THE “GOOD”
1. The joy of pregnancy
Being pregnant with triplets is not like being pregnant with one. From the moment we felt their first movements we could really start to tell the babies apart. Our babies each have their own distinct personalities already and we started to get to know them during my pregancy.
2. So much generosity & excitement
The excitement and generosity from friends, family and strangers is overwhelming. People scream, people cry, people are speechless. I was inundated with love and support throughout my pregnancy.
3. Watching our son bond with my belly
Seeing how excited our son, Xavier (Zee) is about the arrival of his brothers and sister was just amazing. Almost everyday Zee kissed my belly, and recited our babies’ names. He was so excited and couldn’t wait to meet them. I just know he’s going to be an amazing big brother.
THE “NOT-SO-GOOD”
I don’t want to call this the “Bad stuff”, because we were so blessed to have three healthy children growing inside me. But, the “not-so-good” stuff is part of the package when you’re expecting multiples.
1. Getting the news is overwhelming
From the minute you find out you’re pregnant with triplets time seems to stand still. Finding out about our triplets was so totally overwhelming, but from the second we saw those three heart beats we couldn’t imagine life without them.
2. The risks are scary
The doctors told us that there are serious risks involved with triplet pregnancies and warned us not to make any life-altering decisions as our babies may not make it.
The doctors also talked to us about considering “foetal reduction surgery”, which is basically aborting one of your babies. I understand that they have to make parents aware of the risks, but for me, it didn’t matter, once we knew there were three beating hearts, I wanted nothing more than my three beautiful babies.
3. The first trimester
The time between the 7-week and 12-week scans was the longest few weeks of my entire life. Morning sickness, tiredness, running around after a toddler, worried about the babies surviving. It was hard! I think it was emotionally the hardest part of the pregnancy. I was loosing weight rapidly and feeling really unwell.
4. The third trimester
The third trimester has to be the most physically challenging part of a triplet pregnancy. The whole last trimester in a triplet pregnancy feels like the last couple of weeks being full-term with a single pregnancy.
My body hurt, I could barely breathe and I couldn’t sleep for more than an hour or two at a time for months.
People love telling you, “Rest now while you can!” and “Enjoy your last few weeks of freedom before your babies arrive because you wont be doing anything for the first couple of years!” Too bad I couldn’t sleep or be bothered leaving the house!
AND FINALLY, THE “CRAZY”
1. Hello, I can hear you
I had to get used to people talking about me like I wasn’t in the room. So often I told someone that I was having triplets and then heard them talking about me and how they knew someone who had IVF and was pregnant with triplets.
It’s always assumed that I had IVF and always assumed that you’re freaking out about the triplets’ arrival.
2. Where’s my “congratulations”?
It seems that only people who have had multiples congratulate you on your pregnancy. Everyone else seems to just say “Holy Sh*t” or “Oh My God” or “How are you going to cope?”, or something to that effect!
3. Everyday is a fashion crisis
I literally faced the classic “I have nothing to wear” dilemma!
In my singleton pregnancy I managed to buy clothes from non-maternity stores in a larger size and they fit me until I gave birth, but when I was pregnant with my triplets I struggled to even find maternity clothes that fit! Literally no t-shirt was long enough to cover my baby mountain.
4. The cost
Everyone tells you that having kids is expensive, but that’s an understatement when it comes to triplets! We’re talking $14,000 just in doctors, scans and hospital visits, and this I before all the things you need for the babies once they arrive!
I know that all the craziness and pain I experienced during my pregnancy, that I am one of the luckiest people alive.
Looking back and remembering how I felt during my pregnancy, and sitting here now looking at my three perfect babies I know that it was all worth it.
Written by Emily Murray from Zee Plus Three. Emily is the mother of newborn triplets and her two-year-old son.
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