Grow Babies Grow!!!!

So apparently I am not going to have 8lb babies as my doctor plainly puts it. Well that was pretty much my guess too. Now that we both understand that, what size babies are we going to have? Being pregnant with triplets has proven to be quite a different pregancy than it was with both my sons. I get ultrasound growth checks every two weeks, special blood tests, weighed, and have to provide a urine specimen each visit. Oh and then there is the cervix check, where my loving husband sits in on. Up until one month ago, each visit was pretty uneventful. There are these graphs and percentiles that the doctors evaluate to determine how the babies are doing. As he puts, to check for deteroration, awful sounding, huh! We got our first decline in growth two ultrasounds ago and was told that if this continues than the question is whether it is better for them to be on the outside than the inside. Well, I didn't like hearing that news as I know that my babies need all the time with me before entering the world. I want them coming out running! So what was I going to do about it? Nothing is what I was told, but get to 30 weeks. "I want to see a 3 in your number" he tells both my husband and I. Well, I made it and will be 31 weeks tomorrow and I have a plan and it's not NOTHING!

So, this last growth ultrasound vist on Tuesday, Baby A and Baby C had good growth, and had made it to 3lbs. Baby A boy was at 3lbs 3oz and Baby C girl made it to 3lbs, but Baby B girl had only a gain of 4oz and was measuring at 2lbs 11oz. What went through my mind was the goal of having our babies at 5lbs each and reaching 36 weeks (the max allowed with trips, 40 weeks is full-term, for a singleton) was the thought that this was going to be a challenge as now I am also dilated 1cm and I am running out of room. Well given this lady has the abilty to handle challenges, here's the plan...I get to be really uncomfortable and will be diligent about consuming lots of water (which equals bathroom stops every 5 min), lots of protein (100- 150 grams per day) and rest (that's the hard part, as I don't get any). But here's what I've learned, this pregancy with our tripelts has really educated me and has taught me to be even more smart about food and nutriton and the importance of a balance of carbohydrate and protein. So the nurse educator in me requires that I pass on some information to all my readers. I can't help myself, sorry! It's basic but it's improtant. First thing, you need a little bit of protein to help metabolize carbohydrate, so its just not a bagel and a banana (as I was accustomed to having at my local starbucks) but adding a little cottage cheese or yogurt along with it. The protein helps speeds up the metabolism of the sugar (carb). Oh and then the amount of carb(sugar)is the MOST important or your'e at risk of developing diabetes and in pregnancy its called gestational diabetes (placentas produce a hormone that competes with the function of insulin)and I've got three placentas, so guess what? Little ole me, got that news. I flunked the 2 hours glucose test as my very direct doctor announced, but rest assure given this information, I have been successful since at managing my levels with very normal results with simply limiting my carb intake to 45- 60 grams per meals and 15-30 grams for snacks every 2 hours. You can too, if this is a concern. Here's what you got to do. Stop looking at the sugar content on the packaging under nutriton facts, look only at the total carb amount per serving.

Why? Because it already includes the sugar grams and make sure you have some form of protein with your meal which can be plant or animal based. It's really simple, but to help even further, check out this website that my dietcian gave me www.calorieking.com

So our triplets now have an even more educated mother who along with this plan to keep them where they belong, will continue to dance and chant "Grow babies Grow." Running with Triplets will keep you posted and stay tuned... next is.... "I am your professional organizer.