Triple the joy as couple beat the 200m to 1 odds
Premature identical triplets are super-rare
AMARRIED couple have defied odds of 200 million to one to welcome one of the most premature sets of identical triplets ever to be born in Britain.
River, Beau and Leo arrived ten weeks early when they were born within six minutes of each other at Worcestershire Royal Hospital on January 16 this year.
Parents Lauren and Jack Mountain had been shocked to learn at their 12 week scan they were not only expecting their first child, but their first three.
But they were overjoyed when their incredibly rare trio of boys arrived safely into the world after being delivered by emergency C-section.
River and Beau weighed 3lbs 1oz while Leo weighed in at 3lbs after being born at 6.59am, 7.04am and 7.06am respectively.
Lauren, 28, and Jack, 29, from Bewdley, near Kidderminster, said they have been told the odds of having naturally conceived identical triplets is one in 200 million.
Lauren, who works as a sustainability adviser, said: “When we found out we were having triplets it was a complete shock, we couldn’t believe it. It was pretty hard to process and get our heads around it as there are no twins or multiples in the family.
“We FaceTimed family and friends to break the news and see the reaction on their faces. A lot of people couldn’t believe it and
thought we were having them on. We had to show them the scan pictures to prove there really were three of them.
“They were sharing a placenta so we were told it would be a high risk pregnancy. We were a bit scared and a bit nervous.
“We were worried about how we would manage having three at the same time because Jack is an only child and we had always envisaged having a small family ourselves.
“It took a few weeks to process then we became really excited. “The birth actually went really well, it was a healthy birth.
“There were only six minutes between them. River was at 6.59am, Beau at 7.04am and Leo at 7.06am. It was a hectic few minutes to say the least.”
Beau and Leo have now returned home with their mum and dad while River remains in hospital as he still requires breathing assistance.
Lauren added: “It’s been a very tiring few weeks, months actually – but we are doing good now.
“It’s madness with Beau and Leo at home and we are going back and forth to hospital to see River every day.
“Thankfully we have got a lot of support because it is chaos already.
“Their grandparents look after the boys to give us some relief when we want a shower and go to see River in hospital.
“It is bittersweet being able to take the two home and leaving River in the hospital when he is otherwise so strong and healthy.
“We are just waiting for him to grow a little bit more and build up his lung strength so he can come home.
“It is difficult and very hard but we are looking at weeks rather than months, although everything depends on the baby.
“It is probably only Jack and I and a few family members who can tell them apart. I think even the nurses in the hospital struggled.
“There are differences in their head shape we use to distinguish them but they might grow out of those.”