Triplet pregnancies can be absolutely terrifying. You feel so out of control. There are three little lives growing in your belly and you are told by all your doctors and OBs all the risks and all the dangers, you begin to feel like you are made of glass. Please no TTTS, please no preterm labour, please let my babies survive and be healthy. Each day was frightening, and each day was a milestone.
It was at the very beginning I was told that I only had a 30% chance of any ONE baby surviving and I’d be lucky to make it to 24 wks, and if I did, they’d monitor me till my body packed it in and then they’d (their words)” cut them out of me.” No idea what that old midwife wished to accomplish by saying that, but it simply terrified me!
I went home and started researching. All I found was c-section YouTube videos. I searched for weeks, and cried each day. I was horrified at how early they’d come and the medical procedures and intervention they faced in their first moments on earth. So I just kept looking. I knew I needed to let my babies cook as long as they could, and birth my babies as naturally as I could, so they had the best possible start to life. I wanted to give them the same beginning as I’d given my three boys. So I Googled, and joined forums, and asked questions to everyone I could find with a hand full of answers.
I joined a group for triplets, one that was Australia based, it was there that I found a few vaginally birthing triplet mums and I found another pregnant mum who was as committed as me. We found that any posting about our desires to birth vaginally was faced with terrible negativity. So we started a Facebook group Birthing Multiples Naturally. In that group we found like-minded people and shared information freely. I was on my path to meet my girls.
At every OB appointment I was bullied and told what I WILL be doing with my body. I WILL have a c-section, I WILL have it when they say. But I had armed myself with knowledge – for every bit of information they gave me to support their wanting to take my babies out early by c-section, I researched and found evidence contradicting them. I gathered all the information to make an informed and educated decision and stuck with it.
At every appointment I maintained that I would go to 36 wks or as long as the babies needed, I would have three heads down and I WOULD have a vaginal birth. and at each appointment I was scoffed. Even my sonographer would smirk and say “I’d be impressed if you made 30 wks”.
At 30 wks my three girls decided they’d all prefer breech, putting a smile on my OB’s faces as they smugly said…” well, you’ll be having a c-section now?” In answer, “no, I’ll go and have acupuncture and use positions to turn my babies”. You can imagine their responses. LOL.
Well I did. Chinese acupuncture and using “spinning babies” techniques and I found myself in hospital with two heads trying to both get into my pelvis. It was then they decided to keep me in hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy.
The bullying began. Strong, nasty, consistent bullying. Tag-teaming OB’s, doctors, nurses. They even had OB’s from their sister hospital come over to talk down to me. But I knew what was right for my babies. Id birthed three big babies before; I knew I could birth three tiny little triplets.
I kept researching, taking vitamins and minerals, magnesium for prevention if preterm labour, and doing my positions on the hospital bed. I missed my boys like crazy, but I was determined to keep this pregnancy going. Week after week I designed my birth plan, and week after week I terrified my OB’s. I built a strong relationship with wonderful midwives. I was looked after and treated with dignity by these amazing women who never doubted me. They helped me day to day with my teary days and my discomfort, they made a belly cast of my enormous belly, and helped me with my birth plan.
At 34 1/2 weeks I felt three sets of feet in my ribs! They did an ultrasound to check, and yes!!! Three heads down!!!!!! I wrote my birth plan out on a big piece of cardboard and pinned it to my wall. My OB’s walked in, saw it, turned white and walked out. Soon they came back with paperwork for me to sign. I was going to have a good birth. I believed in my body. I believed in my babies, and I believed in my midwives, who is decided would be delivering my babies and with no epidural using active labour.
At 35 wks I felt strange. I truly felt like my body had hit a wall. I asked for a growth scan as I believed that my babies had stopped growing. I felt something was not right. A few days later they did the scan and sure enough the babies had stopped growing and things needed to progress.
I decided to try bringing my labour on myself. I used everything. Every old wives’ tale, right up to stretch and sweep. Nothing!!!! Can you believe it, all that time fearing preterm labour and now I want it to start and it won’t!!! I tried and tried, but nothing but a few strong BH contractions.
So I decided that I had no choice but to induce.
