A real-life perspective on high-risk triplet pregnancy, expectations vs reality, and navigating it all as a triplet mom
“How are you enjoying being pregnant with triplets?” a friend asked me one day.
“I’m not,” I laughed. “My back is killing me, and I’m basically living on bagels, cream cheese, and soup.”
A woman nearby overheard and turned to me, smiling.
“Good for you for being honest. I didn’t enjoy being pregnant either.”
And that moment stuck with me.
Because the truth is… we don’t talk about this enough.
The Expectation vs. Reality of Pregnancy
We’re often sold this version of pregnancy that feels calm, glowing, and beautiful.
But for many of us, especially being pregnant with triplets, that couldn’t be further from reality.
Mentally, I was constantly worried:
- What could go wrong
- Were the babies okay
- How were we going to manage life with three newborns
Physically, my body felt like it was in overdrive from the very beginning.
Don’t get me wrong, pregnancy is incredible. But the way I thought I would feel… and how I actually felt?
Completely different.
Coming to Terms with the News
Finding out we were pregnant with triplets was pure shock.
It took:
- 3 days to even believe it
- 2 full weeks to stop spiraling every time I thought about it
And we kept it to ourselves at first.
Which made it even harder.
I was sitting with questions like:
- How are we going to afford three babies?
- Where are we going to put them?
- Do we even have the right car for this?
It was overwhelming… and honestly, very isolating.
The Stress of Sharing the News
We eventually told our immediate family at 10 weeks that we were pregnant with triplets and asked them to keep it quiet.
At 12 weeks, we shared the pregnancy publicly.
At 17 weeks, we revealed it was triplets.
(Per our doctors’ advice, we waited due to early complications.)
Our baby shower was planned for 23 weeks, which, in hindsight, was perfect.
Because exactly one month later… I was admitted to the hospital.
When Advice Doesn’t Match Reality
One of the hardest parts?
Well-meaning advice that just didn’t apply.
“You’ll feel better in the second trimester.”
“You’ll get that second wind.”
But the reality was… it was hard to relate to almost anyone around me.
No one in my day-to-day life had been pregnant with triplets. No one could truly say, “I’ve been there.” Instead, I was being given statistics by doctors and general pregnancy advice from others. While it all came from a good place, it made the experience feel even more isolating.
Everything about the future felt like one big question mark.
And maternity clothes?
Let’s just say I ended up in my husband’s sweatpants much sooner than expected.
The most helpful advice I found wasn’t from general parenting advice…
It was from other moms who had been pregnant with triplets, those who had been there before or were going through a similar journey, through blogs and social media.
A Pregnancy on Fast Forward
Triplet pregnancy moves quickly.
While my due date was March 18th, my doctors prepared us for a January or February delivery.
We delivered at 30 weeks and 5 days.
Everything felt rushed, because it was.
We were:
- Constantly at doctor’s appointments
- Trying to prepare the house
- Relying heavily on family for help
And still doing last-minute prep right up until my hospital admission.
The Third Trimester That Wasn’t
I was admitted to the hospital at 27 weeks.
Delivered at 30 weeks.
That means I essentially missed a full 10 weeks of pregnancy.
No nesting phase.
No slowing down.
No real “final stretch.”
Just… survival mode.
Constant Monitoring & Appointments
Because of:
- My age
- IVF pregnancy
- Carrying triplets
I was considered high-risk from the start.
By 17 weeks, we had:
- Weekly appointments
- Frequent ultrasounds
- Constant monitoring
The one upside?
We have a lot of ultrasound photos.
The Reality of Hospital Admission
At one point, my doctor told me, “75% of triplet pregnancies result in hospital admission.”
I assumed that meant monitoring… then going home. It didn’t. It meant staying there until delivery.
I remember sitting in a social worker’s office after that appointment, sobbing. We planned for my hospital admission at 27 weeks. I checked in on December 20th… and spent:
- Christmas in the hospital
- New Year’s in the hospital
To make it even harder, my husband got COVID six days in, and couldn’t visit for 10 days.
That was the most isolating part of the entire experience of being pregnant with triplets.
But in the middle of that, I found unexpected comfort in the nurses and support staff. They checked in on me constantly, not just medically, but emotionally, and over time started to feel more like familiar faces and friends than just caregivers.
“Rest While You Can” (Not Realistic)
People love to say: “Rest now, you won’t later!”
But here’s the truth:
Rest didn’t exist.
Before the hospital:
- I was up constantly during the night
- and uncomfortable during the day
In the hospital:
- 6 AM wake-ups from doctors
- 3 daily non-stress tests
- Multiple ultrasounds per week
- Bloodwork, monitoring, injections
- I was not allowed to be on bed rest due to the risk of blood clots, so I was encouraged to walk often, up and down the hospital halls
It was nonstop.
What I Wish I Knew (And What I Want You to Know)
Despite everything…
I would do it all over again for the outcome we have three beautiful babies, home with us.
But if you’re pregnant with triplets, here’s my honest advice:
Expect the Unexpected
Triplet pregnancy is not a “typical” pregnancy.
Things move faster.
Feel more intense.
And often don’t go according to plan.
Find Your People
The best support I found came from:
- Other triplet moms
- Moms of multiples
- Real-life stories (just like this one)
Because they get it.
Final Thoughts
If you’re in this season right now, feeling overwhelmed or unsure…
You are not alone.
This journey of being pregnant with triplets can feel isolating, but there is a whole community of moms who have been where you are and are willing to support you.
And while it may not look like the picture-perfect version you imagined…
It is real.
It is valid.
And you are stronger than you think.
