Laura and Roy Donegan, both 39 and residing in Reading, Berkshire, found unparalleled joy as they embraced the arrival of their “miracle” triplets earlier this year. The journey leading to the birth of Scarlett, Max, and Troy on June 26 was marked by perseverance, as it was Laura’s fourth attempt at ⒾⓋⒻ treatment. The triplets, born six weeks and four days prematurely via elective Cᴇsᴀʀᴇᴀɴ, entered the world with Mrs. Donegan facing challenges, necessitating a ᴛʀᴀɴsғᴜsɪᴏɴ due to a significant loss of more than two-and-a-half liters of ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ.
Despite their early arrival and the hurdles faced during delivery, Scarlett, Max, and Troy, weighing 4lb 2oz, 3lb 14oz, and 3lb 8oz respectively, astoundingly thrived. Remarkably, both the triplets and their mother were able to leave St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, after just six nights, bypassing the need for the neonatal intensive care unit.
As the Donegan family celebrates their first Christmas together, now a family of five, with the triplets marking their six-month milestone on Boxing Day, Laura reflects on the emotional rollercoaster. “During the pregnancy, we just wanted them to be healthy, and we were ᴡᴏʀʀɪᴇᴅ there might be ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴs. We definitely feel as though it was a miracle,” she shares. The journey leading to this point involved four rounds of ⒾⓋⒻ treatment, prompting doubts and uncertainties about whether the dream of parenthood would materialize.
The early days of caring for the triplets brought its own set of challenges, with the newborns requiring feeding eight times a day—a process consuming one-and-a-half hours each time. Additionally, the couple faced the significant decision to relocate from Brook Green, central London, to Reading, bringing about its own set of adjustments, both logistically and emotionally. Roy acknowledges that the enormity of having triplets initially felt like a ‘complete overload,’ but the couple found support through the charity Multiple Milestones, specifically designed to aid parents with three or more babies.
Multiple Milestones played a pivotal role in assisting the Donegans with feeding and bathing routines, providing valuable guidance on preparing for Roy’s return to work. The couple, now settled in their new home in Reading, celebrated Christmas Day surrounded by six visiting family members, marking a poignant and heartwarming chapter in their extraordinary journey as a resilient and loving family of five.
