“‘How would you feel about the five of us moving back home with you and Dad?’”
I never thought i had say those words. But two months before our triplets were born, we were living in a small two-bedroom beach condo. It was not just tight it was also getting hard to afford. We needed help, and we needed space.
I can still recall the moment when I asked my parents if we could live with them.
It was a lot to ask bringing home a pregnant daughter, her husband, and soon, three little ones.
But my parents did not hesitate. My dad said, “This is my chance to be there for my grandkids, the way I could not always be for you.” I broke down crying. I knew it meant a lot to him and to all of us.
So, we moved in. I was very pregnant, and just two days after moving, I started having contractions. The doctors put me on strict bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy. For two months, my mom cared for me completely cooking, driving me to appointments, even helping me shower. She put her life on hold to care for me, and now as a mom myself, I understand how big that was.
At 34 weeks and one day, I gave birth to three healthy babies. They each weighed about 5 pounds and spent two weeks in the NICU. We were thrilled to bring them home but nothing could have prepared us for what came next. Sleepless nights, nonstop feedings, and three babies who all had severe reflux (HERD). It was exhausting and triggered my postpartum depression and anxiety.
After every feeding, each baby had to be held upright for half an hour.
My parents helped with night shifts. My mom and husband fed at midnight, and I did the 3 a.m. shift with my dad. He was actually sad when the babies dropped that feeding because he loved the quiet bonding time.
Now, we have been living with my parents for three and a half years. It has not always been easy. We have had to be open and honest, setting boundaries and having tough conversations about parenting, discipline, finances, and space.
Thankfully, my mom and I share similar parenting styles, which helps a lot. Ry and I also pay rent each month to help with bills. Things cost a lot these days, and we are all just trying to help each other wherever we can.
Living with my parents was not what I expected but their love and help have been everything. I truly do not know what we would have done without them.
