Hello, We had gbg triplets Jan. 9th, 03.I was 40 when the babies were born. I felt very good during my pregnancy. Around 23 weeks I remember I started to slow down too. My recuperation went very well. I made it to 29 weeks and 3 days. Our babies were in the NICU for 9weeks. It was stressful, but it also gave me time to recover. It's hard to believe a year has gone by so quick! I wish you a healthy pregancy and a speedy recovery! Take care, Heather

I was 40 when my triplets were born (I'm 41 now). I don't think my recouperation was any different than a younger woman's, not that I'd really know, but from reading at TC & other forums, I think I held my own against the younger generation! LOL I also have been (and still am) breastfeeding, and don't see that I had any more/less hurdles to overcome due to my age.

I will say, though, that I am positive I am a better parent than the majority of younger folks out there (not referring to anyone here at TC!!!!!). Just in general, I feel I have far more patience than younger mothers, and also more easily dissolve into unselfconscious silliness with my babies than younger mothers.

Tulip & The Three Amigos
Born at 35w5d on December 31, 2002 - Happy New Year's Eve!!!
Aimee, Let's bump heads!
Edward, Rollin' Rollin' Rollin', Got to keep on rollin'!
Hope, Bouncy! Bouncy! Bouncy! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

YES! You *can* breastfeed triplets!!!
http://www.tripletconnection.org/dcforum/forum1/14349.html

Tulip & The Three Amigos
GBG born at 35w5d on December 31, 2002 - Happy New Year's Eve!!!

YES! You *can* breastfeed triplets!!!

I am a Velveteen Rabbit, and the birth, love, kisses & magic that are my children has made me Real.

Congrats on doing so well! I was 39 when my crew was born..I spent 3 months in the hospital, though it wasn't an age prob! For me, the saying "You're not getting older, you're getting better" holds true! May you gestate to 36 weeks!

Karolina
Mom to b10/11/91 & bbb 6/14/00

Hi JenK,

It seems as if you are also talking about celebrating personal milestones when you have your triplets. I will be turning 30 in February, and am thrilled to be, a couple of months before having the babies. I had my first baby when I was 27 and I feel just as good 3 years later, and know I'll feel terrific when I am 40. I bet recuperation doesn't solely have to do with age, but more so with mental and physical health.

I'm sure that by 23 weeks I'll be slowing downg right with you!

Jami

mom to fairy-girl & spontaneous b/g/g triplets born at 36 weeks.

I was a few month shy of 40 when I delivered my trio. Once you have three children age no longer matters! My pregnancy and recovery were both uneventful. I definitely don't think age was or is a factor for me at all.

Happy gestating!!!

Lisa
Mom to Aidan, Christian, and Rachel (10.03.01 @ 36wks)

Lisa
Mom to Aidan, Christian, and Rachel (10.03.01 @ 36wks)

I was 39 when I delivered - 6 months short of 40.... and really am glad to have had them when I did. I am much calmer now, much more patient - and enjoy them so much. Plus I know these guys are "it" and take each phase in stride for the most part. Not that I didn't enjoy my other boys, but I think I have much more confindence and worry less about doing everything perfectly like I did with my older 2. Btw - this was my 1st pregnancy as my 2 older boys are adopted. My dh is 11 yrs older than I am, so we do tend to get the grandma/grampa thing from time to time - but oh well - that is just life. I know if things had been different, I guess I could certainly be someone's grandma - lol. Most days, I not only think, I KNOW I am the luckiest person in the world. Other days when I am exhausted, I am glad to have just made it through the day - lol.

As far as recooperation, I had the same surgery 3 times before, and this recoop was much easier - partly becuase I had a good outcome and not the heartbreak the others had accompanied.

The only drawback I can find, is I know I just don't have the energy I did 10 or 15 years ago - but I do my best to keep up anyway.

