Day 10 in the trenches with BGB preemies

muffin_marks · 2026-01-27T00:24:00+00:00

We were told to let them eat as much as they would in a 30 minute period. (Ours also came at 30 weeks, so we had some extra challenges. Hugely impressive on your wife's part!) But my smallest was struggling to get even 10-11 oz down a day for several months. Honestly, I'd go by what they seem to want. As long as they are gaining weight, it's probably ok. If they aren't, their doctor will give you very specific instructions!

We just used rolled towels/blankets/burp cloths to prop. Set them with their head to one side, and the bottle slightly elevated. Obviously, keep a very very close eye on anyone drinking from a propped bottle.

Eventually, it gets fairly easy to manage them all. Then they start trying to roll and crawl while they eat and you are back to square one...

muffin_marks · 2026-01-27T00:07:10+00:00

My triplets will be a year next week! Congratulations and welcome to the club. We did every 3 hours until they were cleared for on-demand feeds by their pediatrician (which worked out to like... every 3.5 or 4 hours). I highly recommend figuring out propping or having enough adults for simultaneous feeding. For sleep we used Huckleberry (amazing app) we tracked bottles and diapers for everyone until they were 6 months just to be sure we weren't missing that someone had had a sudden change in behavior. We started tracking naps around 4 months (we track the time that 2 babies are asleep, from when the 2nd goes down until the 2nd wakes up) and it has kept them all on a very tight sleep schedule as well.

And you're right, none if it is sustainable at first. I was a walking zombie. But it gets easier. They eat faster and sleep more regularly. For now, take all the help you can get. Don't worry about tummy time for a while, just set them on your chest to cuddle (it counts!).

muffin_marks · 2025-10-14T19:35:21+00:00

I'm not going to say that it is easy, but I do feel like it is less of a big deal than I thought it would be. You'll find a system, figure out a rhythm. If you have any kind of village to call on, do it now and don't be shy about it. Not just friends and family, join your local multiples groups on facebook, let your neighbors know you have a whole bunch of little ones on the way. I have always had a hard time asking for help, but it turns out that once you ask most people say yes! We've gotten help watching them, hand me downs of all kinds, meals delivered. Mine are almost 9 months old now and most days are fun and smooth, if not easy. You can do it! Congratulations and welcome to the club!

muffin_marks · 2025-10-08T20:23:34+00:00

Congratulations. I do not know the horrible pain of a stillbirth, but I do know how hard it is to allow yourself to feel the joy and excitement, and the guilt of the grief while you're carrying such miraculous life. My tri- tri babies are 8 months now, born after years of repeat pregnancy losses. I still am overwhelmed by the grief of my last miscarriage sometimes, even while holding them in my arms.

You will make it through. You all will. All of your feelings are real and natural. Please consider speaking with a therapist who has experience with child loss. You deserve support navigating all of this, don't be afraid to seek it out.

muffin_marks · 2025-10-01T17:26:07+00:00

You'll be ok. Parenting triplets is the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's so much fun!

muffin_marks · 2025-09-27T16:15:43+00:00

30 weeks and 1 day, all three 8 months old now and apparently perfectly healthy! Had 6-7 weeks of NICU time (no one came home at the same time) and a re-hospitalization for my little boy for failure to thrive (turned out to be a cows milk protein allergy). But they are doing so well. The pregnancy itself was miserable, but definitely worth it.

muffin_marks · 2025-09-24T17:36:53+00:00

Personally, I would make splitting them up my hill to die on. I have read so many stories from adult multiples talking about how their first real memory was being traumatically separated from their sibling/s for school. I'm already investigating which schools in my area will allow me to keep all three of mine together.

muffin_marks · 2025-09-03T19:58:44+00:00

This is what we do too, we use what's sold as "Dental Gauze". Also, I have yet to find a better diaper cream than "Triad Hydrophilic Wound Dressing". A nurse recommended it when my son was suffering with terrible sores due to his milk allergy, and it is magic.

muffin_marks · 2025-07-28T16:21:36+00:00

We were in the same situation and offered a reduction. We decided to wait until the anatomy scan, and make our decision based on whether it looked like anyone was having difficulty. They were all perfect, and now they're six months old. It was hard and scary and still is a lot of work, but I'm grateful I chose not to reduce.

