Aunt Becky, Jennifer and Ann. These people have generously given their time to help our family and we are so thankful. I know people like to play with babies but sometimes 3 babies can be a bit overwhelming and I'm just so blessed to have those willing to help us through these tough months. We also have had a night nanny once or twice per week since the girls came home. I told her last week we didn't really need her anymore since the girls have been sleeping so much better (I may regret this, but we will see). She was amazing though... she would arrive at 9 PM and Brian and I could close our door and get some rest until 7 AM. I always looked forward to her coming.
I have to say that me and the girls are falling in to somewhat of a routine. Not necessarily a schedule, but a routine. They wake up somewhere between 7 and 9 AM (or we try to hold them off to eat until then). Then playtime for about an hour then nap. While they nap, I try to quickly start some laundry and dishes and then go pump. The next feeding normally starts about 4 hours after the first feeding of the day... playtime, then long nap (I pump and try to nap also). The third feeding is also four hours later and then we try to keep those girlies up as long we can. This time of day is tricky for us and we still haven't found what works best. This is when Brian gets home from work, Ryley wants to play, I need to pump again, we want to eat dinner, and the girls start getting fussy. Needless to say... the girls normally win the battle and poor Ryley has to wait to get played with. If we are really lucky though, Brian and I can sit and eat dinner together (doesn't happen often or we may have a baby on one of our laps and a bouncer sitting in front of us). They normally don't make it four hours here before they want to be fed again... anywhere between 2.5 and 3.5 hours. After they eat, it is bed time. Every third night they get baths and again, we haven't found our "groove" for when this fits in best to the night time routine. We will get there though... eventually. It seems once we have found some stability in a schedule, the girls' needs change and the schedule needs to change with them.
The girls aren't too hard to get to sleep. At least in my eyes. Brian may think differently. Some nights they go down and we may have to just go in there 1-2 more times before everyone is fast asleep. Other nights, it may be upwards of 10-15 times or someone just hangs out in there to put pacifiers in and pat to sleep. We use these stuffed seahorse glow things that the girls love. They are mesmerized by the lights and the music they make. Once the girls are asleep, we clean up the house and get ourselves ready for bed (I pump again). They have been making it to around 4 AM before waking up again... so about 7-9 hours depending on when their last feeding was. I think this is pretty darn good for 3 month old triplets. I'm glad they like to sleep even though I still don't get continuous sleep. I get up between 2 and 3 to pump again. I go back to sleep for like an hour and then get up to feed them around 4. They normally go back to sleep really easily this time. Then I set my alarm and cross my fingers I'll have time to shower and pump before they wake up in the morning around 8.
Then repeat.
My goal is to get them to 4 feedings per day (we are at 5 now, sometimes 6) and sleeping 12 hours at night. We are working towards this and getting close. Each of the girls have slept 10+ hour stretches... just not all at the same time, and not consistently. I'm optimistic that this schedule isn't too far away.
My life is busy, busy, busy. It has definitely gotten more manageable. When we brought them home, it was so unpredictable when they were going to eat or when they would wake up. There were a lot of sleepless nights. I was averaging about 3-5 hours during the first 6 weeks and that was with help. I can't imagine how we would have made it during that time without help. I know there was one particular night that my Mom didn't go to sleep until 6:30 AM and I'm sure it happened to my MIL at some point as well.
Through all of the sleepless nights, diaper blow-outs, spit up, and fussiness... I wouldn't change a thing. Being a mother is so incredible and I absolutely love taking care of my triplets. I remind myself when they are crying in the middle of the night and I'm having to get up over and over, I'll never get this night back. My girls are growing so fast and I want to enjoy every second I have with them even if its in the middle of the night. There are frustrating times, don't get me wrong, like when I just want to scream, "Keep the pacifier in your mouth!" but I just look at their cute little faces and think to myself how lucky Brian and I are. We are so lucky. I do struggle with feeling guilty about not spending enough time with each of our daughters individually. I feed one and she may be in a super cute mood and smiley and I want to just snuggle and play with her, but her sisters are waiting patiently to be fed as well. I must put baby #1 down to feed babies #2 and then #3. We try to get in group playtime and especially when I have help, I try to spend some one-on-one time with each of them. I'm sure this is something we will have to balance for the rest of their lives.