Jan
Mom to 5 blessings
Ricky 17, Matthew 11, Jared, Brandon & Lisa, age 5 (33.1 wks)

JW
b 20 b 14 b/b/g 8

"I am too blessed to be stressed"

Well, I was 36 (just a few weeks shy of 37) when the trips were born and I will be 41 tomorrow. I have to say that day to day life is finally getting easier. I found the years 1-3 were tougher at my 'older' age. But hey, it went fast and I am having a ball with them now.

Kim
Jackie 17 - Danny 15 - Michael 13 - Tommy 9
Isabel, Ryan, Sarah-12/13/99 32w3d

Kim
Jackie 18 - Danny 16 - Michael 15 - Tommy 10
Isabel, Ryan, Sarah-Good GOD!!! They are 6. 12-13-99/32w3d

Hi Jen,
I was 40 when I delivered my triplets. At 23 weeks I was on modified bedrest as a preventive measure. My recuperation went smoothly.

Laura
Asaf, Maya, Yael
12/4/98 33w3d

I was also 40 when my kids were born. It was a relatively uneventful pregnancy until the last several weeks, when I did develop gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. I was on modified bedrest for most of the time (from about 16 weeks) and hospitalized for the last week, when I developed pulmonary edema. I spent my 40th birthday home in bed...but my husband made up for it with a huge 41st surprise birthday bash! Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy, it will be over before you know it!

Tanya
Erica,DJ(David)and Halley
4/07/02 32 weeks, 6 days

Well I knew when I first read this post that it would be a Hot Topic and there for cause a little controversy! Even though everyone is trying their hardest to be nice and pleasant with each other! However there is always going to be some hurt feelings when one group is singled out, whatever the subject may be. But this is America and I just wanted to say thanks for all of you who voiced your opinions , Its so wonderful to live in a country where we have the right to speak freely amongst each other and know that we wont be stoned to death for it! I see that its a possiblity here at times for some to throw stones, without even picking one up!
Just my opinion though,
Kim

Kim
Wife to Brian
Mommy to BBG @ 32.5 wks)

I was 37 when I gave birth to my triplets, I felt the toll of being term size start to weigh in at about the same time as you are, 22-23 weeks. But I also was very healthy during my pregnancy, all that attention to nutrition and getting enough rest, I too, had not felt as good as I did while pregnant, in the many years before that! And the truth be told, I haven't felt that good since! Not enough time to take care of myself these days!

MTM - mom to Michael(84),Stephan(85), Thomas, Matthew and Kathryn - born 12/27/99 at 32w 0 days

Well, being a guy, I was not exactly directly impacted by being prego to our three boys. But impacted nevertheless...sort of along the lines of the impact of a smallish comet!

This year the Boys turn seven, and I leave the 40's and hit the half-century mark. I spent my 30th and 40th birthdays alone on top of peaks in the wilderness I use to work in. So perhaps on my 50th, me and the Boys will backpack down to the river I use to count fish in (it comes out of the same wilderness)...show the boys some big fish (Steelhead), camp along a river that is a part of their dad's history, and give them a good intro to backpacking (just a mile hike down to the river). And then on my 60th, I'll let them come along on a hike into the wilderness to a magical waterfall and to the source of the river...they'll be big 17 year olds...they can carry most of the gear and food! Make them earn the priviledge!

My parents climbed to the top of Mt Whitney (14+ thousand feet) in their 60's, so I have a good example to follow.

I got some traveling in during my 20's and 30's...hitchiking thru the SW and the NW, travels thru New Zealand, Australia and Costa Rica. I could take advantage of opportunities not readily availible to those with kids...live a lifestyle that is not easy to do with children (a semi-starving artist with a seasonal day-job as a wilderness ranger). Being an older father folds easily into my life. Many changes of course, but being almost 50, change is good...who wants to be bored?! Its tough to fit in the time to make my art, but I'm working on it.

Triplets can be a bit hard on the relationship between dw and dh. I'm glad we had 10 years of marriage to draw from when the diapers hit the fan and sleep became a goal instead of a natural occurence. Being new parents kept throwing surprises at us, but at least we were pretty well grounded in our relationship -- not that there has not been some rough times even so.

