Update with followup on preeclampsia

"Ilse Witch" wrote in message
...
The Huwe Family wrote:

Anyway, I guess that is it. If you want to come over and keep me
company
you can. LOL


Excellent news Gayle! I'm glad you and the babies are doing so well,
besides you swelling up like a balloon... But at least you are home,
which must be a great relief. Hang in there for the last couple of
days! Read some good books, you may not do that for years after the
babies are there, at least not ones without pictures...

--
-- I
mommy to DS (13m)
guardian of DH
TTC #2
War doesn't decide who's right - only who's left


I'm trying to keep that in mind and enjoy it while I can. Still doesn't
make it that much easier when I want to go out and about. I try to console
myself with the fact that it's only for a few weeks. The doc originally
told me that I'd be on complete bedrest at 20 wks. I guess I showed him.
LOL

"The Huwe Family" wrote in message
y.com...
Ok, I had my 30/31wk checkup/ultrasound today. Here's the good news, I
was
really worried about the doc admitting me for preeclampsia because of all
my
swelling, well, I'm home, and even though I am still swelling something
terrible, I don't have preeclampsia. Yee haw!

No PE That's fantastic!!! Shame about the swelling tho ;(



Bad news, because of all my swelling, he has now put me on complete
bedrest, only allowed to get up to pee. I was expecting the bedrest part,
I'm just glad that I can do it at home, not in the hospital like I feared.

Home has got to be much much better than hospital. Just think, it'll be
your last time to lounge uninterupted for quite a long time !


My doctor wasn't even negative this time with anything.

That's promising. Although I think it is a shame that your doc gets so
negative :-\


The babies are all doing great. The two boys are at 3 lbs 13 oz, and 3
lbs
11 oz, and my girl is at a petite 3 lbs 6 oz. They are registering in the
49th, 61st, and 64th percentile for their sizes and growth seem to be
right
on schedule. Their sizes don't jive with what I've been told about their
weight at birth. I was told/and have read that average triplets born at
34
weeks are usually around 4 1/2 lbs. At the rate I'm going, I'll have 6-7
lb
babies at 34 weeks.

That would be terrific having such healthy *big* triplets!!


I have a biophysical ultrasound scheduled for next week. I think this is
to
determine how developed the lungs and all the other inside things are
working. Maybe they will all be really developed and I can have my babies
soon (I hope, I hope, I hope :-)

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you

Anyway, I guess that is it. If you want to come over and keep me company
you can. LOL


I am sure if we could we would

Gayle


Just think of all the things you can do while on br, reading, catching up on
NGs, sewing/knitting if you are so inclined, you can rent some of those
great old movies, you can hire a massuse, have one of those makeup reps come
by and give you a make-over, get all the birthday cards for friends and
family writen up for the rest of the year, research your family tree for the
triplets, get into crafts, write a journal about your "rest" that you can
look back on at 4am 3 months from now and on and on.

Take Care
Jenn

A couple of comments...

The Huwe Family writes:
: Ok, I had my 30/31wk checkup/ultrasound today. Here's the good news, I was
: really worried about the doc admitting me for preeclampsia because of all my
: swelling, well, I'm home, and even though I am still swelling something
: terrible, I don't have preeclampsia. Yee haw!

That's good.

: Bad news, because of all my swelling, he has now put me on complete
: bedrest, only allowed to get up to pee. I was expecting the bedrest part,
: I'm just glad that I can do it at home, not in the hospital like I feared.
: My doctor wasn't even negative this time with anything.

I'm not sure I understand this. Well, OK, you're having triples, and moms
with multiples often go into labor early, so I can see limiting movement to
hope they stay in as long as possible.

You don't say if you a
spilling ANY protein (I assume no, from your pre-eclampsia comments)
have any rise in BP (I assume this is pretty normal from your comments)
or if you are having any pre-term labor or strong Bh contactions (I have
no clue here)
.... but if the answer to all of these is no, I think you should be allowed
some movement.

: I have a biophysical ultrasound scheduled for next week. I think this is to
: determine how developed the lungs and all the other inside things are
: working. Maybe they will all be really developed and I can have my babies
: soon (I hope, I hope, I hope :-)

I know you are anxious to have these babies, especially since you are carrying
three of them around, but remember that the longer you can wait the better.
I think you are best being patient, and even convincing the doctor to be patient.
:-)

Good luck,
Larry

The Huwe Family writes:

: expecting 4 lb premies. I have been told over and over that multiples
: develop faster than single births, giving the multiples an added boost since
: they are normally born before singletons. 34 wks is considered full term
: for triplets. If their lungs are developing fast and the doctor sees them
: at the "ready to go home" phase, then I'm hoping we can have them a little
: bit earlier. I don't see my doctor as one who would "jump the gun." With
: the added size also comes the added danger of still-births, that's why most
: doctors don't let triplets go past 34 wks.

