Triplets beat the odds
When Katie and Nathan Barfield’s three identical girls arrived eight weeks early and in perfect health, even their doctors thought it was a real-life miracle
As she takes a loving look at her three baby daughters sleeping peacefully in unison, Townsville mum Katie Barfield is reminded of just how miraculous every day of their lives has been.
Ever since Isabelle, Amelia and Georgia made their debut as tiny specks on a sonogram last year, Katie and her husband Nathan had hoped for the best, but also prepared for the worst. Their pregnancy was dangerous in more ways than anyone could have predicted.
Conceiving the triplets was already a rarity – a one-in-300,000 chance, according to doctors. But during their 12-week scan, the couple’s relief at seeing three healthy babies soon turned to disbelief when they found out they were having “monochorionic triamniotic” triplets, which is three identical foetuses sharing the one placenta.
The couple were unexpectedly faced with the option to terminate from doctors, because of how serious the risks were.
“The likelihood of the one placenta feeding all three babies evenly without complications was very rare,” Katie, 28, tells Woman’s Day. “There was a high risk we could lose them all because of it.”
Katie’s already a full-time carer to their 22-month-old son Michael, who was born with moderate to severe cerebral palsy. He was at the forefront of their minds when doctors warned them a multiple “high-risk” pregnancy increased the chances of one or more babies being born with a disability and health problems.
“There were a lot of things to consider, even if they did all survive the term. Their future was uncertain and that weighed heavily, knowing what Michael has to endure for the rest of his life,” Katie says. “But there was no question we wanted to keep them all.”
WELCOMING THREE DAUGHTERS
The constant worry about their babies’ health was happily interrupted at 15 weeks by the news they were having three girls.
“We had a room full of girl’s things at home because we were told at two separate scans Michael would be born a girl,” Katie recalls, still in disbelief about the mix-up.
“We didn’t find out until four hours after Michael was born, when I went into the neonatal ward, he was a boy.
“So I was naturally sceptical about the accuracy of this scan.
‘There was no question we wanted to keep them all’
I asked three stenographers, two midwives and a doctor before I started believing it,” she admits.
‘WORRYING’ TIME
Due to it being a complicated pregnancy, Katie was required to have a scan – which took up to two hours – every two weeks since her 16-week scan. At 29 weeks, she was forced on hospital bed rest, due to extremely high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia. “That was the most stressful time for both of us,” she admits. “The worrying didn’t stop.” Katie remained there – with her blood tested every day and under close doctor supervision – until she gave birth to the girls at Townsville Hospital on March 19 via a scheduled C-section, 32 weeks into term. “When the first one came out I was holding my breath,” 30-year-old Nathan recalls. “When I heard them cry, I was very emotional. It was a very good feeling. Then once the third one was out, I thought, ‘That’s all there is, right?’” “When the first one was out, I even asked the doctor to show me she was definitely a girl,” Katie says, laughing. The strong girls – born eight weeks premature and weighing between 1.67kg and 2.2kg – had defied medical expectations, with Isabelle requiring respiratory support four days after birth while her sisters were breathing on their own in special care nursery.
FOUR KIDS UNDER TWO
Almost six weeks later, Katie and Nathan excitedly took their precious bundles home to meet their big brother, with clean bills of health. And that’s when the reality of having four children under two really set in.
“The newborn sleep deprivation and being constantly on the go was a shock to the system, so we had to get into a routine that worked,” Katie says, adding their household goes through at least 25 nappies each day.
“They may be two months old now, but corrected they’re more like two weeks old. Even Michael puts his hands on his head when they cry, which is pretty cute.”
While the triplets may be identical genetically, their unique personalities are already shining through to their parents.
“Georgia’s our feisty one, Amelia’s the chill baby who sleeps and eats well, and Isabelle is a mix of both and likes a lot of attention,” Katie explains.
As for their family being complete, Katie says they’re both more than happy with their lot – while their babies are still in nappies, at least.
“Nathan asked me in hospital whether I would go for a fifth, and my response was to check in again in a couple of years.” Friends have set up a Gofundme page to support the Barfields. Visit gofundme.com/barfield-triplets