I was terrified of induction. I was worried that one intervention would lead to another. I had a few friends, my sister and my husband with me after they gave me a strong stretch and sweep and broke my waters, and then they hooked me up to the synto drip. I walked around, bounced on the ball and rotated my hips, I laughed and joked and talked. I was scared, but this was my day! I was going to meet my girls.
Once contractions were established my friends and my sister left so that I could focus. I concentrated on feeling my little sweetheart lowering to my cervix. Aneyah was the leading baby. We had a head monitor on her, (which I wasn’t struck on, but it was needed) I stayed standing until I physically couldn’t any more. They had me famining just in case, and I was completely exhausted. I’d brought berocca with me but was not allowed to have it in case they needed to intubate me in an emergency. So I got up on my hands and knees on the bed. The contractions were so strong now. People were starting to fill my room, but I used gas and concentrated on blocking them all out and just feeling my daughters lowering.
As I began to push, Aneyah’s heart rate started dropping. I could feel her head at my cervix and could not seem to push her through. One of my midwives checked and said that my cervix just wasn’t letting her through, so she helped. While I pushed, she gently helped my cervix over her head, it worked. I turned around to sit up with my knees up at the end of the bed. It was time. Before I knew it my little princess’s head was crowning. Two more pushes and Aneyah was out and placed on my chest. My beautiful, amazing little girl, screamed for just a moment then just looked at me. I was in love. She was so beautiful. My husband cut the cord, and before I knew it I was feeling the need to bear down again. They passed Aneyah from me to my husband and I started to push. Another head started to lower through my cervix and crown, the OB decided to help by breaking my waters, as he went to do so, I beared down, and with a beautiful twist, my waters exploded all over him. A moment that gave me a good laugh! Just 15 minutes after her sister Kalanee arrived into the world and straight to my chest. Such intense love. Another perfect beautiful wonderful little girl who screamed for just a moment then snuggled into my arms. Complete love. But I could only hold her just a moment, because I had one more special person to concentrate on. Lealah. I passed Kalanee over to one of my midwives and put my hands above my third little princess. It was much harder to push with her. I could not feel my stomach muscles because they’d stretched so much, and all that space and one tiny little baby, but I held my hand above her and beared down. My waters broke as she was crowning and she literally came out in one slurp with what seemed like a bucket of blood. Lealah was placed immediately on my chest and I was given the scissors to cut her cord. What a moment. She gurgled a little and I passed her over to be checked. Immediately afterward, I felt the need to push again. My placenta had come away early and was chasing Lealah out.
The placenta was so big; it was two that had shared and one that was fused. It felt like another baby, and it was at this point that someone in the room decided to joke about a possible fourth that had gone unseen. I was quite unimpressed.
I did lose quite a decent amount of blood, but the body is amazing. My haemoglobin was actually higher after than the day before. It seems all that bloating was my body preparing.
They were: Aneyah – 4lb 7oz, Kalanee – 4lb 9oz; and Lealah – 4lb 11 oz. The first two were 15 minutes apart and the second and third were 12 minutes apart. They were 35.6 wks, and all head down. My entire labour was calculated at 4.5 hours.
My three girls were very quick to pick up breast feeding. They had no formula from the moment they were born. We had a little jaundice from being four weeks early, but they were healthy and strong. After just five days we all left the hospital fully breast fed and mummy’s little princesses. Today they are nearly six months, still exclusively breast fed and doing amazingly. I have three beautiful boys and three beautiful girls. I feel like the most blessed woman in the world.
Recommended Reading
One Woman’s Successful Frank Breech Vaginal Hospital Birth
The Birth of Sicily Rose {Postpartum Hemorrhage, Vanishing Twin Syndrome}
Birth Of Elsie {Homebirth Story With Siblings}
A Mother Will Overcome {I Am Strong}
My Fearless Birth {Home birth turned hospital}- A Beautiful Family Home Birth/Baby Caught by Grandmother {Graphic Emergence Photos}
The Birth of a Bus {Really}- Birth Story of Ace {Homebirth Transfer to Cesarean}
Finally, Relief! {A Painful Pregnancy, Spinal Injury}
Logan’s Birth Story {Med-Free Hospital Birth}
311 Comments
Julia
Wow, lovely! All of it, but your determination and spiritual connection to the girls not yet born was wonderful.
Sara B.
