Gazing at their identical triplets dressed in adorable matching outfits, Tanya and Kris Hall can’t believe their little miracles survived.
The devastated parents were almost faced with a heartbreaking situation: one of the babies being terminated for the sake of the other two’s survival.
Their only hope was for Sarah to undergo in womb surgery. WATCH HERE!
At 19 weeks pregnant, the naturally conceived triplets were diagnosed with life-threatening stage 3 Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) where uneven blood flow between the babies causes one to get more nutrients than the others.
This can have tragic results, as one baby can get too big and be at risk of heart failure, while the other two may become dangerously underdeveloped.
The shattering diagnosis meant Tanya needed to undergo surgery while the babies were incredibly still in her womb.
Thankfully, the surgery was a success and she gave birth to three healthy boys on 26 April 2019.
Tanya says: “To know we could have lost our boys leaves us over the moon to have Rupert, Austin and Ethan home with us.”
When Tanya, 30, and her husband Kris, 41, from Hessle, Yorkshire, discovered they were expecting, they had no idea of the roller coaster ride ahead of them.
Tanya says: “To discover we were expecting was amazing, as it was our dream to have a family.”
But the couple’s joy soon turned to terror at a routine scan.
Research and development worker Tanya says: “At 19 weeks pregnant it all went wrong when I was diagnosed with TTTS.
“To hear there was something so badly wrong with my babies was devastating. Doctors suggested I undergo laser ablation surgery, which is performed on the babies while they are in my womb and can correct the blood-sharing imbalance.
“The procedure involves finding every blood vessel connecting the babies and closing them to prevent the flow of blood from one baby to the other and the possible risk of transfusion. It sounded so alien to us, we were in shock.
“Due to one of the babies getting more blood than the others, there was a possibility we would have to let one of the smaller babies go for the sake of the other two.
“There was more terrible news, as the doctors told me I was at high risk of an early labour because my cervix had shortened.
“Doctors said if the boys were to be born at 19 weeks, it would be disastrous. They were unlikely to survive.
“I was heartbroken but had to go straight in for surgery. The op was so frightening, but the medics were pleased. Then we had the long wait to see if I went into early labour.
Tanya was put on bed rest in hospital from 24 weeks pregnant.
She says: “Doctors initially advised I should give birth at 28 weeks but I felt like they needed a bit longer, as I was worried about any preterm complications and somehow miraculously managed to hold off the labour until 31 weeks.”
The tiny triplets were born at Lancashire Women and Newborn Hospital, with Austin weighing 4lb, Ethan 2lb 9oz and Rupert 2lb 11oz.
Tanya remembers: “Austin was born first and hearing him cry was such an amazing moment – to deliver all three and be told the boys were doing well was a massive relief.
“It was very daunting seeing my three tiny babies with tubes covering them. The first cuddle with each baby was so emotional – they were so precious and fragile looking.”
Six weeks after the boys’ arrival, they were allowed to go home with their excited parents and have been settling in at nicely.
Tanya says: “Our little miracles are now ten-weeks-old. I often look down at them and feel like I’m the luckiest mum in the world.”
To keep up to date with the triplets’ journey, following them on Instagram @triplettales.
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