Well, they are waking up from their nap so I will end this. Moral of the story... I LOVE being a Triplet Mommy :)
I have to say that me and the girls are falling in to somewhat of a routine. Not necessarily a schedule, but a routine. They wake up somewhere between 7 and 9 AM (or we try to hold them off to eat until then). Then playtime for about an hour then nap. While they nap, I try to quickly start some laundry and dishes and then go pump. The next feeding normally starts about 4 hours after the first feeding of the day... playtime, then long nap (I pump and try to nap also). The third feeding is also four hours later and then we try to keep those girlies up as long we can. This time of day is tricky for us and we still haven't found what works best. This is when Brian gets home from work, Ryley wants to play, I need to pump again, we want to eat dinner, and the girls start getting fussy. Needless to say... the girls normally win the battle and poor Ryley has to wait to get played with. If we are really lucky though, Brian and I can sit and eat dinner together (doesn't happen often or we may have a baby on one of our laps and a bouncer sitting in front of us). They normally don't make it four hours here before they want to be fed again... anywhere between 2.5 and 3.5 hours. After they eat, it is bed time. Every third night they get baths and again, we haven't found our "groove" for when this fits in best to the night time routine. We will get there though... eventually. It seems once we have found some stability in a schedule, the girls' needs change and the schedule needs to change with them.
The girls aren't too hard to get to sleep. At least in my eyes. Brian may think differently. Some nights they go down and we may have to just go in there 1-2 more times before everyone is fast asleep. Other nights, it may be upwards of 10-15 times or someone just hangs out in there to put pacifiers in and pat to sleep. We use these stuffed seahorse glow things that the girls love. They are mesmerized by the lights and the music they make. Once the girls are asleep, we clean up the house and get ourselves ready for bed (I pump again). They have been making it to around 4 AM before waking up again... so about 7-9 hours depending on when their last feeding was. I think this is pretty darn good for 3 month old triplets. I'm glad they like to sleep even though I still don't get continuous sleep. I get up between 2 and 3 to pump again. I go back to sleep for like an hour and then get up to feed them around 4. They normally go back to sleep really easily this time. Then I set my alarm and cross my fingers I'll have time to shower and pump before they wake up in the morning around 8.
Then repeat.
My goal is to get them to 4 feedings per day (we are at 5 now, sometimes 6) and sleeping 12 hours at night. We are working towards this and getting close. Each of the girls have slept 10+ hour stretches... just not all at the same time, and not consistently. I'm optimistic that this schedule isn't too far away.
My life is busy, busy, busy. It has definitely gotten more manageable. When we brought them home, it was so unpredictable when they were going to eat or when they would wake up. There were a lot of sleepless nights. I was averaging about 3-5 hours during the first 6 weeks and that was with help. I can't imagine how we would have made it during that time without help. I know there was one particular night that my Mom didn't go to sleep until 6:30 AM and I'm sure it happened to my MIL at some point as well.
Through all of the sleepless nights, diaper blow-outs, spit up, and fussiness... I wouldn't change a thing. Being a mother is so incredible and I absolutely love taking care of my triplets. I remind myself when they are crying in the middle of the night and I'm having to get up over and over, I'll never get this night back. My girls are growing so fast and I want to enjoy every second I have with them even if its in the middle of the night. There are frustrating times, don't get me wrong, like when I just want to scream, "Keep the pacifier in your mouth!" but I just look at their cute little faces and think to myself how lucky Brian and I are. We are so lucky. I do struggle with feeling guilty about not spending enough time with each of our daughters individually. I feed one and she may be in a super cute mood and smiley and I want to just snuggle and play with her, but her sisters are waiting patiently to be fed as well. I must put baby #1 down to feed babies #2 and then #3. We try to get in group playtime and especially when I have help, I try to spend some one-on-one time with each of them. I'm sure this is something we will have to balance for the rest of their lives.
Well, they are waking up from their nap so I will end this. Moral of the story... I LOVE being a Triplet Mommy :)
5 comments:
Glad things are going well and that you have so much help :)
Sounds like things are going good! Happy you have such supportive family and friends!
You are a rock star mommy!!
I love that you love being a mommy! Those girls are lucky to have you as a mom! And I'm lucky to have them as my nieces! Thank YOU for having THREE precious baby girls! I know you did it just for me...didn't you?! ;)
I love this post, because I can relate to every bit of it! I often times struggle with the fact that I cannot hold them at once, but I tell myself that they are still happy and getting so much love. It sounds like you are doing an amazing job. Side note, I feed ours every 3 hours during the day, so they will stay full throughout the night. We also throw in a couple of tsps of rice cereal in their last bottle ;)
Your girls are beautiful! Keep up the good work!
The girls and you guys are doing so great. You are an amazing mommy and I got to see it firsthand! I'm so thankful for that. You have such an amazing perspective on it all and is inspiring, girly! xoxo! miss ya!
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