One of the most common reasons why people want to have kids is because they want to create a family and pass on their family name and values to the next generation. Others do it simply because they want to create and mold a new life.
Now most parents want to have a boy or a girl, but Angie and Gino already had two boys and really wanted a girl. And after trying and hoping for one, they finally got pregnant with one. But what they ended up with was completely unexpected.
They Had Two Boys
Married California couple Angie and Gino were as happy as two people could be. Not only had they found true love, but they were blessed with two beautiful boys that had inherited their good looks and charm. But what was truly missing in their lives was a little girl. They figured that it was time to add a splash of pink paint to one of their rooms and fill a closet with little dresses, and the shelves with Barbie dolls. Eventually, they got their wish.
They Were Having a Little Girl
The couple had seen their doctor who confirmed that Angie was pregnant. But more importantly, she was having a little girl. The news brought a smile to their faces and they were already picturing all the pink, red, peach and cream colored clothes they were going to buy for her. And then there were all the hair accessories like hair ties, ribbons, bows, and headbands that would take their daughter's cuteness to the next level.
They Prepped for Baby No. 3
Angie, Gino and their boys were excited to learn that another baby was on the way. But there was a lot of prep work ahead of them. For starters, they had to turn a room in the house into a nursery, which they did. Then they decorated it with toys and clothes, and waited for the big day. But neither the couple nor their family had any idea what was in store for them when the day came for Angie to give birth.
She Got Regular Check-Ups
Throughout the pregnancy, Angie underwent a series of health check-ups. This was nothing unusual for her as she had already gone through this experience twice before. But she and Gino knew that seeing the doctor regularly was a necessity while pregnant because a lot of things could go wrong. At least, a check-up would alert them if there was an issue, and hopefully doctors would be able to fix any problems before it was too late.
The Doctors Had News for Her
From the early stages of her pregnancy, her doctor had confirmed that the pregnancy was progressing nicely and that the fetus was healthy. But then, during another check-up, her doctor told her something that shook her to the core. It turns out that something had changed, and the couple immediately worried that their baby was in danger. Were they facing a possible miscarriage?
The Doctor Looked Surprised
It's rare that doctors will be surprised by anything given that they've been trained to handle all possible issues. But Angie's doctor had gone from sharing in the couple's excitement to looking surprised and even a little concerned. This was obviously not a good sign and the couple couldn't help but wonder why. Then he took a deep breath, turned to them, and broke the life-altering news.
She Needed Specialist Care
Doctor Sean Daneshmand told the couple that Angie was going to need specialist pregnancy care, which is available to women with extra needs or those with high risk pregnancies. Some of the care options include things like midwifery care and antenatal clinic care. But the only thing the couple was thinking of at that moment was that there was something wrong, or Doctor Daneshmand wouldn't have made such a recommendation.
The Risk Factor Was High
The couple realized that the risk in their pregnancy was high and that there were different types of factors that could lead to complications during the development of the fetus and the delivery of the baby. This terrified them because they wanted their little girl to have a normal and healthy life just like her siblings had. But there was a chance they wouldn't be able to provide that for her. So at this point, all they could do was wait and see.
They Were Very Nervous
Doctor Daneshmand had recommended that they see another doctor, which automatically raised a red flag. They worried that he might not feel qualified to handle what was still to come. The only way he would feel that way is if he knew something they didn't. So, they asked him to explain his reason for referring them to another specialist, and that's when he told them the truth.
There Was a Fluid Discrepancy
Doctor Daneshmand explained that there was a fluid discrepancy. “Unfortunately, at 26 and a half weeks, all of a sudden there was a fluid discrepancy,” he said. Generally, too much amniotic fluid, which is the fluid that protects a baby during pregnancy, can be a warning sign that the baby is larger than an average fetus. The amniotic fluid is indicative of a baby's urine output because larger babies produce more urine.
They Needed to Go to the Hospital
Although Doctor Daneshmand was a qualified specialist, he didn't want to take any risks with Angie's baby, which is why he made the recommendation that he did. This meant that Angie and Gino had to head to the hospital earlier than they expected so the pregnancy could be monitored more carefully. But only time would tell if the baby would be okay or if the couple would need to prepare for the worst news possible.
They Were Anxious, But Excited
The couple was at the Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, California, anxiously waiting for their little girl to arrive. And although the pregnancy was only supposed to last 9 months, Angie and Gino felt like they had been waiting even longer for their little girl to arrive. But they had done everything possible to get ready. Now all they needed was for the baby to make her debut and all would be okay with the world. But things hadn't gone as planned.
