Francesca dreamed of having twins for her entire life, so when she learned she was pregnant with triplets, she was overjoyed. But along with the excitement came the risks: Her doctor informed her that her pregnancy was high-risk and the triplets would most likely be born premature and would require a stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
“My obstetrician, Dr. Sarp Aksel, was very clear about the chances of an early delivery and that I would be restricted in terms of my movements and possibly be hospitalized,” she said. “The plan was for me to have a scheduled C-section right before Thanksgiving when I was around 34 weeks.”
Francesca, a self-described eternal optimist, wasn’t deterred by the news. “I’m always looking on the bright side of things,” she said. “No matter what happens, I knew the babies were going to be OK.”
“My obstetrician, Dr. Sarp Aksel, was very clear about the chances of an early delivery and that I would be restricted in terms of my movements and possibly be hospitalized,” she said. “The plan was for me to have a scheduled C-section right before Thanksgiving when I was around 34 weeks.”
Francesca, a self-described eternal optimist, wasn’t deterred by the news. “I’m always looking on the bright side of things,” she said. “No matter what happens, I knew the babies were going to be OK.”
IT'S GO TIME
On a Tuesday afternoon, while working from home in her favorite maternity gym clothes, she wasn’t concerned when her water broke. “It felt like I had peed myself, but I had three babies in me, so a lot was happening as a result of that,” Francesca, who had coasted through her first trimester without nausea, fatigue, or dreaded pregnancy acne, recounted.
When her husband came home a few hours later, he insisted – and even dialed – her doctor, who then advised Francesca, who had just hit 27 weeks, to go to labor and delivery at Stamford Hospital.
After arriving at Stamford Hospital, they found out that Baby A’s water had broken so the nurses began a nonstress test (NST) to monitor all of the babies’ movements. “The nurses were saintly, because they had to adjust the sensors constantly because the triplets would move so much,” she remembered.
Francesca eventually settled into her maternity suite in the Whittingham Pavilion, which was “just beautiful,” where she remained on bedrest for 10 days. In between ultrasounds and more NSTs, Francesca kept working.
“That kept me sane,” she said.
On a Tuesday afternoon, while working from home in her favorite maternity gym clothes, she wasn’t concerned when her water broke. “It felt like I had peed myself, but I had three babies in me, so a lot was happening as a result of that,” Francesca, who had coasted through her first trimester without nausea, fatigue, or dreaded pregnancy acne, recounted.
When her husband came home a few hours later, he insisted – and even dialed – her doctor, who then advised Francesca, who had just hit 27 weeks, to go to labor and delivery at Stamford Hospital.
After arriving at Stamford Hospital, they found out that Baby A’s water had broken so the nurses began a nonstress test (NST) to monitor all of the babies’ movements. “The nurses were saintly, because they had to adjust the sensors constantly because the triplets would move so much,” she remembered.
Francesca eventually settled into her maternity suite in the Whittingham Pavilion, which was “just beautiful,” where she remained on bedrest for 10 days. In between ultrasounds and more NSTs, Francesca kept working.
“That kept me sane,” she said.
When the babies were just over 28 weeks, the doctors and nurses determined Francesca was in active labor, and it was time to deliver. “I wasn’t worried about the babies; I knew they would be fine. If anything, I was more worried about a C-section,” she said.
Francesca’s oldest, whose water was the first to break, weighed 2 pounds, 13 ounces; the middle triplet weighed 2 pounds, 15 ounces; and the youngest triplet was 2 pounds, 5 ounces. After their birth, they were whisked to The Cohen NICU, a level III facility, and into their own spacious room stocked with isolettes and equipment for each baby.
While Francesca recovered in the hospital and her oldest and youngest settled into the NICU, the middle triplet, now two days old, was having trouble breathing on his own and needed to be transferred to a level IV NICU nearby.
Francesca’s oldest, whose water was the first to break, weighed 2 pounds, 13 ounces; the middle triplet weighed 2 pounds, 15 ounces; and the youngest triplet was 2 pounds, 5 ounces. After their birth, they were whisked to The Cohen NICU, a level III facility, and into their own spacious room stocked with isolettes and equipment for each baby.
While Francesca recovered in the hospital and her oldest and youngest settled into the NICU, the middle triplet, now two days old, was having trouble breathing on his own and needed to be transferred to a level IV NICU nearby.
As soon as Francesca was discharged a few days later, she began her new routine of starting the day at Stamford Hospital for care time, then travelling with her husband to see their middle child before heading back to Stamford for evening care time. “It was a whole day affair during the time he was apart from the other two,” she said.
A week later, though, all three triplets were back together in their room until each was ready to come home. Their middle child was discharged first on the day before Thanksgiving, and their oldest, the day after Thanksgiving – both spent less than eight weeks in the NICU.
Their youngest stayed until December 9 so that his lungs could fully develop. “We were appreciative of that little break because we got to adjust from zero to one baby, which was harder for us than going from one to two and then two to three babies,” Francesca said.
A week later, though, all three triplets were back together in their room until each was ready to come home. Their middle child was discharged first on the day before Thanksgiving, and their oldest, the day after Thanksgiving – both spent less than eight weeks in the NICU.
Their youngest stayed until December 9 so that his lungs could fully develop. “We were appreciative of that little break because we got to adjust from zero to one baby, which was harder for us than going from one to two and then two to three babies,” Francesca said.
LIFE AFTER THE NICU
Now, with three infants at home, Francesca looks back on her journey in the NICU with fondness. “It wasn’t a negative experience for us at all,” she says. “We made so many great friends with our NICU nurses and still keep in touch with them. We felt like all the doctors and nurses went above and beyond for us from preparing for the arrival of the triplets to caring for them and for us during our time there.”
She also credits the support she received through Tiny Miracles Foundation, which provides support and resources to families of NICU babies and has a partnership with Stamford Hospital.
While she says there are no plans for any more children, she hopes that future moms and parents of NICU babies feel comforted by her experience. “I had a unique advantage because we expected that the triplets would be in the NICU. But even if you don’t have that, it’s important to give yourself grace.”
She also credits the support she received through Tiny Miracles Foundation, which provides support and resources to families of NICU babies and has a partnership with Stamford Hospital.
While she says there are no plans for any more children, she hopes that future moms and parents of NICU babies feel comforted by her experience. “I had a unique advantage because we expected that the triplets would be in the NICU. But even if you don’t have that, it’s important to give yourself grace.”
“It’s important to have something to distract you other than the NICU,” she said. “One of the nurses encouraged me to not be there all day, and I really took that to heart. I needed to work, because it gave me something else to focus on other than the rollercoaster of the NICU.”
Francesca also found comfort in the expertise and kindness of the doctors and nurses who cared for the triplets. “We had such a good time getting to know everyone, and they really helped us keep our spirits up so much,” she says.
Francesca also found comfort in the expertise and kindness of the doctors and nurses who cared for the triplets. “We had such a good time getting to know everyone, and they really helped us keep our spirits up so much,” she says.