Wow, you are a huge inspiration to me! I find this blog because I just found out I was pregnant with triplets. Soo scared! I’m only 14 weeks and these are my first, but I’m already showing. Congratulations on your beautiful family – you are a strong minded woman. Good for you!
Divyya
Hi, many many congratulations..
Have u concieved triplets naturally..?
Kelly
What a truly amazing birth story. Thank you so much for taking the time to share it!
Bethany
AMAZING! Way to go Mama! You’re story got better and better as I continued to read. I’m blown away!
maule
what an amazing story, thank you for sharing your beautiful family with us…. i am a student midwife and take great inspiration from your pregnancy, birth and family….. women’s bodies are amazing and the strength and positivity you had in your body was/is amazing. 🙂
Aretha
I’m enraptured about how confidend about ur body you were! You are one of the strongest momys i’ve read about!
lolly
Wow! I wish I had it courage and determination! I wish I would of stood up to my ob doctors also wish their were more midwives in my area! Thank you for your story my 4 th will be on my terms no matter what!!
Michael Ray Overby
This posting is oveflowing with Sensibility, & not ‘crypto-militancy’ like so many others Elsewhere. No insistence on DCC in what I like to think is some tacit acknowledgement regarding the risks thereof in Monochorionic gestation (shared circulation). Also Acceptance of fetal monitoring, & Syntocin to assist progression of Labor. The only complaint I might see in this synopsis? The Hospital should have listened to Mummy & done Sono as soon as she felt the babies had ceased to grow! The MoTri Placentation was under extremely severe stress having to support 3 babies equally & not the usual Singleton it was ‘designed’ to. This was a deeply sensible response to a very Risky gestation. I feel it would have been OK for the mum to talk about how often Sono got done to check on these 3 (no doubt Very). Back in The Day, they wouldn’t have made it. They did today bc Mum was Sensible about what was actually Required, & she got her birth essentially the way she wished. Compromise is an essential pervasive thing when Monochorionic Multiple gestation is involved. Embrace it.
Rasha
Great story…. So inspiring! I am pregnant with triplets and the doctors scared me so much about all the risks… Its great to see a positive feedback somewhere!
Thank you
Diana
What an amazing and inspiring story! The babies are beautiful, a true blessing. God bless you and your beautiful family.
Gina
Your story and labor of love was so inspiring and beautiful .as a mom of 5 singletons and an RN who went into nursing to be a midwife, bc I used a cm for my 2nd baby. I loved how the acupuncture and midwife gave you the delivery you desired. Woman are so awesome in what there bodies can do. Such miracles having 3 baby girls your way I love your delivery of your experience and that you did it safely on your terms. Congratulations! !
Kara
You are my hero 🙂
Paula
I am awestruck ! To keep your conviction with such fear and doubt around you? You rock!! I want to talk with some day. Enjoy those babies!!
Ashley Passeri
Congratulations! A follow up blog about your breastfeeding experience would be fab! In complete awe of a women who can feed 3 babies with 3 other sons to care for, hats off!
Paige
You are amazing!
Ericka
Your story brought tears to my eyes, you have so much love in your heart and soul for your children and the pictures speak, as well.
Awesome Mommy! 🙂
Stacy
I’m sorry if this is somewhere in the comments, but I’m curious as to what the combination of your triplets? I’m pregnant with 2 identical and a 3rd fraternal. So I have 2 placentas for 3 babies and I’m trying to do as much research as I can so I don’t have to have a c-section if it’s not 100% necessary.
Courtney
Erika said it well! You are an awesome mommy! Just found out In pregnant with my second and have Rheumatoid Arthritis and may be treated as high risk. After reading this In recommitting to natural birth, nursing, and a calm environment like I had for my first out of hosiptial birth. Thank you for your strength!
Lee
Beautiful story of strength and determination! Your special children will grow up with all of that from you and more! Agreed re: breastfeeding blog! Your story is so inspiring …don’t stop there!
poline
every thing is possible be4 the eyes of God , very inspiring story.
bianca
what a wonderful story it’s amazing…. am really touch and I think I wanna have a triplets!! please how can I go about that???? will be glad if U would share through my email… thanks
Flourish S
Beautiful story, beautiful girls, am truly inspired. Am expecting triplets and terrified because I don’t want a CS, I would really appreciate talking to you. Please send me a reply so we can talk better. Thanks.