She Needed Round-the-Clock Care
Angie needed round the clock care to reduce some of the complications that came with her pregnancy, such as the baby getting wedged in the birth canal, which could lead to injuries. Then there's genital tract lacerations which occur during birth when a baby damages the birth canal. And in extreme cases, the risk of uterine rupture can increase during labor because the baby's too big. But that wasn't the case with her.
She Had to Heed Medical Advice
Angie knew her doctor was right, but she recalled during an interview with Sharp Healthcare that she was very surprised by the recommendation to stay in the hospital. “I said, ‘Wait, right now?'” But even before the doctor answered, she knew that it was serious and that she would have been wise to heed her doctor's advice. But given that she was only 26 weeks pregnant, she was going to have to spend a lot of weeks in the hospital and she was worried for her boys.
She Worried About Her Kids
Her two boys were still young and she feared that spending so much time away from them would be tough. Would her husband be able to cope with everything at home all by himself? He was an amazing guy, but he was only human. Then again, she knew that he was more than capable of handling anything. It's one of the many reasons she loved him so much. As for herself, she was going to really miss being at home so she could watch over her kids. But she had to remain on strict bed rest.
The Boys Visited Mom Every Day
Nothing would have made Angie happier than being allowed to go home so she could sleep in her own bed, but that simply wasn't possible. So the hospital became her new home, and luckily, her husband and her kids visited her every day. Also, Gino did everything possible to make sure that her room was as cozy as possible. But her family weren't the only ones that helped her through this difficult transition.
The Nurses Were Quite Helpful
The nurses knew that Angie was going through a pretty difficult moment and that she didn't always have the people she loved on hand 24/7. So they became her emotional support system. And they knew exactly what she needed because they had seen other patients go through what she did. “They’re taken away from everything that’s normal,” Toni Hicks, RN, told Sharp Healthcare. “So by telling them, ‘You know, I understand that this is really hard for you’ — that’s huge for our patients.”
They Had Date Nights at the Hospital
Angie and Gino always considered themselves inseparable until all this happened. All of a sudden they found themselves unable to spend as much time with each other, but they made the best of it. And one fun activity they loved in particular was date night at the hospital. “This is our date night that we never get at home,” Angie said while the couple ate dinner together in her room," Angie explained. Meanwhile, her doctor revealed a major development in her pregnancy that really threw her and her husband for a loop.
Her Pregnancy Was Abnormal
The couple had assumed that they were having a little girl, and they weren't necessarily wrong about that. But there was more to this pregnancy than either of them had expected. As it turns out, the reason why Doctor Daneshmand was so protective of this pregnancy is because Angie was carrying more than one fetus in her womb. But was this something they were ready to handle?
She Was Having Multiple Pregnancies
Angie and Gino had prepared their home for a little girl. They even had all the clothes and toys laid out for their latest bundle of joy. But it turns out that they should have been making some extra space for more than one child. That's right! Angie was experiencing multiple pregnancies. But it wasn't twins she was having. The ultrasound had confirmed she was having three baby girls.
They Were Extremely Happy Parents
Although children are a blessing, some parents can feel as if their lives have been turned upside down when they get the news that they're having triplets. It's like being told that you've just won a trip to Hawaii, so you buy a whole bunch of beachwear, only to learn that the trip has been changed to Norway in wintertime. Well, that's what it felt like for Angie and Gino when they learned they were having triplets. But once they got over the shock, they were happier than pigs in mud.
They Didn't Have IVF
In vitro fertilization is an option that many couples with fertility issues turn to when they're having problems conceiving a child naturally. The procedure has a reputation of resulting in multiple pregnancies, and she had no problem with that. Her husband had told her from the get go that he wanted lots of children. But they didn't undergo IVF treatments, and the odds of getting pregnant with triplets was 1 in 4,000 without medical help. So they had obviously beaten the odds, but the couple still had a bumpy road ahead of them.
The Pregnancy Was Rare
During the ultrasound, the doctor realized that Angie's pregnancy was rare indeed, even more so than ending up with triplets. It turns out that two of the babies were identical and the third baby was fraternal because it had formed from a separate egg. This meant that the third kid had her own placenta. But it presented a problem for the other two who had to share a placenta at this stage of the pregnancy.
There Was Cause for Concern
Two of the babies growing inside Angie were sharing one placenta. In a lot of cases, this could lead to complications like gestational hypertension, anemia, birth defects, preterm labor and even miscarriage. Suddenly, it made sense why she needed so much extra care. Her doctor was trying to keep the couple from experiencing the loss of their unborn children. But were her babies really in this much danger?
