Crowded house welcomes identical triplets

The Press

TRIPLE TREAT: The Mitchell triplets, from left, Lucy, Madeline and Amelia, are held by older siblings Ben, 11, Sophie, 12, and Grace, 7.

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Rangiora parents Amanda and Rob Mitchell have given up their bedroom to bring home their identical triplets.

Lucy, Madeline and Amelia Mitchell beat incredible odds when they were born on December 10.

The Multiple Birth Association said the chances of identical triplets were one in 200 million, or 50 times that of winning Lotto.

Mrs Mitchell, 42, and husband Rob, 51, will take the triplets home to Rangiora today to what will become a cramped home.

They have vacated their master bedroom for the triplets and moved their two other daughters into a shared room.

Amanda Mitchell had five children, aged between 7 and 21, before the triplets arrived.

She said leaving hospital, where nurses helped care for the triplets, would be a real shock.

"I think we should be okay. I have had a while to get used to having them at home, so I think we'll cope," she said.

"I will have a nanny from one in the afternoon until seven, so that should really help."

The girls were growing fast.

"We've had a really easy time with them so far. They are very healthy."

It was hard to imagine how the parents of octuplets born in the United States on Tuesday would cope.

"It's just amazing."

Mrs Mitchell said her triplets were difficult to tell apart, except for Madeline, who had a small birthmark on her face. They had booties with their initials on them for identification.

"We will have to be careful to replace the right booties on the right baby or we might get a bit confused."

It took two people about an hour to wash and feed the girls and change their nappies. They slept about four hours at a time, so waking in the night and doing three feeds would be one of the biggest challenges.

Mrs Mitchell said she was going to buy a three-seat stroller to push the triplets around, but it would not fit through the front door. Instead, if she was on her own, she would push two girls in a double-stroller and have one strapped to her chest.

"We had to buy a van, and Rob spent two hours fitting the babies' car seats into the back.

"It's going to be very very busy, but it will be good to have them home."

- © Fairfax NZ News