Four kids under one!

TOLD I COULD NEVER KIDS After facing infertility, Charlotte Parker was given a miracle

When doctors told Charlotte Parker that not even IVF could help her have kids, she never imagined she would have four babies naturally in less than a year!

Charlotte, 32, and husband Billy, 29, welcomed triplets Adam, Jamie and Ella in August – just a month before their older brother Lewis’s first birthday.

Shortly after the couple married in 2014, their hopes of starting their own family were crushed when Charlotte was told she had such a low egg count, she shouldn’t even bother with IVF. Devastated by the news, she stopped taking the pill.

Even though the couple knew the odds were slim, they planned to investigate their options with fertility clinics and potential egg donors. But just two months later, Charlotte found she’d conceived naturally – with not one, but seven pregnancy tests confirming the happy news!

After a smooth pregnancy, baby Lewis was born on September 6, 2016.

And the new parents were in for an even bigger surprise when Charlotte unexpectedly fell pregnant with triplets just months later.

‘It’s quite odd to think back to when we thought having children wouldn’t be possible. We just get on with it, but when we sit down and think about it, you can’t help but go: “Oh my, four babies!”’ says Charlotte, who lives in Crawley, a town in West Sussex, England.

The triplets were born at 32 weeks on August 4 – Adam arrived first at 2.45pm, followed by Jamie a minute later, then Ella at 2.47pm.

Now at home with all four of their children, Charlotte and Billy are getting the hang of their new routine.

‘Every three hours the triplets are changed and fed, and we get through around 24 nappies in 24 hours – and then with Lewis as well, it’s around 30 nappies every day,’ explains Charlotte.

‘There’s lots of feeds, with 26 bottles in 24 hours, and then changing and doing everything in three-hour intervals means the day goes by very quickly.’

As Lewis is already sleeping through the night, Charlotte and Billy have worked out shifts to ensure they each get a few hours rest while looking after the trio.

The UK mum spent about a week in hospital before the babies were born, after experiencing contractions for two days. She eventually had a caesarian and the triplets were moved to a neonatal unit.

‘They were rushed into neonatal after they were born – I was on a lot of medication and liquid morphine, so was only able to see them the next morning,’ Charlotte says. ‘They looked tiny, they were like little dolls – although they were bigger than Billy and I thought they would be.

‘The next night, I got to hold Adam first, and then Jamie and Ella, and the bonding feeling kicked in straight away. It was immediate.’

Afterwards, Charlotte stayed in hospital after losing three litres of blood and suffering an infection, as well as a blood clot between her uterus and bladder. But six days later, she was able to return home.

‘It was very surreal for me because I didn’t have my bump anymore, but I didn’t have my babies near me either. It was difficult,’ she says.

But the proud parents celebrated their eldest son’s first birthday with a trip to a restaurant and a walk around the park, before the triplets were allowed to come home.

‘Lewis is a very happy baby and he had a great time on his birthday,’ Charlotte says.

‘It’s crazy. But Lewis has started walking, he’s a big chunk and is becoming less of a baby and more of a toddler every day.

‘[He’s] a little young to fully understand that he has three new siblings, but he hasn’t been fazed. He likes to go up and peer over their basket at them, and I am getting him used to stroking gently so he can interact with them properly.

‘The triplets have been putting on weight and growing in strength since they were born, and we’re so glad to have Adam, Jamie and Ella home.’

Baby Jamie had to go back to hospital after his first night home, when his breathing became irregular. But after an overnight stay, he was given a clean bill of health and was able to return home.

‘Billy is relieved that I’m home and that everyone is doing well. I really wanted to get back to normal after me and the triplets were in and out of hospital for such a long time,’ reveals Charlotte.

‘We have very supportive family and friends, and the lovely messages I’ve been getting online. There were times when I felt down, as I was stuck in hospital heavily pregnant, and seeing those comments gave me a surge of encouragement.’

Adds Charlotte of the experience: ‘It’s amazing for us to all be together now as a family of six after everything. We’re really happy to all be home, and feel very lucky to have four happy and healthy babies.’

‘I got to hold Adam first, and then Jamie and Ella, and the bonding feeling kicked in straight away’