Frequently Asked Questions for the expectant mother of Triplets
By now if you have found out you are having triplets, you are no doubt finding yourself asking numerous questions. Well this is not unusual and if anything it is to be expected. Having triplets is a very rare thing to happen and the truth is that there will always be unanswered questions about the experience.
We have compiled for you a list of frequently asked questions below:
So I’m Pregnant with triplets, man this is rare! What are the odds of that?!
You would actually be surprised to know that over the last two decades the rate of multiple births such as triplets and twins has actually increased! Scientists have put this down to all sorts of different reasons such as the hormones in our food and the advancement in medical fertility services but the answer may never be known! For triplets, it appears as though the actual statistic is that there is a 1 in 1000 chance that you can have triplets. So that’s a pretty small odds in having them, but still a high one as well!
How on earth does the doctor know that I’m having triplets?! They sure are smart!
Generally you will find that a doctor can see and detect a multiple birth pregnancy around the 6 week mark and they will usually see this on your ultrasound. It’s pretty easy to make out a few different babies in an ultrasound so if you see a few different shapes and baby like things on your ultrasound picture then the chances of you having triplets may have just increased! Doctors may also be able to detect a multiple birth earlier due to your blood pressure tests, although this may only be a brief detection and doesn’t always confirm that you are having multiple babies.
I’ve heard that I will have my babies earlier because they are triplets? Is this true?
Yes, you will find that the majority of all mothers who have triplets will have their babies earlier than 9 months. In fact an astonishing 96% of triplet births and premature. This comes down to the fact that you are in effect having 3 pregnancies at once so your time will decrease for every baby you have. This doesn’t mean it’s any easier. Far from it. You will find that when your babies are born they will probably have to spend the first few weeks of their life in the NICU so that they can still be fully raised and grown properly as they would in your tummy. The average amount of weeks for a triplet birth is actually 33.1 weeks, but just so you know that if you were having sextuplets you would only be pregnant for an average of 29.1 weeks! Amazing!
I’ve heard that there is a high chance of my baby being born still born because of it being part of a triplet group? Is this true?
There is a chance that any pregnancy can result in the birth of a stillborn so you should remember that always. There is a slightly increased risk this could happen due to you having triplets but you should not let this worry you as the rate of deaths amongst triplets has decreased over the last two decades. The deaths generally come down to the fact that the babies are born premature and this can cause all sorts of issues if they aren’t treated properly and quickly enough upon their birth. Trust your doctors to take control of your birth and allow them to keep you informed as to what is happening over the time you have your babies.
I was worried about getting fat when I was pregnant; does this mean I will be three times as fat for triplets?!
You will put on more weight than you would if you were just giving birth to one baby, that is a fact, but you won’t be three times as big! The major difference you will notice is that you will no doubt have an increase in weight a lot earlier on in your pregnancy than you might have if you were simply giving birth to one child, so you should remember that first. Mothers of triplets can on average put on significant amounts of weight as early as the first 20 weeks of their pregnancy. But it usually comes down to the size of you before your pregnancy as well as other factors as to how big you will in the end.
I want to have a natural birth, but don’t all triplet births need to be done by a c-section?
The vast majority of all triplet births are done by c-section yes. In fact only 3.6% of births each year on average when it comes to triplets are done naturally. This is to ensure that each child is properly delivered safely and that there are no complications involved when it comes to the time of their arrival. You would much rather your child be born safely than naturally right?