Corissa
You are amazing. Incredible story. Good luck to you and your beautiful family!!
Talythah
This is the most wonderful thing Ive read in my life. I hope to b e blessed with more babies!
Christina Dinham
Thank you for sharing your amazing birth story. You are truly a heroine of birth.
Hannah
I cried! This is beautiful!
Louise Collins
This is just the most fantastic birth story. What a beautiful family and what an amazing mom. Congratulations and good on you for creating the positive birth you so strongly wanted for your beautiful girls even in the face of all that adversity xx
Yara
God bless you and your family! All the best to your girls and boys! To your brave husband! And I also admire your strength and courage! The real woman beauty and an example for lots of women who are afraid become a mom naturally!
gina
Well done! Congratulations and my best wishes! Thanks for sharing. xxx
Mama
Holy Cow! You are my hero. You are amazing for enduring a triplet pregnancy, going through a natural birth, and being able to breastfeed exclusively! You are awesome. You rock!
Jess
Thank you for sharing my story. I’m so glad it could be of help to other mums birthing their names, no matter if it’s one two three or more. Listen to your bodies! You know your body more than anyone.
The girls are now turning 4 in October, and really strong minded little people. I’m a single mum of six, and I love my kids, the girls breastfed till 2.5 without any formula suplimemts, slept in my bed, and have grown happily in a big family. We each make our own recipe of how we raise our babies, and I think we each need to appreciate that it’s important to bake different cakes, but I’m proud that I could make choices and I’m grateful that there people to listen
Jess
Babies not names lol
Kelly
You are amazing and a true example of the strength of both a woman’s body and mind. I’m in awe of your strength in fighting for the birth you knew you deserved. What an amazing start to their lives. When I go on to become a midwife I will always keep your story in mind and help push away that fear of natural multiple deliveries. Women deserve better!
Hannah
Amazing!!
Kelsey
Wow what an incredible story!! I’m a new mommy to a 5 wk old, he was 9lbs 12oz! I was so proud to have such a healthy boy I naturally gave birth to, I also strictly breast feed. It’s a lot of work so I couldn’t imagine 3! Let alone the birth!! This is such a touching story.❤❤❤ thank you for sharing.?
Laura
This is the best blog ever! I have just found out I am having triplets, I am still so early (6 weeks) but I had a scan today and saw all three. Their heart was all beating well and I am told so far so good!
I am so terrified but excited! Thank you for much making me feel like I can do this (and naturally too!)
Can I ask how was your body after birth? Did you go back into shape? Sorry to ask but I have such a small waist at the moment it feel unreal how big I am going to go and just want to have some hope that I can in the future get back into shape!
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Annabelle
Thank you for sharing your story. Loved the details & pictures!. I trully enjoyed reading it as I am a blessed & proud mother of triplets girls. ???
Katie
I just want to say, CONGRATS! And amazing, amazing job. How rewarding to have advocated for your babies, to investigate what was best for them and not getting stuck in the standard medical model and procedures for birthing multiples. I’m only having one child for my second pregnancy, but I feel much more empowered to stay the course with a midwife/birth center and go au natural. Thank you for sharing your inspiring story!
Nancy
Dear Katie, I am going to send your inspiring and wonderful story to my niece Gaby. She lives in Ecuador and is 31 weeks pregnant of triplets, 2 girls and a boy. The whole family is exited about it. Her doctors said that she will need C section. I do pray that she will make until the 36 weeks. She is doing great until now.
Blessing from Above,
Nancy
Milena
You ARE the most blessed woman on Earth!
Krishna
This is the most beautiful birth story I’ve ever read! How amazing you are and what a gift you’ve given the world😍❤️
neema arora
Congratulations mother of 6!! it is an amaizing story, i couldnt stop reading…
please advise, how do you conceive triplets? am in love with triplets…would love to have them.
Anna
What a beautiful birth story, thanks so much for sharing, how where u able to exclusively breastfeed for 6mnths , where you on a particular diet?
Lori
Near the end of your story all I could think about was 3 infants wanting to cluster feed – terrifying to me. 🙂 I have so much respect for your dedication to breastfeed 3 babies at the same time! Lucky little girls to have such a fierce mother.