One Placenta for Two Babies
Her doctor told the couple that one of the issues with one placenta being used by two babies is that the size of one baby was going to be hindered. This meant that one fetus wouldn't grow to become the same size as the other fetuses. But it definitely wasn't as big of a problem as the other previously listed complications that the couple had been made aware of, particularly the risk of premature labor.
Their Fluid Levels Were a Serious Threat
During an interview with Sharp Healthcare, Angie explained: “We saw that the liquid for ‘Baby B’ was too low and for ‘C’ was a little high.” This pregnancy complication not only affected two of her babies' food supply, but also their protection in the womb. The news kept getting worse, and at times, she wished the doctor would shut up. But as difficult as it was to hear, she needed to know what was happening in order to keep her unborn girls safe.
There Was a Risk of Premature Birth
Angie was facing the possibility that her babies were going to be born prematurely and this scared her very much. She knew that premature babies suffered from all sorts of complications like heart related issues. Some even developed blood, metabolic and immune problems. Then there was the risk of death, which truly terrified her because the thought of losing one or all of the triplets would be too much to handle.
Underdeveloped Lungs
Angie's babies also faced the possibility of being born with a condition known as newborn respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), which occurs when a baby's lungs aren't fully developed and can't provided enough oxygen. This leads to difficulties in breathing and they require being on a breathing machine until the baby's lungs develop. But that's not the only health complication her babies were facing.
Intraventricular Hemorrhage
Intraventricular hemorrhage occurs when a premature baby bleeds into the fluid-filled ventricles inside the brain. This happens because the blood vessels in the brain haven't fully developed so they're fragile. Infants born 10 weeks early have the highest risk of developing this condition. So both Angie and the doctors had to monitor this pregnancy very carefully and take every possible precaution.
Her Pregnancy Was Stressful
Pregnancy is stressful enough on its own because of the changes that occur to the human body. But the news about the risks that her babies were facing made her stress levels skyrocket, which wasn't good at all. After all, stress increases the risk of high blood pressure, which can lead to premature birth and having a child with low birthweight. So the staff was extra careful to ensure that Angie was as relaxed as possible.
They Prepared For the New Arrivals
In the meantime, Angie and Gino prepared for the triplets' arrival by asking their family and friends for support. Gino also bought a minivan that could accommodate their ever growing family, and even hired a nanny ahead of time that could look after the kids while the couple caught up on their much-needed rest. And then they had to talk about their day jobs and how this pregnancy would affect their careers.
They Requested Parental Leave from Work
Like most expectant mothers, Angie had requested maternity leave from her place of employment. And the great news is that Gino had also requested parental leave as well so he could help his wife out whenever friends, family or even the hired help weren't around. However, they knew they would eventually have to return to work because babies are expensive. But first they had to make sure the babies were born with as little to no complications as possible.
She Toured the NICU
During her downtime, Angie's medical team talked to her about the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and even offered her and her husband Gino a tour. They figured that it would be helpful for them to get familiar with this part of the hospital since they were likely going to be spending a lot of time here while their triplets convalesced and continued to develop with the help of machines.
The Medical Staff Put Her At Ease
It wasn't easy to hear that her triplets could potentially end up in the NICU, especially after seeing so many precious premature babies struggling to survive inside incubators while attached to devices that monitor their vital signs. But she felt that if her babies were born premature, then they would receive the best possible care that the hospital and the medical staff could provide. And this brought some sense of relief to her chaotic situation.
The NICU Wasn't a Sad Place
“You hear a lot of stories, you know, of triplets who don’t make it or especially of identical twins. The body absorbs one of them,” Angie explained. “I didn’t see [the NICU] as a sad place, I saw it as a place that was empowering for me.” But although she felt empowered, one of her babies was facing a problem that left Angie fearing for the well-being of one of her daughters.
Baby B Wasn't Growing as Much
Since Angie was living in the hospital, the medical team assigned to her was constantly monitoring how she and her babies were doing. But during one of the regular ultrasounds, they found that Baby B wasn't growing as fast as Babies A and C. This was something they had anticipated because Baby B and C were sharing one placenta. But they still wanted to keep an eye on Baby B to make sure her development wasn't completely compromised until the pregnancy reached the doctor's target goal.
The Target Goal Was 34 Weeks
Doctor Daneshmand and his medical team were well aware that the odds of Angie carrying the babies to full-term were not high. But they determined that the odds of her triplets surviving would increase if they would just stay in the womb for at least 34 weeks. This would give the babies the extra time they needed to develop, making it less likely that they would experience life-threatening complications. But she was still not quite there yet.
