July 2011

While talking my husband into bringing a second child into the world I never once considered the possibility that I could bring TWO more children into the world with one try…neither did my husband. I can’t say that we were very graceful in our reaction to the news, but we settled into it eventually!

Before the twins were born I was a high school English teacher and I planned on working as long as possible and going back to work within the first year after I had my second child. Once I found out we were having twins I had a feeling that I wouldn’t be going back to work anytime soon. I ended up on bed rest at 21 weeks because of contractions and a change in cervical length. It was a very abrupt change in my life to go from working 40 hours a week and taking care of my not quite 3 year old, to lying on the couch on my left side watching other people cook, clean, and take care of my son. I have to say it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

At 28 weeks or so my doctors let up a bit on my bed rest and gave me permission to do short activities that didn’t require walking or lifting. I probably took advantage of that freedom a bit and by 30 weeks I had dilated to 2 cm; a week later I was at 4 cm and in the hospital for the long haul. I lasted 8 days in the hospital before I begged, cried, and pleaded for them to let me go home and be with my son. They finally agreed to let me go home with my mother there to care for me and I got to be with my son on his 3^rd birthday. I managed, by staying VERY strict in my rest, to stay pregnant until 38 weeks and went to the hospital to be induced only to find out that I was already at 7 cm. The labor was quick and easy because I was so dilated and my boys were born 15 minutes apart via a vaginal delivery with a breech extraction of baby B.

I am now a stay at home mama to three beautiful boys and I wouldn’t change a thing. The twins are just over thirteen months old and have started to walk and talk and climb! It is a crazy transition and I laugh all day long and collapse in exhaustion every night. My older son is now four years old and he is a wonderful big brother!  It’s a challenge sometimes, but I try to remember how lucky I am that I am able to be with my boys every day and experience each moment of their lives.

I try to stay in touch with the “teacher” side of myself while I am struggling through these first years with three children. I try to keep up with my blog (http://mythreelittleboys.blogspot.com/) and the work I do on the board helps me feel connected to the outside world and gives mothering a social aspect for me. No one understands the challenges of having more than one baby than another M.O.M and it helps so much to know that someone has been where you are and survived!

I think there is something special about having three boys and I just laugh at all of those people who look at me in shock and pity when I say that all of my children are boys! (I wrote a blog post on being a mom of all boys that is probably a better introduction to me than what you’re reading now J: http://mythreelittleboys.blogspot.com/2010/08/i-am.html)

Advice to New Moms

Be kind to yourself and your body. Pregnancy is hard and pregnancy with multiples is even more difficult. If you get put on bed rest honor the rest and, as hard as it is, remind yourself that every day you stay pregnant will make your babies stronger and healthier. Ask for help and allow people to care for you. Full House Moms has some amazing resources and the chat forum alone saved me in some of the darkest moments of my pregnancy. There are so many women in the group who have been there and are willing to help you in any way they can, but no one will know you need help unless you ask.

Taira H.
2011 New MoM/Support Services Co-Coordinator
Mama to Kyan (4 years old), Ronan & Mason (1 year old)

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