'I colour code my triplets so I know who's who'

Megan Smyth, 33, from Derbyshire got more than she bargained for when she decided she wanted to have a baby

- JILL FOSTER

'As the sonographer announced she could see two babies, I wasn't surprised. Twins run in my family and I'd always wanted a set of my own. When I got pregnant only six weeks after coming off the Pill, I joked with my partner, Clayton Whittaker, 43, about there being two, three or even four babies in there. But I wasn't laughing when the sonographer said, "There's a third heartbeat." I burst into tears. I'd wanted more than one baby, but how would I cope with three at once? 

We were told that our triplet boys were identical and were sharing a placenta but had different sacs. "It is one of the riskiest pregnancies you can have in terms of health to both the mother and the babies," explained the doctor.

It was suggested we reduce the number of babies to help carry to full term but that was never an option for us. Their heartbeats were so strong - we felt it was a case of all or nothing.

My bump grew quickly and by 24 weeks I couldn't eat a thing because the babies were taking up so much room. I forced down Bakewell tarts and milkshakes to get as many calories into me as possible. I was scanned every two weeks and it was on the morning of my 33-week scan in March 2021 that I felt a twinge in my back. By the time I got to hospital I was already 5cm dilated so I was taken for an emergency C-section.

All three boys were a good weight [for triplets] Rico 4lb 1oz, Odyn 3lbs 12oz and Colby 3lbs 7oz - but had to stay on the neonatal ward due to their premature arrival. Once I'd given birth, I went into shock. I'd gone from being pregnant at home that morning to being a mum of three by bedtime. Even though I'd joined Facebook groups for triplet mums to try to prepare, I didn't feel ready. It took me a few weeks to bond with them, not because I didn't love them - it was just the speed of it all. Bringing them home after only 17 days was very scary.