Code red for the O’Learys! MEET OUR ADORABLE TRIPLETS

Theflame-haired cutieshavereally createdastir

As doting dad Fionn O’Leary has already discovered, it’s an advantage to have large hands and an ample arm span when you’re juggling three tiny newborns.

“I tuck one under an elbow, squeeze her sister in beside and I wrangle a bottle to the third with the other hand,” laughs the father-of-five.

In July this year, Fionn and his wife Sarah, both 26, became the proud parents of gorgeous red-haired fraternal triplets Toby, Sadie and Macy. The Canterbury couple already had two older sons, Olly, five, and 18-month-old Archy.

“We very quickly went from, ‘Hey, let’s have a third baby,’ to the parents of five redheads aged five and under,” says Fionn, the manager of Christchurch ice rink Alpine Ice. “My father has already offered to pay for the vasectomy!”

But jokes aside, the O’Learys are smitten with their new additions and already the flame-haired bubs have become international stars. Local photographer Cassandra English took pictures of the gorgeous triplets at 31 days old and her images became

an overnight sensation on Facebook with 8.5 million hits.

“We think they’re pretty gorgeous, but obviously there’s a fascination with three tiny triplets,” says Sarah. “Maybe it’s the red hair.”

Despite the realities of living in a two-and-a-half bedroom home with five young children, the O’Learys’ bungalow is an oasis of calm. “We’re the right sort of people to have triplets – we’re both really chilled out,” tells hair technician Sarah.

Three tiny white cots are lined up in one room, but when Woman’sDay visits, the newborns are dozing in their capsules in the lounge. Their brothers are at school and kindy, and peace reigns.

Over the next few hours, each triplet wakes at different times for a bottle and a nappy change, and each is deftly passed between the couple. Taking care of them is a 24/7 labour of love, with each baby waking every three hours for a feed that can take up to 30 minutes.

“That’s 90 minutes to feed all of them, which doesn’t leave much time before the first one is due to wake again,” says Sarah. On any given day, there are 24 bottles made and at least 24 nappies changed.

The couple’s routine is planned down to the minute and all prep is done the night before. A giant whiteboard hanging on the kitchen wall keeps track of each baby’s day. “It helps us to remember who has been fed, changed and had their vitamins,” explains Sarah. “And it’s a help for Fionn, who sometimes gets confused with who’s who!”

Shock&surprise

Fionn and Sarah’s 12-week scan is a day they’ll never forget. Sarah recalls, “The radiographer announced matter-of-factly, ‘Um, there’s three babies in there.’”

“We thought she was pulling our leg,” adds Fionn. “All I could think was, ‘Great, now we need a bigger house and at 26, I will soon be the proud owner of a seven-seater people mover.”

Sarah and Fionn’s triplets are the most common type, fraternal, which means they were formed when three separate eggs were fertilised by three separate sperm. In utero, each baby had its own sac, umbilical cords and Right: The couple prepare to go into theatre. Far right: Leaving Christchurch Hospital with (from left) Sadie, Toby and Macy.

placentas. Around a dozen triplets are born here each year.

Although having a multiple pregnancy carries a greater risk, Sarah felt well right up until the third trimester. After three weeks on bed-rest, she had the triplets delivered by Caesarean at Christchurch Hospital on July 10. First came Toby, weighing 1877g, followed by Sadie at 1855g, then Macy, the biggest at 2358g.

“After two healthy boys, I was thankful to be handed three more healthy babies,” she says.

Each one is thriving and already showing off their own distinct personality. Macy is chilled out and undemanding, Toby is loud and often hungry, while Sadie is the “sweet one” who’d love to cuddle all day.

With the recent purchase of a triple buggy, Sarah is now able to take the triplets outside, fielding the usual

questions from passersby: “Did you know you were having triplets?” (“Not at first”), “Were they conceived naturally?” (“Yes”) and, “Can you tell them apart?” (“Most of the time!”).

Although three new babies come at a financial cost – nappies are $60 a week, while formula is $40 – Heinz Wattie’s is paying for the triplets’ first 12 months of food and the family is entitled to 1600 free hours of childcare.

Despite the fact they’re exhausted, Sarah and Fionn are stoked, and are looking forward to seeing each baby grow up with their protective older brothers Olly and Archy.

“We may be dreaming of a decent night’s sleep, but we are the proud parents of the cutest five redheaded kids around,” asserts Fionn.