Ericka! These stats dont seem right. Especially lungs developing earlier
versus danger of stillbirth. I still would bet that something later than
37 weeks would be better. Can you see if there is any solid research on
this one way or the other? Translated to you, Gayle, I still think you are better
not going early. Let's see what the research says.

: Good luck,
: Larry

: Thank you for your comments and good wishes, we will need it. The question
: is going to be . . . will I survive 4 weeks of bedrest :-). I haven't even
: been on it for 24 hrs yet, and am already restless.

Based on your comments, I still think your doctor is being overly conservative
on the complete bedrest.

: Gayle

Again, good luck,
Post the birth story.

Larry

Here is some stats in just one of my books. They are repeated in the other
multiple birth books I have.

"The Multiple Pregnancy Sourcebook" by Nancy Bowers, R.N., B.S.N. 2001
Contemporary Books

p 108 " . . . fetal development of multiples occurs just as with a singleton
baby, but there are some differences. .. Normal growth of singletons speeds
up after thirty weeks gestation. Typically, the growth of twins is similar
to singletons up until about the thirty-second week, when it begins to slow.
Higher order multiples begin this slow-down earlier - around 28 to thirty
weeks for triplets . . . It isn't clear why this happens but it may be due
to competition for nutrition, decreases in placental blood flow, or crowding
in the uterus."

p 109 "Although small babies can have problems, multiples can actually have
better health at slightly lower birth weights. Retrospective studies of
complications and perinatal deaths in multiples have found the ideal birth
weight to be approximately . . . 1,900 to 2,000 grams (4 lbs 3 oz to 4 lbs 6
oz) for triplets. . ."

p 127 "Average gestational age at birth is thirty-three weeks. Average
birth weight is 1,8000 grams (about 4 lbs).

p 131-132 "Many professionals feel that the window of time for the
healthiest multiple birth babies is earlier than for singletons. for . . .
triplets, it is approximately thirty-five to thirty-six weeks . . . Studies
have shown that perinatal death rates are lowest during this time. Several
physiologic mechanisms play a role in protecting preterm multiples. First,
there are indications that lung maturity may occur earlier in multiples.
This means that premature multiple birth babies may have fewer or less
severe breathing problems compared with premature singletons. Second, late
birth can have risks for multiples. There is evidence that stillbirth is
more likely when multiples are carried late in pregnancy. Multiple birth
placentas begin to age and become less efficient at circulating nutrients
and oxygen to the babies . . .limit(ing) the nourishment of the babies . ..
A woman with a triplet pregnancy rarely is allowed to deliver past the
thirty-seventh week because of these risks."

Gayle
"Larry McMahan" wrote in message
...
The Huwe Family writes:

: expecting 4 lb premies. I have been told over and over that multiples
: develop faster than single births, giving the multiples an added boost
since
: they are normally born before singletons. 34 wks is considered full
term
: for triplets. If their lungs are developing fast and the doctor sees
them
: at the "ready to go home" phase, then I'm hoping we can have them a
little
: bit earlier. I don't see my doctor as one who would "jump the gun."
With
: the added size also comes the added danger of still-births, that's why
most
: doctors don't let triplets go past 34 wks.

Ericka! These stats dont seem right. Especially lungs developing earlier
versus danger of stillbirth. I still would bet that something later than
37 weeks would be better. Can you see if there is any solid research on
this one way or the other? Translated to you, Gayle, I still think you
are better
not going early. Let's see what the research says.

: Good luck,
: Larry

: Thank you for your comments and good wishes, we will need it. The
question
: is going to be . . . will I survive 4 weeks of bedrest :-). I haven't
even
: been on it for 24 hrs yet, and am already restless.

Based on your comments, I still think your doctor is being overly
conservative
on the complete bedrest.

: Gayle

Again, good luck,
Post the birth story.

Larry

On Wed, 03 Sep 2003 02:15:38 GMT, "The Huwe Family"
wrote:

I don't have preeclampsia. Yee haw!

Oh, that is good news!! I am glad that you are not in the hospital!

Anyway, I guess that is it. If you want to come over and keep me company
you can. LOL

Just send me a plane ticket. DD & I could use a vacation!

