Birth Story

Brielle in their room after birth

Liam right after birth
Uncle Kevin aka photographer.
River in the OR
Brielle at the breast a few minutes after birth.

We were scheduled for August 19, 2011 at 11am. Sidney and I woke up early and played with the boys and gave them a few gifts from their new baby sisters and brother. Grandma and Uncle Shawn were at the house to keep them company and to have fun.

We got admitted on the same floor as the NICU and the babies were monitored. Our nurse Cindy was amazing. She truly made the experience better. I have a tendency to get very nervous and she helped make the transition to surgery a better one.

Walking down to surgery was a bit scary and I was so excited. I was nervous about the surgery and the health of the babies. I held my belly the entire time, telling our little ones all will be well and we will meet you soon. We were greeted by our fantastic perinatologist. I felt better once I saw her. She is a really smart doctor. I knew she would do everything possible to ensure the babies and I were healthy. Sidney stayed with me while they place the spinal. The anesthesiologist was freindly and funny and helped make it light and ease my nerves.

Once the spinal was placed things went very fast. I wanted to babies to stay attached to their cords until the pulsing of the umbilical cord stopped. My brother Kevin was their ready to take pictures. Baby A Brielle was the first to be born, the doctors placed her on my legs to let the cord pulse then her sister Baby B, River came out they laid next to each other as their cords finished. They were crying and were taken over to the waiting neonatology team. I was able to look over and see them. The two girls had apgars of 9. Our Baby C, Liam was harder to get to. He was laying transverse under my ribs, tucked way up high. My brother said the our doctor had her entire arm inside my abdomen as she worked to get Liam out. It took several minutes. She had to find a leg and pull on it to guide him out. When he came out he started to cry. He was much smaller than his sisters.

All three babies were crying as they were assessed. It was beautiful to hear them.

All the babies measured very close to each other a few weeks ago at our last growth scan. It looks like Liam only gained a few ounces in the last month. He was smaller and having some respiratory issues.

Within a few minutes I had Brielle on my chest and she was latched on trying to nurse, it was fantastic to have her in my arms, next was Liam I was able to hold him with my other arm. I missed River, but she was being assessed. It was a beautiful experience to be able to hold my sweet babies. They were so warm and beautiful.

All three babies were brought to the Nicu, Sidney went up with them and my brother Kevin stayed with me.

I went back to the room and a nurse helped me start pumping so I could start getting milk and colostrum.

I missed the babies so much and worked at getting my legs to move so I could see the babies. Within 3 and 1/2 hours I was in my wheelchair and up with the babies. It was amazing. I was able to put them to the breast and initiate breastfeeding. They were all in their warming beds and I fell in love with them immediately.