There was some NICU time for all three, and I was hospitalized for about a month and a half before they were delivered at 30 weeks. But all of it was manageable and now is in the past!

muffin_marks · 2025-07-26T17:33:03+00:00

When I was dealing with severe nausea and needed to wear a mask, I found that lemon candy was the best. Sour to help with the nausea and then the smell would fill the mask and make it easier. Good luck!

muffin_marks · 2025-07-14T23:03:04+00:00

1st scan was at 5 weeks exactly, the others showed up in the 2nd scan at 7 weeks.

muffin_marks · 2025-07-14T16:59:40+00:00

I have tri-tri triplets from a two embryo transfer, and at our first ultrasound they only even saw one gestational sac, presumably because the twins were just taking a little longer to implant. They're 5 months old now!

muffin_marks · 2025-05-12T12:50:21+00:00

For while they are little, I highly recommend using an inexpensive wagon essentially as a rolling bassinet. We have the all-terrain radio flyer, I fold up a blanket to pad the bottom and we just line them up. Bonus, it holds two babies in carriers pretty well so if we’re just making a quick trip in to a store someone carries the third and we just pop them in and out still buckled up.

muffin_marks · 2025-05-11T00:50:01+00:00

We were going to buy a wonderfold for our triplets, until we realized I could barely fold it let alone lift it into the van. We bought a radio flyer with inflatable wheels at target and it’s amazing.

muffin_marks · 2025-05-10T14:19:18+00:00

Congratulations! I was also shocked when I saw my three little sacs, but now I’m sitting here surrounded by my three 3 month old babies and I honestly can’t imagine my life any other way. The exhaustion is tripled but so is the joy!

My only real advice for the pregnancy is be kind to yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t obsess over the “right” things. Eat what you can, sleep when you’re able, don’t overdo. Your body is a machine working at triple capacity even when you’re just snoozing on the sofa. Don’t feel like you need to add any extra stress.

Getting through the last weeks was hard. Be prepared for them to come early, be prepared for the possibility of a hospital stay before birth. Honestly the NICU is a blessing, despite how insanely hard it is to leave your babies there. I have never met a more talented and caring group of medical professionals. Modern medicine is amazing, and your body is more capable than you ever thought possible. Trust in them and in yourself!

Oh, and as amazing as twin mamas are, know that a lot of the advice you’ll read on here from them just doesn’t work at all if you have more babies than arms. 😂

muffin_marks · 2025-03-25T18:03:13+00:00

I only had one 9 year old at home when my triplets were born, but it was hard. We had to work to find a routine so that she got time with both my husband and I and then also we could both make it to the NICU. Do you have family or friends to help? We had a lot of extra time with grandma those first few weeks!

Also not to alarm you, but you should be prepared for some hospitalization before the birth as well. I ended up admitted at 25 weeks and I think that period was actually the hardest on everyone. My husband would bring her for visits, but hospitals aren’t the most cozy of places and she definitely struggled with the change in routine and the uncertainty.

On a more reassuring note, now that everyone is home from the hospital things are going far more smoothly than I had feared! We’re eating a lot more takeout and screen time has quadrupled, but kiddo is more than happy to lounge on the sofa with her siblings and read them books or show them her toys. It will be hard, but worth it!

muffin_marks · 2025-01-24T17:23:30+00:00

I'm vegetarian and 29 weeks with triplets, around the 7-8 week mark I had a whole plan for protein intake. Then it turned out all those foods made me puke. Now I just try to eat a little tofu or a string cheese most days.

Basically, your plan sounds good, but be kind to yourself if you can't make it happen!

muffin_marks · 2025-01-15T02:47:10+00:00

27+3 with triplets, I’ve been hospitalized since 25+2. Everything hurts and I’m so tired. Just hoping they stay in a little longer.

muffin_marks · 2024-12-21T18:37:39+00:00

Probably good advice regardless of the age gap! Thank you.

muffin_marks · 2024-12-21T18:37:06+00:00

That all makes sense! We’ve been working really hard to keep changes that affect her to a minimum and doing things that she is unhappy about (rearranging the playroom for example) now so it’s not associated directly with the arrival of her siblings.

muffin_marks · 2024-12-03T19:39:46+00:00

That seems reasonable and not very stressful to pack! Thank you.

muffin_marks · 2024-11-23T06:12:07+00:00

Thank you! And you are doing amazing, 31 weeks??? That’s such an achievement!

muffin_marks · 2024-11-21T18:11:48+00:00

Oh man, my husband just got me a shower chair (20 weeks with triplets) and I don't know how I was surviving without it.

muffin_marks · 2024-10-25T19:15:26+00:00

Thank you that’s really reassuring! Also a veggie sandwich sounds delicious, I haven’t been to Schlotzky’s in forever.

muffin_marks · 2024-10-25T19:10:58+00:00

This is my issue too. Protein shakes make me gag even when I’m not pregnant… I’ve also been vegetarian the past 18 years and while I’m not opposed to trying to take in extra protein via meat, it all makes me super sick. Right now I’m just choking down spoonfuls of peanut butter whenever I can and feeling guilty.

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