At the same time, the idea of retireing in one's early 50's, with the kids all out of the house and out of college, and being in good health, doesn't sound like a bad plan either.

Vaughn and the ABC Boys

Vaughn and the ABC Boys
Alex, Bryce, & Calder
The 14 year olds!

It appears that this was quite a hot topic... that being said, just wanted to let you know that I was 40 (almost 41) when I delivered my trio! Although most of my friends and all of my sibs (including younger ones) had already established their families, I was ELATED! Finally me! Anyway, I made it to 30 wks - no real complications - I had to do the "house arrest" thing at about 19 wks - stopped working but still ran around and did lots of stuff (including carrying loads of laundry up and down three flights of stairs) - I had to go on official bed rest twice for one week at a time... Recuperation went really well for me - I had some swelling in the feet and was tired but generally felt great by New Years (oh yeah, I delivered 12/19/01)--- My trio were in the NICU for 45 (Jordan)and 50 (Christina and Tony)days - they are healthy (even my little 1 pounder Christina is "ahead" in all areas of development according to her latest developmental eval.)!! What a fighter she is!!
Soooo - I guess my point is that I think the way you feel and your recovery might have less to do with age than state of mind and history - good luck to you! I hope I answered your questions

Proud 42 year-old mom to:
Jordan - 2 yo - favorite saying: "STOP IT"
Christina - 2 yo - favorite saying: "kiss you" (ahh does
it get any sweeter than that?)
Anthony - 2 yo - faviorite saying, "Move"

Eve Graziani

WOW!!! This was really one WILD topic!

Cannot help but notice that there were only a very small handful of us who have actually done it both ways!! And, it appears that I am the "grande dame" of all of you -- although I really had never planned to reveal this.

I had my daughter when I was 16 years old. My baby sister was born one year later and the two of them were raised more like "siblings" than Aunt and Niece (go figure??). Sometimes it was like I was raising two, mostly like I was raising one, and sometimes like we were all siblings.

I did a lot of sewing and cooking and reading and playing with my daughter back in those days. I also spent a lot of time talking with her -- conversationally, as opposed to some of the closed-ended conversations that can happen between parents and children. Also, we exchanged a lot of information and ideas, played games with thinking and topical subjects (even math and reading and science), and I expected my daughter to be obedient, successful, hard-working. I find that a lot of people today do not seem as intent on expectations for their children as we did more than twenty years ago, and I notice some very real differences in how children are being raised today as opposed to back then.

One of the biggest differences that I see is that parents today have gotten tied into some very hectic lifestyles -- complicated by the increase in technology and the demands for IMMEDIATE responsiveness that have been put on us through use of computers, fax machines, cell phones. There is substantially less time for people to reflect on things; think things out in a leisurely fashion, and exchange ideas. I find that fewer people are truly interested in looking at details.

In fact, one thing that I sometimes find disconcerting in both my daughter and my baby sister (ages 29 and 28, respectively) is that they do not listen carefully to individual words and/or choose their words as carefully as they might, and will leap to an immediate conclusion about something when I have heard something completely different being said. I think that the demand for immediate response is weakening our language skills and causing us to blend the meanings of words that have, for many years, been quite distinct.

One thing that I do see in watching parents with children today (and, no thank you, I'm not speaking about peoples' ages, thank you), is that the parents are so frequently over-tired and exhausted from their work and commuting and trying to hold the pieces together, that they fail to "require" that their own expectations in children be met, resulting in giving children a great deal of monetary attention and allowing children to become quite demanding instead of giving children the time and inter-change that resulted in expectational requirements. As someone with training in psychology, I watch interactions, and it is sometimes very interesting to watch familial interactions between parents and children.

Another thing that I have noticed is that there have probably been four enormous transitional shifts in world views since I was a tiny child in the late 1950's. Without advocating that any given world view was and/or is superior, it is clear that they are distinctly different and each bears its own flaws and bright spots. The reason I mention these world views is that we cannot pretend that in-depth exposure to these world views, as well as experiencing the changes concommitant in the shifts of the world views, has not somehow changed the way that we perceive people, events, occasions, and the long-term impact of different behaviors and approaches.

