A mother of triplets talks about her stay in the NICU

When my husband and I first found out I was pregnant, we felt every joyous emotion humanly possible. When we found out we were expecting triplets, we felt every emotion that we didn’t know was humanly possible!

From the beginning, we knew that we were high risk. . . Risk of a greater chance of having birth defects, a greater chance of miscarriage, a greater chance of premature labor and delivery. We knew all the risks and were willing to take them. We were going to be blessed with three babies!

During the pregnancy, we tried not to think about the “what ifs.” I firmly believe a healthier mind leads to a healthier body. I tried not to let little things bother me, for I knew it could lead to the “big bad thing.” We knew there may be a chance of premature babies. We knew they would most likely be admitted to the NICU after delivery, and there would be tubes, wires, monitors, alarms, etc. But what we didn’t anticipate were those feelings of helplessness.

After their births, there was one thing that made each day easier, that made each visit more calming, that made the frightful thoughts less scary: The medical staff in the NICU. Our stay in the NICU gave us many wonderful memories, many important relationships, and a wealth of information and knowledge. To explain the kindness, understanding, enthusiasm, and genuine concern the staff showed for our children would take another full article. Being a mother of now 9 month-old triplets, time is of the essence. One article cannot explain our feelings of gratitude, thankfulness, and love that we have for every nurse and staff member in the NICU. A few pointers, suggestions, tips for your stay in the NICU:

• Because your personality and the personalites of the staff may be different, that doesn’t mean they aren’t great caregivers. Be respectful of their jobs, always ask them if it’s “ok” before you just do something. Routines are very important and need to be respected. You’ll understand when you come home with your baby(ies).
• Your emotions are at an all time high - it’s ok to cry.
• Ask questions, and more questions, and then more questions. If your baby(ies) have a test, ask what the test is for, the desired outcome that the doctors and nurses want to see, what happens if the outcome is different. Cover all of the who, what, when, where, why, why, why, why’s. If you don’t understand, ask to have it explained a different way, or ask another person to explain it to you.
• GET INVOLVED! With everything from baths, to feedings, to diapering, to temperature taking, to kangarooing. The more you are involved, the easier it will be when you go home, not to mention how unbelievable the bonding will be. My husband and I highly recommend kangarooing. It’s a wonderful bonding experience and is very beneficial to the baby.
• If you can, express your breast milk for your baby(ies). Even the smallest amount is most beneficial. And if your first attempt to breast feed is unsuccessful, try it again…and again…and again. Keep asking the nurses when you can attempt to breast feed - don’t wait for them to come to you. And by all means, ask them to help you if you are not sure you are doing it correctly.

There is a wealth of knowledge and information at your fingertips within the NICU. Your stay is less stressful, less frightening, and unbelievably beautiful if you get involved. Knowing what we know…having experienced what we experienced…we wouldn’t have had it any other way, at any other hospital, with any other staff.

-- Beth Kinkade “Triplet Mom Kinkade” of Mia Elizabeth, Nicole Marie, Ethan Matthew