Triple delight in time for Mother’s Day

Mater mum Claire Schofield will celebrate her first Mother’s Day at home with her three baby girls, days before their due date.

Claire and husband Clarence were shocked when it was confirmed in the early stages of the pregnancy they were expecting not one, but three babies! It took the first time parents a while for the news to sink in and prepare themselves for their arrival.

The pregnancy was going smoothly until Claire was put on bed rest at 21 weeks which was a stressful time. By 29 weeks, Claire was only allowed to get out of bed to use the bathroom and kept herself busy learning how to crotchet.

“I learnt that in the first week thanks to YouTube and made three blankets while I was there and painted some paintings for their nursery – I was really busy in the end!” Claire said.

“I had so much to do and not enough hours in the day!” she laughs.

At 30+3 weeks Claire went into spontaneous labour and delivered three beautiful girls - Mabel, Poppy and Nora well before their due date of 17 May.

Claire, a Paediatric Registrar, said she was used to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NCCU) environment but having your own children in there is a different experience.

“I’ve got a lot of admiration and compassion for mums going through it, it’s so stressful especially when Nora and Mabel went into open cots and Poppy was still in NICU,” she said.

When the triplets arrived they were taken to NCCU where Poppy was intubated at birth, while Nora and Mabel went straight to CPAP. Poppy had a small set back after five days and was separated from her sisters for a short while when she required hi-flow oxygen. But it wasn’t long before they were all back together and they couldn’t be happier.

Nora, Mabel and Poppy are now able to go home in time to spend their first Mother’s Day with mum.

“I didn’t even realise Mother’s Day was coming up to be honest. It still doesn’t feel real, when I’m here I feel like a mum but when I’m home it feels a bit strange,” Claire said.

“It all happened so quickly we didn’t get to set up the nursery or have a baby shower because I was on bedrest,” said Claire.

“We needed to figure out if we put them in one or three cots for sleeping, and the car seats, the prams.

“How do you fit three car seats in the back of your car? We bought a new car but now we’re worried they won’t fit!” she laughs.

“I bet you we won’t leave the house – it’ll be too much unless we have more people to help us! Maybe we’ll get some excursions but just having them home will be lovely.

After spending 50 days in NCCU, Claire is finally able to take her babies home and be together as a family.

“They are stirring and cooing for their feeds and I’m realising I need four more hands,” Claire said.

“I not sure how we’ll do it but we hopefully have my mum come and stay to help, so it will be an extra special Mother’s day for us all,” she said.