I am now 30 weeks and 5 days pregnant with my triplets. They will likely be born sometime in the next 3 to 6 weeks. I will turn 47 years old in mid-April. I've taken insulin during the pregnancy, and was fat as I started the pregnancy. Other than that, I was quite healthy.

However, during my pregnancy I have also had the energy to spearhead a 3500 mile cross-country move; leave a corporate law position; sell a 6,000 square foot home; purchase a home in California; open my own law firm; and am, this afternoon, in my office working. I continue to work between 3 and 5 hours per day this late in my pregnancy, although I will admit that the acid reflux; nausea; occasional cramping; distended uterus; etc.; have resulted in my traipsing back and forth to the hospital, and spending lots more time in bed than I would have imagined; still, not more or differently than my younger sisters on this board. Let's face it: I'm a tough old broad who is ecstatically happy to be having these babies that have been so thoroughly desired for so long. And, I've wound up losing weight during this pregnancy; am planning on giving my three remaining embryos an opportunity to grow into babies, too; and, look at least 10 years younger than my age.

Who is the better mother? Me, then?? Me, now?? Well, I went roller-skating with my daughter and baby sister -- and I doubt that I'll do that since I've broken my tail-bone at 26 years old, and my back at about 32. I left my daughter with sitters a lot more as I was trying to "find Mr. Right" and I doubt that I'll do that since I'm very content with me and my church and my friends and my family. I know that I will not allow any men to stay overnight at my home unless they are there with their wives and/or married to me. I will continue to require obedience, although I suspect that I'll be a bit more judicious in my extraction of it, since I've learned to choose my battles a bit more carefully.

I know that I feel incredibly blessed to have these babies coming to me, and that my perspectives are entirely different. And, lest I feel super-annuated and pushed aside (something that I also note that society attempts to do to people as they age), I think that it is only fair to alert people to the fact that it is possible to get older AND better rather than simply old and obsolete. We learn so many things and begin to find compassion. We also learn that life experiences have profound impacts -- so, extreme events in our lives can also take us to different levels (e.g., cancer; serious losses; etc.)

Sooooooooo... Jury's still out. We'll see how quickly and easily I heal from my c-section. We'll see how I perceive the differences in my mothering skills between then and now.

In the meantime, I can tell you why everyone got so heated about this topic...

To the extent that anyone claimed to be better as younger or older,

AND (very, very important here) to the extent that anyone else failed to read the limiting words on any of those types of claims, (e.g., the "present company excepted" and "generally" and other precatory language),

we are all at precisely the age we are, without regard to when our children were born, and we're all trying to do our very best.

So, if we do not give heed to the limiting verbiage, it leaves us wide open to become very offended. And, if we make claims that fail to include the limiting verbiage, we are unintentionally going to offend a lot of people, too.

Ladies, my best friend in the whole world died on March 1, 2002. She was 90 years old. She grew up a flapper, and shared so much wisdom and history and charm and grace with me. Our souls are forever tied together, and she promised that she was saving me a place in heaven, right next to her.

All of us at TC are bound together through a commonality that exceeds age. We are a very select group that has experienced what it is to have triplets. I love all of you, so much. You have been such a blessing to me, and I have learned so much from all of you. You have been friends to me as I have gone through this exciting pregnancy in a new homeland, without any of my long-term buddies around. Hang in there, and give each other the benefit of any doubts.


Cat w/3 kittens
b/g/g edd 3/12/04
30 weeks, 5 days

Cat w/3 Kittens
Caidan, Carina and Caeleigh
Born at 31 weeks, 1/8/04.

JenK,

Hope you have a wonderful 40th birthday! My bday (36) is also in January. I had my gggs when I was 33, and I took lots of breaks and naps throughout my pregnancy. It sounds like you're doing great!