Anything Could Have Happened
Angie was over 30 weeks along and had to wait patiently, but she knew that this pregnancy was unpredictable. “Anything could happen between now and my due date,” she told Sharp Healthcare. “We could have contractions that can’t control. We may do an emergency C-section. For us, we don’t count the weeks here, we count the days.” And it turns out that she was right. The due date did arrive a lot sooner than expected.
The Triplets Came Early
Angie was only 32 weeks and a day pregnant when she went into labor. That's two weeks before the medical team's desired due date. But they had tried everything to stop the contractions and nothing worked. The triplets were ready to make their debut. Gino said, “Three little stars will be born tonight.” And before being wheeled into the delivery room, Angie added, “I have some hard work ahead of me now.”
She Had to Rely On Her Training
Angie wasn't able to go to a childbirth course or lamaze class this time because she had been bed-ridden. But her previous pregnancy had given her some training of what she could expect. And one of the things she knew she had to do was nix all negativity from her mind as this could make labor more stressful and intensify the pain. But relaxing wasn't easy given that the lives of her babies were on the line. But pretty soon, they'd be out of her belly and in her arms. At least, she hoped so.
She Had a C-Section
Angie had wanted to deliver the babies naturally, but after discussing it with the medical team, she agreed to undergo a C-section. This was the best chance the triplets had at surviving and would reduce any life-threatening risks to Angie herself. So, after some last minute checking, the medical team began the surgery and all the baby girls were delivered safely. But she worried that her worst fears might be realized.
Each Girl Had a Life Support Team
Each baby girl weighed under four pounds, which wasn't a shock since they were born earlier than the 34-week goal the team had intended. So, the girls, which Angie and Gino and named Daniella, Anabella, and Camilla, were each assigned a life support team full of professionals who would do whatever was necessary to ensure that they were well cared for. This began with a full assessment of their health, but it didn't end there.
They Had To Be Stabilized
The medical team had to stabilize the triplets' vital signs and assist them with their breathing. Once those processes were out of the way, the babies were sent to the NICU, much to Angie's disappointment. It wasn't that she wasn't expecting them to go there, but she really wanted to hold her babies in her arms. This was something every mother wants shortly after giving birth to their kids, but she had to wait a while.
She Had To Wait To Hold Her Kids
After carrying the triplets in her stomach for several months and then dealing with intense labor pain and a C-section, Angie found herself experiencing separation anxiety. She wanted to wrap her arms around her daughters, but that wasn't possible just yet. It was necessary for the girls to remain in the NICU because they were still too small and very fragile. But she took some comfort in knowing that the medical teams were watching over them.
Their Lungs Hadn't Fully Formed
Daniella, Anabella and Camilla were experiencing some of the complications that most premature babies experience. Their lungs hadn't fully formed yet, which made it difficult for them to breathe on their own. In fact, their oxygen levels were at 55 percent of normal capacity. So the medical teams placed each baby on C-pap. This opened their little lungs up and allowed them to receive the oxygen they needed.
They Saw the Girls Through a Camera
Angie and Gino had been waiting to see their daughters and felt utterly helpless as their little ones fought for their lives in the NICU. But eventually, they were able to see the babies on a digital camera. And while this was not the same as holding them, it still brought lots of joyful tears to their eyes. And yet, seeing them on the camera made them long for the day they would all be reunited.
The Registered Nurse Felt Bad for Angie
Daniella, Anabella, and Camilla were being constantly monitored by the medical team. And one the of the registered nurses, Alina Harper, who looked after the triplets, said, “You know, I really empathize with the parents that have to have their babies and be separated from them.” But luckily, the health of the babies started to improve, which meant that their parents could finally see them for real.
The Nurses Formed a Bond With the Couple
Eventually, the triplets were able to breathe on their own but had to remain in the NICU. Fortunately, they had developed enough that Angie and Gino could finally see their girls face to face for the very first time. And the parents weren't the only ones looking forward to this family reunion. “I love to see the initial contact between mommy and baby,” Alina Harper, an RN, explained. “I always look for that, that moment that is just theirs that I get to be a part of.”
She Was Handed One of Her Daughters
Angie got very emotional when one of the nurses handed her one of her daughters. Then she turned to her husband and said, "It feels so right." She couldn't stop herself from crying as she felt her daughter's skin against hers. It was one of the best experiences of her life. “I was only a few hours apart from them and I already missed them,” Angie explained. “So it feels good to be reunited.”
The Girls Are All Grown Up
Although it hadn't been an easy experience, the entire family was very happy. And the best was yet to come. After several weeks in the NICU, doctors finally discharged the triplets and Angie and Gino were able to take them home. And this was what they looked like in 2011, 6 years after Angie had given birth to them, and they obviously grew up to become three healthy young girls who made fine additions to their family's proverbial nest.