Nothing compares to feeling your baby fluttering inside you. It’s like a million little butterflies have just taken flight.
As your baby grows and you begin to feel those first kicks, those first wriggles, it’s incredible. Being pregnant truly is a miracle.
Into the third trimester, as the mommy condo becomes cramped, a mom can actually see her baby’s elbow, knee or head ripple by, protruding from her stomach.
It’s amazing!
But not every mom has a peaceful, serene, blissful nine months of pregnancy. Sadly, some moms’ pregnancies end all too early, leaving them sorrowful with empty arms.
Other moms find themselves worried about the health of their unborn baby the entire pregnancy. And sometimes those fears come true.
Chloe Dunstan of Perth, Australia, was blessed when she found herself pregnant a fourth time. And with triplets!!!
Because she was pregnant with multiples, her pregnancy was closely monitored. An ultrasound revealed that she was expecting two bouncing baby boys and a precious little girl that were naturally conceived.
The family was beyond ecstatic!
But halfway through Chloe’s pregnancy, they learned that the little girl was being deprived of oxygen and she was not getting enough nutrients. The doctors feared she wouldn’t survive.
So the medical advice Chloe received was to continue with her baby and deliver two healthy baby boys. Ultimately, her daughter would die in utero.
How could a mother make that kind of decision?
“I do remember briefly considering the alternative of letting her go so her brothers could continue to grow strong and healthy and have the best start in life.”
But there was no way she was going to let the little girl they’d named Pearl pass away without attempting medical intervention. So a medical team instead decided to deliver the babies dangerously early at 28 weeks and run the risk of all three babies facing complications — or worse.
“I feel guilty for having the boys delivered when they were growing so well in the womb. But Pearl would have died if we didn’t deliver early, so I will never regret that.”
On July 3, Chloe, then 22, and her husband Rohan “Ro,” then 26, ushered the triplets into the world. The sweethearts were named Pearl, Rufus and Henry, but they were teeny tiny. They also required blood transfusions.
“Pearl had a PDA in her heart that closed on its own. She had a pulmonary hemorrhage, a minor brain bleed, she fought a horrible infection and there were days we weren’t sure if she would make it, especially the early weeks when she was on a ventilator. She had something called metabolic bone disease which resolved with medication. The main ongoing issue was her liver, as she was very jaundice for the whole time she was in hospital, but the latest scan showed that everything looked fine.”
The babies spent a lengthy and excruciating amount of time in the hospital receiving the best care. Several times it was touch and go, but the miracle babies ultimately pulled through.
Surprisingly, the triplets were released from the hospital and able to go home before their Sept. 22 due date. The boys headed home first after nine weeks of hospital care, then Pearl made it home two weeks later.
The triplets’ three older siblings Evan, 3, Otto, 2 and Felix, 1, were overjoyed with the new arrivals. As newborns, the triplets would go through six onesies, 20 bottles and 25 diapers.
“At this point, I can’t say exactly what the future holds, but all three babies are strong and healthy with no known issues. Pearl is still on a bunch of medication, mostly just extra vitamins, and all three babies have various appointments in the next few months. So far we’ve gotten pretty lucky in the way that the babies sleep well and only wake every four to five hours to eat. It still takes over an hour to get them all fed and changed and settled back to sleep though so it does feel like a never-ending cycle sometimes.”
Being smooshed together in utero meant that the babies preferred being close by each other when outside in the bright world.
“They seem to fall asleep instantly when they are close and cuddling. I can’t wait to see how their bond grows over time.”
As the babies grew older, Chloe attested to the fact that her biggest success in raising them was when they finally were able to feed themselves.
“It’s messier but I get a moment to eat my own lunch.”
It’s unfathomable to imagine having six children aged three and younger. The terrible twos are tripled in intensity and the later teenage years – wow.
For the most part, the kiddos have remained healthy and Chloe is well protected by her five siblings. They are homeschooled and follow a vegan lifestyle.
Their crazy life adventures are well documented on Chloe’s Instagram and Facebook accounts, as well as the family’s YouTube channel that provides thousands of fans with a glimpse into their adventurous lives.
Watch the video below and catch the kiddos in action with their momma on a typical day. What a crazy and blessed life they lead!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