Gloria

Mom to five girls: ages 12, 10, and 9/9/9

Well, i think i am one of the younger moms here on TC. I had my first son at 17. I have really been doing a lot of thinking regarding Tulip's post. At first i thought to myself, "Hey, that's not true!!" Then i put my guard down some. I know what she means... i know lots of younger women (heck some of my friends) who also had their kids young and they act like their kids are a pain in the neck and really don't have much patience at all w/ them and when the weekend rolls around they hit the clubs. My dh and i just aren't like that. I was thrilled when i found out i was have triplets (yeah, no more fertility treatments) however, i cannot imagine any of my friends dealing w/ triplets. Some people just aren't capable of handling the stress and the responsibility no matter what age they are. It seems like when i'm out shopping usually the ones screaming and yelling at their kids are the younger women.

I lost many friends after i had the triplets, i think mostly b/c my friends are selfish and don't have the patience for them. All i know is that my kids are my life. I've always wanted to be a young parent, i think mostly b/c i want to be around and still be young enough to really enjoy my grandchildren the way my mom and dad and in-laws enjoy theirs. I'm not trying to offend any of the older parents, it's just my opinion. I feel as though i'm just rambling so i'm gonna quite now .

Beth
Dylan-8
Tommy,Karli,Abby- 10/14/02 32w 2d

Beth
Dylan-12
Tommy,Karli,Abby- 5yrs. 32w 2d

Happy upcoming 40th birthday !!
Good luck for a healthy mom and babies
Lorraine

Lorraine

Reach for the heart of God and not just His hands.
Organ donation saves lives!
Life happens when love is given.


http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bradenwild

jen- looks like you hit the jackpot on this one. there obviousoly are lots of us out here. i had my triplets on my 41st birthday. happy birthday. missed cake that year and figure i never have to have another birthday because i gave it away to the trips. yes more rest- but at our advanced age we know how to say no and understand taht we don't have to be super-female and run marathons until we go into labor. enjoy. terri

terri
mom to ian,wes,amelia (09/02)
leslie 12 years
micaela 9 years

hi jen- i glanced through the posts to your original message after i wrote my first reply and though i would add that i have my babies at 36 weeks and they were take home triplets. just so you know it is possible. good luck. terri

terri
mom to ian,wes,amelia (09/02)
leslie 12 years
micaela 9 years

I know this is a late response but.... I will be 46 this year and my trio was born 13 days after my 44th birthday. I have a 25 year old son and I know that I am alot more patient with these children than I was at 20 years old.

Happy Birthday.

I will be 40 this summer so I'm right behind ya.

Being a mom this time around with my 4 little ones has been a much more positive experience than with my two older children and I can say for CERTAIN that I (ME, the person writing this post, not anyone else) am a MUCH better parent this time, for so many reasons. Better marriage, better financial position, more mature, more patience, less selfish, less myopic view of the world (wow, turns out it doesn't revolve around moi), less distrations, just to mention a few.

I feel better than I have in years, I spent 7 weeks on hospital bedrest, had healthy babies and a quick painless recovery, lost much more weight than I gained, had a hysterectomy and a tummy tuck this summer. I feel much healthier, happier and content than I ever have before and I enjoy my children so much and feel that I have so much to give them. I'm looking forward to turning 40 and enjoying it. The only rain on my parade is that my husband is gone (Iraq/Kuwait) with the Army for 18 months and I miss him like crazy.

You are only as old as you feel!

AnneLena - SAHM
^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^
Christian 17
Savannah 12
Jacob 3
and surviving sextuplets born at 32.2 wks Dec 02:
Noah 4# 4oz
Dylan 4# 3oz
Amalie 4# 2oz
^angel d^
^angel e^
^angel f^
^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^

AnneLena - SAHM
·.¸><((((º>.·´¯'..¸.·´¯'..¸><((((º>.·´¯'..¸.·´¯'..¸><((((º>.·´
Christian 19
Savannah 13
Jacob 4 1/2
and surviving sextuplets born at 32.2 wks Dec 02:
Noah 4# 4oz
Dylan 4# 3oz
Amalie 4# 2oz
Sweet Angels ^d^ ^e^ ^f^ We'll love you f

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