--
Daye
Momma to Jayan
"Boy" EDD 11 Jan 2004
See Jayan: http://jayan.topcities.com/

Actually I wish I could come visit you. I've always wanted to visit Aust.
and even hop over to New Zealand. (escape the heat here)

Gayle
"Daye" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 03 Sep 2003 02:15:38 GMT, "The Huwe Family"
wrote:

I don't have preeclampsia. Yee haw!

Oh, that is good news!! I am glad that you are not in the hospital!

Anyway, I guess that is it. If you want to come over and keep me company
you can. LOL

Just send me a plane ticket. DD & I could use a vacation!

--
Daye
Momma to Jayan
"Boy" EDD 11 Jan 2004
See Jayan: http://jayan.topcities.com/

Gayle,

Excellent response. Thanks for the info. As I said, good luck and
post the birth story.

Larry

The Huwe Family writes:
: Here is some stats in just one of my books. They are repeated in the other
: multiple birth books I have.

: "The Multiple Pregnancy Sourcebook" by Nancy Bowers, R.N., B.S.N. 2001
: Contemporary Books

: p 108 " . . . fetal development of multiples occurs just as with a singleton
: baby, but there are some differences. .. Normal growth of singletons speeds
: up after thirty weeks gestation. Typically, the growth of twins is similar
: to singletons up until about the thirty-second week, when it begins to slow.
: Higher order multiples begin this slow-down earlier - around 28 to thirty
: weeks for triplets . . . It isn't clear why this happens but it may be due
: to competition for nutrition, decreases in placental blood flow, or crowding
: in the uterus."

: p 109 "Although small babies can have problems, multiples can actually have
: better health at slightly lower birth weights. Retrospective studies of
: complications and perinatal deaths in multiples have found the ideal birth
: weight to be approximately . . . 1,900 to 2,000 grams (4 lbs 3 oz to 4 lbs 6
: oz) for triplets. . ."

: p 127 "Average gestational age at birth is thirty-three weeks. Average
: birth weight is 1,8000 grams (about 4 lbs).

: p 131-132 "Many professionals feel that the window of time for the
: healthiest multiple birth babies is earlier than for singletons. for . . .
: triplets, it is approximately thirty-five to thirty-six weeks . . . Studies
: have shown that perinatal death rates are lowest during this time. Several
: physiologic mechanisms play a role in protecting preterm multiples. First,
: there are indications that lung maturity may occur earlier in multiples.
: This means that premature multiple birth babies may have fewer or less
: severe breathing problems compared with premature singletons. Second, late
: birth can have risks for multiples. There is evidence that stillbirth is
: more likely when multiples are carried late in pregnancy. Multiple birth
: placentas begin to age and become less efficient at circulating nutrients
: and oxygen to the babies . . .limit(ing) the nourishment of the babies . ..
: A woman with a triplet pregnancy rarely is allowed to deliver past the
: thirty-seventh week because of these risks."

: Gayle

Larry McMahan wrote:


Ericka! These stats dont seem right. Especially lungs developing earlier
versus danger of stillbirth. I still would bet that something later than
37 weeks would be better. Can you see if there is any solid research on
this one way or the other? Translated to you, Gayle, I still think you are better
not going early. Let's see what the research says.


Sorry, Larry! Don't know much about multiple pregnancies,
and a quick scan didn't turn up much relevant. I'm not familiar
enough with the literature to be able to do a good seach quickly,
and things are too crazy right now for me to take a lot of time
to search :-( Frankly, though, I'd bet there isn't a lot of
really solid information anyway. It's not easy to turn up
large populations of triplet pregnancies, and it's not easy
to get a lot of them to go past 37 weeks to compare them
with the ones that went earlier! ;-)

Take care,
Ericka

wrote:

Their sizes don't jive with what I've been told about their
weight at birth. I was told/and have read that average triplets born at
34
weeks are usually around 4 1/2 lbs.

My twins' estimated weights at just over 33 weeks were about 5.0 and 5.6 pounds
(2280 grams and 2538 grams). At 28.3 weeks they were estimated at 1261 and 1370
grams, or 2.8 and 3.0 pounds. Split the difference, for your 30 to 31 weeks,
and you'd get 3.9 and 4.3 pounds. (It's probably not reasonable to suppose an
even increase in growth over that time period, though.)

My bet is that my kids' weights were systematically overestimated (they should
have been in the ten-pound range at birth if their 36-week ultrasounds had been
right) but that the point was that they were still growing like singletons --
they were born at 8 lbs. and 8 lbs. 11.

--Helen