The SUPER Series: Triplet Premies' Mama NAUF AL MOAWAD
In honor of World Prematurity Day, I’ve interviewed one of the most inspiring mamas around, Nauf Al Moawad. Nauf is mama to an incredibly smart four-year-old, and not one but THREE premature babies. Since the news that her IVF treatment was not only successful but triply fruitful, Nauf started the account Triplets of Kuwait to document her unique journey. Here are some questions I was dying to ask, and the answers that Nauf generously shared:
Liane: What was your childhood like?
Nauf: Despite my parents getting divorced when I was five, it was filled with love. I was raised by my mother and maternal grandfather, who was my biggest hero. He was the most interesting, most intellectual, most loving person I’ve ever known. My childhood consisted of Liane and I spending endless weekends in The Kuwait Bookshop - my grandfather’s bookshop - devouring shelf after shelf, drowning in books, in knowledge... there are no words to describe the feel of the place, and the smell of fresh magazines being stacked!
Liane: Mmm, divine! Did you want to be a mother when you were a little girl?
Nauf : Always. I always wanted the fairytale ending. The Prince Charming on a white horse. Two children: a boy and a girl. I always knew I wanted a family.
Liane: How did you decide to have your first child?
Nauf: We felt we were in a solid place in our marriage. We spent the first year travelling, ticking things off our bucket list... until we realised there was nothing more we wanted than to be parents. When nothing was happening, we had to see an RE. I was told I had PCOS, which meant my cycles were inovulatory. I was absolutely devastated and felt like I had let us both down. Thankfully, we were able to conceive Dina with the help of Clomid (to help me ovulate).
Liane: What do you think she came here to teach you?
Nauf: Patience. Unconditional love. Selflessness. I will openly and honestly admit that before becoming a mother, I was a selfish person. I put myself, my wants and needs and my own happiness above everyone else’s. I came first.
Then, I peed on that stick and my world changed.
I was suddenly responsible for another life. Another person’s needs and wants - and guess what?! They actually become more important than my own! She showed me a love I didn’t believe existed. It wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies though. It didn’t happen immediately. I cried when she was born and felt like I wanted to protect her from everything and everyone - myself included. But that bond? That selfless, indescribable love? That took time and work.
Liane: What were the most valuable resources to you as a first-time mother?
Nauf: Mother and baby classes. YouTube videos on how to relieve colic. My baby carrier. No, I didn’t spoil my baby by wearing her round the clock - I gave her love, confidence and security (and gave us both sleep!!!!!). I guess I just picked up on her cues and we both learned as we went along.
Liane: How did you decide to become a mother for the second time?
Nauf: Again, Dina. She had so much love to give. The way she’d “mother” her dolls. I was never into dolls as a child, so this was new territory for me. But she had SO much love to share. I reflected on my own relationship with my brother and how integral he was/is to my childhood and my life. I wanted to give her that.
Liane: Aw! Tell us about the IVF experience.
Nauf: I’m a very impatient person (I know, I know. I’m working on it!) I got told by a new fertility specialist that time was ticking (gasp the big 30!) He didn’t recommend I wait/try with Clomid again and that I should just go straight into IVF. I agreed, because he’s the professional right?! He then said we “might as well” transfer 3 embryos since we’re doing it anyway. He said hopefully one will take.
Nauf and Dina during Nauf’s first trimester. Images generously shared by Nauf.
Everything was relatively smooth until a week post embryo transfer. I suddenly started blowing up - literally. I gained 22 kilos in fluid over 72 hours. I couldn’t breathe. I was in so much pain I was actually begging to be sedated. At first, I was told it was “normal”. That it was just my ovaries overreacting to the IVF drugs. Just regular Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). Then my kidneys started shutting down and my left lung collapsed due to the fluid. I got transferred to Sabah Maternity Hospital. They were absolutely AMAZING and saved my life. I was in the ICU for about a week. I had pigtail catheters surgically put into my abdomen to drain all that fluid and spent the entire first trimester of my pregnancy in hospital.
Liane: How did you feel when you learned that you were pregnant with triplets?
Nauf: I was absolutely gobsmacked! I was worried my husband would faint! 3 babies? How? What are we going to do? What about my job? Will we manage? How am I going to do this?! We were then told that if we choose to have a reduction, the doctor would be completely supportive of that decision. (However, reductions i.e. partial abortions are not legal in Kuwait). He explained all the risks associated with a triplet pregnancy: gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm labour, etc etc.
Three heartbeats! Images generously shared by Nauf.