Dear Pregnant Self

Multiples and More Question of the Week:
If you could go back in time (think: Marty McFly) and have a chat with your pregnant self, what would you say?

Jacob and Me at 16 weeks pregnant.

Dear Pregnant Erin (and Jacob),

Congratulations!!! You've just found out you are having THREE babies! What an absolutely amazing gift from God. You are going to have three beautiful, healthy children.

First of all, RELAX. Everything is going to be okay. With God as your guide, you will make it work. Your marriage and the bond that you share will become even stronger. Finances will work out. Your children will be healthy. You will be healthy. Your friends and family will be an amazing support system. You will be great parents. Your faith in God will be tested, but in the end, you will know for certain that He is there.

Take what people say to you and the advice they give you with a grain of salt. Most people aren't fortunate enough to experience raising triplets and don't really know what they are talking about. You know how blessed you are and you will know that what you are doing for your children is the best that you can do.

Again, I'm going to say RELAX. Not just mentally, but physically as well. This is going to be a tough pregnancy. Lay down, put your feet up, and take lots of naps. You don't' need to push yourself. Your health and the health of your babies is THE most important thing right now. You don't need to prove anything to anyone. Sure, most women are up and about and working until the day they give birth, but this is not your average pregnancy. Sit down and let people do things for you! Yes, you will need to go back to work for a few weeks in the fall because you will need the extra money, but you do not need to be on your feet all day! It will not matter whether or not you were the perfect teacher for 3 weeks, but it will matter forever if your children are born early because you pushed yourself too much.

Get everything done early. Baby showers, decorating the nursery, insurance and work matters in order, etc. You WILL end up on bed rest in the hospital and you will not be able to do these things from the hospital. But if you don't get these things done early, it will still be okay. They aren't really the things that matter most in life anyways.

Take lots of pictures of the pregnancy. I know you feel ugly and fat, but you will want to look back (and so will your children eventually) and see what pregnant Mommy looked like.

You are not in control. The sooner you realize that, the better things will be. So, CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE! Like I said before, this will be a tough pregnancy, but having a poor attitude is not going to make it any better. There will be times in the hospital that you just want the babies to be born already...at 28 weeks...at 30 weeks..at 32 weeks...Don't be selfish and keep holding on. What is a few more weeks in the hospital compared to a potential lifetime of health and developmental problems for your children? You will make it full term (for triplets): 34 weeks and your children will be amazingly healthy and not have any developmental problems. There is no greater gift you can give your children than that. Have patience. It may seem like forever, but your hospital stay is only temporary.

Lastly, when the babies are born, ask for help. There are so many people that want to help you. Just ask. But ask for specific help, otherwise people will just want to sit and visit with you and hold the babies. This will drain what little energy you have left. Ask for help with food, laundry, cleaning or take a nap while someone watches the babies. Realize that you can't do it all yourself. Again, let go of your control issues.

Remember: God is good. You and Jacob are a team. And your babies will bring you more joy than you can even fathom right now.

22 weeks pregnant