‘We were blown away!’
The words of Jenni Casper when she and her family learned she was pregnant with triplets.
And although the triple bundle of joy decided to make their entrance nine weeks early, we are delighted to report they and mum are all doing fine.
So meet the minor miracles: Harper-Gwen, who weighed 2lb 13oz when she was born, Marvella (3lb 1oz) and Evalynn (3lb).
Originally Jenni, 27, and her husband James were told they were expecting twins, to add to their daughters Danica, ten, and four-year-old Gabriella.
“Then at our 12-week scan, we were told that one of our babies was hiding and that we were expecting three!” Jenni told YorkMix.
“All of us, including my husband and my other two daughters, were blown away as triplets don’t run in our families! Shocked but blessed.”
So was it different to her previous pregnancies? “The only difference really was I had extreme morning sickness and walking around was difficult at times.
“I was seen by two different consultants, one at Leeds general Infirmary and one in York, the scans were fortnightly.”
It meant the birth had to be planned very carefully too.
“Due to them being triplets, I could only have them via c-section,” Jenni said.
“I had my planned section booked in for April 26th but they decided to come nine weeks and a day early via emergency c-section.”
Three ‘insane’ minutes
They were all born within three minutes of one another at York Hospital on 31 March.
Those few minute were “insane. We were told if we blink we may miss it.
“Seeing all of them was like somebody copying and pasting the same baby! It felt surreal.”
One of many challenges for Jenni and James was finding three names. And then remembering who is who!
“They’re identical due to all sharing the same placenta,” Jenni said.
“Harper-Gwen was the name we liked in general, when we thought they were twins, we came across Marvella’s name as it translates to miracle, and Evalynn is a name I’ve always liked.
“Harpers head shape is slightly different, Marvella has more of rounded face so there’s subtle differences luckily.”
[adrotate group=”3″]
The tots have been looked after in the Special Care Baby Unit since they were born. Jenni’s other children have paid regular visits.
“My ten-year-old Danica is little a mother hen, and my four-year-old Gabriella is made up – she’s telling everyone she’s a big sister to three babies, bless her! They can’t wait for them to come home.”
The homecoming could be any day now – “by the end of the week if all goes to plan or even sooner if the doctors are happy with their development,” says Jenni.
Then the real hard work begins! As the family live in a two bedroom house, they are looking to move soon.
But at the moment they are still getting used to their minor miracle. Most doctors put the odds of having identical triplets at 200 million to one – you are more likely to win the lottery!
[tptn_list limit=3 daily=1 hour_range=1]